Huntinamibia - My Namibian Adventure - A singular adventure at the edge of the southern Namib Desert
For the interested sportsman Namibia offers a wealth of possibilities to explore ‘off the beaten track’ and hunt more unusual species, like for example a klipspringer hunt in the remote Tiras Mountains.
We started our journey at the Westfalenhof hunting farm – we being the client Wolfgang and his wife Ulrike, and myself as hunting guide. The drive took us through the Namib to Swakopmund and from there all along the edge of the desert to southern Namibia. The entire region was a paradise, due to unusually good rains. The dunes were covered nearly to their crests with short, fresh grass. After a long drive we finally reached our destination, farm Landsberg in the Tiras Mountains, which lies at 1 650 metres, with its highest elevation at 1 990 metres.
After a warm welcome we drove up into the Tiras Mountains with the farmer to familiarise ourselves with the geographical setting for the following day’s hunt. The farmer mentioned by the by that the best time of day for hunting klipspringer was between two and four o’clock in the afternoon. I was grateful for every bit of information, since I had no experience of hunting klipspringer or hunting in mountainous terrain.
The next morning we headed off in the Land Rover, driving the same route as the day before to the waterhole referred to as Norwegen, no doubt because the many gorges reminded the name giver of the heavily rugged landscape of the fjords in Skandinavia. On our drive up into the mountains we stopped several times to see if we could spot any klipspringer. Relatively soon, much to our delight, we saw the first pair, quite far away on a prominent hill. We drove on to the waterhole, which lies behind the hill and stopped the car. I buckled on my belt, attached to which were five litres of water and a small camera, taking a light aluminium spotted scope in my hand. Ulrike, of course, came along, and, walking single-file, we approached the hill from the west. However, the two klipspringers we had spotted earlier were no longer there.
After a ten-minute walk Wolfgang called a halt and said that this was not a forced march but a stalk. We therefore made ourselves comfortable in the high-lying valley between granite bolders and scanned the horizon carefully. First we saw one, and shortly afterwards, a group of four, all on the edge of the high plateau. After careful consideration we decided to start the arduous ascent, knowing full well that the wind could trick us. When we arrived at the spot where we had seen them, there were no klipspringer in sight.
We sat down exhausted and somewhat discouraged to scan the opposite slope again. We spotted several groups, but could not determine sex and age at the distance of some 800 metres. For the first time I appreciated the benefit of a spotting scope, which I as a hunter of lowlands had thus far thought to be a completely useless device and unnecessary weight to carry along. However, under these circumstances, such an instrument really saves one long and strenuous walks.
We decided to climb down to the vehicle in the high-lying valley. From here we drove a steep path up to the plateau, an adventure in itself. From the plateau we spotted three different groups of klipspringer in the distance, each a few hundred metres apart. We had to come closer to determine the sex and age. We wanted to stalk the first group of four on the northern face of the hill through a dry riverbed and approached the spot cautiously. As Wolfgang loaded the .243, we heard the klipspringers’ shrill warning whistles. This time, at least, we had found them. Now, only 40 metres away, they sprinted off with quick, elegant leaps. As they fled we could determine sex and age and consoled ourselves with the fact that there was no trophy animal amongst them.
We returned to the hairpin bend in the riverbed and moved towards the other group. Suddenly we realised that a klipspringer standing on a granite boulder, a doe, could see us. We remained motionless for a while and then cautiously moved to the next bend. Carefully we peeped over a granite boulder. The doe, as if frozen, was standing on the same rock, looking in our direction, less than 100 metres in front of us. Underneath the rock a ram moved. We quickly examined his horns, but decided that they were too short. Less than 50 metres to the left of these two another doe was grazing. A ram joined her, but he was also too young. Another two rams appeared, also with insufficient horn lengths.
We motioned Ulrike, who was waiting a few metres behind, to join us and observe the peaceful hustle and bustle of this group of six directly in front of us. We watched them for a good ten minutes. In the meantime we were starting to have serious doubts as to whether the goal we had set for ourselves to select a klipspringer with horns as long as his ears was not too high. Compared to a steenbok, the ears of a klipspringer are much more upright. In the end we left our favourable position, and as we did, the klipspringer fled hurriedly. In this desolate and remote area it was unlikely they had ever encountered humans on foot before.
But we had already spotted another couple of klipspringer about 800 metres away. They were lying comfortably under a hilltop on high ledge, ruminating in the sun. This time the way to the plateau was easy and less tiring. Only the last 200 metres up to the plain next to the hilltop were steep and demanding. I felt the first signs of tiredness.
Then suddenly the ram is 10 metres in front of us, as surprised as we are. Whistling loudly, he jumps down and stops within shooting range at the foot of the hill. The temptation to allow this klipspringer, with horns a 3/4 earlength, to be taken is very high after all the effort, but I resist it. We approach the third group, which stands on a prominent boulder about 800 metres to 1 000 metres further. As we arrive the stage is suddenly empty. We don’t understand how they spotted us after all the care we had taken with our cover during the stalk.
Our limbs are fairly tired by now. It is two in the afternoon and we must start heading back. In despair we scan the surroundings for the last time and notice a doe standing on a rock about 300 metres beneath us. Under very good cover we approach her up to 100 metres, then stay behind a chest-high granite boulder, peeping carefully over the edge. We put Wolfgang’s backpack cautiously on the barrier as support and the loaded .243 on top of it.
We call Ulrike to come and look. The three of us stand next to each other, waiting for the ram that cannot be far away. As if cast in iron the doe stands there, then suddenly, out of the blue, she emits a shrill whistle. Now we wait in eager anticipation to see whether the ram will actually appear. She emits a second piercing whistle and with a single leap the ram stands next to her on the rock. I allow it to be taken, because this is undoubtedly the best ram we have seen all day. Wolfgang takes a long time aiming, to my taste somewhat too long. It feels like an eternity, because the ewe has already jumped off the rock in a single leap. The ram will surely follow. Then the shot breaks and through the binoculars I clearly see the impact of the bullet in the thick skin of the klipspringer. All three of us hear the impact clearly. The ram tumbles down the other side of the rock. As we arrive at the spot, we see a conspicuous trail of blood. Five to six metres underneath the rock lies the ram, taken spot-on. The bullet has gone in behind the shoulder and out at a slight angle. It is twenty past two. Indeed, it is between two and four o’clock.
Good hunting! Wolfgang more than deserves this trophy. We are both proud and tired, but in the end very happy that we followed our goal so consistently and with such determination, to be eventually rewarded in this way. Our next priority is to quench our thirst and recover our liquid balance, at least to some extent.
When we put the ram up on the rock for the visual memento, we inspect the trophy for the first time in detail. The horns of this very old ram extend past his ears by half a centimetre. As with gemsbok, klipspringer have very pronounced, closely telescoped rings on their horns. The rings on this ram measure 1 centimetre and are obviously responsible for the extra length of the trophy. We enjoyed recapitulating that it had been the right decision not to take any of the rams we spotted earlier and that with this one we complied to the norms for sustainable utilisation in every respect. The measurements reveal 10.6 centimetres length for the longest horn and a total of 31.1 centimetres points, Number 8 on the Namibian Top Ten List.
After a break we strapped the ram, which weighed about 10 kilograms, onto my backpack. On the way back we saw more klipspringer, a total of 20 that day. At about four o’clock we finally reach the vehicle, exhausted.
To sum up hunting in the Tiras Conservancy after a hunt that lasted more than two exciting and eventful days: It was demanding because of the terrain; the hunter had to be fit and physically in a good condition. Since limited hunting quotas are issued for klipspringers in Namibia, this is definitely a hunt for enthusiasts in an interesting and fascinating landscape. One can rightly term it as hunting the African chamois.
