Snapshot

With the advent of the "Save the Lion" program, aired on National Geographic channel, wild lion hunting could be shutdown in the next 5-10 years. Or possibly they might end up as non-importable into the USA? Who knows? I am not trying to start a debate over hunting in RSA. Hunting behind fences is a personal choice. It just bugs me that they raise these animals in captivity, and basically sell them to sportsman for big $$$$$$. There are stil many free range areas left in SA.

seems the dart hunting thing provides some the opportunity to "take" an endangered animal while allowing biologists the opportunity to gather data on them. I would hope the money from the hunt would get put back into the conservation program. That could be true. But most of the SA Rhino hunting are for animals that have been bred in captivity as well. You can harvest them,when available, with prices starting at around $90,000

I read somewhere, that it is estimated that 80% of hunting in South Africa is behind fences. There is also rumor that some of the more devious Outfitters will hang bait, and use distress calls over loud speakers outside of Kruger park, to lure lions across the boundary. Chrisenten Outdoors aired an episode yesterday of a young man taking a lion in SA. They walked up to within 50 yards of the lion and shot it.

Very nice indeed! Just remember, that new members are required to tell us what unit it was shot in, as well as GPS coordinates!

Excellent! You Deserve it Tony!

I would love to be there, but I have to work on Friday's. Have fun!

Nice buck TJ.

Ditto I was camped at a trailhead in unit 27 a few years ago, and some slob hunters pulled up with their quads and asked me how far the trail went. I told them it was far enough to give me time to find a G&F officer who would be waiting for them when they came out. A few dirty looks, and they turned around and left.

Can someone tell me what the "Reputation" thing means in my profile, and why it reads as a negative -1. Not sure what that is all about????

I liked it! So you're all good now! LOL. Thanks Hector!

Seems that someone did nt like my comment about the Lightning killed wolves, and hit the minus icon. I get it now.

Amanda, Thanks for the explanation on that. I didn't know how all that worked. I always wondered what those little icons were for.

Too bad the whole pack was not right next to her.

Happy Birthday!

The ten day hunts were always my favorite. Even if a person could not hunt the full ten days, you would have at least two weekends too get out and hunt.

An octogan is an easier one, as all angles are 45 degrees. Just a thought.

Very nice!

Here to stay. At least until nexy May. If I do go back up it will be for summer only. The winters in Montana are just too much for me. The weather is great in Tucson. The morning before I left Montana it was 10 degree's. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. It feel's good to be back, even with what happened to me 2 years ago. Gotta get used to this big city life again.

Nice buck. Unit 27 will make you pay your dues when it comes to hiking.

Nice!

A facebook friend posted this on my wall since I live in Montana. So you want to live in Montana

Happy Birthday Phil!

In 2006, my wifes(ex) uncle and cousin got drawn for 35b. They asked if I would like to join them, and I agreed. These guys are good people, just not real experienced. I went down early and established a camp in Harshaw canyon, and they came down the afternoon before the opener. Opening morning found us driving around loking for a place to start. I told them to pull over as the area looked good. We started hiking up the grassy hills and soon spooked a couple of does. Its hard to be quiet when you have 9 people trailing behind you. 2 hunters and 7 non-hunters which included some youngsters. After awhile I had everyone sit down so we could do some glassing. I spotted a small herd which had two young bucks in the group. I knew this was going to be tough as my uncle in-law was shooting an open sight 30-30, and he has bad eyesight to boot. O.K how do I get this guy within 75 yards of a buck? SO I formulated a plan. The deer had moved into thick brush on a steep hillside. I positioned the group at the base inside the tree line, and told them that I was going to circle around the backside of the steep hill and come over the top, and push those deer right to them. Sounded good, but they looked at me like I was crazy! They thought me hiking around the backside and over the top was too much work. It really wasn't, but what the heck. So I got around the backside and told them on radio to be ready. I came over the top and worked my down into the thick stuff. All heck broke loose as those deer exploded out of their beds, and headed down the hill right towards the waiting hunters. Those deer crashed right throught the brush 75 yards in front of them and they could not pick out a deer to shoot, even though I did my part. Oh well. Thats hunting. The second day was uneventful, and they went back to camp. I told them that I was going up the road to glass one of the big canyons on the west side of the unit.I went up and settled in with the tripod and bino's, and late afternoon glassed up 2 feeding bucks at the head of a steep canyon. The bigger of the two would score in the 80's. Good enough bucks for these guy's. So I radioed back to camp and told Tony to come up and have a look. When he got there he got excited about seeing the bucks. I told him it was to late in the day to go after them, but I told him we could get one of these bucks in the morning, if just the two of us could go after them. Trying to bring a whole troop of people into that canyon would blow those deer right out. So the next morning we went in at first light. The bucks were up and feeding, and the only way to get a shot would be to drop down into the steep canyon and come around from the downhill side. After a hour of hiking, I finally got him in position. However, the bigger buck did not offer a shot, as he was feeding behind some thick brush. If the sun came up over the steep ridge, Tony would not be able to get a shot as the sun would be directly in our eyes. I told him he could shoot the smaller buck, as it was 330 yards. He settled in for the shot and "Boom", the deer was hit and started rolling down the steep hill, It was a good hit. We climbed the steep hill to his deer, and he was a happy man. We took pictures and got to work on getting that deer out. Here is a scanned pic of Tony and his deer. I am the guy on the left.

O.K Amanda. I caught, and kept this 17" Quake Lake Rainbow, to eat, just for you!LOL Will be headed to Tucson next week, so I got a few days of fishing time left. I will hopefully post some more.