With the exception of walking across the border to Mexico and a few beach trips to the Caribbean, , I had never left the United States when I embarked on my first trip to Africa in the spring of 2013. I made plans with one of my long time friends to spend 10 days hunting plains game in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. I had no idea what to expect as my big game experience was limited to whitetail hunting in Oklahoma. We had booked our hunt with Tootabi Valley Safaris and guide/outfitter Gerhard Du Preez (Beans). Beans, as he is known to his friends, had guided my wife on previous hunts and had become a close friend prior to our trip.
We spent several days drinking whiskey and planning our hunt on his 2012 visit to the U.S. for safari club meetings. We had settled on a few goals, first was to work on a family springbuck slam. My wife had already taken a common springbuck on her previous trip so I planned to shoot a black and white springbuck. The black springbuck above was the first animal I hunted on my trip. After waking up early for breakfast and several rounds of strong coffee to help adjust to the time change, we were on our way. Hunting on a large ranch about two hours outside of Port Elizabeth, we drove over a ledge on a winding dirt road to reveal an expansive plain with more animals than I had ever seen. My first exposure was overwhelming to say the least, in one view I could see two types of springbuck, wildebeest, zebra and blesbuck. We settled near one of those stereotypical African trees to hide in the shadows while we prepared to make a stalk on a group of springbuck over a small ridge. Before I could put my Barnes bullets into the magazine the herd of black springbuck had come to us, they were running directly to our tree away from some perceived danger over the ridge. As I hurriedly inserted the magazine and pulled the legs of my bipod down, Beans began to call out positions of particularly high quality trophy animals. By the time I ran the bolt and had my view of the heard through the scope, the first group had passed and I was locating the second animal Beans had described. Once I confirmed I was on the right animal, I waited for the group to slow down. Right on cue the animal in my crosshairs hit the brakes and slowed to a walk. Trying to keep the crosshairs on target with my level of excitement was difficult but I slowly squeezed the trigger and the animal disappeared after the thwack of the bullet striking home. Dinner was served and I was officially an African big game hunter, I was pumped.
The second goal was to find a great kudu bull, the keystone of any first-time African safari, but a different opportunity presented itself before we made it that far. I learned that sometimes animals not on your list present a once in a life time opportunity that you can’t pass up. On day three and now in the Tootabi Valley, we were glassing from a high point into a small valley down a cut line. With the sun behind us and the wind in our faces, we were in a perfect position to stalk down the tree line. Soon after raising our binos to glass, a giant bushbuck stepped out from thick cover to graze amongst some kudu cows. We walked in the shadows along the trees down hill until we were about 175yds away, between the kudu cows and our target bushbuck, we didn’t want to press our luck. I set up on my bipod and sent the shot down range striking perfectly behind the right shoulder. He hopped once and fell into the bush, but knowing an injured bushbuck can be an absolute nightmare, we gave him 30 minutes to make sure the deed was done. He measured as the #21 bushbuck SCI, like I said, sometimes plans change for once in a lifetime opportunities.
Eventually, I got my kudu, white bushbuck and a few other great plains game. I was able to try meat from every animal we hunted and it was all delicious. The people, scenery, friendship and memories are an experience that will stay with me forever. I think regularly about crossing the equator again and look forward to my next trip to Africa. If you have ever considered going to Africa, I highly recommend Tootabi Valley Safaris as they are a first class operation. Beans and his team find incredible animals and provide excellent lodging and accommodations. If you have any questions about planning a safari, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Scott
Hunt 2 Travel 