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MY FIRST HUNT

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KOUP -TAK

KOUP -TAK

By: d avid Biggs

Kaapjag’s junior member recently hunted his first springbok on a farm near McGregor. Here is his story.

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I have been begging my father, Bryan, for the opportunity to hunt my first buck for the last few years, but Covid and various other factors has worked against my plans. Finally an opportunity arose at short notice and I grabbed it with both hands. Nothing was going to stop me this time. I had been practicing regularly and have shot several Kaapjag competitions with some success. I felt confident that I was ready. Under my father’s watchful eye my shooting skills have steadily improved, shooting at paper targets is one thing, but hunting is something else. The day before the hunt coincided with the Milnerton Shooting Association monthly club rifle shoot where I made use of the opportunity to put in some extra practice and fired about 40 rounds to prepare myself for the hunt. We left home early the next morning and arrived at the farm near McGregor at the crack of dawn. The plan for the day was discussed with the farmer and the guide before we climbed onto the back of his bakkie and drove into the veld. The animals were spotted soon after we reached the hunting area and we climbed off and started the stalk. Unfortunately they soon spotted us and disappeared in the bush. We followed on foot until the farmer caught up to us in the bakkie and we rode on the back again for a while. Suddenly we saw a lone ram coming over a hill towards us. We jumped off the bakkie and took up position behind a nearby bush, waiting for the animal to come closer and move into a shootable position. I got into a comfortable kneeling position with the Howa .223 rifle on a shooting stick held by my father. I had to calm myself a few times as bokkoors almost got the better of me. I waited until I was steady before lining up my shot. I saw my chance when the springbuck stood still for a moment and slowly squeezed the trigger. The shot was perfect and at a distance of about 110 metres it hit just below the shoulder the way I practiced it on the shooting range. This is only the start of a my hunting career, but I must thank my father for all the time and effort he put into my training, showing me the right way to become a hunter. My fathers’ motto - practice, practice and more practice

At Milnerton Shooting Association monthly club rifle shoot

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