Hunting hard

Our business is providing holidays, and that means at any time of the year. It's a pleasure to host some Danish hunters here over the festive season. Conditions are extremely hot, but window periods early and late in the long days make for some good hunting. The pool makes the rest of the day bearable.

We have had some success taking some cull impala and a trophy lechwe already.  Bushpig is also on the list so watch this space. 😉 

South African Hunters choose Blaauwkrantz

South African Hunters are extremely lucky to be able to live and hunt in a country like South Africa.  Choices for plains game destinations have never been better, and Blaauwkrantz Safaris competes with a huge variety in this market.

Bushpigs are of course a very sort after specie amongst local hunters as there are relatively fewer places that provide hunters with a realistic chance of targeting a trophy pig, especially over bait. Earlier this month it was a pleasure hosting Eddie Mortimer from Pretoria to take this bomber boar.

Eddie has hunted bushpigs in Natal with some other reknown bushpig guides but has never had the opportunity to take a big boar. Blaauwkrantz provided that opportunity in the full moon when Eddie made a fantastic shot in the moonlight with his 30-06 loaded with a 220 grain PMP bullet. His illuminated reticle helped him see the cross-hair in the dark to take aim on the 76kg pig.

Congratulations Eddie!

Instagram updates

Also follow me on Instagram @eardleyrudman, "The Hogfather" to keep up with contemporary happenings in the underworld of hogs and other interesting snippets of activities related to Blaauwkrantz.

Best wishes and good hunting.

A week of great kudu hunting at Blaauwkrantz

Dr Leonard Deal from Texas, spent a week at Blaauwkrantz and hunted mainly for kudu but also hunted some excellent representatives of other species we have to offer here. On the second afternoon of his hunt Dr Deal shot at an impressive bull and because it was late in the afternoon we decided to return in the morning to look for the bull as it fell to the ground and jumped up after the shot, giving me the indication that the shot might be high on the shoulder or "skof". The next morning we returned and after a short tracking expedition, my tracker Jeffrey, found this massive 53,2/8" pure East Cape bull lying dead. On the last day of of the 6 day hunt and after turning down countless other bulls we spotted a narrow horned bull that looked like it would measure. Leonard made an excellent shot and the bull went down. On closer inspection it was so old that it had no front teeth left and the longest horn was also over 50"! There were four other hunters in camp last week too, and amongst them they shot five more magnificent, old East Cape kudu bulls. Blaauwkrantz can rightly claim the title to "The best kudu hunting in the world".

Blaauwkrantz’s first Australian Bushking The Blaauwkrantz Bushking award was handed to Mr. Darren Wilson from Australia last week, making him the first Australian recipient of this prestigious award. I have always maintained Australians are reluctant to hunt bushpigs as the word has another meaning in the Outback ;-) Appropriately Darren was one of the lucky hunters to strike luck at the bait on his first evening of his endeavour to become the incumbent Bushking at Blaauwkrantz. Darren spent 10 days hunting here and took a huge variety of excellent trophies. We look forward to his return and friendly company.

Two friends unite at Blaauwkrantz with The Hogslam Award This month, old friends Jim Legendre and Jerry Sorrells both from Oregon, managed to complete their Blaauwkrantz Hogslams, with Jim receiving the award three years after the hunt when his bushpig wasn’t found until after he left. Jerry spent two long nights in the two different blinds before shooting an impressive boar on the third evening (and last of their 10 day safari) with a well placed shot. Jim and Jerry both shot warthogs too. The award was handed during a spirited and happy event. Well done Jim and Jerry!

'Moonlight Delight"

Moonlight Delight – Hunting the “Beauty and the Beast” in one at Blaauwkrantz.

(By Mr Bengt Kvitzau, Denmark as it appeared in Show Times of the 2016 SCI Convention in Las Vegas)

In 1996 I was introduced to Blaauwkrantz Safaries through relatives in Denmark. After seeping through a number of brochures and articles, I decided to contact Arthur Rudman concerning a plains game hunt to be conducted in April- May 1998. Since I am currently on my fourth visit to Blaauwkrantz, it is needless to say the initial introduction was positive. Over the years I have hunted with Arthur, Francois and Eardley Rudman and always found service and company outstanding.

In February 2014 my daughter and I were scheduled to hunt with Eardley for a number of species I had not hunted on prior visits. Although I have shot Bushpig in Zimbabwe, a large Bushpig boar ended on the wish list. After 3 long nights and despite meticulous planning, we had to pack it in   - an abundance of Prickly pear fruits had been ripening and the pigs were scattered and non-cooperative. Bushpig is certainly no ordinary plains game species. Willing to sit it out for a week, I booked again in January 2016 and it turned out both weather and hunters were warmed up. And last night we succeeded in taking the beautiful “Beast” with only the moon to guide us. Diana can be a tricky lady, but perseverance – and good guiding pays off!!

Craig Boddington's article in the November 2015 issue of the Safari Times.