NOBODY TOLD THE BLESBOK

To the hunter a good male blesbok is a cool looking antelope with a coat the color of red velvet cake, a bright and wide white nose, and cream colored horns that are thick at the base sweeping upward and curving in slightly. The general rule of thumb is they are pretty but not the hardest animal on the trophy list to bag.  As we started out the first morning, I was expecting a relatively easy hunt. I assumed it was just a matter of finding the right animal. WELL...it seems nobody told the blesboks in the area that they were NOT to be as skittish as a whitertail and  harder to bag than the all previous african game that I had hunted, other than kudu. After a full day and another morning hunting for blesbok I just could not get a shot. We had tried many stalks and I had my rifle on the shooting sticks at least 6 times. Twice, Frikkie gave me the "Take Him" command and both times the blesbok spooked before I could get clear shot off. The only shot I had fired so far was at a warthog that "was to be" used for meat for the construction workers who were building Frikkie's impressive new "camp"...I call it a really nice lodge.  Notice I said WAS TO BE...because I missed. Just under him and I do mean JUST UNDER him.  I guess that miss low was on my mind because late the second afternoon I finally got a shot a good blesbok and ended up firing a warning shot just over his back. It seemed like a long shot to me and I did not want to miss low again. I put the crosshairs just above his back and hit just where I held. The next time we caught up to him I did not make the same mistake twice. I finally had my blesbok...a very good one by trophy standards. After dinner, the day ended with Xante along for a night time game spotting ride in bush. We saw buffalo, kudu, rhino, and wildebeest. A perfecting ending to a perfect day that started with a 15th annivesary breakfast in blind over looking a waterhole.

On the sticks

Thanks honey

Frikkie, me, & Esok

Learn more about hunting South Africa:
http://www.africabig5.co.za/index.html

DONATE BLOOD...PLAY RUGBY

On this morning we took a break from hunting to travel to a neighboring school for FJ's rugby game. He is good and a very fast player as well as the team's kicker. Frikkie is the coach and I had only ever seen one  rugby game before. It was back in the states with a club team called the Clearfield Wolfpack,  so I was excited to take some pictures and just have some fun. Rugby is to Africa what football is to America...THEY ARE INTO IT! We got to meet the kids and most of their parents. We just tried to take everything in. Everyone we met was very warm and welcoming. I had to chuckle when I  heard one parent say "Get over there and talk to the Americans. You need to practice your English." The kids wanted to see the pictures of all of  the animals we had seen so far in the view finder of the camera. I flipped threw them and answered a ton of questions. I did learn rugby is a very fun and violent game. We had great time. Little Frikkie's team crushed them 61-0. Almost forgot to mention, they play barefoot...OUCH!

Yes coach

Hulking out

The kick is good

FJ on the move

The scrum

Why is my voice getting higher?

HAPPY 15TH...SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE

My wife and I had decided that our safari would be our 15th Anniversary present to each other. The day before our anniversary Frikkie asked me if I had any thing special planned. I sadly had to reply no just a sappy card. He then explained that he and Natasha had a special treat for us the next morning. I was up bright and early as usual to watch the sun rise. Frikkie and Esok were busy preparing the surprise. They had already made several trips into the bush  by the time Di had begun to stir from her slumber.  My wife had a surprise of her own wating for me when I entered our chalet. She had a produced a video on our laptop of family members wishing us Happy Anniversary mixed with photos of our wedding. It was so thoughtful and touching that it brought tears to my eyes. Back to the story at hand. We loaded our gear as usual into the Land Cruiser and headed into the bush. This morning we seemed to going much faster than usaul. Most of the time in mornings you drive at a very slow pace looking for tracks and animals but now we were flat out hauling tail. We arrived at a blind used for archery hunting overlooking a waterhole. A waterhole ruled and pretty much owned by a cape buffalo bull Frikkie called Big John. When Big John wants a drink all other animals on the ranch, other than maybe the rhino, make room for him. Frikkie told Di to check out the inside of the blind and gave me the cat that swallowed the canary grin. When we stepped inside the blind to a Five Star champagne breakfast, including a very nice card and a gift of beautiful African wild life themed placemats. My wife and I spent the most of the morning alone in the blind, relaxing while sipping champagne, eating, watching animals and birds visit the waterhole, and remembering our wedding day 15 years ago. How she has been able to put up with me that long is still one of mandkinds greatest mysteries. To Frikkie and Natasha, we must say a very heartfelt THANK YOU for giving us an anniversary we will NEVER FORGET! 

The blind

Five Star Breakfast

Big John

THE RYTHM OF AFRICA

With all the travel my body clock was off. Frikkie told me I would wake up the middle of night and he was right. 4AM and I am bright eyed and bushy tailed. I started looking through hunting magazines and I came across a collection of articles that were written and published by previous hunters from the states about their adventures with Frikkie du Toit. I was so into reading the tails of hunts and the great adventures that I lost track of time. The sounds of the bush starting to come alive, made me relize it was just before dawn. I grabbed the camera and found a great spot to watch the spectacular South African sunrise. This morning it started with soft pink and red edges on the clouds and grew to a sky of firey pink, orange, and red just before the sun broke the horizon. Not only was the view incredible but the relaxing rhythmic call WORK HARDER....WORK HARDER of a dove in a nearby tree made it perfect. I wonder how long it would take this time? How long until I would truly get into the rhythm of Africa. By dinner that evening I had the beat. To me Africa has a beat, a calming, smooth soothing rhythm. It is very hard to explain but anyone who has been on safari in the bush knows what I mean.  If you listen, Africa will speak to you. She will tell you to slow down and just take in everything you see, hear, smell, and touch. She will tell you to just follow her lead and feel the beat. The beat of time passing at the slower and calming pace, the same pace time has passed for thousands of years each and every day in the bush. Once you are moving to the rythm of Africa you will forget about your problems and things that need done when you get home. You will relax and refresh your mind, body and soul. The deep sleep is incredible too. The harderst part is not finding the rhythm of Africa. It is when you return home and have to enter back into your normal world when you are still moving to the rhythm of Africa. A world now that will seem to be moving as fast a hummingbird's wings .

3 NEW GUESTS

Attention passengers… it is 8:30 AM local time. Welcome to Johannesberg South Africa. The weather today in is 12 degrees and cloudy. We hope you enjoyed your flight the pilot said with a warm South African accent.  Even though I was totally exhausted from the trip,  it would have been impossible to get the grin off my  face now,  even with a belt sander.  Months of planning and dreaming were finally coming to end, not to mention the abuse of very long 16 hour flight. It felt like on touchdown as the pilot applied pressure to jets breaks, he was at the same time somehow stepping on the accelerator to my central nervous system.   My wife Di and I were finally on the Dark Continent again…THANK GOD!

We would be spending the next 2 weeks with Frikkie du Tiot and his family on their ranch near the town of Tosca in the NW province of South Africa.  The entire du Tiot family was there to greet us…Frikkie our  P.H. or professional  hunter,   his lovely wife Natasha, and their three children Frikkie Junior who instantly became FJ to me,   their daughter Xanthe who is incredibly cute, bright and funny, and the newest addition to their family two week old Johanco.

Our gear and guns were loaded into the small the trailer towed behind their Toyota Fortuner and we were on our way for a 300 KM drive to the ranch. On the way we all got to know each better.  Frikkie informed us that he had a special surprise waiting for us. He had purchased 3 giraffes and we should arrive at the ranch just ahead of the delivery truck.  Sure enough, just a few kilometers before we reached  the ranch we passed the 3 newest residents to be.   As soon as we pulled into the ranch, Di dug out our camera and everybody climbed aboard the safari truck…with the kids, Di, and I in back and the tractor and trailer and the 3 new guests in tow. While Frikkie and his staff checked the animals and administered shots Xanthe and I decided to name the giraffes.  She chose Spotty and Lady for the girls.  For the male I suggested Diesel after my favorite football player Brett Kiesel of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the cutest grin, Xanthe looked up at me and said  YES Diesel !

The doors of the trailer slid open and three giants of Africa bolted for freedom.  We had been on the ranch only minutes and we had already experienced something few Americans will ever see.  As we made our way back to lodge a sense of calm and peace poured over me as I thought to myself…This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime.

Freedom

Lady, Diesel, & Spotty

Frikkie, FJ holding Johanco, Xanthe, & Natasha

Follow the Woods Worm to Africa!

 I grew up in  Northern Jefferson County near Clear Creek and Cook Forest State Parks in an outdoor family with a bait shop as side business. As a kid I was either talking about hunting and fishing or doing it. Sigel, PA was a great place to be a kid and fostered my love for spending time in the woods and on the water...thus the name Woods Worm. My wife and I have been blessed the opportunity to travel around our country and the world hunting and fishing. I invite you to follow us on our latest adventure to South Africa...