After The Jackal By Robert Hoague
Jul 14, 2008 - 10:08:37 AM
After the Jackal it just seemed appropriate to celebrate and eat the
rest of the chocolate cake. Also in the cooler was two cold Namibian
bottles of bear. That seemed appropriate to the celebration too, but
there was no way I would put that strong scent in the area, so it
stayed sealed up in the cooler.
Will Smith pointed towards the farthest edge of the woods. Two animals
were walking out of the trees surrounding the mostly dried up pond our
ground blind was in.
I glassed them and said softly, "Impala."
Will told me they looked similar to Impala but were "Lechwe", a
relative of the Waterbok. The two Lechwe stopped at the edge of the
lake and studied the area carefully.
After about 15 minutes the Lechwe duo circled along the edge and bedded
down and went into the advanced mode of "checking out the area".
Two hours passed, during which we picked up another "observer", a
Waterbok cow in the thicker woods across from where the Lechwe were
bedded. Behind the Waterbok we noticed the movement of other similar
sized animals.
From over the top of the dam a Warthog came into view and walked down
to the water and continued around the edge and finally stopping to
drink 15 yards away. No doubt about it, I wanted to get a Warthog while
I was in Africa ... and opportunity was knocking. But I held off
because shooting this Warthog would certainly run off the Lechwe and
Waterbok.
While we waited we talked quietly for a bit and during that
conversation I learned a significant fact about the Lechwe. They were
on Namibia's threatened species list. They were off limits.
The Lechwe ram stood up and surveyed the area for at least the millionth time. I zoomed in on it.
Frankly, I figured, that if these wary Lechwe came to drink water,
they would ease around the edge in the trees and get as close as
possible before stepping out onto the dried lake bed. But they didn't.
Instead the Lechwe ram led the way and walked right out into the wide
open lake bed.
And, of course, walked by the blind within bow range.
Waded out into the water and drank, still within bow range.
Both the Lechwe walked around in the water and drank
like they hadn't had a drink in a week. These were some thirsty
animals. I took another pic when they were closer to the dam.
Later, the Lechwe ram saw something and walked out of the water. A
Warthog came out of the brush and the ram stopped and walked back and
forth.
Suddenly, and much to my surprise, two unexpected things happened.
The Lechwe ram charged the Warthog. And the Warthog immediately
retreated ran back the way it came. By the time I got my camera on him
the Ram had stopped its charge and was looking back at the female
Lechwe.
The Lechwe moved on. Time was moving on too and the next thing we saw was a sway backed Warthog. It failed to get in bow range.
Half an hour later we glassed the Waterbok in the brush and trees.
After watching the area awhile a young Waterbok cow walked into the
dried lake bed and strutted right by the blind at 20 yards.
Right after that the sun dropped slowly into the trees and the
Waterbury's came out. One was a fine bull and I waited with the BowTech
at the ready instead of the camera.
The bull didn't get close enough and after they left it was lated enough in the day that we walked back to the Land Rover.
Back at the hunting lodge we ate another of Collete's delicious African
game dinners and we all visited. This is a fine group, both the hunters
and the people that make the hunt happen, we have all become friends.
