Welcome to Team Wild TV's week of show specials as we look back at our best bits of 2013.
Tonight we are taking a look back at a very special show indeed, Apex Predator. Providing
the most epic and amazing hunting trips from across the globe it was proving tricky to
narrow it down to only four awesome episodes. However, we persevered and here they are.
At number four on our epic list is a hunt for a beautiful African antelope, the Waterbuck.
Deep in the wilds of Mozambique with Gavin Ingram of Nduna Hunting Safaris we had spent
several days tracking this majestic and elusive plains game animal. As sun rose over the horizon
on that morning we were still some distance from where we thought we would see Waterbuck,
when this beautiful buck was spotted on the edge of the bush. Before Ian could get him
in my sights his was off and he thought that was the last we would see of him. However,
he moved only a few yards forward before revealing himself again and pausing to examine them.
That gave Ian just enough time to get him in his sights and make a good shot. He skipped
up and made a run for it, but didn't get far. The most beautiful sunrise was accompanied
by a beautiful buck and a great shot. This hunt made for some of the most beautiful footage
on to the trip into the heart of Africa and this offered a perfect morning for a beautiful
kill shot.
In at number three on our epic Apec Predator list is our fallow buck hunt in the heart
of Hungary with our good friends at Wonderhart. Guided by the awesome Hungarian blood hound
that is Zoltan Olah they headed out into the thick woodland. With dry leaves on the ground
and the dense woods covered in shades of brown spotting a deer was never going to be easy.
Early on in the day we spotted a nice buck feeding in the woods, but a shot never presented
itself and soon the buck was spooked, and he ran and moved on. A little later in the
day and a beautiful buck spots them on the horizon. Looking right at them he doesn't
run, so Ian make a good shot right into his engine room. However, the buck runs and he
need to follow him up. Hes down, but not out and so Ian needed to dispatch him. He set
up on the sticks and put a final shot into the buck. As he stumbles back and forth we
could see the blood spurt from his exit wound and he drops. On closer inspection when we
dress him out its clear that both shots were not just good, but perfect heart shots. One
hole in its heart should've been enough, but some how it ran. A second hole through the
heart and he still was trying to run. That was one tough fallow buck and it made for
an epic hunting film.
In at number two on our top four list is another awesome African adventure. Whilst in Mozambique
Ian was lucky enough to partake in several dangerous game hunts that had his heart racing.
However, only one made for an epic hunt on the water. Crocodiles are a huge problem in
Mozambique as they attack any of the locals that dare tread near the water. So the guys
were drafted in to help keep the numbers down, but it soon became clear that was going to
be no easy task. There were crocs lining the waters edge for a good mile of river. We found
a beautiful and huge croc basking in the sun on the banks of the river alongside a female.
Ian got him in his sights took his shot and hit him at exactly the right spot. Ian put
in an insurance shot to make sure he wasn't going anywhere and he was done. This massive
beast of a croc was huge when the guys hung him up and made for an epic stalk on the river.
Top of the pile and cream of the crop of hunts from this years Apex Predator was undoubtedly
Ian's Slovenian Chamois. During an epic climb high into the snowy alps of Slovenia we saw
some pretty awesome landscapes and plenty of pure white snow on the ground. The climb
was steep and very hard work as the snow covered the guys from the knees down. Unfortunately
there were no chamois on top of the mountain and so the guys had to head back down. But,
across on the bottom of the next mountain they spotted a beautiful male chamois sat
looking over the valley. He presented a very tricky uphill 270 meter shot on a pretty small
kill zone, but Ian's shot was good and he dropped on the spot. An great shot in epic
conditions and once our guides had been up the mountain to claim our prize Ian got to
see just how beautiful these alpine chamois are.
An incredible hunt most definitely.
If you missed any of these shows or would like to see the full Apex Predator line up
click on the below link to go to the show playlist where you can access all of the videos
in one place.
Also remember to subscribe to be kept up to date with the new changes and line up happening
on Team Wild TV.