Thursday 23 August 2012. I have shifted hunting locations to Otjinuke Hunting Ranch,
http://www.huntnamibia.net/index.php in Namibia. It is 1 1/2 hours drive distance south and west of the capitol Windhoek. The area is not as mountainous as at Farm Garib but there is lots of game to be seen even from the road while riding in the car. Our driver is Marina Muller, Ph.D. in statistics at the National University, and wife to our hunting guide host Gert Muller. Marina is fun and tells us lots about the country, the area, the hunting, and generally is very entertaining on our trip. Our P.H. is a younger fellow named Berger. I ask if his first name is Berger or his last name is Berger. He says just Berger. I call him Berger.
My pal, Ken, hunts the first day at Otjinuke and bags a nice impala ram. Then it is my turn and I am on the look out for a blue wildebeest or zebra. We spot a group of blue wildebeest in some trees about 300 yards from a dirt road. We glass them for 30 minutes or so and I think none of them look like mature trophies. {My other P.H. Sigi Hess at Farm Garib has taught me what to look for in a trophy animal.} I keep glassing in case other blues come out of the backdrop tree line to meet up with the group.
Berger says "Look at that bull on the right, he looks pretty good." I answer that the animal doesn't even have the horns as wide as his ears and the tell-tale blue coloring of a mature bull is not visible. Berger agrees and says "We can find a better one." We continue to travel to the southeast always watching for blue wildebeest or zebra.
There are giraffe all over the place. Marina Muller had told me they were her pets and she didn't want anyone to hunt them. I have no interest in shooting one but the opportunity to photograph giraffe is amazing. This is the first time I have been this close to a giraffe in the wild. The babies are taller than me. The giraffe move with big long legs and seem to walk briskly away from us. Their legs are so long there is no way I could keep up with one even running as fast as I could.
They can cover over 10 yards with one step! I take lots of photos as does my pal, Ken. Ken is a really good photographer and I am glad he can record our adventure via the camera.
We continue hunting and Berger spots some blue wildebeest in some trees resting in the shade. I glass with him and we both see a pretty nice bull at the same time. I say let's see if we can get close enough for a shot. Berger and I walk in single file keeping behind a termite mound directly at the group of wildebeest. We always make sure the termite mount, which is about 6 feet high and 4 feet wide, is between the animals and us. A soft wind is blowing from our right to the left so wind is not a concern for now. We have to walk about 250 yards from the dirt road where we came in to the area. I am so anxious the wildebeest will see us or the wind will shift and we will be busted. We walk low and slow trying to stay hidden behind the termite mound. We get to the termite mound and I sneak a lazer range on the bull we are after -- 162 yards. It is a doable shot. I turn my scope up to 9X or so and ease my rifle over the top left side of the termite mound. I can stand at the base of the mound and use it for a rest and to stay hidden. No need for the shooting sticks when I am 6'6" and edge of the termite mound is about 5'6" where I am resting my rifle. The big old bull has seen us I think as he turns to look directly at us. We are in a staring contest. I want a broadside shot. My .338 Win. Mag. with 225 gr. Barnes tipped triple-shock bullets does it best work on broadside targets. We stare at each other for what seems to be a long time, maybe 3 - 4 minutes. I am looking through my scope, the wildebeest is looking through his natural 6X eyeballs, and Berger is crouched down behind the termite mound with his fingers in his ears watching both of us. I pick a spot and put the crosshairs on the wildebeest's chest between his front legs. I think the shot will take out the heart and at least one lung. I ease up on the trigger and wait for him to turn. Some of other wildebeests are getting up and looking to move to the northeast deeper into the dense trees. I figure it is now or never so I press the trigger and boom the rifle goes off.
The wildebeest does a 180º turn and starts to jog away. I work the bolt and take another shot at the "Texas heart shot" location. I have hit my target both times but the beast won't go down. He angles off the the right walking briskly, southeast, and I rack in another round. I shoot again and miss. I manipulate the bolt and prepare to fire another time. I can't believe this guy, he has 450 grains of copper at 2,700 feet per second in his vitals and is still on his feet. I take aim and shoot again hitting him in the chest area. Blood is visible on his blue hide in the sun. I reload my rifle from my belt loop carrier. The wildebeest walks slowly about 60 more yards to the southeast and then falls over. We give him a 3 - 4 minutes to bleed out watching closely all the time with my safety off and the rifle at the ready position. I am impressed to the max how tough the animals are here in Namibia. When he lowers his head we walk to within 15 yards of him and he lifts his head up. What the crap? He has 675 grains of triple shock copper in his vitals and is still able to raise his head. Berger offers to go cut his throat and I say no if it has to be done let me do it. Then I flick off the safety and take careful aim at the neck region just behind where the head and neck join. I fire and the animal is gone. I can't believe he took four .338 Win. Mag. shots to be finished.
We take photos and I am so glad to have met this tough old guy. I appreciate so much his toughness and beauty. I will have the hide tanned and I will remember this hunt for years. The locals will really enjoy the meat from this tasty animal so nothing will go to waste. Overall a resource has been used, there is an inflow of cash to the local economy, people are fed, and I am going home with a trophy and a great experience.
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