Fate or Coincidence – The early season does it again

As with previous years, the early season produced some fantastic hunts and phenomenal trophies yet again. This year saw a change in guard for the first time in over ten years. It would not be Brett Nelson and his crew making the most of the rested areas and beating all to the first hunt of the season, but our good friends Jarod Wallace, Chris Ashcroft and Bwana Big Jim Smith.

It may have been fate that brought us all together on February 28th, 2015 – who knows? Some things are just meant to be. Big Jim, Chris, and Jarod had joined us on safari during early May of 2014, and weren’t set to return again until 2016.
On that particular hunt Jarod was after a Cape Buffalo, together with a host of plains game. While he enjoyed tremendous success on a variety of plains game, it would be early mornings and long days stalking Cape Buffalo in our coastal forests with his bow that would captivate him most. With time running out on that hunt, he together with his trusty PH, Ross, came across a very impressive Cape Buffalo bull.

The bull was everything Jarod had dreamt of… he had the mass, drop, and spread. Only one small hick-up – The bull was not on quota. So they sat silently watching him walk out of bow range.

That evening both Jarod and Ross pondered over the days events – wondering how they would ever get the opportunity to hunt a bull in that class? It would have to be fate….
As early December 2014 rolled along, Ross and I were wrapping up final preparations for our trip to the US, when I mentioned to Ross that we would be seeing Jarod and friends in Eagle Mountain, UT, during January, and that we should check our Buffalo quota for that particular area where Jarod watched his dream bull walk a mere 7 months earlier. With one thing leading to another we finally received confirmation of one Buffalo on quota for 2015 – There was no guessing who would have first option on the hunt.
Of course Jarod was never going to turn it down – let alone miss the opportunity of returning to Africa within a year of his first safari. Having experienced the “group” safari atmosphere on his first hunt, he wasn’t planning on returning alone, and kindly invited both Chris and Bwana Big Jim along.

The boys were pretty excited to be a part of Jarod’s Cape Buffalo hunt – let alone sink their teeth into a couple of hunts of their own!

With a couple of months of preparation we had configured a great plan, allowing both Jarod and Ross to be concealed under a hollowed out Acacia tree. The cover would prove sufficient for the guys to go undetected, but if the prickly thorns would deter a herd of grumpy Cape Buffalo from investigating anything out of the ordinary – that would remain to be seen.
As luck would have it, the guys got an arrow into the unaware bull at first light, coming in to drink and then feeding a mere 18 yards away. Having never hunted a Buffalo with a bow before, none of us knew how the bull would react? And in true Cape Buffalo form he took an arrow perfectly placed behind the shoulder and ran off 80 yards before coming to a sudden halt in wonder of the bee that had just stung him. The guys were certain the placement was perfect, yet the bull showed no signs of weakening.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hxY1D50tes&w=560&h=315]
And then suddenly he turned away from the herd and disappeared into the undergrowth. All this time to bull still showed no signs of weakening, but his behavior suggested something was up. We gave the bull another two hours before the guys started tracking him in the thick undergrowth. There was blood – but not enough to confirm the fatal blow. After a couple of hundred yards the blood all-together dried up, and 5 hours later we called it a day. The bull had broken cover twice – a charge was imminent, that was to be expected, but if it was to be the last stand, best we did it in better light.
That evening around the campfire we discussed the arrows placement in great depth – all aware of the danger that loomed the next morning. A decision had to be made, and a mature one at that too. It was time to put away the bow and take up a trusty 375 H&H – it was not only the safest option in our situation, but the right one too. It is not only our responsibility as Professional Hunters to keep you safe, but to honor the game we hunt by ensuring a clean kill, and when things do not turn out as planned, to ensure a speedy follow-up kill.

That next morning the guys did exactly that. Jarod had hunted a dream bull with his bow on his terms and then honored the bull by a well placed heart shot. He had the bull he had so long dreamt about!

After further investigation it was noted that the arrow had hit a rib and broken off, finally working its way out during the night. The penetration was far too little to prove fatal, and all involved learnt a great lesson on heavy boned big game with a bow.
The rest of the day was spent working away the mass of meat, ensuring the cape got into the salt and every inch of meat and bone, including the hooves, intestines, and organs, was used as a source of protein by the local population.
The following morning we were up at sunrise and off to the wild coast to pursue the ever elusive Cape Bushbuck.

Our home for the next four days would be the breath-taking “Camp on the Krantz” (Camp on the Cliff).

For Chris and Jarod it was all about pursuing Cape Bushbuck with their bows, while Bwana Big Jim just goes with the flow, hunting anything truly great he and his longtime PH, Greg Hayes, stumble upon.
Professional Hunter, Martin Neuper, a new member to our team would join Carl and Chris, showing off some of his neck of the woods, enjoying a heap of home-ground advantage. Having grown up with a bow in his hand and a Cape Bushbuck not far off his 30 yard pin, we knew we were in for something special.

And that very first afternoon of walk and stalk Martin put Chris onto a ram at 27 yards.

To say that the entire crew back at camp looked at us with envy that evening would have been the understatement of the safari! It seemed all were suddenly rising earlier than discussed and every member of every team looked more determined than ever. It was officially game on!
Chris, Martin, and I, headed off into the high country in search of Cape Eland, while Greg and Bwana Big Jim weren’t being completely truthful about their plans for the day or what they had seen the previous afternoon. Ross and Jarod would head back to a newly built blind – one that seemed promising with plenty of activity from the day before.
Knowing Bwana Big Jim the way we’ve come to know him, and knowing all too well he and Greg make a dream team on the worst of days – we should have seen the signs of confidence that morning – it’s not that they ever commit to anything in particular, but its the manner in which they bring quality to the shed.

And they always do… this time with a world-class 52” East Cape Kudu.

Jarod and Ross on the other hand were baking their brains in a bow blind at 110F – only to earn a big Baboon with the bow – a truly tough feat. Those who’ve tried this will vouch for it!
Up in the mountains the air was cool and a steady south-western breeze would ensure the remainder of the day would remain pleasant as cool air would be pushed from the ocean onto the escarpment. We literally spotted large herds of Eland from the word go, seeing numerous great bulls, until our eyes came to rest on a herd of +-80 animals. It’s not everyday that one gets to see so many Eland within a 360 degree view, but when one lays eyes on something you search for, for so long, there’s no mistaking it’s a monster when not even I make sense to myself anymore.

I would have hated to have been Chris listening to nervous, yet excited instruction from myself and Martin, hardly able to contain our child-like excitement. Then on the other hand… I would have given anything to have been Chris to have hunted the Eland of a lifetime.

He had everything. The sweep in horn like a Lord Derby, a dewlap that saw him strain his neck with every step he took, and a mop so rich in color – a combination that words cannot describe. His sheer size was beyond impressive, while his gun steel-blue made him a candidate for one of my all-time favorite Eland.

And then as if it couldn’t get any better the Bushbuck came out in hordes on our last day….

First Chris with his heavy horned 15 1/2”….

And then Jarod with a whopping 15 3/4” ram!

With time running out we packed up our gear, loaded the dogs, skins, skulls, trackers, and ourselves, and headed back to Lalibela for our last evening around the campfire.

Each and everyone had enjoyed their time together, once again reminded of the camaraderie we as hunters share.

Fate? Or coincidence? I’m not to sure it was either. When it comes to our great friends from Eagle Mountain in Utah, it’s not that we need much of an excuse to get-together in Africa…

Like I said before… Some things are just meant to be….

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