Adapt: "To make or become suitable. To change so as to fit a new or specific use or situation."
It's that time of year again, or rather, it's finally that time of year again! It's me and Ruhan's hunting trip to Victoria West. Last year we opted to camp in the field rather than staying in the old farm house and this year we are doing the same. Again Ruhan is taking all the camping gear and food in the bakkie.
My first stop with the bike is in Joubertina for coffee and a muffin.
We met up in Uniondale as always, where my bike stays behind at the Schulteheim Hotel.
Small gift of appreciation for the favor of keeping the bike safe for the next few days at the hotel.
Now the trip has officially kicked off!
Just outside Rietbron, stopping for a lunch- braai next to the road.
On the road again:
We quickly set up the campsite, because we knew exactly where everything should go. I added a 10m led string light, running from three AA batteries, for the kitchen tree. Nice lighting for the kitchen table area, but also adding to the Karoo starry-sky ambiance.
Ready for the hunt the next morning. New camp (1400 Ha) to explore and endend up walking 13km for the day.
Wind picked up badly, which made conditions difficult to hunt. No succes to be had on this day.
Having some tee and food out of the wind under a tree- bush.
When we returned to camp late that afternoon, everything was blown all over the place and covered with dust and dirt. Weather predictions were also that the windspeed would actually increase during that night. We took an important decision that would influence the rest of our week. We broke up camp and moved to the braai area of the farm house. Here we regrouped, sorted and cleaned our gear, still enjoying starry nights, but well sheltered from the wind.
The next day we had to adapt even more, because now the wind was properly pumping. We drove slowly through the camp with the bakkie, hoping to somehow get a decent shot on a springbuck.
Ruhan made a well calculated clean shot for our first springbuck of the trip. (360m)
Today, even the tee had to be prepared inside the bakkie.
That evening it was time for a fresh baked bread, one of my favorite things on any of our trips !
We woke up Saturday morning (the last day set out for hunting) and we were both just dailed-in for the hunt, wind or no wind. We started with our favorite way of hunting: on foot.
We returned to a familiar camp with some new plans on how to manage in the wind. (adapt)
It was not long before Ruhan made the first succesful kill of day.
Time for tee and snacks after some grueling kilometres on foot.
Taking a "powernap" with the wind picking up again. This is how you hide from the wind behind a Karoo-bossie.
Working our way back to the bakkie, I was presented with a 260m shot with the wind at an angle from behind. This was doable with my little 6mm rifle.
Ruhan wanted another buck and with the wind blowing horribly, we opted for a drive around with the bakkie again.
Driving into the wind, we surprised a small herd of springbuck going over a blind hill. Ruhan had to act fast, but was spot on with his shot, taken over the side-mirror of the bakkie.
That evening we found a pack of cards (actually 2 packs merged as one) and played some Rummy. The little gas lamp supplied a great atmosphere for playing cards.
We also found Super Trumps cards (Cars) that were very popular in our youth. Nice memories and a long game that just could not produce a clear winner.
Back home and the best Biltong were made by ourselves.
