[grayghost]

July 19th. Thanks gd357, I appreciate it. We started this day later than normal, arriving in an area of the Fish River Valley to hunt Nyala. This area is known for its Pineapple orchards and looks more like jungle than the lowland plains valleys. Deep valleys and ravines make up most of the landscape with a beautiful river bottom where the Fish River winds. We found a place to park our vehicle and while I began to gather my gear, I happened to glance across a ravine to a high point above us. My eye caught movement and as I began to focus my attention on it, I thought I was looking at a Nyala bull. Meyrick, my PH was talking to the land owner when he noticed me pointing towards the point of the ridge. He quickly focused his binoculars on the animal and motioned for me to come to him ASAP. I had to go uphill towards him and by the time I arrived he had already set up the shooting sticks. "Do you see that Bushbuck standing in the bush?" he asked. He pointed up towards the ridge line and I saw a Bushbuck standing there, facing a male Impala. "Yes, I see him" I replied. He said: "Take him, now, he's 135 yards!" I settled my .280 in the shooting sticks and aimed a little low behind his right shoulder. I squeezed the trigger and at the shot, the buck leap into the air and hit the ground running; straight down hill. We waited for about five minutes then walked uphill and cut across the ridge line. It only took a few minutes to walk through the maze of brush and to the spot where the buck had been standing. I scanned the area for spoor while Meyrick studied the ground and slowly began following a narrow trail that disappeared into the dense brush. He hadn't gone far out of sight when he called out; "Found him, and what a buck!" The shot had been a good one and the Bushbuck had only gone about 40 yards. When he pulled the buck out where I could see him, I understood why I had thought I had seen a young Nyala bull. Dandy horns measuring almost 16" on one side and just an inch shorter on the other. He had been digging and gouging in the red clay and his horns were covered with it. I had been very pleased with my earlier Bushbuck but this one surpassed any expectations I ever imagined. The rest of the day was spent in search of Nyala and late in the evening we found one. He was coming out of the dense bush and feeding along the edge of the pineapple fields. I set my Bipod up for the shot. Range being 181 yards. Somehow, I again shot over this bulls back. He ran into some nearby bush and stood there for about 10 minutes. Then we saw him start to feed again. He never gave me a clear shot so we decided to try and move around him for a better shot. Just as we were nearing a clear lane of fire, an Nyala cow blew the alarm and he melted into the bush. Sunset was upon us so we left for the long drive back to the ranch. We would return in a day or two. Continued....