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Thanks Ripp and Mike.
I'm still a bit squeezed for time, so I'll give the story the short back and sides.

The buff was standing in some bushes, looking back on his tracks when we found him. Taking no chances, Jason gave him three quick ones with his 458 Lott rather than trust the quietus to me. He is not the daggaboy I was hoping for but the 36" width will look big enough at my place. It seems the .450/.400 Hornady softpoint had hit the tree, expanded and come out at an angle, making a big hole in the lungs farther back.

We had to drive two hours for the sable but he was found after tracking for only about 400 yards. Hit high through the shoulder and angling back, the 300-grain Woodleigh softpoint from the 338 probably hit the spine - stopping him on the spot about 80-100 metres away. The horns only made 34.5 inches over the curve but, once again, should impress my hunting mates.

J didn't really expect to find an impala in that area when we returned a day or two later. Estevao, the tracker, saw the little prints and knew what they were but, when asked, said 'Giraffe'. Scott got out the 'black book' and showed him an impala, at which he nodded.

A few hundred metres along we saw a streak of red and J knew what that was. He disappeared but it wasn't long before we managed to get within less than 50 metres. Don't be deceived: I hit it in the shoulder but the 250-grain CoreLokt made such a splash that the exit hole was less gory. As you can see, the horns are about 17 inches long.

After a week of sitting and tracking, I also had a shot at a big kudu (maybe 55 inches) standing in a big clump of high buffalo grass about 150 metres away. Indifferent marksman that I am, I believe it was a good shot off Jason's human benchrest (he leans over, holding the two-pronged sticks; his back becoming a rest for your right elbow) and that the Remington semi-spitzer clipped a piece of grass or twig, causing it to plow into the ground yards in front.

He was seen again two days later, twice, but had got the message by that time and didn't hang around. Anyway, it was a great trip and now I have another reason to want to go back.

Cheers
- Paul

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