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DIE BONTEBOK
NORTHERN KAROO HUNT CAPE BUFFALO AND ROAN ANTELOPE
By: Graham MacMillan
O
n Sunday November the 17th, 2019 I left Robertson in the Western Cape full of excitement and anticipation for the big game hunting that would take place over the next few days. We drove up to Kimberley in the Northern Cape, with Joe da Silva, our Professional Hunter from Cape Town. On arrival at the Wag ‘n Bietjie Lodge, we met our lovely hostess Marie and her mother. We were pointed to our rooms and then we got to meet the resident Professional Hunter, Stephan Bann. We were taken to the shooting range for some shooting practice as
well as to sight in the rifles. I had to get acquainted with the rifles and calibres that I would be using for the hunt as I would not be using my own . There were two rifles that I was to use for the next day’s hunt. There was a .375 H&H - Winchester Mod 70 Safari Classic with a scope and an FN Browning in .458 Winchester Magnum with open sights. This was the first time I had fired big calibre hunting rifles and I had heard the stories about the terrible recoil of the calibres, so I was a bit apprehensive. I must admit is was not like shooting
a .22, but after a bit of practice and getting used to the recoil my shooting improved to a good level of proficiency by late afternoon. The morning of the hunt arrived and I must say I was really looking forward to the day. I had been awake long before our early breakfast was announced. We set off early just after sunrise to the hunting concession area, to have a good look at which buffalo bull would make a suitable trophy for my first Buffalo hunt. In no time at all we found a good sized old bull.