2012-01-15
Lars and Kajsa have been travelling around South Africa since the start of December. They arrived in Port Elizabeth on the 11th and I joined up with Lars to do some last minute shopping for hunting gear. Once we had bought a few items to make Lars undetectable in the bush we headed out to camp. We got to camp around 4pm and put on our kit and headed straight for the shooting range to set the rifle in. All was good and time for a quick look around - we spotted a large herd of eland, plenty impala, springbuck, blue wildebees, waterbuck and a few giraffe amongst others.
Lars having a few sighters !
Day 1 - First stop was our nearby Leopard Ridge conservancy, known for it's excellent quality impala. Driving in around 5.30am, we headed straight for the top of the mountain to obtain a good view of the basin. Lars also wants a baboon - but none available today. 2 hours into the hunt we spotted a bachelor group of impala rams - they had already seen us, but we tried an approach anyway and the one we wanted set off to the other side of the valley. We planned a long walk around sticking to tree cover - and eventually we were able to take this magnificent impala ram. A great shot off the sticks Lars !
An excellent impala.
A well deserved water break after a long stalk.
While we were out hunting Kasja & Oscar had time to relax around the lodge between swimming in the pool.
The afternoon we went looking for a herd of baboons that had been spotted in the valley the last couple of weeks. We heard a few in the distance but couldn't find any approachable.
Day 2 - Lars also wanted a warthog, so we headed off to an area in the Grahamstown district. With a little bit of rain and high winds, this didn't make for ideal warthog hunting. After a few hours glassing we had seen only a few pigs. We had a bite to eat & tired after another early (summer) start - we took a well earned nap under the tree. The afternoon we were fresh again and had a few attempts after springbuck and blesbuck - all giving us the slip. Late afternoon we spotted two old springbuck rams lying in an open area. We made an excellent stalk and peering over a dam wall, we were less than 150yards away. Lars made another superb shot behind the shoulder. A great way to end the day.
A beautiful old ram
Day 3 - Weather was again not good for warthogs. Lars decided we try again for a baboon or a blesbuck whichever comes first. We headed back to Leopard Ridge to comb the cliffs where the baboons like to spend a lot of time. We were up early hoping to hear them waking and full of activity before the heat sets in. By 6am we were sneaking along the edge of the cliffs (170m high). The valley was very quiet and we were about to give up when we spotted a male on his own - perched on top of some rocks 350m further down.
I explained to Lars that stalking a baboon is a lot more difficult that any other animal we have. We moved very slowly and quietly eventually crawling to set ourselves up for a shot. Putting the sticks up with a window opening through a tree - Lars fired and the big baboon rolled down the cliff. A sniper shot at around 200 yards.
Lars finally settled the score
The last evening the weather turned out beautifully and we decided to have a barbecue. We dined on springbuck backstrap - the best !
Lars - the end of an excellent safari !!!
"This was my first time hunting in Africa. It was everything and more than I expected. Ashley is an exceptionally dedicated and knowledgeable Professional Hunter. He seems to want the hunter to get the prey as much as the hunter himself. The hunting area is breathtaking (in more ways than one) Every single day offered a new landscape and a new experience. And the overall experience is something I would, and have recommended to everyone. Eastcape & Karoo Safaris as a whole, is highly recommended, we had the time of our lives and will definitely book with them again. The entire staff and everyone we met were exceptionally personable and proffessional. Thank you so much for an unforgettable experience and some great hunting"
Lars Lyberg
