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Day 7
a group of 5 bulls came to the water in front of our
camp at dinner. We stood at 40 yards and viewed in the moonlight.
The next morning we found their track on the road about 3 k from
camp and followed. Found them 1 k later. We found 6 bulls and
stayed with them for 2 hours to check all of them well. The big one
was on the far left and was pushing 55-60lb. Thick also. We
decided he was a possible shooter and approached. We were 20
yards and Rich said no, too much time left and he was doubting
himself. The bull came closer and was at 18 yards when something
got his attention and he came closer. At 15 yards, frontal, video
running, Rich said if he came any closer take him, but if not let
him go (video, yes). He then turned and left. I was having a bit of
trouble on that one. Serious remorse. The story was perfect, see
him at night and track in
the morning, seriously
close
in frontal stare
down etc., but not to be.
We all (including kids)
fight fire again for most
of the afternoon.
Next
Day 8
,
and a similar story tracks
and a huge bull, thick
ivory, after a half hour he came to only 13 yards, a shooter, frontal,
on video, very thick maybe 19 inches around but broken, Maybe
55 to 60+ anyway and a verbal NO from Rich. I was to shoot if
him came any closer. At the sound the bull turned and exit left.
Another shootable bull runs off. Not as tough as the big guy from
yesterday, but holy cow. I hope we do shoot one. As Rich
emphasized before the hunt, nothing under 60 during the first half
of our time in this area. Hunt now half over and I have turned
down 6-7 bulls over 50 and 3 pushing 60 or more????? Then the
fire started again and after all this, the famed Kongoni Pan may
burn anyway? We fought fire, I mean fought with backfires,
shovels and branches with leaves beating.
Day 9
finds the first
camp meat, a nice monster male steenbok.
Move - A couple of days of little activity so we move
camp on
Day 10
away from Kongoni and concentrate on the south
end to save 1-1/2 hour drive one way. Giving up on the Kongoni
Block was welcome to me. The area had only produced long
drives, fire fighting and a lot of heat. The south is where we have
seen all of the elephant activity on this hunt. We have given up on
Kongoni and the north end.
We find a large set of bull tracks on
Day 11
and follow.
Turns into two groups of mixed bulls and cows and babies. First
group nothing of size. We can’t move to the next without wind
problems, so Rich makes some noise with a stick and the first
bunch (20 or so) move off. The other group which is also under a
large tree, as it is very hot, and has three bulls, with one of size.
Same problem, cows with babies, so the sticks are beaten together
again, they move, and the bulls moved one way and the cows
another. We followed these big guys for about a ½ Km and they
stopped under a tree. We moved in and decided he was the one.
Well over 50 and thick all the way out, maybe a surprise 60 upon
weighing. We moved to 25 yards with the 3 of them facing away
when one got wind and moved. Suddenly they went running to the
right and I side-brained him on the move and down in one shot. It’s
great on video. Pictures and a day of recovery. A few beers, but we
are so tired that is about all we could muster. We decide to sleep in
to 5:30 am.
Day 12
is supposed to be day off. Then we find a Rhino
track and decided to follow it on the road. 5 k later he leaves the
road. We take off on foot for about 2K and he loops back to the
road. We follow another 10 k and he enters a large vlei with some
green grass. This tracking goes from easy to impossible. A mile
and a hour later he goes out of the vlei and into the bush after
feeding. We find him sleeping under a tree 300 yards from the vlei.
We all climb a nearby tree and make noise to wake him. Photos
and video taken of him exiting stage left. We are probably the only
people on earth that tracked a wild, non-private, non-park rhino.
All told, a total of 19 km by GPS. Very cool.
That night we go to watch 50 or so ele's come to another
water hole and then a lion roars, as it is nearly dark, we drive to
him and find an absolute monster lying in very short grass. We get
to 30 yards for some pics and video. He did not move. Rich said
that he is the largest lion he has seen in the wild in 16 years of
hunting. He had a
full Black main, past
the shoulder. Then in
the dark he roared as
we left. I caught the
sound on the video
camera. This is about
a mile from our
camp. Chris did not
sleep so soundly that
night.
Day 13
- OK, a earned day of rest, right? No more fires,
mopane flys, or tracking in high heat. Another ele is on quota and
unsold, but it would have to be a giant to consider. We were
heading to check Kongoni Pan, again, and then off to Hwanke
National Park for a leisure day. Well after an hour of driving we
find, despite all efforts, the fire is burning, having moved over 10
miles, and has reached the Kongoni Block. We fight again,
backfires, shovels, beating with sticks etc. At 11:30 Rich said to
me lets go check the water hole in case something did happen here
today. That's actually why we are here. We left the guys fighting
fire and, with me driving and Chris with the video on riding
shotgun, Cooke and Muzi on top, we go to Kongoni Pan. As I
drive up Rich and Muzi start beating on the top of the cab. As I
stop, we see a lone GIANT bull is at the water. Ribs showing, age
sunken head and hips etc., with huge long black ivory. Rich jumps
from the truck and proclaims, "Jaws, This is a Giant."