[grayghost]

As we loaded up the Springbok, we headed off again to find other game. We came to an area with high ridges and deep brushed ravines. Meyrick and I headed towards one ravine (Kloof) and Jackson headed the other direction. We found a good vantage point and began glassing. Almost immediately we started to spot our first Kudu. Cow's mostly but then young to middle aged bulls. We eventually found a large, mature Cape Kudu bedded, but the wind would be wrong for a stalk. We decided to wait a while and see if he would get up later in the morning. While glassing the far hillside, Meyrick and I spotted a medium sized, dark animal. "Bushbuck" he said. We couldn't see his head for some time as he was feeding slowing around the point. Finally, he raised his head. And what an impressive head! "He'll go 14 1/2 to 15" Meyrick said. "He's in his prime, sporting his dark phase (almost black to my eyes) coat." This Bushbuck was probably 500-600 yards away but too many Kudu were between us for an attempted stalk. We decided to go back and see what Jackson had spotted. When we arrived at his position, he had been watching a Caracal Cat (African Lynx). It had just gone into the bush, and although we scanned the hillside for about half an hour, we never saw him again. We returned to the Kudu and our bull was still bedded down. We decided to try and slip into shooting range as the wind had changed direction. Although we managed to close the distance, before we could get into a clear shooting spot, a cow nearby had been disturbed by something upwind from her and she took off uphill. This got the bull up and he and a few other young bulls followed. For the rest of the day we scouted for another good Kudu and although we saw some Impala, Warthogs, Duiker, Steenbok, Vervet Monkeys, White and Black Springbok, we didn't find another trophy Kudu bull. I did take a shot at a running male Baboon...missed. I think the sight of such a huge, live Baboon had me unsettled. I never knew they could reach such a large size. The one's I had mounted years ago must have had milk on their lips...this was twice their size. Day 2; July 14th. I saw Giraffe's, Warthogs, Gemsbok and scores of other plains game. Finally managed to work within 320 yards of another trophy Kudu bull, but I shot right over his back. I should have listened to Brad and sighted my guns in for 300 yards instead of 200. As we spent all day after Kudu, I took no game on the second day. To be continued.....