Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Mike Yancey on August 24, 2023, 05:32:08 PM
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I was very hesitant to even post pictures of my zebra that I took in Africa last week let alone a story. Seems like nothing brings out the cry babies and hate faces like the picture of a dead zebra or mountain lion. Well I'm a hunter and have taken both and after talking to Terry today I said that I would do a story and like I have said TradGang used to be hunters! Not a bunch asking if their accent stripe in their 30 lb bow will match the color of the limbs! IM A HUNTER and I kill stuff and if its legal that's all that matters!
I said all that, not to offend anyone but to state the fact that you used to be able to come here and visit with big time hunters that were real men and didn't care about the color of their bow limbs only about the adventure and challenge of the hunt.
Both my hunts for mountain lion and zebra are two of the hardest hunts that I have ever done for single species. I have over 100 mountain miles on foot and mule before taking a lion and 6 trips to Africa before sending an arrow at a zebra, so don't tell me they are just cute little cats and striped donkeys'! They are tough to hunt and for some strange reason two of the best tasting game meat you will ever eat. Again I don't mean to be a butt, I'm just old school and miss all the old guys that were here 20 years ago!
This hunt started out with me just asking to fail by doing the thread on the African Zebra arrow thread. I almost always make a special set of arrows or a bow for a special hunt, but just don't say anything about it, because doing so seems to put unnecessary pressure on myself to produce a result in the end. And I learned long ago, its about my hunt and not what the more primitive than thou crowd think. It always amazed me that you can kill an animal in a pasture with a stone pointed stick in the name of science but if you have plastic nocks and Douglas Fir shafts with a Grizzly broadhead then that's not primitive shot out of a sinew backed bow.
On this hunt I set out to hunt Zebra and really wanted to do all that I could to make it happen on my part as much as I could. I know hunters personally that have had a hard time closing the deal when it comes to the tough and smart zebra. They are big, almost being able to since danger in the air when hunted and will often only water ever few days and only at night. I had in years past had a chance or two at them but passed on less than perfect shot opportunities.
For the hunt I would be using my Deer Slayer sinew backed osage bow that I took the South African Spiral Horn Slam with, 60 lbs @ 26'' and will send a 815 grain 5/16 hickory shaft with deadly accuracy and performance. The front end was loaded with a 185 single bevel Grizzly broadhead in front of a 75 grain Woody Weight, a set up that I was again glad that I chose because the out come would have been much different had I not. I will explain that later.
The first evening set of the hunt found me looking at seven zebra a few minutes before dark. They were like all zebra, not wanting to come in to the water, rather choosing to stand just out of range for minutes until dark. I had one come in close and was making ready to shoot and my PH said, that one is not mature so I passed. As you can guess that was my last chance until the next to the last day of an 8 day hunt. Many all day sits were made from just after daylight until way after dark trying to get a chance encounter at one coming to drink.
My day came late in the hunt the next to last day before the hunt ended. My Wife and I sat all day in an elevated blind with my PH and outfitter Louis Steenkamp. We whispered stories of past hunts and spoke of hopes of hunts to come. It was in the last few minutes of daylight that Louis excitedly whispered, ZEBRA coming and they are coming in fast and that there was no time to waste.
I hadn't even strung my bow yet, not wanting it to set there all day in the heat unnecessarily. In one fluid motion I slid the string up the limb into the elk horn overlay and nocked the hickory shaft to the now ready string. In seconds three zebra weaved their way to the water, while sable were already drinking their fill. As is their nature, the zebra pulled up and began looking things over before coming on in to drink. I've been to this rodeo before and knew that if one turned broadside at any reasonable distance I had better make good use of the opportunity. Finally one turned and offered me a shot that turned out to be 18 yards. I never even thought as the camera rolled and my glove came to the corner of my mouth, sending the deadly sharp steel broadhead just in front of the heart above the left leg. I knew the placement was good but was concerned with the lack of penetration as the zebra ran off in the death run. The arrow was in good and not flopping and I could tell by the body reaction that the shot should be fatal. As I turned to Louis I said, I think I just blew his heart out! We reviewed the camera footage which conformed a good hit. We waited a bit but almost instantly we heard jackals in the direction the zebra ran.
So earlier than we wanted we took to the trail. Africans start a blood trail at the spot of the shot and follow tracks, then stay on that track if blood confirms you are on the right track, well we had blood and buckets of it. At one spot Louis had me stop and point at a puddle of blood an inch high full of bubbles and as big around as a five gallon bucket on the ground in that red African dirt as he took a picture of it for later use. It takes a bunch of blood to pool up like that and the farther we went the more it was splashed and sprayed over the brush. We followed that blood trail, although not as much but still easy enough to follow for over a mile and a half in the dark when our lights began to give out and we called off the search until morning and because of the fact that we kept jumping the zebra. The only reason we pushed the track as soon as we did is because of the Jackals were on the track ahead of us as well. Old Peter the head tracker said jackal tracks in zebra tracks! We went to bed uneasy about finding the zebra still in one piece the next morning.
The next morning found us up before daylight with Louis and I going ahead of the direction walking back in the direction of the last blood and William and Peter the trackers on the last blood. First thing Louis found the remains of a baby zebra eaten by jackals. At that very instant the trackers called on the radio saying that they had found my zebra in tact only 150 yards from our last blood the night before. As luck would have it on my part and bad luck on the baby zebra and mothers part, another zebra was giving birth only a hundred yards from where my zebra fell and the predators got on the one giving birth and killed the baby, eating it all except for the head and spine leaving mine in the bush unmolested.
Once we got the zebra back and skinned I was able to see that the shot was just in front of the heart, going into all the bones in the chest and brisket area and luckily for me the front and lower part of the lungs. How that animal went over a mile and a half is beyond me and a testament to the toughness of African game.
We never found my arrow but it served its purpose and hope to find it next year when I again return to Africa in search of more adventure. On the note of adventure, while Louis and I were walking back to try and find the truck in the dark with dim lights we were charged by cape buffalo! Louis grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me behind him saying get behind me as he shouldered his 308. They pushed towards us a bit but stopped just a few yards out in the dark of the bush! We tried to play it off as a joke as we walked back in the dark about how PH and hunter killed by cape buffalo while looking for a downed zebra.
I will be taking groups back to Sofala next year in August come with me and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime in South Africa!
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Congrats on your Zebra. Thanks for sharing!
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Good writeup and a great trophy. One of my great hunting regrets.... on the second day of my first African trip I had a mature stallion pose broadside at 12 yards and I passed because I wasn't sure I wanted to take a zebra. Needless to say, that was my only chance on a zebra on that hunt and no chance on my second hunt.
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Congratulations Mike. Beautiful animal and great story. :clapper:
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Great job Mike! I'm for the hunt. Legal game is awesome, even if your stripe don't match... My shorts would have more stripes than a zebra being charged in the dark by a bunch of black death... :laughing:
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You've certainly earned him Mike. Thanx for sharing the story and congratulations again on your success.
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The actual events of the hunt were plenty vivid for me and much appreciated. The hard-fought endeavor has finally come to fruition. A trophy logged into eternal memory….Congrats!
I am chomping at the bit to accompany you and Louis in 2025.
Thank you for sharing.
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Well done Mike! Congratulations :clapper: :clapper:
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Congrads Mike! Enjoyed reading about something I'll never do. Over the past few days I've been re-reading Howard Hills books and I can vividly picture your adventure in my mind.
Though you won't remember me, I've talked to you several times and I know you're a standup guy with a good heart and call 'em like you see 'em. The world is changing and not for the better. Thank you for saying the things many of us think but are too timid to say.
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Mike,
From one of the old school guys,
Congratulations, I know how much this one meant to you.
You Done Good….Really, Good!!!
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Way to go Mike. You did good !
Congratulations
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Congratulations, Mike! Thanks for the story.
Murray
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:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Wow! Boy do I have a lot to say about this post.... more later....
But for now, thanks Mike, more than you know.
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The part about the Cape Buffalo in the dark made the hairs stand up on my neck! Yikes!!!! Great hunt - impressive in every way.
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Congrats Mike. I sure liked the way you told your hunt. RS
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Thank you for posting your story up Mike! I come on here every day hoping someone will be posting up about a hunt , successful or not, or even about their scouting trips with pictures. Zebra are beautiful animals. I've seen some awesome quivers and arm guards made from parts of their hide. Congratulations again sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Beautiful zebra Mike! Really enjoyed your story.
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :archer2:
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Awesome Mike! Great story and congratulations! Always love the look of your Deer slayer! I'd have had to change pants after the cape buffalo LOL
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Congratulations on the Zebra, enjoyed the story.
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First, congratulations on another successful trip to Sofala.
I couldn’t read your first few paragraphs without a grin. Couldn’t agree more with you.
We would’ve have joined in August but we are going back to Sofala in May. Maybe next time
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One of many.....
" IM A HUNTER and I kill stuff and if its legal that's all that matters!"
Amen
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Congratulations Mike. Heck of a trophy and epic adventure with the Cape buffalo and all. Thanks for sharing your story.
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Well Done !!
Beautiful Zebra
Beautiful bow too
Great hunt
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On the coals, tenderloin as big as a beef tender.
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One of Gerries last camp meals. One to remember. May he rest in peace and God's perpetual light shine upon him.🙏
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Great story , beautiful animal & equipment Mike !
Congratulations !:clapper:
On the first part of the story....Some folks make a living out of jacking people around....The motivation-reasoning for it ?
Attention mostly imho....
We are all different in our beliefs in many ways.....lack of respect for others is the root of most of these "issues ".....If something isn't your cup of tea...simply staying out of the conversation will be best . ((law breaker/breaking conversations being an exception to the rule for me ))
I've also been a hunter-trapper-fishermen all my life , that doesn't mean my beliefs/thoughts align with everyone that considers themselves a hunter;)
Best to be true to ones self and deal with the asses of life as they expose themselves.....as they try to impose their thoughts/beliefs upon you. In a word Respect...in another...mutual......
Best your way my friend & Congratulations !
:campfire:
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Great story and great trophy. Way to go. I appreciate your words of wisdom.
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Congratulations on a well planned and successful hunt. Thanks for sharing a great story and photos. I am glad you made it back okay.
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Congratulations Mike on a fine Zebra.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Congrats Mike! The stories are the best part, well done!
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Congrats! Really enjoyed the read.
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Outstanding!
Congratulations on a beautiful animal and thanks for sharing your hunt with us Mike!
:campfire:
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Well done. :clapper:
Thanks for sharing. :archer:
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My God, really??? Busting someone's chops over a legal hunt? Maybe they need to find a Peta forum. Geeezzz didn't think there were cry babies on TG.
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Incredible hunt. Thanks for sharing with us.
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Congrats again Mike!!!!!
If they didnt like your zebra story, I'm dang sure not gonna tell mine!!!!! (I cant tell mine here anyway). I will say this though; zebra are one of the spookiest, wariest critters on the planet. It took me 5 hunts in Africa to get a shot at one!
And for those who don't know, zebra tenderloin is one of the best pieces of meat on the planet!
Bisch
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Bisch, did you shoot it with a trad bow? If so, why can't you tell your story?????
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Busch, I sure was glad to see you in Johannesburg airport and thanks for the help with my longbow case. See you in Texas sometime!
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A buddy of mine is a heck of a hunter and has killed some fantastic animals. A jumbo bighorn sheep, a mountain goat, over 30 elk with a longbow, big whitetails, moose, caribou etc. Took him 3 trips to get his zebra and he told me he felt it's his greatest trophy. I can confirm they are great to eat...but I DID have to comment on still tasting the jockey 😉
Congrats, Mike!
R
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Excellent job Mike! And great post. I don’t know what’s going on out there with todays “hunters”. I guess i missed all the wining but I’m getting the jist. I’ve had several friends either ask me about or invite me to go along on an African hunt. Alls I can say is SOMEDAY!! But for now I’m going to have to live it through friends of mine.
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Thanks for posting Mike & congrats
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A little late to the party but congrats on a fine story and even better zebra trophy. Long quest and fine finish. I am not as good a hunter as some on here but remember posting a pic of a groundhog I shot in my backyard with the arrow in the back of its head (where I was intending) and several people told me it was inappropriate. Excuse me but this is a HUNTING forum regardless of the size of the animal. If one hunts there will be blood-we don't practice catch and release.
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Great story Mike :campfire: It almost felt like I was there with you :archer2:
THANKS for sharing :thumbsup:
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Yes, great story MIKE!!!
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Oh, and congrats Mike Yancy on a job well done, and a great trophy.
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I spent a month in Ellisras working on an animal inventory for a large concession. For payment I was given five animals. That said, I could have filled a semi full of most of the desirables just by sitting on a bucket under a thorn tree at a trail intersection. The one animal that was on par or above the wariness of a mature whitetail was the Zebra. I never got close. Honestly would have never thought that about the Zebra but it's true. Great story and trophy sir!