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I shot it…

February 22, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

I-shot-it

This morning we set out once again under the rising African sun. Yesterday Mother Nature showed us how easily she can outmaneuver humans and question was if she was to do the same today or if she would be more generous?

 

Baboons and birds

There was a slight overcast on the horizon, which soon came upon us, and provided a soothing cover from the scorching heat. It was a good walk, where we climbed a huge koppie in order to get a view of the area, but got nothing in sight and therefore continued along the dry riverbed. All was calm with the baboons giving us the occasional shout and the birds warning their surroundings of our presence.

We walked for about two hours as we approached an area where the remains of a once majestic Elephant lay spread out with bones and dried skin. Apparently this Elephant died on this spot, after it had been shot by a farmer or a cattle keeper in the area. Only wounded, it continued but eventually fell to the ground and died a slow and agonizing death.

 

Hunting the solution?

The issue and clash between humans and Elephants once again get evident when you see the effects of this, once huge living thing. The problem with predators and elephants on cattle keeping and farming is prominent in Africa, but little is done to find a sustainable solution. Yes, the predator numbers can be kept at bay through hunting, but Elephants that cause a lot of trouble is still illegal to shoot. Farmers do apparently often shoot at the elephants to keep them away from their grounds, only hurting them, which can lead to a slow and painful death, while also making them angry and hostile towards humans. Many say that permitting hunting of the elephants should be applied as part of a solution, as the numbers are far too great and the problem grows. Sooner or latter culling is necessary to be done, to sustain the population and to save natural areas destroyed by them. So why don’t apply a continuous cropping of the numbers?

 

The moment of truth

As we walked onwards from the fallen Ellie, our tracker suddenly spotted a Kudu about 200 m away from us, behind some trees. All of a sudden I froze inside and started shaking. I could feel adrenaline starting to pump through the system. Was this to be my opportunity? The nerves started to play tricks on me and I started to reflect whether or not I should go through with this or not? These thoughts were brief and an instinct kicked in and slowly and quietly we moved closer to the target. The one kudu was actually part of a group of four, one female and three males.

This was the moment of truth and we moved into position. I put a round in the chamber and removed the safety. I was shaking…Adrenaline was pumping in my body and thankfully I could rest the rifle on a steady branch of a tree to gain extra stability. The oldest bull was right in front of me with his back towards us. The wind was in our favor and I was told to hold the shot until the bull moved a bit, to uncover his side. I looked in the scope and I could see the bull starting to move with the rest of the group. With the rifle held firmly in my hands with the sight set on the triangle above the front leg of the bull, I was told that now was my chance, he was showing his side…

 

Ethical killing?

When I first was approached to try hunting, I was a bit skeptical to it, as I had no previous experience of hunting and nor did I have much experience of shooting a rifle. How can the ethical killing of an animal be upheld based on these criteria? Can I be taught enough in one day of practice and teaching, to make sure I can take out an animal without unnecessary suffering? These thoughts have been following me the whole time and even though the introduction was thorough and the books telling me exactly where to aim to provide an immediate killing shot, I had my doubts.

 

What had I done?

I couldn’t really remember the whole event right afterwards, but I’d pulled the trigger and the bang had sent my hearing into a dull ringing tone. I could see the group dispersing in every direction and the bull too, only to hit the ground after five-six meters.
I’ll be honest to admit that I wasn’t sure if I’d hit it at all or if I’d injured it. I knew that I had the sight set in the right area, but given the fact that this was my first time and that the bull was actually moving, I couldn’t be sure. All I knew at that time and place was that I was shaking like a leaf, the bull was down on the ground with his back legs kicking and I was filled with regret and guilt. What had I done?

We approached the bull and the tracker concluded that the bull was dead. It was apparently a perfect shot to the heart that had sent him to an immediate death without much suffering. Though this was a relief to hear, I still felt remorse for my action. This noble 300 kg kudu bull, the older of the group, was lying dead on the ground thanks to my actions. I had done this, no one else. The blood was and still is on my hands.

 

No trophy photo

I refused to take any trophy photo of the bull. That just isn’t what I want and I see no glory in it. In fact I see it as a great disrespect towards the animal. But I guess it is all up to the hunter to decide on this. The killing has been done and that’s the end of what really matters. I sat down next to the bull and thanked him and Pacha Mama for what they had given to us. This bull will feed many people in this area. Today Pacha Mama decided that this was my turn. I’m not a religious person in any way, but at that moment I thanked for what was given.

 

Flood of emotions

After a few silent moments with the bull I came more and more at ease with the situation and the remorse was turned into gratefulness for having been given this opportunity. The regret and guilt was still present, but I would say that this shows that you’re emotional and in tune with reality and nature.

I realized later on that the moment before the shot was fired, that I relied on my instincts. You get one opportunity to take that shot and this I’d been told, but I still can’t remember thinking about taking a shot or not. An instinct acted and pulled the trigger.

 

Feeling disgusted

I’m not trying to glorify this whole episode in any way. I did do it. I fired the shot that killed this magnificent living creature and I’m to be held responsible for it. I admit feeling disgusted about it, when I saw him lying there in a puddle of blood and mud. It wasn’t pretty and there’s no glory in it. At least not from my point of view. But I don’t regret doing this and nor do I feel any shame in it.

Hunting is a fact and mustn’t be perceived that all types are the same. There are different types of hunting, where some are better and some are worse.

 

No regrets…Rest in peace

I did my hunt by foot under the same sun as the animals. We tracked them and tried to outwit them, but as the majority of times, we were in fact outwitted by Nature. There were no cars only feet walking and the fact that we got lucky today was the fact that the wind was on our side. The animal was killed in an ethical way, from an ethical hunt.

With the outmost respect for Nature I know that what she gave us today was a gift that will benefit many. I know that every part of the animal will come to good use and I also know that it will feed those in need, both the family and staff of the farm, but also others, as it will be donated to the church in Kamanjab this coming Sunday.

No regrets, but sadness for this fallen majestic creature. I write this post in honor of the male kudu, whose life I took today. Rest in peace…


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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: elephant, hunting, kudu, Namibia

Back where it all started

May 25, 2011 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Back-where-it-all-started-6

Back in Joburg again, at the same spot where I was exactly one month ago and where it all started. I’ve spent three wonderful days in Botswana, having an exceptional game experience in great numbers. Looking back at all the photos I can hardly believe they’re real.

 

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

I hitched a lift with one of the instructors in Selati for the seven hour drive north towards Botswana and crossing the border ending up in the Mashatu Game Reserve at the border to South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The Reserve is such a difference to Selati with a more open, rugged and varied landscape with new animals around each corner.

A dusty and dry area, but very impressive with mighty sandstone rock formations, creating ridges and canyons with majestic baobab and mashatu (nyala) trees.

The EcoTraining camp in Botswana is fairly new, only opened at the end of 2010, located next to a riverbed that currently was more or less dried out except for a waterhole which attracts its fair share of thirsty visitors throughout the day and night.

 

Best game drive ever?

During my time there, the visitors included such dignities as leopard, ellies, jackals, hyenas, impalas, steenboks and baboons. We had leopard, hyena and ellies wandering through the camp at night, and last night the leopard was really making its presence known. It’s not a bad way to fall asleep to the sounds of these animals.

We went on a long five hour gamedrive on Tuesday which proved to be one of my most remarkable drives ever.

There’s an abundance of game in this area and as we drove out of camp we could see tracks of elephants, really fresh ones in numbers you wouldn’t believe. I was told that this reserve has the highest density of elephants in the whole of southern Africa and if you’re lucky you can spot up to 600 in one day!

 

A fresh kill

We came across baboons, impalas, wildebeests, zebras and kudus in numbers with the addition of elands, klipspringers, steenboks, duikers, warthogs and giraffes but that wasn’t all of it.

Towards the end of the drive we suddenly drove upon a fresh kill lying in the grass under the midday sun. A big eland bull had been brought down and it didn’t take long to figure out that the killer must be close.

The killer was resting in the shade under a tree a few meters away, a big worn out lioness, together with three cubs. As if that wasn’t enough, a bit further from them, was the rest of the group, with a big male and two more cubs, totaling seven, with two adults and five young ones.

The lions where so cool with us and allowed us to get quite close to them and got a good look of the site. It was clear that the kill was fresh and probably just about an hour or less old. After the lack of lion sightings in Selati, this was a nice treat to end of with.

 

Stuck in traffic on elephant highway!

As we left the lions to head back we somehow managed to get stuck right in the middle of an elephant highway and I’ve never seen or come across so many ellies at one and the same time. Just round the corner came 60-70 ellies in all sizes moving in our general direction! All we could do was just to sit back, let them all pass and take in this wonderful sight and experience. There were elephants passing the car as close as an arm length away from me. I could’ve touched them if I wanted to. I could smell them, I could look them right in the eye. Definitely a highlight of the trip!

Two bulls were a bit aggravated with each other right in front of the car and as they walked of, one of the individuals came straight towards the car, lifting its tail, flapping his ears at us, clearly annoyed by having something blocking his way. How’s this going to end I thought…

Anton our driver then started to talk to the bull, making sure he heard him, telling him to walk away… He continued to do so while the big guy came closer and as he was close enough, he took a final flap of the ears sounded at us and then broke off to the right of the car, walking away from us, while giving us the eye. Wow! That got the adrenaline pumping…

 

Back in a real bed

That was a nice way to finish off a full month in the bush and today, the day after I’ve done the eight hour drive across the border back to Joburg and I’m really looking forward to a proper bed. It’s not that I’ve missed it during my time in the bush, but as the end has come closer, the thought of it has grown.

This is the last post from me and the bush, and I’m now heading for a good night sleep in a comfy bed. Good night!


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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Botswana, EcoTraining, elephant, Selati, South Africa

Went for leopard, came close to rhino but had to settle for boomslang

May 15, 2011 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Went-for-leopard-1

The leopards where really up and about last night, calling from either side of the river and camp. With that evidence in mind of leopards close by, there was a small group of us, setting out this morning to track them and hopefully get a glimpse of them. There were only three of us with two instructors passing the river into the dense bush.

 

Tracking leopard and rhino

It’s not normally an area we walk in, but this morning it was time, with two rifles in the front. There had been quite a lot of rhino activity as well, so it was indeed heads up, being alert for whatever we might walk into.

We found the tracks of the Leopard quite quickly, a lone female, which we followed for a bit, until the tracks just vanished into thin air. That’s the thing with Leopards, they’re not easy to track down, be it a professional tracker or an amateur.

We lost the track and instead tried our luck to track down a lone male black rhino. Unfortunately we also lost that track in the end, but the excitement of the tracking made it all a great walk. It was a good start of the day for sure.

 

Boomslang

Upon arrival it became clear to us, that the snake that seem to frequent my side of the tent, by just chilling out in the sun, wasn’t what had been said. The Grass Snake is in fact a venomous Boomslang in disguise…

Stay away from my tent from now on!


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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: EcoTraining, elephant, leopard, Selati, South Africa

Open surgery in the bush

May 4, 2011 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Open-surgery-in-the-bush-1

With great excitement I jumped out of bed this morning at 5 am. Why would someone be happy to get out of bed at that time on a Saturday morning one might ask? Well… Normally, or actually always, I’m a grumpy bastard in the morning, especially when it is closer to night than morning…but today it was time to witness a vasectomy on a bull elephant!

 

Shooting blanks

We were told last night that we were invited by the management team of the reserve to attend their procedure to keep the numbers of the elephant population down. There are currently 73 elephants in the reserve and it is causing problems. Therefore they want to limit the offspring.

Doing vasectomies on the bulls means that they still produce the hormones and maintain their positions and natural behavior but, they’ll be “shooting” blanks. The whole project is sponsored by various donors and the team has been flown in from USA to take care of it. Today’s bull was number seven so far and the plan is to do a total of 15-17.

 

A small 2 ton bull…

The bull that was put under today by the darting chopper was a small bull at two tons but still…

It was unbelievable to see how it was all done in an hour, right there in the middle of the bush, and seeing how the harnessed bull was hanging from a lift and surgery was done on both sides simultaneously.

The mighty creature was up on his legs after less than two hours, though somewhat groggy, yet walking away with stitches on both his sides and a bit of blood running from the incisions.

 

The kind eyes

He will have no idea what has happened to him, nor will it change anything in his nature, besides not being able to impregnate any of his fine ladies anymore.

It was so amazing to just see this big bulk of animal being handled and taken care of. Just to stand there and look into this big guy’s eye was quite extraordinary. Elephants have such kind looking eyes. It’s almost like there’s some sort of compassion shining in them. It was an experience that I guess very few will ever come across to experience and I’m very happy to have witnessed the whole thing this morning.

 

What an experience

I’m sure that there are a lot of people out there who’re very jealous right now. I know that my good friend My must be very jealous at least…

The rest of the day had problems to live up to the experience in the morning. Though animal behavior is interesting stuff, it’s still far off. Not to mention identifying another ten trees around the camp.

My best to Snowflake, the bull that was sterilized this morning, and my sister on her birthday! All the best to you both!


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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: EcoTraining, elephant, Selati, South Africa, surgery

In the Wild

May 1, 2011 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

In-the-Wild-1

Phew…That wasn’t a night to remember, at least not if you’re looking for a long good night’s sleep. It became quite evident to me that my sleeping bag (the model is called Never winter) is too hot for this heat. I couldn’t sleep in it at all. The humidity just kept me turning and tossing and when I finally managed to fall asleep, I was woken an hour later with rain running through the windows, as we’d forgotten to close the flaps! So we had to, or actually I had to get up, get dressed and get out there in the pouring rain and darkness to close them.

 

Ellies and lions close

It doesn’t feel too comfortable to do this as I’d heard lions close by during the night with the mix of noisy elephants just across the river. It makes you realize that you’re indeed in the middle of nature and you have to adjust to it. There’s just no way you can conquer it or even change it.

I just hope that we can get a little bit of cooler weather during the nights to be able to get some proper sleep. I need the sleep!

 

First full day

Today has been the first full day with EcoTraining and we were divided up into two groups, where my group started off with an early morning walking safari with our guide Mark. After lunch we went for a safari drive with Craig, with a lecture session of two hours in-between, listening to guiding in natural environments and finding your directions, food and water in the bush if you’re lost.

It’s quite fascinating for me at least, as a city-boy to actually be taught these things that I’ve only really read about or seen in movies. There’s so much to be taught here. Sooo very much!

 

Tracking lions

The walk we did in the morning gave us the opportunity to track yesterday’s lion herd to see if we could find them, learning to interpret tracks and directions, while also concluding what animal it is. We didn’t spot the lions, so instead we had a session on trees and how we can identify them by looking at the leaves and its structure.

It is very hard core stuff and I must admit that it is hard to take it all in. It is all so new to me yet very meaningful facts. Those who choose to do the full certification will indeed have to know all of this by hand in 26 days time.

 

Scorpions and snakes

A bit of rock interpretation and stumbling upon a huge rock scorpion which gave us an extreme close up presentation by the guide finished of the walk before it was time for brunch followed by the lecture session.

Just before we went out for the drive, it became quite evident to me that there is a bit of wildlife around us, as I noticed the shape of a snake on the outside of the tent. A quite long, yet thin Grass snake decided to have a nice baking rest in the afternoon sun. I guess there’s more where that one came from.

 

In the tracker seat

I was told to take the tracker seat at the front of the car for the drive. Me? I know little about this, and they decided to put me up there to spot the animals, or as I see it, be the bait!

It worked out quite well as I spotted a whole group of giraffes, some zebras, a jackal, a huge owl and a lesser bush baby. Not bad for a rookie! The bush baby really impressed me with a giant leap across the road, from one treetop to another. We’re talking about a five meter leap for a small creature measuring say 20-30 cm!

 

Highlight of the day

The highlight of the day was however which followed as we were heading back to camp.The darkness came fast and I was still in the front, having no torch to look around with. The one headlight from the car doesn’t offer much guidance in looking for life in the bushes along the sides, which instead the fellow participants could further back with their own torches.

We came upon a sharp turn, when somebody had seen something in the bushes on my side of the car. When the car had come to a stop I could clearly hear some commission in the bushes but I could see nothing, especially since the driver told everyone to be quiet and cut the light.

 

The breath of an elephant

It was obvious that it was something large in there and I could hear some heavy breathing that did sound a bit annoyed by our presence.

The movement became clearer and clearer as it moved closer towards us and especially me where I was seated. In pitch-black darkness all I could do was sit still, wait and hope for the best. All of a sudden when the breathing which I’d figured out came from an elephant, became louder and came closer, the car kick started and shot off into the humid night.

Yep…It was an elephant. A big male doing his dinner alone in the bush. We’re definitely in the bush…It’s only a fact to accept that out here we’re not the ones to run all the rules…


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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: EcoTraining, elephant, Selati, South Africa

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