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 |

FINAL DAY

Up early to view the night sky one last time, readied the land rover with gear and climbed in. Again I'd had little sleep. Thoughts of zebra, giant gemsbok and waterbuck wouldn't get out of my head. I was inside the hide before sunrise, excited perhaps more than my first day. Excitement did not come early today.

At noon I feasted on kumquats and oranges, that grow in abundance in our area, and sandwiches. The heat was building. As I finished my third sandwich warthogs came in as if to a cartoon melody. As they left I saw a dark figure in the bush, wildebeest! Reason for getting continually excited about wildebeest in that zebra usually travel with wildebeest. Often the grand kudu will wait for wildebeest to water before showing themselves. 

Not today. Now there is less than four hours or precious hunting time in Africa, I'm on pins and needles.

4:00  A large boar warthog comes in, I will not shoot him as my desire for zebra and waterbuck keep my fingers off my release. 

5:00 Wildebeest, again I strain the brush line hoping to see stripes, not to be. The sun silently steals away my remaining minutes of hunting of the still South African waterhole.

As I gathered my bow to leave, I caught full view of a tall grey statue, the big waterbuck bull was back, eating on the shucks. I approached  ever so slowly through the edge of the sharp thorn bushes relying on my Sticks N' Limbs camo to keep me hidden.

Again, I was at 25 yards. Two cows appeared, causing the bull to mill uncomfortably. I felt he was about to disappear in the darkness of the African night. Drawing my bow, the pin settled on his quartering away shoulder and ... I captured the picture in my mind.

This proud, stately, towering animal was what I'd come to experience and here he was -- part of all of the greatness God had created in this unique country. I eased my bow down, with a smile of incredible contentment. I'd come, enjoyed and had success in South Africa. I had just digested a wonderful experience and lesson. 

The hunt is about the memory and feelings that I enjoy and will share with others. By letting the waterbuck return to the bush I was leaving an incredible memory, something to come back to. Yep, growing older aint a bad thing for a bowhunter.

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.