In pursuit of the African buffalo, the largest of the African cattle
Botswana is an African country located in the center of the continent. Former British protectorate, Botswana borders Namibia to the west, the Republic of South Africa to the south, Zimbabwe to the east and Angola and Zambia to the north.
The territory of Botswana includes the Kalahari desert in its western part, while in the northern part it is crossed by the Okavango River, which attracts many animals in search of water. The antelope, the wildebeest and the African buffalo are only a small part of the animal species that can be found on the shores of the Okavango.
Reading the stories of Peter Hathaway Capstick, one of the greatest professional hunters in the world, who described hunting trips in Botswana as the most beautiful and exciting, I decided together with my friend Carlos to go on a trip to this beautiful country.
Once in Capetown, near Johannesburg, we then headed to a small airport from which we would leave for Botswana. The plane carrying us was a Cessna 210 Centurion, piloted by a guy who didn't inspire much dexterity and confidence.
We arrived in the city of Maun, north of Botswana near the Okavango River, where we met our guide Simon, who would accompany us on the hunting trip. At base camp Simon advised us to try our rifles, a Mannliecher Schoenauer 8X68S, a Mauser 2000 and a 300 Winchester, before setting off for the hunting area near the river.
Test our weapons, the following morning we got into the car, a Land Rover, driven by Simon who explained to us the landscape, the animals we passed along the road and the precautions that we should have kept in mind during the hunting trip. .
Endless herds of impalas and antelopes flowed through our windows, offering us a spectacular and evocative picture of a territory where animals were the real masters. Unique shows in the world that can only be admired on the African continent.
Our goal of the hunt was, however, the African buffalo, a large bovine, which weighs 900 kg and reaches a shoulder height of 1,50 meters. The horns extend laterally to end in the shape of a hook, eliciting a feeling of power and pride. The African buffalo has an excellent sense of smell and an exceptional hearing, which allow the animal to perceive even the small changes in the surrounding environment. Simon explained to us that many hunters have been "charged" by the Buffalo, because they had come too close to being discovered by the animal, which, as a defense, launches its attack with its head down against the possible threat.
We had traveled for many hours, taking short breaks and skipping lunch, but in the afternoon Simon hunted an impala to make our dinner. The flavor is very close to that of deer and after refreshing ourselves we went to bed early, to face the last part of our journey.
We woke up at dawn to take advantage of the coolness, as the temperature reaches 40 degrees during the day.
We reached the Okavango River, not far from Lake Ngami, a point where Simon had assured us that it would be possible to hunt buffaloes, because they went there to drink. We stationed ourselves on a hill to scan the territory and we saw many species of animals, but there was still no trace of buffaloes. In order not to wait for them at the river, we decided to go and look for them in the clearings, as it was very likely that they were eating.
We saw a herd in the distance in a clearing and got out of the car to continue on foot the approach to the buffaloes. As we walked down the hill at a brisk pace, we kept an eye on the herd and saw that it was splitting into two groups. It was very likely that some of them wandered off in search of fresh grass. We had to decide which group to follow, but at the same time we had to pay close attention as we walked the savannah. Simon preceded us, from time to time he pointed to us to stop and lower ourselves, he looked for traces and excrement of the buffaloes. It had become impossible to keep an eye on the herd as trees and grass prevented us from seeing the clearing. Simon preceded us, ordered us to stop and lower ourselves, studied the ground and the excrement to understand how far we were from the buffaloes.
At the end of the hill, hidden by the grass, there were a dozen buffaloes intent on feeding on the grass. The male, probably the leader of the pack, continually raised his head and looked around to observe the surrounding environment. We threw ourselves on the ground, distancing ourselves about three meters from each other, always paying attention not to make noise. We chose a position not downwind to prevent the animals from sniffing us. Simon gave me the order, gesticulating, to take up the rifle and aim for the largest specimen, the pack leader. I aimed under the shoulder, near the left front leg to strike at the heart: a single shot, only one shot had to be necessary, to be on par with the animal and prevent it from charging in our direction. I looked at it, holding my breath for a few seconds, which felt like an eternity. I pulled the trigger and fired the shot that went into the flesh. The animal snorted and let out a sound of pain. I had hit the heart, on the first shot. The rest of the herd escaped at the sound of the shot and we were able to approach the prey safely. My first trip to Africa, in Botswana, had given me strong emotions, as I had not experienced mine before.
Only after this hunt do I understand the words of Peter Hathaway Capstick, who stated that hunting trips near the Okavango River are the most evocative and the most exciting.
EJ's Tale