By Henk du Plessis

The blesbok was standing in the shade of a thorn tree, in a gully. I had reached the end of the cover and could not move any closer. Slowly I stood up and stepped out from behind a Lavender Feverberrie tree, chose a spot on the animal, drew the longbow and sent the arrow flying.

It happened in May this year on Ilanga, Benito van Leeuwen’s ranch. We chose this ranch because stalking is allowed. I was joined by Jaco Wessels and Cecil Louwrens, who was on his first hunt with his longbow. Another group of hunters was also on the ranch.

One of them wounded a blue wildebeest and Jaco and I were called in to help with the search. When we got to the spot where the animal had been shot we found very little blood. The wildebeest had been hit in the shoulder blade but the arrow had not penetrated deeply enough. Since there was no blood trail, Jaco and I split up to cover as much ground as possible.

While I was cresting a small hill, a blesbok standing under the shade of a tree caught my eye. Silently and very slowly I dropped my backpack and started to stalk the animal. I was dressed in a gillie suit and it took me about 45 minutes to cover 60 yards to the Lavender Feverberrie tree, which was the closest cover between me and the blesbok.

As it was downhill, I was in full view of the blesbok and could only move when he looked away. I slowly leopard-crawled until I reached the Lavender Feverberrie. The blesbok was still happily chewing some cud while staring at nothing in particular.

I slowly stood up and, moving ever so carefully, stepped out from behind the tree. I felt confident that the shot was within my ability, so I picked a spot and released the arrow.

About halfway on its way to the animal, I was sure the arrow was going to overshoot. But then it dipped nicely and I heard a thwacking sound, as if it had hit the rocks. As soon as the blesbok took off I knew the shot had been a good one. As the animal ran up the opposite side of the hill, I could see the blood squirting from both sides.

I called in Jaco’s help and the two of us took to the trail. It was an easy one to follow, as it seemed as if someone had painted the ground with blood. After about 200 yards the blood dried up to only a spot here and there.

We found the blesbok piled up against a tree – 270 yards from where it had been shot. The arrow had penetrated the back of both lungs.

I used a 64-pound glass fibre laminated longbow Jaco and I had made. The arrow weighed 660 grains and penetrated right through the blesbok. When we paced the distance later, we found that it was a 31-yard shot – further than I had originally estimated.

I never estimate distance, as I shoot instinctively and measure the distance sub-consciously – like when you throw a rock or shoot a “kettie”.

Stalking with a simple stick and string and shooting your venison the way it was done for thousand of years is a very satisfying experience.