African Bowhunt With Tony Dukes
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Hunt Info | Hunt Equipment |

DAY FIVE: 

I've seen good trackers, pro hunters, guides, indians, eskimos, etc. but nothing like the native African. They see what we can't. They knew exactly what hoof prints were my animal in a mixture of hundreds, unbelievable. 

My lethaly placed arrow dispatched the bull after the trackers located it and Jack Russell terriers distracted the bull. He measured nearly 30 inches.

What had seemed a sure kill to me, had almost turned into a disheartening loss. To have witnessed the tracking ability of the natives and the work of the dogs is yet another point I am without sufficient words to accurately describe and give proper credit. (Picture of them.) Never have I experienced such remarkable, unexpected excitement and events, this Africa bowhunting is something else!

I must comment on the sturdy wildebeest. There are two types, blue and black wildebeest.  I had hunted the blue, named for their silky, silvery blue coat which is attractively adorned with tiger like, black stripes. While visiting with Bryan Finley, a good friend and long time hunter of Africa, we agreed that the wildebeest was the quintessential plains animal of Africa and the most often overlooked. I can't tell you how excited I am about getting the mount.

After a late breakfast of kudu steak, eggs, and traditional tea, we were back to the efforts of hunting the ghostly waterbuck and invisible zebra of South Africa's Limpopo Valley.

2:45: Dreams all come true in Africa, sometimes slowly sometime quickly ... a Waterbuck! These creatures emerge from the brush as if brought into focus. You don't see them and then you do, without a clue or hint of motion. It was a bull, but a small one sporting only 6" horns. Still an exciting, regal picture to behold. More exciting was the picture in my mind of the animal that I knew was still somewhere in the bush.

The day brought more warthogs, a good duiker that was barely out of range. By now these diminutive creatures had too created a new unexpected excitement. I was hoping to get a shot but the little buck kept just enough distance. Behind him a huge grey figure, waterbucks! Two bulls, slightly larger than before. After a half hour of studying the area for danger they made their way in to water not 10 yards away. Another exciting day came to an end with the familiar fading red that signed off another exhilarating day in Africa.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Hunt Info | Hunt Equipment |

Sponsors For The 2003 African Bowhunt
A note of appreciation to the sponsors that backed me on my first African bowhunt. (TonyDukes):
 Alpine Archery (bow), Magnus Broadheads (broadheads), Sims Vibration Laboratory (limb savers), Pro Release (release aid), Eze-Eye (arrow wraps), Montana Black Gold (bow sight), Bododle (arrow rests), LaCross Boots (rubber boots), Nikon (binoculars), Robinson Outdoors (Scent Shield) , Game Tracker (arrows) and Freddie Bear Sports (Sticks N' Limbs camouflage) and Bowhunting.net.