A bird hunt paradise

There is just about every species of duck, goose, pigeon, guineafowl, franklin, sandgrouse, anything you possibly can imagine. Which means the quality of wing shooting here is beyond anything else I have seen in South Africa. The shoot begins in the early afternoon as Ian and fellow shooter, Javier Lopez de Carrizosa arrive at their hide. Woven reed hides have been constructed throughout the area to provide perfect cover. The heat from the midday South African sun could have made shooting very difficult. Fortunately, Ian came prepared by wearing the Deerhunter Game Bonded Fleece Waistcoat, a “must have” for all outdoor activities. The Deer-Tex® Membrane ensures 100% wind and waterproof, and breathable. Ian also wore the Tucker Bamboo Shirt with the Avanti Cap in Realtree Xtra Green, the ideal hat to help blend into the environment. When traveling towards the pond a staggering 200-300 ducks can be seen taking off! It wasn't too long before they started to return. At first Ian and Javier had plenty of time to prepare for their shots, but as the ducks flew across the pond in singles and pairs, skirting the surface of the water on their approach, Ian and Javier had to make sure their timing was perfect. Timing was really critical, we had to stay down completely behind the blind until the last minute then stand up to take the shot. If you stand up too early the birds will break in across the water, you want them breaking in right in front of you. That meant timing and team work was very important. As the day went on larger groups of ducks started to fly over the pond offering even more fast paced wing shooting experience. Ian and Javier had to hone their skills for some challenging shooting. If there is only two birds coming in you have time to pick the one you want. But when a large group of ducks come you then have to choose between one or the other. As you stand up the ducks begin to break and fly off in all different directions. Indecision can be very costly; if you lose sight for a second the opportunity will be gone, even though there is more choice it is actually more difficult to pick the right bird. As the day came to an end, Ian and Javier were treated to a spectacular sunset.

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