SA Hunter/Jagter SA Hunter/Jagter: Kolskoot

Daar is min twyfel dat jag vir talle van ons nie net ’n sport is nie, maar eerder ’n lewenstyl. Dis as’t ware deel van ons DNS, en saam met die jag self gaan die voorbereiding vir elke jagseisoen. Is my teleskoop nog opgewasse vir die taak? Het ek die regte kaliber vir ’n bepaalde jag? Het ek al die toerusting wat ek gaan nodig kry? Die kersie op die koek is die uitsien en verlange na die jagveld – die warm koffie op ’n koue oggend langs gisteraand se kampvuur, die stap langs die spore en die eerste sien van die skelm koedoebul in die digte bosse. Ja, jag gaan voorwaar oor baie meer as net die sneller druk! In hierdie uitgawe van KOLSKOOT het die SA JAGTER/HUNTER-span gepoog…

REDAKSIE: REDAKTEUR Johan van Wyk, PRODUKSIEREDAKTEUR: Elfriede Ainslie, SUBREDAKTEUR: Marisa Beeton (Taalversorging), UITLEG & ONTWERP VAN KOLSKOOT: Marthie van Dyk, UITGEWER: Theuns Venter, KANTOORBESTUURDER: Maphuti Mongatane (Navrae/Administrasie) ADVERTENSIES: BESIGHEIDSBESTUURDER: Dirk Lamprecht, ADVERTENSIEKONSULTANT: Jacques Boshoff, 079-528-8793 MEDEWERKERS: Thinus Steyn, Pierre van der Walt, Francois van Emmenes, Richard Sowry, Pieta Oosthuizen, Nico Kotzé, Prof Brian Reilly, Andrew Tonkin, Herman Jonker, Kobus de Kock, Jacques Boshoff.…

Factory-made rifles have certainly come a long way in the last few decades. It is hard to imagine an application for which a ready-made rifle, as well as the other necessary accessories such as scopes, ammunition and the like, is not readily available. Add to this the fact that almost every firearm manufacturer is constantly refining its products to keep up with not only ever-evolving tastes but also its competition. It is thus fair to say that we, the gunbuying public, has never been so spoilt for choice. For some, however, a factory rifle lacks something. In most instances, that “something” is an individual touch, most likely brought on by the hankering to own something unique and personal, something nobody else has and can be cherished and enjoyed for seasons…

Vir ’n jagter wat gewoond is aan bosveldjag, lyk vlaktejag soms na ’n reuse-uitdaging. Met die regte voorbereiding, toerusting en benadering is dit egter glad nie so moeilik as wat baie mense glo nie. VOORBEREIDING Ek kan nie die belangrikheid van voorbereiding, veral toepaslike oefening met jou toerusting, genoeg beklemtoon nie. Nadat jou geweer ingestel is (200 meter is ’n goeie afstand), beweeg weg van die skiettafel en oefen vanaf die rus wat jy in die veld gaan gebruik. Oefen uit verskillende posisies met jou skietstokke en/of tweepootrus. Hoe vinniger jy ’n akkurate skoot kan afvuur, hoe beter gaan jou kanse wees om vleis huis toe te bring. Oefen dus teen tyd. Een van die grootste redes waarom jagters sukkel, is dat hulle te lank neem om te skiet. Maak…

Which commonly hunted species frequent areas where 300-yard shots are required? Definitely springbuck, blesbuck and reedbuck. They all weigh under ±70 kg on the hoof. At the upper end, there are red hartebeest, black wildebeest and gemsbuck, which can be regarded as sub-200 kg species. These animals succumb to well-placed shots with quality bullets from rifles smaller than .308” calibre. WHAT TO BUY So, if a trusting youngster without a bottomless wallet ends up on the other side of the counter and asks for advice, what should you tell him to buy? Let us start with the rifles. The most affordable ones start at around R12000-R15 000 (Howa), then jump to about R20 000 (CZ, Remington and Sauer 100), and then to about R28 000 (Musgrave, Tikka and Ruger). Beyond…

I may as well admit it right now: Hunting dangerous game is one of the most exciting and addictive pastimes I have ever indulged in. Few things in life can compare to the feeling that goes through your bones when sighting the first big tracks crossing the road and closing the bolt on a big cartridge after a nod from your professional hunter. As you shoulder your rifle to follow the tracks into the mopane thicket, you suddenly become aware of a slight metallic aftertaste in your mouth, and the rifle that felt so heavy and cumbersome on the range back home suddenly feels completely inadequate. It’s a feeling like no other – the kind that makes you happy to be alive. Prior to getting off the Land Cruiser and…