[grayghost]

(Due to the length of my report, I will be posting multiple threads in order to avoid making them too long.) After checking our guns at the range (I would be using a .223 with Federal Vital Shok Premium 60gr Nosler Partitions & a .280 with Federal VS Premium loaded with 160gr Nosler Accubonds. Louis chose to use only his 7m/m Mag with 160gr Winchester Fail Safe bullets) we were off to hunt separately. Our first animal of opportunity came when we spied two separate herds of Springbok (buck). Upon glassing, we determined one was a herd of females, the other a herd of bachelor males. Several good males were spotted so we began plan A. Meyrick drove past them about a half a mile and he and I exited the truck, leaving Jackson to return to the area where we first spotted them. Meyrick and I found a large Acacia bush and set up under its thorny canopy. I adjusted my Harris Bipod and got into a comfortable shooting position. Due to a rise in front of us, we couldn't see the Springbok; nor could they see us. When Jackson returned to the original spot where we first spotted them, as planned, they became nervous and began to move in our direction. First the females, then the males. Eventually, we began to see the females. Just their heads coming over the rise, at a distance of 250 yards. However, there was an obvious herd male that didn't like other males getting mixed within the females so he began driving them away. This along with my good camo (I was wearing Spyder Oak "Diamondback") kept them preoccupied and as they passed in front of us, the average range was down to 150 yards. The females came from left to right and they never knew we were there until they got behind us and our wind. They froze no more than 60 yards away in our rear. Fortunately, there was a cluster of Acacia bushes to block their view, so they just stared. The males started to cross my front when all of a sudden Meyrick whispered "There's a very good buck third from the front buck, do you see him?" My reply was "Yes, I see him." Honestly, I wasn't looking at his horns, just his position. The large buck began running after the forward two bucks and went behind a large Acacia. He turned them both and they headed back in the direction they had come from. Suddenly, the herd buck walked out from behind the Acacia. "That's him" said Meyrick. I had him in my sights! Meyrick informed me to remain patient; "He'll stop soon." Meyrick ranged him with my Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000. "He's 138 yards." I placed the fine cross hairs of my original Weaver 4x12 scope behind his left shoulder and a little low (my point of impact was at 200 yards). The Springbok stopped; I let out a little breath; held it and slowly squeezed the trigger of my Remington 700 Varmit Special. Pow....sssssst...thump! The buck collapsed and never moved. The excitement I felt having finally taking an African animal will never leave me. It only grew as we neared the buck. Having been a professional Taxidermist for many years (I retired in 1985 to pursue another line of work) I had the opportunity to mount a good number of African animals; Springbok being one of them many times. I didn't need a book or my PH to tell me what a dandy I had just taken when I walked up on my buck, but Meyrick told me what a good trophy I had just taken regardless. All I could think was "What a high!" Bullet performance was excellent. The 60 grain Nosler Partition had passed completely through my buck. Evidently with enough shock to drop him in his tracks. He measures just over 14 inches and keeps good mass all the way to the tips. For the national animal of South Africa, I felt humbled to get such a nice one. To be continued....