My First Buffalo
Seven years of drought in the Eastern cape, coupled with cancellations by overseas hunting clients due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has resulted in game farmers who would not normally accommodate local biltong hunters open their arms to South African hunters and offer very reasonable prices for animals normally out of our price range. This was the case with my Eastern Cape buffalo hunt.
A series of calls and disappointments, more calls and lots of arranging eventually led to us making contact with JP Kleinhans, a well-respected outfitter, professional hunter and taxidermist, based on his farm just north of Hankey in the Eastern Cape. JP could arrange a buffalo cow hunt at a price that I could not say no to.
Under normal circumstances, a buffalo cow is a valuable asset, as throughout its breeding cycle it adds many new animals to the herd. Once past their prime, the cows become a liability to the farmer. The harsh reality of Africa is that these are mouths to feed, and with the drought already putting pressure on available grazing, the old adage of “If it pays, it stays” applies. The herd has to be thinned down to only productive animals.
We had planned to stay in an old farm house and self-cater, but JP would have none of that. He decided we must stay with him at his hunting lodge and home. He also told us that we would only pay a nominal fee that was far below the rate of an average B&B. The offer was just too good to refuse.
Our hearts were full of hope and excitement
Sunday morning, long before the sun had thought about rising, our convoy wound its way through the streets of Table View and out onto the N1 highway.
