It had been far too long since our last hunt.
Fortunately, Ruhan managed to arrange a weekend away on the farm of an old friend near Victoria West. Even better, we were able to take our sons along, making it more than just a hunting trip—it was time well spent together in the wide-open Karoo.
We left home at 16:00 on Friday afternoon, eager to get on the road. By Saturday morning, the hunt was on. Between 09:00 and 14:00, we had successfully harvested eight springbuck. Mission accomplished.
That evening we celebrated in the only proper way—with a massive braai, plenty of stories around the fire, and the satisfaction that only a successful day in the veld can bring.
By Sunday morning we were back on the road, heading home with tired bodies, coolers full of venison, and memories that would last far longer than the weekend itself.
A proper "quickie hunt"—less than 48 hours from departure to home, but every minute was worth it.
The following weekend, the hunt continued—just in a different form.
The springbuck had spent the week hanging in the cold room, allowing the meat to mature perfectly. Now it was time to roll up our sleeves and do the meat processing ourselves.
This was as much about passing on knowledge as it was about processing venison. The boys learned how to skin the carcasses properly, identify the different cuts of meat, and appreciate that good venison doesn't simply appear neatly packaged on a supermarket shelf.
After a full day of cutting, trimming, mincing, mixing spices, and filling casings, the reward was there for all to see. The biltong was hanging up to dry, the "wors" was neatly packed.
There's something deeply satisfying about taking the process from veld to table with your own hands—and even more so when the next generation is learning alongside you.
