Tuesday, December 29, 2015

2015 saw another successful bushpig season.










                                          Some of the 2015 highlights..

                             Bushpig success in 2015 at Blaauwkrantz.

Apart from a bumper year in general, this year Blaauwkrantz once again proved to be a leader in the bushpig stakes too. We harvested no fewer than 100 trophy kudu bulls from a population of at least 2000 and 18 trophy bushpigs from a very healthy population on the 90 000 acre private property. As far as I am aware there is no other private property in Africa that can boast such a combined success.
The principle of private ownership of land and wildlife has no match in the conservation world considering that these entities are compelled to be self-sustaining as well as have tax paying obligations. This model is in stark contrast to State controlled conservation efforts that need to manage on tax payer subsidies. South Africa’s policies of allowing conservation be subjected to the free market is a by no small measure, a revelation.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Dallas Safari Club President completes another Hogslam at Blaauwkrantz.



Dallas Safari Club President successfully completes the Blaauwkrantz Hogslam, for a third time.

Karl Evans, The Dallas Safaris Club President for 2015 returned to Blaauwkrantz with his wife,Rebecca, in November this year. Karl and Becky have hunted here since 2005 and it was great pleasure to have them return for a short summer safari. Conditions were hot but delightful for hunting, especially in the late afternoons when animals were peeling out of the thick cover to get to the open spaces after some good spring rains.
My bushpig baits were showing some good patterns too, and we decided to give the ‘Ghosts in the Darkness’ a go especially since the moon was waxing nicely too. We decided on a specific evening although the rain clouds were rolling in, there was a steady South Westerly breeze keeping our scent away from the bait. We waited quietly for 3 hours when finally the pigs made their appearance in the moonlight at the bait. The moon was obscured by the clouds getting heavier and even dropping rain on us in the ground blind. We identified the boar and Karl made an excellent shot with my 300 Win Mag dropping the pig in its tracks with a 180 grain bullet. Although the moonlight was compromised by the cloud, Karl could see the pig through my Zeiss 3-12 Scope with an illuminated reticule. A remarkable feat on its own.
Karl also shot a warthog to complete his Hogslam. He shot two kudu bulls and plenty cull kudu, ostriches  and impala on what was a delightful few days on Blaauwkrantz. My opinion on hunting in the hot summer months has changed somewhat in that the timing has become the key. Animals do not move much in the heat of the day between 9am and 4pm but those windows before and after are excellent times (bearing in mind that it daylight is all of 14 hours in summer). With the pool and our lodge this makes for some excellent relaxation time too!