Hunting South Africa, Common Reed Bok, Greater Kudu

The Grey Ghost of Africa

Leaving its tracks in the mist of the hills of Pongola, the grey ghost disappeared out of sight. The Tracker said it is there behind the acacia. It was 350 to 375 yards on the over hill just in front of me.

Ever since I can remember the Grey Ghost of Africa Greater Kudu has been a hunting desire of mine. This was our chance at big kudu, PH Conroy Halgren had told me wait until next year you will be at the place where big kudus grow.

This safari I had gone along with my Uncle Rodolfo Flores who has been a long time hunting partner of mine. We started out in the hills over looking the Pongola River, our Safari started out slow since the rains and cold weather blew in hard. The best part was seeing white rhino in the early morning on our first day.

We saw not one kudu for three days; we saw plenty of game from Red Duiker to Zebra. The terrain was beautiful and hard steep hills. The flora was acacia trees and every bush and plant had thorns on them.

The Kudu is not only beautiful but its color and markings are prefect Camouflage. It blends to the terrain just as long as the thorns on each plant you touch.

On the third day early in the morning we saw three good bulls measuring around 46 to 48 inches and our heart missed a beat at the size. As PH Con turns to tell me they are too small. We saw around 20 bulls and cows by lunch time.

During our afternoon outing we saw several more cows and one very good bull about 700 yards into the next hill. Ph Con tells me we will get one today. The day had turned to dusk and in the hill next to use about a hundred yards we saw five excellent bulls. We stopped and the bulls took of like a blot of lighting.

Our tracker says go to the end and turn to the side of the hill you will see them on the other side.

Just as fast a crow flies, we were on the other side of the hill and sure enough the kudu had crossed at full gallop, down and over a small hill and onto another hill in which the five bulls we running up and over.

Ph Con Tells my Uncle it’s the second bull running. Bang rang the echo and the bull fell on its tracks. The shot was well over 200 yards. The shot was amazing and so is the 54 inch bull that ranked Gold easily.

Several days later I was still searching for the Grey Ghost. I had missed one Kudu whether it was buck fever or a jerk of the trigger, the miss hurt. The days were passing and I had taken every other animal with a one shot one kill to the score card.

On the final day of hunting at the Pongola river hills. We left early in the morning to search for Kudu. Every bull that we ran into disappeared on sight. Until Mfanass our tracker said look there. We all turned to see the hill next to us. We all said where. there to the naked eye we good not see the bull it was well over 500 yards.

Ph Con and Mfanass strolled down to the side of the hill to take and better look. Minutes had passed when Ph Con returns saying, 'that's a hell of a bull lets take a look". As I walked to the side of the hill I could not see the bull. Until it was pointed out by Mfanass. It disappeared behind some acacias.

We walked carefully behind the several rocks and we felt the wind. A long shot with high winds and knowing the fact that if wounded we would never see the bull again. I told Con look and see and tell me if I miss how fare back the wind carried the bullet.

As we spoke the wind died for several minutes. I readied myself and the shot rang it hit the bull high on the back cracking the spin the bull walked and we knew he was hit hard. I reloaded and sot again the distance was 335 yards to be exact. My Uncle read it on his range finder. The second shot hit the same place and the bull started to run. I took the third shot and it dropped the bull . We watched for minutes and the bull stood up and walked. three shots of 375 H&H and the bull was up and finally he fell.

It took us around 40 to 50 minutes to climb down and over a small hill , down and up the next hill.

That is my experience of hunting the Grey Ghost of Africa, Greater Kudu.