Bowhunting South Africa (field notes)

[Ron Kulas]

I will use this space to capture my field notes from my bowhunting trip to South Africa (Aug. 28 thru Sept 9, 2021). I kept a daily journal of the events. this is a re-telling of the events in words and pictures. This bowhunting trip is being done for a variety of reasons. Primarily this is a product testing and field trial exercise. I will be testing and evaluating some new bowhunting gear made by me for my bowhunting company as well as testing and evaluating bowhunting gear for other bowhunting companies I work for. I will also be testing a thermal capable drone for carcass recovery. Ive tested many of these items on North American game but all that Ive read indicates that African game is much tougher and more durable and thicker skinned than the game I'm used to bowhunting so on this trip I hope to see how these items perform on larger game in far different environment than I'm accustomed to hunting.

Part 1. Travel day (always the worst part of any trip)

My journey to South Africa meant flying from Milwaukee, WI to Chicago to Newark to Johannesburg. The first two flights went off without a problem. I arrived in Newark far ahead of my 8:45 pm departure time. 5 hours to be exact. When I arrived at my gate the United flight was already sitting and waiting. Later in the afternoon the other 9 members of our party arrived from central Wisconsin. Id hunted with a few of the members of the group in the past and got to know the others I would be spending the next week with as we waited to board.

We boarded the United flight at 8:15 pm and I had no more than settled in when an announcement came that there was a mechanical problem and that we would have to de-plane. We were told it would be a short delay. After several hours of waiting, they cancelled the flight and told us that we would get vouchers for a hotel stay and meals and that the flight would take off the following day at 8:45pm. This flight from Newark to South Africa was a daily occurrence. All in our group had covid test paperwork that would expire before we were to enter South Africa. The airline assured us that they cleared this one day waiver with officials at OR Tambo international airport in South Africa.

Our group did not leave the airport until midnight due to the long line of passengers also waiting for their hotel vouchers. We were told to take the air train to where the hotel shuttles would pick us up. Unfortunately, by the time we go to the platform, the air train was already shut down for the night. We were then told that a "special bus" was being brought for this task.



The special bus dropped us off at the waiting area where hotel shuttles would take us to the hotel we were assigned. Many shuttles came and went but none for our hotel. Eventually, our group of 10 were all that remained. There was one lone bus for another hotel and it was now early morning so I asked the driver how far it was to our hotel. He confirmed it was 1.5 miles. I ask of he could drive us since he was doing nothing and our shuttle was nowhere to be seen. He said "no, I dont drive for that hotel". We continued to wait and as the group grew impatient, I again approached the driver who sat on a bench smoking, if he could take us to our hotel. Again he refused.

I then offered him 50 reasons to drive the 10 of us the mile and a half. He accepted the offer and we were on our way. By the time we arrived at the hotel, a line of people, waiting to check in was out the door. During this wait, the 10 of us were on our phones trying to add the lost day to the end of our hunt. Our outfitter was ok with the modification and because the delay was the fault of United airlines we were able to adjust our tickets by 1 day at no cost. Eventually we made it inside the lobby of the hotel.



By the time I made it to my room, it was 2:00 am. Our luggage remained on the plane. I did have a carry-on bag with me but it contained a thermal imaging capable drone that I could not check since it has many lithium batteries preventing it from being in the belly of the place and its cost meant I did not want to part with it so all my clothing and other essentials were back on the plane. I didnt even have a tooth brush so I would be traveling in the same clothes I was wearing since the trip began.

The next morning our group had breakfast at the hotel where I learned the other nine had confirmed seat assignments for the flight that evening. I however did. The other 9 members of the group had used the same travel agent and were flying coach. I used my own travel agent and was flying first class and I did not have a seat on the plane so I took the hotel shuttle back to the airport to sort out the situation.

After a long wait in line I was told that the plane was full and the best they could do is put me on standby as all the first class seats we accounted for. I accepted the terms and shuttled back to the hotel. Later in the afternoon , the group boarded the bus to head back to the airport. We again went through all the TSA security screening and found ourselves at the gate. I waited in line to see if my stand bye situation had been improved. It had not.

When they started boarding the plane, I heard my name come over the loud speaker and when I made it to the gate agent, she informed me that I would be able to board as there was one seat available in first class. Finally, we would be on our way to South Africa. I dont normally fly first class but because this is a 15 hour flight and I have lower back issues, I thought it wise to upgrade for the sake of comfort. I did this because Id previously flown 9 hours to bowhunt Hawaii and the effects of that flight took its toll on my back that I did not want to repeat.

flying First class is certainly more expensive but Im convinced its worth it. After flying many times in coach, I can say without hesitation that the upgrade is certainly worth it from a seat comfort standpoint and because the seat turns into a bed, allows one to sleep in comfort. On this flight, first class seating is essentially a private cubicle with many amenities. Here are some images of my accommodations for the 15 hour flight and what was waiting for me when I arrived at my seat.














The display showed flight information during the trip.



Once we were in the air, the flight attendants would pamper us almost to a fault. They stopped by nearly too often asking if there was anything I needed. I have been used to being ignored on flights and treated like cattle when flying coach. This was a real change. Shortly, supper was served on glass plates with metal flatware. It was a good meal and even better considering it was served on an airplane.



After supper, I updated my journal and converted my seat into a bed for the bulk of the flight and got some sleep.



I slept far better than I thought I would. The flight was very smooth. By the time I woke, most of the flight was already over.



We were treated to a hot breakfast as we reached South African air space.





Finally we had made it to South Africa.



Customs checks, baggage checks, Covid checks, passport checks and ultimately waiting in long lines was the theme of the day. Our now expired covid tests were not a problem. Next we waited far too long for our baggage only to discover our weapons (all in the group were using bows and arrows) were placed in a separate area from where we collected our bags.

We were greeted by 2 young Professional hunters (PH) that had to spend an extra night in Johannesburg because of our delay and because the drive to camp is a 10 hour round trip for them which means the next leg of our journey would be spending 5 hours in 2 trucks as we travel in the dark to steenbokpan in the Limpopo Provence.

To save time, and to avoid any hassles of stopping in Johannesburg our PH's brought coolers full of food and drink. Due to civil unrest, a curfew was imposed meaning all shops and businesses had to be closed and nobody could be on the streets so the goal was to get as far from the city as possible before the curfew started.

As we drove through the night, South Africa looked like Central WI by headlight. With the exception of driving on the wrong side of the road, this leg of the trip was uneventful. Well after dark came the first stop in the form of a bathroom break but since no businesses could be open, a grouping of trees served as our restroom. The night was colder than I expected. We had arrived during the last few days of the South African winter. While days could be in the 90's, nights in the 40's and 50's were the norm with a clear sky.

The last stop, 45 minutes before we reached camp was to refuel the trucks which took place in Lephalale in the Limpopo Provence. Despite it being 11:00 at night, the petro station was open but we were the only customers. Our group again sought out the rest room. Upon exiting the store, an African police man began to yell at a member of our group. Non of us spoke the local language so one of the PH stepped in. The problem was that none of us were wearing masks despite the fact that we were outside and traveling as a group. We were instructed to wear masks and the police van left after again yelling at the group which was totally wasted on us as we understood none of what was said. As we got closer to camp, paved roads became dirt roads.

We arrived at camp at midnight and were greeted by the entire staff. They had a roaring fire going due to the chilly temps. We were told that in order to stave off jet lag and the effects of travel they they hoped to keep us up until 2:00 am so the group enjoyed food at drink at "the night blind" which was an open air building with a billiard table, dart board, coolers full of drink and food.











Our group ranged in age from 19 years old (3 of them) to 71 years old. We were given tent assignments. I was to bunk with Glen ( the eldest member of our group) Our tents had canvas floors as well as Wildebeest and Kudu skins to walk on. The bathroom portion of the tent was of concrete construction and included a toilet, sink and shower. The accommodations were very nice and included a heater which we made full use of the first chilly night.







While the goal was to keep us up until 2:00, we were told be at home and stay up as long as we liked. The drinks were part of the accommodations and that we could help ourselves. Glen and I and most of the older members of the group valued sleep. The younger members of the group were more interested in the open bar, loud music and the camp fire.

The tents were all in close proximity to one another and canvas has poor sound insulating qualities. At 3:00am I was awoken to the sounds of loud music and singing and howling at the moon. Not long after, the owner cut the power as a way to encourage the younger members to go to bed. At 3:30, I was awoken to the sound of young voices trying to get one of their party up and off the grass where he opted to spend the night. At 4:00 I was awoken to the sound of a few people vomiting. This was a very long day.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 2......... the first hunt day.

We rose at 6:30. That was not enough sleep for me. The plan was to have breakfast and then shoot our bows. Not all the members of our group were at the breakfast table. In fact, some never left camp the first day as they were in no condition to walk, let alone hunt.



By the time we reached the main lodge each morning, many of the PH's were already around the fire, talking and waiting for us.



After a hot meal we made sure our gear was in good working order. For this hunt I would be using broadheads of my own design and construction. I had made a dozen, 6 blade, 250 grain broadheads that I found success with on deer and hogs and rams in the USA and I hoped to put them up against some much larger game here In Africa. I made the blades from O1 tool steel. I did my own heat treating, tempering and sharpening. My ferrules are made from 18-8 stainless steel. here is a video showing the head I designed.



Since my heads are not commercially available and homemade, I needed a means by which to transport them from WI to South Africa so I designed and manufactured such a case for travel. The video explaining is shown below.



There were several archery targets or us to practice on. After shooting a few arrows, I was confident that my gear hadn't suffered any ill effects from the plane ride.




The night before, we had all been paired up with a PH. You can't hunt Africa without a PH. My PH was named Peterus. He has been a PH for a very long time. I found him to be very pleasant to deal with. His English was good and he was very accommodating to my product testing.



Not long after shooting our bows we packed our gear into the truck we would be using. It seems every truck in S.A. is white as a way of beating the sun and heat.



The property we are hunting is owned by a large coal mine. The portion of the property we hunt encompasses 25,000 acres. I learned that there is no public land in South Africa. All the land is privately held by coal mining companies or diamond mines or electric utilities or private businesses. As we drove to away from camp I noticed that shops and stores and even private homes were all fenced with very high fences including razor or barbed wire across the top. Some were also electrified. It seems that there must be a great deal of theft or vandalism causing this fencing to be the needed.

The coal mine land we were hunting was fenced by them, not to keep animals in but rather to keep people out. A very high fence with a razor wire top was the norm and just inside the fence was a large trench that followed the fence that looked to be 6 feet deep. The trench was filled with the most thorny brush imaginable. A long pile of sand created by digging the trench was the next obstacle and atop the sand berm were signs that read "NO POACHING ARMED RESPONSE" . The fences and hazards were to keep people out.

Those filling the trench with thorny brush did not have to look far because everything in Africa has thorns and hates you and grabs at your clothing and gear.





When it was time to depart camp,our Tracker, Gideon hopped in the truck with us. This early morning drive was the first time I would see the area in the daytime. We are hunting the last days of winter and everything is dead and grey and brown. There is very little food and the only water on the property is supplied via water holes. These water holes are a magnet for game animals so that is where we will set up.

As we drive I notice a few green trees. They are easy to spot as they are the only green thing growing. These are known as Shepherds trees and many are the starting place for termite mounds as they are the only shade around. Im told they stay green as nothing eats the tiny leaves.



There are no paved roads. All the roads are red dirt and dust is everywhere. It settles on everything. Months without rain has taken its toll.





The method of bowhunting during the dry season is to hunt from blinds located near water. The drought makes these locations the obvious choice for close range bowhunting shots. Like a deer hunter in the Albert winter may sit all day in a blind overlooking alfalfa or a bear hunter sitting over bait, we use the water as a means of drawing animals in close. I have no issues with this style of hunting and due to my impending knee replacement surgery, Im happy to be more stationary. To attempt spot and stalk hunting in this heat would be a fool's errand and more suited to a rifle hunter with the advantage of extended range.

The first blind we will hunt is a water hole in the midst of nothing by sand and dead brush. The day is already hot. This elevated blind is constructed of plywood that collects the heat and slowly roasts those inside over the course of the day.



The remainder of what I write now is re-written from the two field journals I kept during this trip. Hunting over water holes allows for a lot of down time so I filled 2 journals with notes and memories. those journals and the photos I took while on this trip allow me to capture the events. There is no way I would have remembered all the details of so many days without putting it in writing. This is one such journal I filled with field notes.



Peterus and I move my gear from the truck to the elevated blind. The day is hot. There are no clouds. One of the most essential pieces of gear is a cooler filled with bottled water. I move my bow and quiver and back pack into the blind. The last piece of gear is the case containing my thermal imaging drone. I hope to get some footage of both color and thermal flights and carcass location.

Peterus and Gideon set a plan but I can understand a word being spoken. The language sounds very Germanic and Dutch and Finnish. Later Peterus explains that he instructed the tracker to leave with the truck and park some distance away and to be ready to return when called via a hand held radio.

The inside of the wooden blind is very hot as it bakes in the sun. The floor creaks and groans anytime we walk. There is a single shooting window in the front and on the left side. I range the distance to the concrete water hole. The near corner 20 yards, the far corner 25. The blind grows hotter inside, I remove my boots and roll up my pants cuffs to try to cool off. A light breeze blows red dust around the water hole.

Eventually the first wildlife emerges from the brush. If the most abundant thing around us is red sand then the 2nd most abundant would be the Guinea fowl. This dark grey bird with a blue and red head is about the size of a chicken can be seen everywhere. As a hunter, you scan your surroundings for movement but with guinea fowl present there is always something moving.







When I set my sights on bowhunting Africa, I had a specific list of animals I was interested in hunting. The animals Im hoping to take are those that defined African hunting to me as a young kid reading books and watching movies of Fred Bear bowhunting Africa. Fred Bear came here in 1964 (the year I was born) he and others seemed to focus on what I considered my main 5 species I hoped to take. They are Gemsbuck, Greater Kudu, Wildebeest, Impala, Warthog and zebra. Taking those 5 with a bow and homemade broadhead is the ultimate goal for me. There are additional species such as Blesbuck, Red Hartebeest, Water Buck and Eland that I would love to take as well if the opportunity should present itself.

The next wildlife to appear was first detected by it's mournful call. Its low, nasal, almost crow-like call is that of the Go-Away-bird. This a crow sized bird that is grey with a long tail and large plume on its head. It seems water is a real draw for all the avian species.





Once large numbers of birds amass that the water hole, singing and calling, that is the signal to the other animals that the coast is clear because it was not long after that I spotted some female Waterbuck approaching. The Waterbuck is grey with long hair and has a white ring on its rump. The cows do not carry horns on their heads.



Not long after, Kudu cows could be spotted in the brush. Behind them was a immature bull bull.



After they came to the water, more Kudu cows and a larger bull came out of the bush.



It seems that the more animals that came from the bush, the more other animals felt at ease. A large waterbuck bull with only one horn came out as did a warthog and a few impala.



At this point there was a large population of animals milling about. All were very cautious and a flushing bird would send them back into the bush in a cloud of red dust. Shortly after, they would return. This in and out repeated itself several times.

Thorny brush was piled on the far side of the blind to prevent animals from facing directly towards us while drinking. A forward facing shot in a poor choice for the archer so the brush prevented them from drinking in those positions. Eventually, the large Kudu bull came to drink. Any movement within the blind was given away by the wood floor. Even in stocking feet our movements were amplified as if we were in a large snare drum. We not only had to beat the eyes and ears of the Kudu but every other animal nearby, because if one of them bolted, it would startle all the others back to the bush.

I was positioned several feet from the window of the blind and had the advantage of the darkness inside to conceal my draw. Several times I draw, only to let down because another animal was in front of or directly behind the bull. Peterus kept repeating "Aim low sir, Right on the shoulder" and "Shoot-em low and they wont go, Hit-em high and wave goodbye". Because I shoot an 800 grain arrow, I had little fear of the shoulder and I tend to target a heart shot so I an accustomed to aiming low and forward. Because I had ranged the distance to that corner of the water , I knew the bull to be at 25 yards.

Peterus had my camera. Earlier Id instructed him on its usage and controls. He was to film my shots. This video is the result of our combined efforts.



My arrow had struck the far side humerus bone (lower leg bone) and that bone prevented a complete pass through but the shot was good so the bull would not go far. At this point I hoped to see the effectiveness of the thermal imaging capable drone in such a warm climate. Certainly the bull is very warm but in full sunlight, the surrounding sand may actually be hotter. I readied the drone to get both color and thermal footage via the drone. Peterus radioed Gideon to bring the truck. here is the drone footage,



This Kudu was pretty easy to track. He didnt go far and left great sign to follow. I filmed portions of the tracking job that can be seen in this video. Pay attention to the plant life in the area. There really is nothing for the game to eat at the end of winter and until the rainy season starts in October.




After tracking Peterus explained to me at the Kudu can see straight down the spiral of its own horn and can see and know where the tip of the horn is. This is helpful in using his horn as a tool and weapon. Here is an image looking down the spiral of the horn horn to the eye.



The homemade broadhead did a fine job of dispatching this bull and it held up well with no bends or blade breakage. The next step was to take field photos. You only get one chance to do this so time is spent getting it right.



Now the work begins. Despite the fact that the Kudu bull died only 100 yards from a dirt road, you cant simply drive through the brush and load the animal. The thorns are strong enough to puncture a tire with ease and the brush is capable of puncturing a radiator. This means care must be taken to create a path to the animal in order to load it on the truck.

Peterus parked the truck at the most favorable location to enter the brush and Gideon began to chap a path using only a heavy machete. Personally, I think a large shears or brush cutter would have been a better option after after watching Gideon chop and chop and chop at the brush. All the thorny brush must be hauled out of the way and then the ground inspected for any thorns before the truck is brought in. This process took nearly an hour to complete.


Peteru's truck was equipped with a winch and ramp that made the loading of the animal very easy. Once loaded, Gideon carefully guided Peterus and the truck back on the same path he had come in on. Here is a short video of the extraction.



Once back on the road, Peterus instructed Gideon to transport the bull back to the skinners at camp. I informed them that I wanted wound channel photos so I could document the organs hit and the effects of my broadhead. Gideon left in a cloud of red dust as he drove off. At that point Peterus and I headed back to the hot box blind to once again sit over the water hole.

Back in the blind, I position the drone out of the way but leave it at the ready, just in case. We enjoy a lot of bottled water and lunch. In the afternoon, the sun was beating down on the rear wall of the blind and the heat was radiating through the plywood. I moved my chair as far from the hot wall as I could but it did little good. The interior was an oven.

Through out the afternoon, a variety of animals returned to the water hole. I see Eland bulls off in the distance, Then a smaller eland bull at 15 yards, a smaller Gemsbuck male, Warthog, impala, black tail mongoose and a waterbuck bull that never leaves the safety of the bush.













5:45 pm. I spot the white "X" (clown face) off in the distance at about 150 yards. Its a nice adult Gemsbuck bull. He stands like a statue, observing the water hole.



This bull is very large and his horns are not only long but spread out very well. This is the sort of mature bull I hope to get to see within bow range. The bull is smart and takes a long time before coming to drink but eventually he comes to the same far corner where the Kudu bull stood so I already knew the range to be 25 yards.

As with the Kudu, I drew back on this Gemsbuck many times only to have to let down. He was skittish and left and returned several times. Finally he offered the shot I wanted. Here is the video.



The Bull did not go nearly as far as the Kudu bull. It nearly died within sight. Despite that, I still wanted some thermal drone footage as it was a bit cooler in the late afternoon so again I put the drone in the air and got a brief bit of footage you can see below.



Based on my shot placement I was reasonably certain it was a heart shot. Again the arrow hit the far side leg bone which prevented a pass through but if the heart is pierced, that is a moot point. Below is a short video showing part of the tracking and recovery.



By the time we moved the bull to a location that was favorable for field photos, night had fallen. Peterus radioed Gideon to bring the truck.



This extraction was far easier than the Kudu as the Gemsbuck buck did not travel very far and we had a clear path to the road. Again the winch was used to load the bull and we were speeding our way back to camp at speeds that made me uneasy given the road and the likelyhood any sort of critter could pop out of the bush. Peterus was a good driver and could travel at high speeds while texting. Thankfully no game animals ran out in front of us.

Back at camp, we took the Gemsbuck to the skinners. I stayed with them to witness the skinning and dressing to do a necropy to understand the wound channel and to recover both broadheads from the 2 animals. Both heads were in fine shape with no bent or broken blades despite having hit heavy bone.

The skulls were cleaned and salted for future taxidermy work.



After filming and data collection and thanking the skinners, I headed to my tent to get the red dust off and change into fresh clothes for supper. We enjoyed a fine meal and lots of stories from the other 9 hunters. I learned one of the other hunters had taken a Steenbuck male. Others sat around the fire but I head back to the tent to prep for the next day. We were told that breakfast was at 5:00 AM and I did not get much sleep the night before.

I was very fortunate to be able to harvest 2 of the 5 target animals Id come to Africa to hunt. I sleep well with no youthful interruptions.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 3..........The 2nd day of hunting.

My alarm went off at 4:15 am. The night was very cold. Despite how hot the days are, the nights in the tent are chilly and not so warm as it was under the blankets. We enjoy our breakfast and load the trucks for the 2nd day. We head down a different sandy road to a water hole on another part of the property.

Just as the sun is coming up, our tracker departs with the truck. Our gear is in the blind. This blind is of wire mesh construction and is covered with a combination of canvas and a green tarp. The blind is roughly 6 feet in diameter. It sits in the middle of a horseshoe shaped water hole. Its more of a mud hole than a water hole but there is more than enough water to attract game. The blind has a dirt/dust floor.

Here is a brief video showing the blind setup.



Today is warmer than our first day of hunting.

The contents of the blind are our two chairs, my bow and quiver and a cooler with bottled water as well as our lunches. The first order of business to to assemble more of my homemade broadheads to replace the 2 I'd used the day prior.



Once completed, I attach the heads to my arrows and all is ready.



We dont have to wait long for the first local wildlife to appear but this time the critter is in the blind with us. In fact, many of them are scurrying about in between the canvas and tarp walls and overhead. They are constantly moving about.






Since the area needs to calm down after our arrivals, I use the time to update my journal. The temperature in the blind is rising. We are already into our supply of water bottles.



The first wildlife to appear is the bird life. When the grey, go-away bird arrives and starts its sad call, it seems the other critters are more at ease.











While I wait, I again range a few landmarks and commit them to memory. The perimeter of the water is 25 yards. a few trees at 20 and 25. An old metal frame laying on its side at 30 yards.

9:30 AM. several Red hartebeest bull can be seen skirting our position, circling to check if the area is clear. Eventually they make their way to the water. The Red Hartebeest has a very long skull and close, curved horns with growth rings.





I hand my Camera to Peterus as I have the intention to take one of the large bulls if they present a shot. The largest bull drinks, offering a broadside shot at 21 yards. I draw and just as I am about to release the arrow, he is done drinking and turns and walks away showing only his rump. My only prize is a photo Peterus took.



The reason the Red Hartebeest left so quickly was due to a Jackal approaching. this small coyote sized critter doesn't pose a threat but still, it scared off the Red Hartebeest. The Jackal drinks and moves on.





10:00 AM a lone female steenbuck appears. Despite being an adult, this animals cant weigh more than 15 pounds.



Then a small group of Impala can be seen approaching. They are very skittish. The females are the first to reach the muddy water to drink. A large male stands off in the distance but wont come to drink





Throughout the morning a variety of animals came and went without presenting a shot or they were young and small. A group of zebra came in but the lone stallion did not present a shot. The animals that visited can be seen in this video .



Just before noon, I spotted an old warthog boar. He drank and appeared to be turning to leave. I handed my camera to Peterus as I made ready to take a shot before he departed. I ranged him at 30 yards. Here is that video.



You may have noticed an orange item on the side of the hog after the arrow passed through. That is an arrow mounted tracking telemetry device Ive been working of the the last 3 years. As mentioned, this trip was to test such items. The first 2 animals I took did not get a pass through and as such, the tracking device only led me to the broken back half of the arrow. Finding that part of the arrow has value as it allows you to take up the blood trail from that point but having the item barbed into the animal will lead you directly to the downed game.

The warthog only made it 50 yards before expiring. Tracking was very easy. Peterus radioed the tracker and we took the field photos.



Because it was only just after noon, we opted to climb back into the blind to hunt the rest of the day. Necropsy of the wound channel and organs hit were recorded for me by the skinners back at camp but it was clear this was a double lung, heart shot.

When we returned to the Sauna that was the blind, we had lunch and I updated my journal as we waited for the area to calm down after the commotion of having taken the warthog.

While eating lunch I spot movement at the waters edge. Its a Kori Bustard. This is the largest flying bird in South Africa with a wingspan of about 7 feet. Despite the large wings, they spend the majority of their time on foot, on the ground looking for food and water. Here is a brief video of the Kori Bustard I took.



Shortly after the Kori Bustard left, a group of Vervet Monkey arrived to drink. The Male Vervet has a bright blue sack.



2:00 pm. The heat in the blind is almost unbearable. Its made worse by the chocking red dust. We constantly drink but there is no urge to exit the blind to relieve ourselves. All the water is leaving through our pours. Any time we move in the blind we kick up dust. All the animals coming and going, kick up dust. When I arrived at the blind, Id hung my sunglasses on the wire mesh. this what they looked like mid day.



2:30 pm. a young Eland bull comes to the water.



3:15 PM. several types of animals have come and gone. but a lone Red Hartebeest makes its way to the water. He stands at 22 yards broadside. He is a nice bull but we have seen larger so I do not take the shot. He drinks and leaves.

5:00 PM. a herd of 18 Wildebeest arrive. All other species linger in the brush for a great deal of time before making their way to the water. Blue Wildebeest are not so cautious. They march in and drink without a care. This group is made up of Females and young bulls. Female blue Wildebeest have horns like the males do except the females are far smaller. All the Wildebeest in this group are too small to interest me in taking a shot so I take photos and video instead.



Right before sundown a pair of Steenbuck came to drink. One male and 1 female. They are no more than 20 pounds.



Before last light, some Eland cows come in and then its time to pack up and call for the tracker to bring the truck. We drive the dusty roads in the darkness and arrive back at camp to enjoy a great meal and to hear the stories of the other hunters that had taken, Cape Buffalo, Sable, Gemsbuck and impala.

After we eat, 2 members of the group leave for some night hunting.The target is Bush pig which is a nocturnal animal hunted over a bait. After sitting around the fire listening to stories, I head back to my tent to get some sleep. My tent mate had a wounding loss on an animal so we made plans to get up early so I could hold very bright LED lights on the target so he could shoot his bow to make sure there was not some sort of mechanical malfunction.

Aside from the heat and the darn red dust, this was another great day in the bush.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 4..........3rd Day of hunting

The alarm went off at 4:15 AM. My tent mate wants to shoot his bow and since its still hours before dawn, I use a couple of high intensity LED flashlights I brought as a way of illuminating the target for him. He shot a few arrows at 20 yards and was hitting well. He went to bed lacking confidence after a bad hit on an animal the day prior.

After breakfast, Peterus, the tracker and I load the truck and head to a new spot in search of Wildebeest bulls.



The drive to this location was far longer than the prior days. We drove through a part of South Africa I was expecting to see but until now had not. The prior days hunts took place in thicker cover. This drive was the sort of Savanna and open prairie Id seen in books and in films.



During this drive through more open country, there are not many trees and instead its just low brush and grass. We spot Nyala bulls, Wildebeest and a pair of gemsbuck bulls in battle. Before we arrive at the blind I spot a lone giraffe in the distance.

This blind is elevated about 8 feet off the ground and is of wood slat construction with a metal roof. The interior of the blind was wrapped in a green burlap mesh. there is a single viewing/shooting window in the front. As we are loading the gear into the blind I briefly see a lone giraffe. What I describe can be seen in this brief video.



For the first time since arriving, we have a cloudy and breezy day and its much cooler. We move our gear from the truck to the blind then the tracker leaves with the truck. The floor of this blind is also noisy but it has a rubber mat which helps mute the noise. On both sides of the blind are large trees with massive thorns. Every time the wind blows, the thorns rake the metal roof. The raking of the roof is quite loud but I'm sure the local wildlife is used to it even if I'm not.



Once again, we are surrounded by movement inside the blind.



Using my pocket knife I cut through the green mesh inside the blind of create viewing ports between the wood slats in an effort to spot game before it reached the muddy water hole. This location is mostly red sand , grass and a few Shepherds trees. As expected, the first wildlife to emerge is bird life. I get to see my first yellow Hornbill.



and a black bellied bustard



I catch movement through the slats. It 3 Impala rams. They walk around the water hole but keep moving, never stopping to drink.

10:00 AM. The cooler temps and high winds keep the animal movement to a minimum. I use the time to update my journal and to pre-range a few landmarks.

11:30 AM The clouds have moved on but the wind remains. We spot movement in the distance. This time its seven impala female. Then a few young males. Shortly after a few adult ram can be seen in the distance. The females and young males drink. Young impala rams are jerks. They cant be content to drink. They seem to feel the need to harass all the other impala as they drink. One by one they pester the other impala and then 2 young males spar and scare the entire group off.

The mature rams are also alarmed by the commotion and stop their approach. Eventually a ram comes to the waters edge alone. He stands just 16 yards from the blind as he drinks. In the the video below, (if you have your volume up), you will hear the thorns raking the metal roof. Ive slowed down the footage so you can see the arrow pass though and the telemetry tracking nock, latch onto the impalas side.



I replay the footage as we wait for the ram to expire. I saw the ram go down but in the 10 seconds he lived he managed to cover 200 yards. They are a very fast animal. The homemade broadhead pierced the heart and both lungs. His death was quick. If you watch the slow motion part of the video you can see the arrow skipping off the hard red ground after passing through.

As we wait for the tracker and the truck, we can hear the other impala that have gathered where the ram lay. They bark and blow and mill around the area. Clearly the ram is dead by now so we climb down from the blind to take up the trail and to search for the arrow. The rock hard, red earth does not accept the arrow as I;m so accustomed to in farm country. It skid along the ground and lay 30 feet beyond the point of impact.







We track the ram to his resting place.





The 6 bladed head produces a very large wound channel.



Field photos are taken.



Necropsy photos reveal what I expected, It was a clean heart shot.



We then head back to the blind to gather our gear so that we can return to the wire mesh blind we sat in the day before as we saw zebra and wildebeast at that water hole. the tracker drops us off and then transports the ram to the skinners.

1:00 PM. We eat our lunch in the sauna blind. The temps are rising.

After lunch, I inspect the broadhead used to take the impala ram. The O1 tool steel and stainless ferrule are holding up very well even after slamming into the hard earth. No bent or broken blades. I did my own heat treating and tempering and sharpeneing of the blades. It seems I got it right.




By sundown, many species have come and gone. Here is a video showing some of what I saw that afternoon.



I shot many animals with my camera but never released an arrow the rest of the day. The winds of the day had me covered in dust. I looked forward to a shower and a change of clothes.

Once again, we are fed an outstanding meal. I hear stories of hunters that had taken Blue Wildebeest, a long tracking job on a golden wildebeest, and another hunter took a Roan. Unfortunately there were far too many wounding losses. These losses came from bows with light arrow setups and 100 grain Muzzy heads. Minimal penetration and shot placement lead to the failed recoveries.

One of the wounding losses was a gemsbuck. I offered the services of the thermal drone to do a nighttime search but it was deemed to risky. We planned to use the drone to search in the morning before hunting.

I head back to the tent for some sleep.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 5, the 4th day of hunting.

Breakfast was at 6:30 AM. As planned, Instead of hunting, I would use the thermal drone to search for a Gemsbuck that was shot the day prior. Its a long shot but with the effort. By this time, I'd been fortunate to take 4 animals and my tent mate had taken none so looking for his wounded Gemsbuck was no great sacrifice and its why I brought the drone. I was happy help.



our 2 PH's, the hunter, his son, the owner and 2 trackers and myself head out to the last known sign. The PH's, and a tracker pick up the trail. I launch the drone and begin to sweep the area from 150 up. Flying in the thermal mode, I can spot many animals in the thick brush. Im able to identify several gemsbuck. All are on their feet and moving.

I pick up other animals also on their feet. Im able to search for about a half hour per battery. I return for a fresh battery 4 times. On the 5th battery I spot a bedded animal all by itself. The tracker that stayed with me was able to understand what I was saying. I hovered the drone about 80 feet directly above the bedded animal and told him to go to where the drone was hovering and to look.

As he walked in, I could see his approach. So could the bedded animal. Because the animal was alone and bedded, I had no way to gauge its size but when the tracker go close enough the tiny steenbuck bolted from the area leaving a steenbuck shaped heat signature in the morning sand.



The tracker returned and shortly after that, the Ph's and the trackers returned explaining that the trail went cold. It appears the gemsbuck was not mortally wounded.

I land the drone in the sand for the fifth time. The red sand is not kind to the camera or rotors of the aircraft. I will need to clean it well. Im enjoying Africa but coming to hate the red sand. We all head to our respective blinds for the rest of the morning hunt.

by 10:00 AM Peterus and I and a new tracker named Zola are headed back in the elevated blind with the metal roof where Id taken the impala ram the day prior. The winds are not so high as they were the day before and it is from a different direction. There are no clouds and it is again a hot day.

This time the Geckos are not the only wildlife joining us in the blind. We have another guest with us.



We again begin our wait for the area to calm down from our arrival. I use that time to update my journal and reflect on the events thus far. I have noticed that the African tracker does not take any task casually. Everything they are asked to do is done with haste. Rarely do they walk. They always seem to run to the next task. They are quick to get the trucks loaded and unloaded.

I fear I may be insulting them by tending to my own gear from the truck to the blind and back. I'm happy to move coolers and chairs and other items since these are things I need throughout the day. When our gear is in the blind, the tracker takes a bottle of water and bottle of soda and hops in the truck to move it far from the blind. There, they will sit all day if necessary, waiting for our call on the radio.

Thus far Ive not required the services of a tracker to locate the animals Ive taken. All four animals have been easy to find, leaving obvious blood trails and sign. I don not intend to need the service of a tracker as that would mean my shot was poor and the animal will have traveled a great distance. Some of the other hunters have required the aid of their trackers. Some are even tracking the next day. I have been fortunate to enjoy short blood trails and I hope it continues that way.

4 of the members of our group are 19 to 21 years of age. At meal times they speak of all the sleep they get in the blind each day. One spoke of falling asleep and his head falling back hard against the wooden wall of the blind, startling his PH. They would drink in excess each night and stay up late. Our tents are close enough that I'm woken by their commotions and noise.

A remote hunt of this significance required nothing but a full effort. Sleep at night and hunt during the day. But then, when I was 19 I could not and did not manage to afford an African bow hunt so my hats is off to them for doing what I could not do at such a young age.

11:00 AM and thus far not a single sighting of any game outside the blind. The soft sand mutes their arrival so you must constantly watch lest you be caught off guard. Animals dont linger at the water. They drink and leave and if you are not paying attention you could well miss an opportunity. While tired, I would not consider sleeping while on stand. There is too much to see. Too much potential opportunity.

11:15: AM. For the first time since arriving, I can hear the footfalls of approaching game. Peterus and I both turn our attention to the right of the blind as he hears the same thing. No sooner had we heard the approach and Peterus said "Giraffe" . Slowly I rise from my chair and go to the lone window and come eye to eye with a large cow only 10 yards from the blind. Then I spot more. In all there are 6 females and young Giraffe approaching the water. Ive no intention of taking a Giraffe with my bow so instead I take photos and video of the encounter.



They have massive eyes and the largest heart of all the African game. While they are blessed to reach food others cannot, they struggle to reach the water and must contort their front legs, They drink loudly. They drink and leave and return to drink again. In all this encounter lasts only 15 minutes.

Peterus explains that if an archer is intent on taking a giraffe, they insist on a very heavy arrow and fixed, 2 blade broadhead as the ribs are massive.

12:30 PM. I share my lunch time with a large male Warthog. He is roughly the same size as the one I took a few days earlier. While I eat a sandwich, the Warthog gets as close as 15 feet and offers a perfect quartering away shot. I shoot him with my camera.





the wind speeds are increasing so the thorns constantly rake the roof but it offers relief from the heat in spite of all the dust it moves..

2:00 PM. The winds have decreased and the temperature has increased. I am smelling something sweet each time I walk to the window of the blind to look out. I can't identify the source.

3:00 PM. A herd of 14 blue Wildebeest are seen in the distance. All big cows and one young bull. They come to the water and waste no time wading into the muddy middle. All offer broadside shots at 15 and 20 yards. We watch them for 10 minutes and then they spook and run off in a cloud of red dust. Cow Wildebeest is fair game but Im hoping for a large bull.



3:45 PM There is noise in the tree just a foot to the left of me. Peterus identified the sound as Vervet Monkey. They climb down and head to the water. The blue balled males are easy to spot.







As I'm filming the Monkey, again I'm hit in the face with the sweet smell. It smells of lilac and citrus. It reminds me of the lilac bush in my back yard. It appears to come a tree with white flowers just 60 yards upwind. Its been a pleasant upside to sitting in this blind.

4:20. All at once, we have an animal party at the water hole. Many Warthog, Impala and a lone Gemsbuck appear. A few of the Impala ram are trophies. In under 5 minutes all have drank their fill and are gone. All the ram offered easy shots at 10 yards.



4:45 PM, 2 nice wildebeest bull and some kudu cows appear at the water. The 2nd bull is larger even though the smaller bull is closer and broadside. The larger bull enters the water. I hand Peterus my camera to start filming. The bull is walking (a shot I don't like) and then stops in the water at 20 yards. I come to full draw. I may finally have my Wildebeest bull.

You can see the footage of that encounter in the video below.



That encounter lasted less than 45 seconds and the bull turned and walked away, never stopping. After I re-watched the footage I regret not taking the shot. That angle was good for a heart shot.

5:00 PM. The Vervet monkey are again climbing the tree over our blind. They make a great amount of noise.

6:00 PM. Its getting late and I see 2 waterbuck bulls approach the water. They waste no time in getting a drink. I hand my camera to Peterus to film.



The 800 grain arrow and homemade broadhead breaks the far side leg. He drags it off without the ability to use it. The bull is mortally wounded and should not go far. Peterus radios Zola to bring the truck.

Since its nearly sunset, I opt to get some drone footage. The bull didn't go far and expired in an open area. The search was a short one.



My path to the fallen bull takes me right past the tree that I am certain is the source of the lilac and citrus Ive been smelling all day. I assumptions are confirmed.



The 6 blade broadhead did its job well.



With the last bit of dusk left we get some field photos. Zola assumes the role of photographer and gets a picture of Peterus with me and the bull.



The bull is loaded by flashlight. Then we head for camp.



We deliver the bull to the skinners. I stay for the necropsy and to retrieve the broadhead. Our group took several nice animals that afternoon.



What follows is the skinning and wound channel inspection of the Waterbuck bull.

The first step is a sharp knife. I was surprised to see the skinners using a piece of discarded concrete as their honing stone.





If only there were a person on hand who specialized in methods of sharpening blades.

Some of the skinners used shingle knives to skin the entire animal.



They skinned my bull very quickly. I never saw them put a cut in the hide.





This explains why the bull expired so fast.



I cant understand a word being spoken but smiles and laughter are the same in every country.



The trackers and skinners get a portion of the meat. The more animals we take, the more meat they get. Despite the fact that they enjoy the meat, they waste nothing. They save the heart, liver, kidney and stomach.

I watched as one skinner was washing what looked like an old and faded, yellow bath towel. He would rinse and with a wet flop, reposition it and wash further. I asked him what he was cleaning. Another skinner answered that he was washing out the stomach. I was told that it is inverted, cleaned and seasoned and boiled for several hours and then eaten when tender.



After the waterbuck was disassembled, I headed to my tent to remove the daily dust and get into some clean clothes. On the way, my nose catches the scent of supper. We are to have the tenderloins of the many animals we have taken so far. All cooked over the coals of the camp fire. Threaded onto the rods with the meat are whole apples, onions and green peppers.



During supper I listen to the stories of the bowhunters that took Eland, Warthog, Impala and Kudu. With a full belly and the success of the day, I head back to my tent to get some sleep because the alarm will be set for 5:30 AM.

This has been a remarkable trip thus far.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 6, 5th day of hunting.

Breakfast is at 6:30 AM. The sun is up and its going to be a hot day. Here is a daytime picture of our accommodations. We are tent camping in style. Great meals and great sleeping quarters.







My quest for a wildebeest bull continues. Several times Ive come close only to be denied. Such is bowhunting. Its a game of inches and body position and choosing to shoot or not. Im not a fan of risky and low percentage shots even with the aid of a tracking nock and thermal drone and African tracker. I dont wish to see an African tracker called into service because Ive failed.

We return to the Sauna, the wire mesh and canvas blind that is home to so many gecko. This is the spot I took my warthog from. With the knowledge of a prior sit we take the time to enlarge a rear shooting window and I trim some thorny branches to open a shooting lame.

9:00. A large and lone Wildebeest bull comes to the water. He is wide and old and well stripped with a black face, He drinks facing straight at us at only 20 yards. Peterus has my camera as I prepare to shoot should the bull present a shot. When finished, he turns on a dime and walks straight away. This was a very brief encounter with a nice bull. Once again denied.



Shortly after, we see a jackal, and several impala and a red hartebeest that briefly drinks without presenting a shot. The morning has seen a lot of activity. Perhaps I will get an opportunity at a zebra or Wildebeest bull. The temps are really climbing fast. This is the hottest day thus far. The heat is making the water hole a desired destination.



9:45 AM 20 Wildebeest cows and a good bull approach. The cows waste no time drinking. The bull stays in the bush. As soon as they have their fill, they leave. Yet another Wildebeest encounter

10:45 AM. We have emptied several water bottles already. I am certain my PH has a lousy job with poor working conditions. He is to spend his day sweating and choking down red dust and never gets to take a shot. If Im lucky his work load increases. He indulges me my drone usage and tracking nock and the many questions I ask. He does so with a smile and friendly disposition. I do not envy his role.

There is plenty of time in the blind to reflect and 2nd guess shots Ive passed on but they are in the past. Ive been fortunate and certainly more so than some of the others. My tent mate is shooting a low poundage bow with 400 grain arrows and Muzzy trocar, 100 grain heads. Thus far has not enjoyed much success. He did get a Impala ram and for as small as the impala is and with him hitting too far back in the liver, he was not able to produce a pass though shot. His ram did expire but laid with his arrow still protruding. When we retire to our tent each night he talks of changing his setup to a different head and a heavier arrow setup . I agree and offer suggestions.

In contrast, one member of the group who Ive hunted with in the past, contacted me prior to this hunt seeking a broadhead recommendation as he was going after Cape Buffalo on this hunt. I spoke highly of the VPA single bevel and 800 grains of total arrow weight. I sent him all the items needed to bring them to a razor's edge including my 35 degree guide and diamond plates.

When the time came for him to take a cape buffalo, he did so and his setup produced a complete pass through and the giant bull went only 20 yards. upon inspecting the broadhead, it looked nearly new. A few strops and it would be hunt ready again. Selecting the proper gear is key to success and heavy arrows just work, every time.



11:15 AM Several species arrive at the water hole on this hot day. A pair of Warthog boars spar in the dust until one is chased off. A large group of Impala including several mature ram come to drink. A sure way to see nice, adult animals that present a good shot angle is to have already taken that species. It seems once Ive taken a certain animal, the others know they are safe.



12:30 PM. I think its a safe estimate that the temps inside the blind are in excess of 100 degrees. More water bottles are emptied and Ive eaten half my lunch. Several species of game animals come and go.

1:45 PM. Im soaked through. Even my forearms are sweating. This seems to attract and hold the dust. There is no need to exit the blind to relieve myself. I sweat it out instead. Im considering using my knife to turn my long pants into shorts. If not for the thorny brush, I would have done so long ago. Im jealous of the warthogs that can find relief by wallowing in the muddy water.

2:45 PM. Even the birds have gone quite. They have no doubt sought shade from the heat. Our sweat lodge get hotter.


3:10 PM. 8 Giraffe approach and drink.








4:45 PM. I open my last water bottle as I spot a large group of approaching Wildebeest. They approach from our right front. This group is mostly females and juvenile males but in the back lingers a large bull. The other wildebeest waste no time finding relief form the heat. The bull waits. When the bull does drink, its quartering towards me, then he walks backwards and turns offering no shot. Eventually he stops at 23 yards quartering away. Peterus is filming.

I release my arrow and watch it connect for a heart shot and then the arrow is stopped by the far side leg bone with a loud crack. The bull disappears in a cloud of dust. The shot looks to be well placed.



Peterus radios the tracker to bring the truck and we take up the trail. Despite being hit well, the large bull is able to travel 200 yards but he leaves a great deal of sign to follow on the brush and on the ground.










The 6 blade broadhead is proving very effective.



We take the field photos in what remains of the day light and begin planning the extraction.



The bull expired a long way from any road. The extraction would again involve creating a thorn free path. This took a considerable amount of time.

Once out of the bush, we headed back to camp and the skinners. Again I stayed for the skinning to take pictures and to collect the broadhead from the broken front leg.









During the butchering process, I watched as all the organs were removed and set aside for consumption. The giant blue liver was removed and dropped to the wet concrete with a loud flop. No sooner had it landed then it was picked up and washed clean and moved to the cooler. Nothing is wasted.

Again, My homemade broadhead smashed the far side leg bone and was none the worse for wear. No bends or breaks. I headed back to my test. I was in need of a hot shower and a bottle of water. Before I could get to my tent, again the smell of supper stopped me.

Not only does the PH spend the day sweating in the blind, He sweats over coals cooking supper.





We enjoyed stir fried meats and veggies as I was reviewing video footage.



After supper, the owner told those around the fire that he would like to have a dart trowing competition with the winner receiving a free wildebeest cow hunt. I was no challenge to those that spent time in bars practicing such a things. My aim was not as good as it had been with a bow and arrow.



I congratulated the winner and headed to my tent where I met my tent mate. He showed me other broadheads he had brought as backups but was never able to get them as sharp as he liked. I had brought along several packs of diamond plates for just such an occasion. I gave him a set and instructed him on how to get his heads sharp. He stood at the sink doing just that. In short order he was pleased with his success and planned to use those heads for the remainder of the trip.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 7, the 6th day of hunting.

Another early rise and im counting my blessings. Ive been fortunate to take 6 animals thus far and my arrows are finding their marks. I fear im pressing my luck and wondering how long this lucky streak can hold. I fear I'm pressing my luck. Time will tell.

As I make my way into the dinning room for breakfast, the cook informs me that we will be having the liver of the wildebeest I took the day before. Ive never had wildebeest liver for breakfast of any other meal but I'm willing to give it a go. Its served in a gravy with what I know to be grits. The cook uses a far longer name I don't understand with it we have scrambled eggs on the side. Its was a fantastic meal. Its been a real treat to be able to eat the animals we have taken.



Our mission today is to try to take a zebra. For this we will travel a greater distance to where other hunters have seen them in greater number. Peterus and I had discussed this the day earlier and we talked about the heavy hide and large bones and the shear width of a zebra across the chest. This far, Ive only been able to use the telemetry tracking nock on the warthog and Impala. I was denied a pass through on the others animals due to hitting the far side leg bone after passing through the heart.

Since I wanted to test the tracking nock more than my homemade broadhead, I planned to use a 3 Blade Woodsman head I brought along. They are also 250 grains. Ive enjoyed a lot of success with this head in the past from deer to hogs to elk. Ive never lost an animal using this head and pass through shots have been the norm.

Since I had awoken far too early, and because I was filled with nervous energy, I rehoned a few of the woodsman heads despite the fact that I know them to be sharp. I guess I thought I could get them "extra" sharp on the porch of my tent. Id also done additional study on the heart location of a zebra. Peterus mentioned that the zebra comes with a bullseye, telling you where to aim via the stripped markings.

The stripes of the neck, meet the stripes of the belly where the stripes up the leg create an "A" as the spot to aim for on a broadside shot. Slightly behind that for quartering away. This is good information to know and not many animals provide an aiming spot.



The blind for this hunt in constructed of concrete and more than half of it is underground. 25 yards from the blind was a small water hole. This is a rare cloudy and cool day and the cool concrete interior of the blind makes it even more comfortable. While sitting in the blind I can smell smoke. Its rather heavy. I mention it to Peterus. He said that because of the wind direction he has ignited some zebra dung and that the smoke may mask our scent. Choking on red dust has been unpleasant. This makes it worse but if it helps, that's part of the experience.



Throughout the morning we see many of the same species Id seen in the days prior. A small group of zebra come in but are always lined up with one another in such a way that no shot can be taken without hitting two of them. Care must be taken to make sure a lone and isolated zebra is the target. A variety of birds arrive and more stripped mongoose than Ive seen thus far, come for a drink.



Not long after the mongoose leave, more zebra come to drink. I give Peterus my camera and as luck would have it, a large Mare separates herself from the others and offers a slightly quartering away shot. Because she is quartering away, I set my aim a few inches behind the "A" on her shoulder.



After reviewing the video I can see that the tracking nock has barbed in and the arrow had not completely passed through. It was hung up on the fletching on the far side. By the time the zebra made it 20 yards the arrow fell out onto the yellow grass.

I knew the zebra had crashed within 60 yards of the shot so tracking it would be easy and with the tracker barbed in I went that route first. The thorny brush had grabbed and pulled out the tracker on the Impala and this area was rich with thorny brush. I hoped it stayed in the Mare.

Here is the tracking nock recovery video.



Next, I wanted to get a bit more drone footage in both thermal and color video mode. Im glad Peterus is tolerant of my field trials and the delays I caused.



The broadhead hit just the right spot. Here is the exit hole



Then it was time for field photos.



Ive been fortunate that my arrows have been flying well.



The tracker transports the zebra back to the skinner and Peterus and I head back to the blind to continue hunting as this area is also know for Blesbuck and red Hartebeest.

I washed the arrow and broadhead with my bottle of water. The head was still sharp since it had not hit the dirt. After cleaning it it appeared to be in fine shape and worth re-using. So I do that.

11:30 AM. Several species have come and gone. This is the first day Ive hunted without being soaked in sweat. Its a nice change. They are guinea fowl in front of the blind in numbers too great to count.

12:15 PM. A large Kudu bull with an estimated 48 inch spirals come to the water. He is a rack of bones and sickly looking. I can see his ribs and pelvis protruding through the hide. He drinks briefly and leaves.



The skinny bull returns a couple more time but hangs up in the brush without drinking. Since this is the end of winter, the lack of food has taken it toll. Kudu are skittish and easily scared off food and water. In the pecking order they seem to have a higher die off than other species. I witness a flushing guinea scare the bull off a third time.

12:45 PM, the skinny bull returns again. Unknown to me Peterus has been texting the owner to inform him of the bulls condition. He has been sending him photos of the Kudu bull. He says to me "The owner wants that bull shot. Its not likely to survive.". Since every animal in South Africa has a trophy fee, I ask about the cost to shoot a 2nd Kudu. Peterus says "If you shoot this bull, you will shoot the lowest price Kudu bull in all of South Africa." I accept the terms as the bull leaves yet again.

This time the bull departs about 70 yards and stands in the brush for 20 minutes. During this time Peterus says. "You can aim a bit higher as Kudu have large lungs. Their spine does not drop down so far as it does on other animals. "

The bull returns yet again. When he stands broadside at 20 yards I send an arrow through both lungs and break my streak of heart shots. If you listen closely you can hear the "Click click" of the arrow smashing through a rib on the entrance and exit. The arrow must have damaged the far side Scapula and it causes the bull to stumble and fall before lumbering off.



The bull where it expired on a termite mound.





The field photo prior to transporting to the skinners.



It took considerable time to locate the arrow. Since I was below ground, shooting upward and got a clean pass through the arrow went more than 20 yards beyond the bull and was in the brown grass. The head was fine but dulled from the sand. A few stroked and it will be back in the quiver.

With the Kudu on its way to the skinner, Peterus and I head back to the blind in hopes of seeing a blesbuck. We sit until dark and see only a mature Sable in the distance. It would have been a lot to ask to try to take 3 animals in a single day from one blind.



We call for the truck, gather up our gear and head back to camp. When I arrive back at camp, I learn my tent mate found success with the new and sharp broadheads by taking a Female gemsbuck with very long horns. He was very happy, as was I.

we enjoy another great supper and then its back to the tent for some much needed sleep.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 8, 7th day of hunting

The red African dust is slowly killing me. It has filled my head. I cant blow it out. I taste it constantly. If there is any part of this place I will not miss, its the red dust. After breakfast and before any hunting can take place our group must get our Covid paperwork in order for our return flight so we must be swabbed. It is too early to leave for the covid test so I walk over to the skinning area. Each night I was there, it was a bloody mess. I never stayed to the end to see the cleanup. Each day its starts fresh.



Here is the salt room with a deep, grannular salt floor. This is the first stop for our hides and skulls prior to any taxidermy work.





Then all the hunters hop into the trucks and head over to the testing area. From there we will head to the woods.

While we wait for the covid swab we notice a daycare next door and more specifically the play area. The rusty slide must be a real joy on 100 degree days.

Look at the local engineering of the slide in the background. The high end consists of a step ladder, On top of it, a milk crate, on top of the crate is several piece of wood to support the top of the slide. Ill bet this a fun time for all.



The throat culture is collected by a local nurse that handles this task for a few hunting operations. The designated meeting place is the front porch of a local establishment called the Bosveld pub and grill in Steenbokpan. The nurse swabs our throats until we gag, we sign papers and then its back in the trucks to head to the blinds for the last full day of hunting.









Peterus and I have a singular mission (species) in mind. The goal is to try to arrow a Red Hartebeest in the spot where we have seen so many bulls in the last few days so its back to the wire mesh sauna.

Fortunately for me the temps are far lower today and there is a lot of cloud cover so we wont sweat as much. The down side is, the winds are very high. This combination will drive down animal movement. We get in the blind far latter than any other day and begin the waiting game.

10:00 AM, A group of Red Hartebeest circle the water hole. The wind has them on edge. Only one of the smaller bulls come to the water. The large bulls stay in the cover.







Later, a larger group of Red Hartebeest and be seen 80 yards to our left atop a new forming termite mound. They remain there for some time. There may be a mineral there that they find value in. Later I see mongoose on the same mound. They are surely there to eat termites. The Red Hartebeest walk off and never visit our location for the rest of the day.



During the remainder of our sit we are visited by all manner of game but no arrows are released. Its the first day Ive been skunked.

In the final 2 days of hunting, several members of our group have put down the bow in exchange for suppressed .308 rifles. All are finding success with the rifles. One shot kills and no wounding losses.

We sit until last light and call for the tracker to bring the truck. On the way back to camp we come upon another hunter and his PH, searching for a wounded warthog. We park our truck about 80 yards from the truck of the other PH. I talk with the hunter who is my tent mate. The two PH's walk over to the other truck.

Im told by the hunter that a few hours earlier he made a bad hit on a warthog. By the time the arrow arrived the warthog had spun so the arrow entered far back near the ham but angling forward. The hunter and the PH left the blind to search. They were on the trail and could see the wounded hog just ahead in the thick brush. The call was made to return to the blind and take up the search after dark since they still had a few hours of good hunting light.

We happened upon them as they had resumed the search but were unable to locate the trail. The night was getting colder. The longer the 2 PH's talked at the distant truck, the colder the sand and vegetation was getting. This would be a perfect set of conditions for a thermal drone search. The hunter said he was pretty certain of the location of the wounded warthog and it is not where the search was being conducted. He pointed in a direction and said, "that's where we should be looking and that the warthog cant be more than 50 yards into the brush"

I would not dream of launching the drone without first speaking to the hunter's PH. When they returned to our location his PH said that he would come back in the morning to search again. That is when I suggested using the drone to sweep the immediate area. At first they were reluctant but then agreed to let me search.

I assembled the drone and used a large piece of fabric as a launching pad to hold down the dust kicked up by the 4 rotors. I did not linger long and took the craft up 20 feet to get away from the dust. I then climbed to 80 feet and turned on the thermal camera. I looked in the direction the hunter estimated the warthog would be.

I was able to locate the warthog in less than a minute. I circled the hot spot to be certain. All members looked at the display and agreed that was the missing warthog. I told the PH's that I would hover directly above the hog and they they could find it their. Here is the video footage of the recovery.



The following is speculation on my part but I dont think the hunter's PH was happy that I found the warthog and that I found it so fast or that I found it where he was not even looking. I dont think he appreciated being outdone by some tech guy from the USA that told them to go to where the drone was hovering to collect the hog.

Upon returning to the truck, his PH said. "Ill bet your pretty pleased with yourself" (and not in a congratulatory way. I got an attitude vibe) This did not sit well with me and I should have held my tongue but I didnt appreciate his tone or comment comment and said "Your darn right I'm happy! I brought this drone 9000 miles for exactly this sort of situation. It worked perfectly and the hunter has his hog and it didnt have to sit out all night waiting to be found the next day."

That's all I'll say about that.

The warthog had been dead for hours and was stiff but gave off more than enough of a heat signature to be found. it even left a warthog shaped heat signature in the sand once moved. The warthog was loaded and all parties climbed into their trucks and headed back to camp. Despite not having taken an animal with a bow this day I was pretty happy about the thermal recovery.

Again, supper was great, we all shared stories around the camp fire and then I was off to bed.

[Ron Kulas]

Part 9, a morning hunt and then time to leave camp.
Another early rise and a fast breakfast so we can get to the blind before sun up. By the time we are set the sun is just over the horizon. Ive not mentioned it before but On this trip I have "L39" the traveling knife.



The story behind this knife is a long one. This knife has been on hunting trips all over the world with many many different hunters. You can read about the travels of L39 in the blog post Ive created.

ronkulas.proboards.com/thread/401/l39-traveling-knife-program?page=1&scrollTo=1342

The early mornings here are normally cool. Today is warm and with a breeze. Our mission again today is Red Hartebeest. After the birds arrive, the first 4 legged animal to show up is a female common Duiker. Thus far Id not seen one of these tiny deer. at most this thing may weight 15 pounds. It looks like a mini unicorn but the horn is actually a tuft of black hair.







Then a mature Steenbuck male. I would have considered taking him as he had large horns (for a 20 pound animals) but he bedded showing us only his rump. Such a smalls animal, shot angle doesnt really matter as I would have run an arrow through him regardless but I held my shot and used the camera instead. Peterus said he hunted nearly 25 years to get a Steenbuck male that large. He wanted me to take it and said of he knew how to shoot my bow he would have taken it.



A very large Impala ram came in.





As did an Egyptian Goose.



A Swainson's spurfowl (Franklin)



And a good Gemsbuck Bull.





All offered shot opportunities but I had a goal of Red Hartebeest so I never released an arrow. At 10:00 AM we packed up and headed back to camp. During our drive I thanked Peterus for all he work over the last week.

Back at camp, the crew was packing and getting ready to depart. The plan was explained to us like this.

Depart camp in the 2 vehicles was used to bring us from the airport. One small truck is pulling a trailer with the bulk of our gear. The bed of the truck will hold the rest. We will drive to the Taxidermist in Lepalale to tell them what mounts we want and to get the taxidermy ball rolling. But first a group photo (including some of the staff) on the Heli-pad.



I also said goodbye (for now) to my new fried Zola. Zola was my tracker for 2 of the hunt days but he has an interesting story. That will be a separate blog post in the future.



The crew took care of getting our skulls, horns and hides to the taxidermist. In total, our group of 10 hunters took 50 animals.







Before departing, we all settled up with what we owed and tipped the PH's, skinners, trackers, kitchen and housekeeping staff. All of them did a great job for us.

[Ron Kulas]

If you have followed along on this trip so far. Dont leave now because this is where it gets interesting.

Our flight out of Africa from the O.R. Tumbo Airport in Johannesburg was scheduled to depart at 8:00 pm but with the night time curfew, we needed and wanted to arrive by 5:00 PM.

We depart camp with the 2 vehicles at new as planned. The first stop is at the taxidermist in Lepelale. The drive there takes an hour. Before we can arrive, the 6 passenger van dies at an intersection. Every attempt to start is fails. WE have no choice but to get out and push it to the side of the road. We are not in the Lepelale Theater district or restaurant row. This is not an upscale neighborhood. This very short video I took from the moving van will explain.



Here is our crew right after the van stalled.



The driver of the truck (pulling the trailer full of our gear) says that he will drive his passengers to the taxidermist and return twice more until all of our crew is at the taxidermist.

One by one we arrive at Something Africa while the 2 PH's try to solve the van problems. In the meantime, they call back to camp and 2 vehicles are sent speeding towards us.



This is a very busy taxidermist with a staff of 15. We turn the place and then one by one work with the staff to detail what sorts of mount and rugs each of us want sent back to Wisconsin.

This video will give a tour of the place. Its warm there so imagine the fragrance.



Eventually we all finish our business with the taxidermist and then we wait for the 2 vehicles. Its taking longer than any of us cared for. When the van and truck arrive we waste no time loading. Just then the 2 other vehicles from camp arrive. Its thought the the culprit was a faulty fuel gauge that read full despite the tank being empty.

We depart in search of a fuel station as the contents of the tank hold only what a small can could get it running again. In no time we are refueling and headed out of town and driving fast to make up for lost time. We are still several hours from the Airport.

We are driving on the N1 highway. This is a major toll way with a few northbound and southbound lanes separated by a grass median. There is heavy traffic and all are moving at great speed. Ahead of the 6 person van Im riding in is the small truck pulling the trailer.

Again, the van dies and we coast to the median. The truck pulling the trailer disappears over the next hill. I suspect there is a fuel leak.

We unload and push the truck into the grass. Eventually the truck return but no on the North bound lane, It drives to us on the grassy median. There is no time to waste. We are already very late. We make the choice to empty the 4 foot bed of the truck and place its contents in the trailer. What wont fit inside we tie to the top. 6 people cram into the small truck bed and we leave the driver and the stranded van to get aid and we depart again for the airport. Some of this can me seen in this video I shot.



Since Im in the front seat of the truck, I can see the speedometer. It reads 170 KmPH. This equals 106 Miles per hour with 6 people in the open air bed of a truck pulling a trailer. We did what needed to be done and really needed to make up for lost time. We drove at this speed for quite a while until we entered a speed zone.

The drive let out an expletive at the same time I saw a large women dressed in High-vis gear walk out into the busy interstate waving her arms. We slowed as she pointed for us to pull to the side. We stopped in front of here and the man sitting on a 5 gallon bucket holding the radar gun.

I dont speak the language but I know begging when I hear it. He kept referring to her as "Momma" He broke into English as he explained that he needed to get his clients to the airport. She was very slow to make her judgement. Despite going 106 in an 80 zone, she lets us go with a warning. She didnt care one bit about 6 men in the 4 foot bed of the truck.

By the time we crested the next hill we were again going 106 MPH. He truck was giving off a beeping tone to let him know he was going to fast. The stranded driver with the van was in communication with both the owner and our driver. A plan was hatched to get the 6 out of the bed. As night falls the temps drop and they were not dressed for this sort of an adventure.

A relative of the owner was south of our location and was to bring a van and meet us at a designated location. When we arrived, the van was nowhere to be seen. Those in the bed of the truck stated that getting to the airport was the more important than comfort and that we should get back on the road. Our driver persisted and before long the van arrived. I had dim hopes of making our flight on time.

Once again were are going 106 MPH. Its nightfall as we enter Johannesburg. Signs direct us to the airport. We park and scramble to unload our gear and put it on carts. We run into the airport but are stopped. You must mask up and pump hand sanitizer in front of the guard before you can enter. The next stop is baggage check. While we are in a great hurry, the airport staff is not. This step takes far to long.

Then its a mad dash to security. We are wearing masks and running and sweating until they stop us again for a forehead temperature scan. We all pass. Before security (which South African Airlines dont take lightly.) We are to fill out Covid protocol paperwork. We explain that we have our paperwork. It doesnt matter, We must fill out their form. We are directed to a table strewn with forn with far too small of writing or boxes to fill out but there are no pens available. I ask an employee nearby for some pens. She has none. We locate a single pen for 10 of us. We take turns filling out the form. We are then to drop the form in a box. Nobody reads or cares what we wrote. I could have written Micky Mouse on every line and it would not have mattered.

Next our bags are xrayed. This takes considerable time. My drone is always an issue but eventually its inspected and passes. A young member of the group in line next to me forgot that he carried in his pocket a spent .308 round. Despite it being an empty. He was detained. Those that cleared head to the gate which as luck would have it was on the opposite side of the airport.

At the gate we are to stand in another line where security will again empty our bags and inspect them. Im again flying first class so Im in a different line than the others. This takes far to long. Our flight is already loading. After my bag is inspected again, I run onto the plan just before the doors close. Im sweating as if I were back, sitting in the sauna blind. This was cutting it too close.

I wish I could say everything after this point went smoothly. It did not. The 15 hour flight back to Newark was fine. When we got to Newark. The rest of the crew was on a different flight to Chicago. They were to end up in Madison and I in Milwaukee. We said our goodbyes as their flight left first. I still had a layover.

When I boarded my flight to Chicago, we waited a very long time at the gate. We were told to expect delayes, then we were told to deplane due to technical issues. "It shouldn't be long and we will be on our way but take your belonging with you when you deplane." is what we were told.

4 hours later we are back on the plane. I was to have a long layover in Chicago. That was consumed by the delay to the point that I missed my connecting flight. When we landed I was told they were able to book me on another flight from Chicago to Milwaukee but there was another 4 hour layover. I could have driven to Milwaukee in half the time.

Eventually I arrive back home, far later than scheduled and in jet lag. I dump my gear inside the front door where Im greeted by my wife and in bed and asleep by 8:00 Wisconsin time.

The following days were spent unpacking and emailing back and forth with the taxidermist and freight company and wiring down payments for their services. I was told I can expect my taxidermy within 10 to 12 months.

I look forward to returning to Africa. I was lucky enough to win a 7 day African bowhunting safari through Pope and Young. I will do that trip in 2023 as I already have a Muskox hunt in Greenland scheduled for August of 2022. Lets hope the travel goes better.

Thanks for reading along.