Hunting in Africa
A very old Impala
Impala (approx. 65 kg)
At
the last hunting day exactly at the French National Holyday we drove in the
bush. Peter always said normally the hunt has to start from 6:30 am. But I
always say; if we will have luck we could get an animal at lunchtime as
well. Williams took us over the bumpy pad. I told Peter “If it is
possible to get an Impala, I’ll prefer first the Impala then the Warthog”.
The hunting guide nod in agreement. This morning we saw a lot of animals.
Bless bucks, Waterbucks, Springbucks and even a Roan Antelope did we see.
Suddenly Peter said “Come on – take the rifle…” I got the rifle and
jumped out of the Land Rover. Williams spotted a very big Warthog in the
bush! Peter, Williams and me we did a sprint to the Warthog. The tripod was
ready but I was not ready at all. I could put the rifle into the tripod but
between the rifle and the Warthog there was a big tree branch. I decided
not to shot because of that reason. Afterwards Peter was a little bit angry…
Williams our tracker did understand my decision. He had the same viewpoint as me so that he fully agreed to my decision. Peter and Williams talked a while in Afrikaans. I couldn’t understand a word but my wife she got some sentences because she speak Netherlands and it is quite similar to Afrikaans.
After a half hour drive Williams stopped the Land Rover. In the thickest bush he saw two nice Rams. We quickly jumped out of the vehicle. Peter and Williams at the front and me behind. We slowly stalked to these two Rams without making any noise. The two Rams stood one behind the other. The Ram in front was an old once with the broken left horn. The other Ram looked very well. Peter decided that I should take the old one. The tripod was ready but I had to change the position and moved it to the left. Williams was standing at my right site. The younger of the Rams did a move to the right. Williams yelled “Now…” and in the same moment as I pulled the trigger the Ram moved away and I hit him at the back right site. The distance was about 50 yards – middle in the typical African thick bush. I really realized that I hit the Ram a little behind the right shoulder. Williams walked ahead looking for tracks and blood in the sand. After a few yards he found the blood. “You hit it in the back because the blood is very dark…” he said to me. After fifteen minutes Williams found the Ram. What a blast – what a trophy and what a shot. I hit it at the back and the bullet destroyed the heard and the lungs before it remained between rips and skin. The Ram did only 20 yards but because of the very thick bush we couldn’t find the animal immediately. I always saw some pictures of an Impala but to see it life it is much more beautiful. My wife came to me and embraced me. “Darling I’m proud of you…”
Williams
congratulated me. “Waidmannsheil Collani – and I hope you will enjoy
hunting in future as well like today” Peter said. “Waidmannsdank
Peter” I answered. Peter told me there was a hunter a few weeks ago,
which missed this Ram four times…
This Impala was really old – as old as Methuselah. Peter agreed this Ram had not survived the next winter. The horns had big signs of wear. The left horn was broken. The length of the left horn was not longer than 16 inches and the base was approx. 8 ¼ inches. The length of the right horn was 18 1/10 inches and the circumference at the base was 8 ¼ inches as well. The weight of the animal was approx. 65 kg.
Conception & Realization: Collani Interactive