Hunting Blue Wildebeest

Stalking the Blue Wildebeest

The stalk had finished with a terrific bull on the ground. it was the tenth time we had stalked a blue wildebeest only to have young bulls run at the first chance of hearing a twig snap.

On our third try climbing up 800 feet of the side of a steep hill as well as inching our way into the herd. We arrive 150 yards form a herd of cows. Passing up several duikers and one hellacious buck duiker.

On the third day of our Safari we started the day good with my uncle doing a one shot one kill number on a great Impala Ram. Which fell in its track at about 250 yard shot of a hill. This Hill hunting is the grand time and it changes the meaning of plains game hunting of Africa.

By the time I arrived the spot where my Uncle shot the Impala ram , Mfanass the tracker was carrying down the ram down the hillside. This was the first of seven great gold medal rams taken with Safari SA and PH Conroy Hallgren.

I was told by my Uncle, 'those hills are hellacious, but are worth gold." I saw the hunting spirit in his eyes the smile and laughter of the thrill of the hunt.

Nonetheless the game was on and the morning was just starting out.

As we drove the hilltops and searched every valley we saw countless game.

At one time we drove straight into a herd of giraffes. One does not know the elegance of such a creature until you see one in the mist of there environment. They simply disappear into the brush with out a sound . It is amazing.

We saw the herd and walked amongst them which was a thrill. you are just dwarfed by the animal.

As we continued we saw a great nyala with horns in the 27 or 28 inch mark. Gee, what a beautiful antelope.

Around ten in the morning we spotted a herd of Blues in the hilltop of the opposing hill. As we glassed the herd Mfanass tells Ph Conroy there is a big bull in the back of the herd. That is a big Inkonkone they both glassed the back of the herd and said that is it.

We decided to drive a bit closer and start the stalk on the side of the hill which had the wind towards us. Again we started out with the tenth stalk on the Inkonkone Blue Wildebeest in Zulu. As we started to climb the hill in diagonal pattern.

I started to see the bulls in the top ridge of the hill. I still could not make out which bull they were talking about only that is was a big Inkonkone.

As we reached the top we stopped about 200 yards from the mark and I saw the bull. I agreed it was big. We did not have a clear shot since the bull was well behind the aloes. So, the stalk was on for a better spot. As we moved every bull in the herd looked directly towards us and several left the big bull alone.

Ph Con says are you ready. I nodded and I shot, bringing down a tremendous big bull Blue Wildebeest with a first shot to the heart. That was the breaking a brand new gun with al least 20 rounds to its name.

I was impressed with the power of the 375 H&H, the new J&B muzzle break surely makes the difference. The recoil actually feels like a 243.

I was in awe when I saw the bull on the ground. That was a great judge of game by Ph Conroy Hillgran of Safari SA.