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The dogs remained in the high density killing fields again today chasing every which way, but mine!
Without success they rested up in the early morning while I busied myself filming all the dew and this little spider having a tough time maintaining it’s web. Can’t be easy when those dew drops provide obstacles that are about a tenth of your size. Imagine, the surface tension might even suck you in. And then? I suppose then you wait for the sun to evaporate the dew. That’s if you haven’t drowned already.
As it warmed up the dogs got mobile again back towards the Chiredzi River. They moved down the bank onto a lower terrace. It’s probably nearly a hundred meters wide and covered in tall lush grass. The dogs just meandered their merry way along the terrace while I followed.
Thankfully I wasn’t in a dreamy world myself cos suddenly the ground just fell away! A massive gully, about 12ft deep and 4ft wide, crossed the terrace, but was well hidden by the long grass. Luckily I was quick on the brakes stopping the car with the left front wheel breaking the edge of the gully. With no hand brake (parking brake) on the car I had to do some nifty footwork to now try and reverse the vehicle without it sliding the slightest bit forward. Cos if that happened it was head first into the gully.
Well I got that right but the front wheel just spun in the loose soil. So now what? I tried to radio for help but being right down where I was there was no comms.
The vehicle was balancing so precariously, I knew that if I tried to jack up any part of it, it would go!
The next plan. I dug a deep whole behind the back wheels and as far under them as I could go. Eventually the weight of the vehicle now collapsed these holes and the vehicle was now wanting to move backwards rather than forwards. Voila! I was out of there only to find the dogs had killed further south on the terrace. I’d scared and survived a potentially fatal accident and didn’t have plans on tempting it all again.
They eventually came back up the bank to rest at this pan in the Acacia woodland for the day. It was already late morning and being hot, they had no plans on moving.
Sunset saw them off to a slow start heading west and eventually chasing impala across the open areas of Khayeni. I think Jiggy killed as I was with all the other dogs standing around waiting. After 15mins, already dark, he hadn’t pitched up. No doubt enjoying his meal.
I headed home for my steak, egg and chips. A rare treat for me!
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Already well fed from yesterday, I suspected the dogs would be off to a late start. But not so, although it was a rather slow start with them milling around and hassling each other.
Puzzles then suddenly changed direction and with purpose the pack trotted north in single-file.
This is good impala country in the Acacia tortilis woodland. Great hunting grounds too. Well for me anyway as the country is open with the closed canopy of Acacias.
A large herd of impala stopped in their tracks staring in my direction. I don’t think they could see the dogs because of the grass being too long, but they had spotted me. The dogs had heard them and were moving in. Ears flattened the pack spread out all the time advancing with real purpose. Then the impala saw them and bombshelled out of there. That was the trigger for the dogs to launch their attack. Like missiles gliding over the top of the grass the dogs disappeared chasing impala in all directions.
I lost them all but eventually picked up Jiggy. He had killed a young impala and was feeding on his own. Well fed he moved off and called. The pack didn’t respond. Eventually he found them on another kill. They’d already finished and realising Jiggy had also killed they were quickly on his scent tracking down his kill.
That was 2 quick kills for the dogs feeding on already well swollen tummies, which of course meant the end of any activity from them for the rest of the day.
At sunset they slowly roused themselves but were in no mood for hunting just ambling along. Having drunk at Matsanga pan, again Puzzles took the initiative leading them into impala country.
When I managed to negotiate the thickets and come out in the Acacia woodlands there were dogs and impala running everywhere.
This young impala came tearing towards my vehicle with a wild dog pup hot on it’s heals. For the second time I saw the fear and determination in the poor little ones eyes. Just that split second of seeing it told its story instantly. Full blooded fear!
And amazingly it seemed to get away. But another youngster didn’t make it and was caught by the pups.
The dogs are on a high hunting in prime impala country. This is the area they do most of their hunting when they’re denning, so hopefully they don’t deplete stocks too much before they den. Or maybe they’re planning on denning elsewhere this year?
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I tried to make it out early this morning and hadn’t gone 500m when my car packed in again. But this time I seemed to have sorted out a quick fix, although I still wasn’t sure what the problem was. When I did manage to get it to the workshop later in the day, it turned out the coil had packed in. Not bad for a coil that was 21years old and had done 350,000kms. I sure do believe in my Toyota’s.
The dogs must have been waiting for me, cos even though I got there somewhat later than usual, they were only just rousing on my arrival.
Puzzles took the pack south west hunting in the same area they hunted last night. It’s a fairly bare area because of the sodic soils and the impala love it. It’s also criss-crossed with many dongas (ravines). While negotiating one of these dongas I lost the dogs and wasn’t aware they were on the chase.
When I did find them they’d already killed and were just finishing off the scraps. Then the rains came and the dogs took cover. I also headed for the trees as the rain came and went for about an hour.
Just then a single hyaena came strolling past the dogs. Well his Thursday morning stroll was soon rudely interrupted and the last I saw of him was 11 dogs hot on his backside. And then I heard the wailing. He must have got off lightly cos the wailing didn’t last long.
The dogs were well fed and spent the rest of their day recovering.
The sun was already beginning to set when the pups got on the move. Puzzles and Jiggy followed reluctantly and I lost the pack in some horrendous bush as it got dark.
But it might not be the end of the day for the dogs, they could quite easily hunt with the half moon tonight.
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The dogs had made their slip from Mark the last couple of days, so first thing when I got back was to take to the skies and try pick them up. Soon after take off this low cloud moved in almost cutting my visibility of mother earth. Thankfully it wasn’t a problem and I easily found a gap back to the airstrip.
I was grounded for several hours waiting for the cloud to lift, which it eventually did and I picked up the dogs to the north west.
So it was an early start to find my friends but I was snookered when my car suddenly stopped. Yes, just like that! I pottered around the engine for half an hour without success. What I did discover was there was no spark, so off home I went a walking. I brought Mark back with me and we fiddled around for an hour when suddenly it started.
We still don’t know what the problem was but I was off looking for the dogs. It was already midday when I found them resting to he west of Sosigi.
I made a point of spending lots of time with them as part of the habituation process. They are now beautifully chilled out with me in my vehicle, which is brilliant.
Some of the pack were looking well fed, probably having killed this morning and so it was, the pack were in no hurry to go hunting.
Dusk saw them disappearing into a thicket of ravines and bush. Then I heard the squealing. They must have killed in there but there was no access for me.
I left them chewing down there as it was already dark and headed home only to come to a standstill in the Gananda crossing. Again I pottered around the engine for ages when the car suddenly started. I slammed the bonnet closed, which caused the car to cut out. All very weird. More pottering around and it started again. This time I only half closed the bonnet and made it home without another problem.
“It wasn’t me,” I’ve heard Shaggy sing; radio stations quite liked that one, because we can relate to the words. Well, I say blame it on the equipment, I couldn’t find those dogs, but now they are in the same place they’ve been for the last week. Kim came back yesterday and hit the skies for a quick check for our dogs, just enough time before it started raining – I don’t know how I didn’t pick them up.
I had made a loop around Nduna Dam and Lojaan Dam in the mean time. They are not spilling over yet, but the water levels are nice and high. Seems my luck with the new tyres is starting to run out, I had to make a break for HQ to pump up my slow punctured tyre.
There was also a report that was called in of two Lionesses crossing the Binya Road, I then wasted no time and headed to find signal. Kim didn’t manage to get anything from the sky, but he was cut short so I thought I might find something. I’m starting to doubt the size of my aerial, I’ve just had no luck with these Lions – I guess nothing can ever be big enough. Well, large and in charge, I couldn’t resist at least checking up on the dogs.
They were fat and well fed, still chewing on the remains of Impala legs. Two hooded vultures were already there to do the cleaning up, but waited for the pups to retire to the shade. Coming in the back door, they were sneaking around to claim part of the prize – until the pups realized what was going on. For the pups, this kind of irreverence will not stand– Respect!
It was midday already and I needed to get out the sun. In the afternoon, I ended up driving through some thick vegetation with Kim and the dogs, it was a kind of counter productive. It seems I did a half job on repairing my steering, because I almost ended up in the bushes again - this is not good. Kim will be updating you on more action from the dogs tomorrow.
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It was a good steady walk to the top of Sosigi Hill this morning, I thought that this would be the only way to make sure that I hadn’t missed the dogs some how. The grass isn’t as long up on the hill and I was enjoying the change from driving around everywhere. There are so many more things you notice on foot, like different animal trails and I even saw leopard tracks. I wished I had taken a flask of tea up with me, I could have taken a minute to let the old mind tick on over.
I had been seeing a spot on the road where the Buffalo had been crossing for two days now and this morning I finally spotted the herd. This is the first time I’ve seen Buffalo in a month, who knows how or where they hide during that time. I wouldn’t want to come across one of those old Dagga boys on top of a hill some where.
A little rain fell this afternoon, a far cry from the heavy rains that were promised. I guess that’s the thing about trying to predict things, eventually you’re going to get something wrong and then you end up being the popular one. I ended up watching Impala playing games and running up and down the airstrip this afternoon, I figured if I can’t find anything I should just hang around the food and let the action come to me – that was a negative on the action, but still pleasant watching them clown around.
I had a very pleasant experience with another Hyena, she was strolling along the road home at the same time I was watching a Klipspringer - I’ve never seen a Klipspringer negotiate the rocks as fast as that guy! The Hyena strolled past me as chilled as ever and was on her way down the hill. I exited the vehicle to get a few shots and she came back to give me a sniff, before finding her way back into the bush – extraordinary animal!
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