[Music intro]
There really is something special about hunting in Africa. We are lucky enough to have been
invited to join a group of Zeiss dealers on the trips of their lifetimes to Blaser's ranch
in Namibia.
They are being offered the chance to hunt oryx trophies and, if they have the funds,
red hartebeest, zebra, wildebeest and kudu are all on offer.
As well as top high-transmission glasswear perched on top of quality Blaser R8 rifles
we are also using Norma Oryx softpoint ammunition. Before the Spanish party get a chance to hunt
they need to prove themselves on the range.
They have to show they are competent off sticks. If you are considering a hunting safari to
Africa, speed, confidence and stable shooting off sticks is crucial. The professional hunter
is there to add extra stability.
Afterwards, as a big treat, we head up to one of the highest points on the 24,000 hectare
range for a sundowner. There is nothing quite like an African sunset - with all it's visual
delights. It is a moment to relax and enjoy before an early start after those oryx.
We join Alejandro and his wife Patricia. They are both experienced hunters and to add extra
spice to the hunt it is Alejandro's 38th birthday. Our first port of call is a rocky outcrop
called a koppie. Just like in the Scottish Highlands, the guides find a vantage point
and glass the surrounding area.
We return to ground level and head off on foot. The tracker is on constant look out
for fresh droppings and tracks - literally following in the footsteps of our game.
A half an hour walk brings us to another koppie. There is a group of wildebeest below us. We
get a glimpse and then we climb to a higher position to get a better view. They move off,
but we are close behind.
There is always a sense of purpose with these trackers, which gives confidence to a shooter
in an unfamiliar environment.
We get close, but not close enough.Wildlife crosses our path but unfortunately not the
variety we want. After two-and-a-half hours we get a look at our first oryx.
She stays still enough for Patricia to get steady - and she drops her where she stands.There
is immense relief and happiness.
Exciting, it is marvellous.
Patricia is the only woman in the group. Is it rare in Spain for women to hunt?
All the time, more and more women are going hunting. The first time they go with their
husband or a friend, and later they get themselves involved with hunting. But to be honest it
still not common. Still many more male hunters.
Would she recommend it?
Yes. It is a marvellous experience. It is part of my heart. It is very emotional. It
increases the adrenalin and I can recommend it totally.
It is certainly a moment to be cherished and recorded. The Zeiss scope, Blaser R8 rifle
and Norma ammunition have all played their roles.
For African hunting Zeiss recommends a 50mm objective lense, giving flatter shooting while
still performing in low light.
The 50 is very interesting for Africa, because you go out very early in the morning. So this
morning we started at 6 o'clock and it was nearly dark. And when we were on the first
stand for oryx it was 6.30. It was still not really day light. Therefore the 50 objective
lense really gets you the extra 5 minutes. In Europe people use the 56, but here in Africa
they use the 50. It has a big advantage. You can mount the scope lower on the rifle, because
here we have not as much space.
Norma ammunition has a strong association with African game. With its 100-plus calibres
there is something for all shapes and sizes. Jörgen Sandström from the company is hunting
with us. And having spoken to the professional hunters here, they are all in agreement that
big is best.
They are saying the bigger the better, because if you have a shot which is not properly positioned
on the animal, the chance to get the animal and find it is better if you have a bigger
calibre. So shoot as big calibre as you can handle. Of course you have the recoil that
is the bad side of a big calibre. If you can handle the recoil, then use a big gun.
All the Spanish hunters are using Blaser rifles. The innovative gun manufacturer has produced
a system which allows you to shoot foxes in Felixstowe one day and elephant in Africa
the next.
It is a very versatile rifle and it is what we say one rifle for around the world. Because
of the interchangability of the rifle you can change the barrels, you can change the
bolt head, which means changing calibre groups. You can go from a miniature calibre group
up to a magnum. So that equates to a 222 Remington up to a 500 Jeffery. So I can literally hunt
in today 222 fox hunting. Tomorrow 9.3 by 62 for wild boar in Germany and the day after
that I can go to Africa and use a 500 Jeffrey.
While Alejandro and Patricia are out in one part of the 60,000-acre ranch, Zak and Rafael
are out in another. It is their first day hunting and they are excited.
It is an early start, but this is the best time of day for hunting. Hunting guide Karel
keeps his eyes peeled.
He suddenly stops the engine and we are off in to the bush. We make a wide circle before
Karel decides we are out of luck. Maybe the wind is not being kind, maybe the animals
heard us coming, but they are off.
What happened was, he was running. He already knew we were here. So he started running off,
so we tried walking behind him. The wind is bad as well. The wind is from behind us. We
will try and walk through and see if he stopped may be. This one got away.
Suddenly stopping the car because he has seen something indistinguishable to the ordinary
human eye but blindingly obvious to the hunting guide's eye becomes a pattern for the morning.
After a few of the attempts, the Spanish start to play games.
We reach a koppie with views across the thorny scrub. We spot oryx and they are close enough
for a shot. The shot is good, but the animal runs.
It was very emotional. We saw the oryx leaving the bushes into the open area, but we were
too noisy, stones moved and we failed to get close.
I could not see anything. But we are just going to go down and make sure there is no
blood. If there is blood because it is down in the valley it is difficult to hear. So
we are just going to do that quickly.
With frothy red blood on the ground, the shot is true. But this beast will need tracking.
Time to let slip the Westphalian Terrier, Biene. The only trouble is the trail. Our
oryx appears to have evaporated.
It got darker and darker. Which means it is coming from somewhere else. It is not lung
tissue blood. We started walking and after a while it stopped. We did not find any more
drops. Which is bad, with the long grass it is difficult to see the drop. As soon as it
starts getting smaller drops it is difficult to see.
The thorns here are incredible, and Zak has shot his oryx in one of the thorniest parts
of the ranch. These are not ordinary thorns. These are the stuff of horror movies.
One of the thorns here is called Wait-a-Bit. Another one has the local latin name of Landrovia
Flatwheelia. They make tracking hard. Biene comes back with nothing. Less Westphalia terrier,
more failure terrier.
As a guide, how do you feel about the situation where you have got a wounded animal, but you
cannot find it? How do you personally feel about that?
Very bad. The animal was shot. The animal was wounded. We found blood. So the next thing
we have to do is find it.
Back to our hunting couple on the other side of the range, and we leave Patricia being
congratulated in the traditional German way. While our birthday boy Alejandro heads off
into the distance with guide Erifrisse. We only have half an hour before it gets too
hot. The animals stop moving and before we need to head back to the lodge for a cooling
beer.
In complete contrast to the marathon we have just survived we spot another oryx within
10 minutes. Alejandro doesn't mess about. He shoots and he is confident he has hit the
large antelope hard.
Still, as is the case with a lot of African game, our oryx has managed to put some distance
between us and it.
The 300-calibre Norma Oryx round has probably killed the animal, but our guide needs to
take his time to follow the tracks. He finds the Oryx 50 yards deeper into the bush.
The shot is excellent. Our Spanish hunter has been shooting since he was a boy. So is
it is first taste of Africa?
Yes, it is my first time in Africa and, to be honest, it is an experience you will never
forget. It is a dream for every hunter. It is something every hunter would like to do
at least once in his lifetime. And the truth is, I thought the hunt would be different.
But it is a pure and authentic hunt.
We are soon joined by Patricia and Stefan. It is another successful hunt and what is
more the animal appears to be a gold medal.
It is a very old female. The 2 horns are approximately 95cm. Both very nicely big here. So that is
most probably a gold medal for the Alejandro and as it is his birthday he just owned it.
It is a really nice one.
It is incredible how he walked about 10 kilometres and then walked about 500 metres and got one.
Yes sometimes it takes hours and then sometimes a couple of minutes. So yes, you have to work
until you get it.
Do you have to be quite fit to do African safaris?
Yes, sure. You have to climb up on the Koppies you have to go through the bush. Like this
morning, 2 ½ hours when it was 12 or 14 degrees, but now we are having round about 28 degrees.
So it gets hot. You need to drink a lot. And then continue walking.
Unlike a roebuck this oryx can not be thrown over the shoulder and walked out. The guides
have a well choreographed routine and the two animals are on board the Land Cruiser
in no time at all.
It may have taken a few more man hours, but we are happy to report that Karel and guide
Gabriel eventually found Zak's oryx. They really do not like losing animals here.