By David Sefton
As an Irishman took his prized Sharps out into the American West, it was my pride and joy to take my Sharps east – east to Africa. I did it true Quigley style with iron peep sights, sans scope - real hunting. What a rare pleasure to take my 45-90 C. Sharps to the Dark Continent. It's hard to explain or imagine exactly how unfriendly Africa is. A heart shot means you have to track an animal for 100 - 200 yards versus a mile. Shots that on our Texas whitetails would drop them down dead every time, didn’t even cause these animals to flinch. You just hoped you found your wounded animal before a hyena or leopard roaming the property did.
We hunted in the Limpopo province of South Africa - deep in the legendary bushveld. These animals have roamed this land for a 1000 generations. The land and habitat was raw - very raw. Surprisingly I found that in Africa five shots is the average that is considered necessary to bring down antelopes. Which isn’t surprising, some of these antelopes are twice the size of our Texas cattle.
I used my 45-90 almost exclusively hunting in Africa, it impressed all the Professional Hunters, not only could it cut through brush, it could pierce a sapling and still hit the animal. As I said, this was real hunting - all the glitz stripped away, just myself, the guide, the quarry, and my Sharps.Surprisingly, trekking through this spiky hell, I never found my 13 pound C. Sharp overly heavy. It is so well balanced, I suppose it made carrying it easier. I found a special sling, that instead of being screwed into the wood, looped over the ends of the gun and worked perfectly.
The first animal we took in Africa was a very nice impala. He was at 110 yards, slightly cornering away. My shot was through the brush on crossed shooting sticks. In Africa no one tries to shoot free hand unless it is absolutely necessary. An inch matters hugely shooting at African antelope. It was a test of everything learned in cowboy action shooting, quick responses, precise movements, swift target acquisition, and smooth firing. Although against most peoples recommendation, I did use my set trigger, I found it gave me that extra accuracy, although unquestionably at tremendous risk of accidentally firing prematurely.
As I leveled my gun on the Impala, it started to move - I shot; a hit - hard hit - at the lower point of the vital triangle. It didn’t even flinch and jumped and ran - understand this was a lower shot piercing both lungs, breaking both shoulders and only 40 yards off, we found it in a stand of trees, down. At first impression, a kind of a frail looking creature. Then, the difference between Texas hunting and Africa dramatically uncoiled in an instant. Literally the difference was between life and death. The Impala surged forward, propelling itself on its back legs, head down in a determined thrust right at our guts - a second shot finished the impala. We were wary from then on. I found out later that many of the antelope of the bushveld can and have killed full grown lions. It is a tough environment, and animals living in this tough environment have to be exceptional. Africa might be one of the few places left where the hunting is real and the opponents worthy. For those of us that use what I call “real rifles”, the legendary Sharps, “Old Reliable”, it puts us directly into the boots of our forefathers. The buffalo gun was in its natural home, taking game it deserved, in a manner that honored the exceptional courage of the prey.
This fabulous life-altering hunt took place with Danie Van Jaarsveld, the owner of he magnificent lodge. Danie has now opened a wonderful property in the Cape - one of the few hunting properties. Check out his website www.westerncapegame.com .