Your Favorite Hunt

[ssc45]

With all the responses to the best eating critter thread, I figured I would start this thread. As was mentioned in the other thread, I am sure we have some hunting stories. So, I was trying to figure out what was my favorite hunt and they seem to come in three categories. Those that had an element of danger; hunts that were comical; Hunts that you cherish. Keeping in mind that one hunt may cover all three categories and hunting doesn't always mean harvesting and we all probably have numerous hunts that would fall in each category, lets hear one hunt per category. I will give it a go and try to not include too many details.

Dangerous: I was hunting Cape Buff in Zimbabwe-in the Omay. They do have a reputation for being dangerous and charging. Cut tracks at a water hole and tracked a group of bulls for a few hours. Grass was chest high and thick bush. Got a shot and we were tracking the blood trail. Tracker number two screams and points to our right as the buff charges, less than 10 yards away. :Wow1: PH and I shoot at same time and Buff spins and is gone. We find him 30 yards back in the bush.

Humor: Croc hunt in Zim. Partner wants a croc and wants a nice skull. PH says he must shoot it in the brain or it will get back in water and we won't recover it. In Africa, if you draw blood you pay whether you find critter or not. The plan is to get close, hunter go prone and make a perfect shot. If croc moves we charge and shoot for the brain. We locate croc on shore and stalk to 75 yards. Partner shoots and croc spins on his tail and is in the water. I take off running and shoot it in the brain pan and see the top of the skull explode. Trackers grab it by the tail and pull it ashore. As my partner comes running up, I turn to him and say, "Look what happened to your croc skull." We all had a good laugh. As an aside, some locals started clapping--never knew anyone was around. This croc enjoyed feeding on the locals,

Cherish: Took my son on his 14th B-day for his first dedicated hog hunt. We got into a group of pigs, he missed a few times but got his hog. In the time it took, he got kissed by the scope and managed to get covered in dogsh-t. He had blood running down his face and stunk, but had the biggest smile I ever saw.

Oh, the stories we could tell. Lets hear them.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Gunnslinger]

Your stories are excellent, tough act to follow.

I spent 5 days (I was travelling on business and didn't have much time) hunting with Danie Van Graan, Engonyameni, South Africa. It was very relaxing. I had no agenda but just wanted to go hunting, learn a few things and watch the trackers at work. It was the most content state I have been in for years. I did shoot a Limpopo Bushbuck a Blue Wildebeest an a Warthog.
Danie and Karen were the greatest hosts. I hope to go back next year for my Kudu and an Impala and again, maybe to Okavango, for a Buffalo.

Looking back to when I was a wee lad, the days I spent quail hunting in Arizona with my Dad and my Uncle were tough to beat. At six years old I carried my own shotgun and got to spend time with my heroes cruising around the desert in an old beat up willys jeep. Game was abundant and life was very good.

 

[john101477]

My first buck: My family hunted the same piece of land for over 100 years before a new family took it over and booted us off so any time I talk about this area it is with good memories.
In Cali you cant shoot a buck until your 12 years young. Our camp had decided to sweep the bowl. My grandpa and me being about 200 yds apart and my dad and a family friend in the Bowl which is tough work.
Anyways We were almost to the bottom of the canyon and stopped to watch the bowl as my dad came through. I walked down to were grandpa was and talked to him for a minute. He tells me I better get where I am supposed to be because I will have a better view so up the hill I go. I hadnt walked 50 yrds and grandpa jumps a buck. My shot took him right in the middle of the neck and I started yelling "I got him, I got him" to which my dad yelled "Good job now be quiet, I am still hunting" from accross the canyon. lol.

As was stated we all have our stories and I know I could go on and on about hunting trips even before I was allowed to hunt. I started following dad when I was 8 so there are a lot of times that stick in my head and lessons learned from those days. My birthday always fell during hunting season until about 10 years ago so my birthday presents generally had something to do with hunting when dad bought. When I think about hunting one of the best things is how we always hunted as a family. How important it was to my dad and my grandpa that I was there. even taking out of school for a week each year for "vacation" until I was in highschool and playing football.