Our Return to the Eastern Cape – Hunting with Nick Bowker
It had been seven years since our last South African hunting trip to the Eastern Cape with Nick Bowker, and my buddy and I couldn’t wait to return. This was our second hunt with Nick, and while we wanted to pursue some new animals this time, we also planned to revisit a few species we had enjoyed on our first trip.
Table of Contents
Back in 2012, we hunted a Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck, Springbok, Impala, Warthog, and Blesbok. Nick’s plains game hunting packages make it easy to build a diverse hunt, so we were excited for another unforgettable week.
Day 1 – Arrival in South Africa
We arrived in Port Elizabeth mid-morning, where Nick Bowker and his brother Rob greeted us at the airport. From there, we made the scenic 90-minute drive to Olive Fountain Ranch, our home for the week.
After unpacking, we dialed in our rifles at Nick’s private range. The weather was misty and rainy, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying a long walk through the hills and valleys, spotting dozens of trophy-quality animals.
Despite seeing multiple shootable trophies, we decided to hold off, knowing we had Ten full days of hunting ahead. Back at the lodge, we capped the evening with a perfectly grilled steak, fine South African wine, a few cocktails, and a fireside chat reminiscing about our 2012 adventure.
Day 2 – Zebra and Gemsbok
The first animal on our list this year was Zebra. We encountered three separate herds during the morning, but they stayed high, skittish, and mixed with Blesbok, Springbok, and Waterbuck, making a clean shot impossible.
By mid-afternoon, we shifted focus to another new species: Gemsbok. On the open plains, we located a massive herd of about 70 animals. Their sharp eyesight and tendency to roam meant we had to rely on Nick’s experience. Rob and the trackers gently pushed the herd into a valley while Nick positioned us perfectly.
Eventually, a broadside bull presented at 220 yards. One steady shot off the sticks dropped him in his tracks—our first of 15 trophies on this trip.
That evening, we pursued Kudu, Nyala, and Warthog, spotting hundreds of animals within a few square miles. Among them were eight Nyala bulls. After a careful stalk, I dropped a magnificent bull at 100 yards with another clean shot off the sticks.
Day 3 – Impala and More Nyala
We started the day climbing high into the mountains near Bedford, glassing for Kudu. Rob’s expert driving took us through jaw-dropping scenery, though we passed on all the animals we saw.
In the afternoon, we returned to a productive area near Olive Fountain where we’d had success before. There, I harvested a trophy Impala ram at 225 yards, though the shot was slightly back. That’s where Nick’s Jack Russell Terriers, Blackjack and his partner, proved invaluable, quickly recovering the ram a few hundred yards away.
As the sun dropped, we spent an hour glassing vast fields teeming with Nyala bulls, Kudu, and cows. A careful stalk got us within 100 yards of several Nyala, but we were ultimately busted by a young bull in thick cover. Even without a shot, the stalk itself was a thrilling highlight.
Day 4 – Impala, Zebra, and Another Nyala
The morning started with a 270-yard shot on a superb Impala, using the high ridge to our advantage. Later, we returned to the elusive Zebra. After over an hour of watching from a hillside, a stallion presented a shot at 350 yards, but the bullet just missed beneath him.
That evening, we were back on the Nyala bulls. At last light, Nick spotted a shooter. We crept to within 150 yards, and another clean shot off the sticks earned us our second Nyala bull of the hunt.
Day 5 – Kudu and Double Zebra
This day was pure Africa. In the morning, I stalked and dropped a massive Kudu bull at 330 yards, a shot I’ll never forget.
We turned our attention back to Zebra. The first stallion went down at 347 yards, and after cooling the carcass at the lodge, we headed back out. Later, I dropped another lead stallion at 548 yards from the prone position—a shot made possible by Nick’s guidance and my Nightforce optics.
That evening, I capped the day with a giant Warthog at 215 yards. The trackers earned their pay skinning and caping all our trophies, but what a day—three top animals in a single day of hunting in Africa.
Day 6 – Gemsbok and a Close Call with a Kudu
We revisited the Gemsbok plains, using thorn bush cover and Rob’s team to push the herd. Another broadside bull at 180 yards became our next trophy.
In the afternoon, we experienced one of the trip’s most unforgettable moments: stalking within 40 yards of a young Kudu bull just for the thrill. When he finally spotted us, his wide-eyed “oh no” reaction was priceless.
Day 7 – Blue Wildebeest and Red Lechwe
The mountains near Bedford treated us to another breathtaking morning as we pursued Blue Wildebeest. From a prone position off a cliff, I dropped a great bull at 315 yards.
Later, we stalked through thick thorn to take a Red Lechwe at 230 yards, another highlight of the trip.
Day 8 – Warthog and Long-Range Blesbok
On our final day, only one target remained: another big Warthog. Within 90 minutes, we had a shooter down at 210 yards.
With time to spare, we turned to the elusive White Blesbok, animals notorious for their speed and large herds. Nick positioned us perfectly. At 608 yards, I dropped the first trophy using a G7BR2 rangefinder and Nightforce scope, and later hit another at 378 yards. Two 18-inch White Blesbok capped off our hunt in style.
