Fallow Deer Rut Adventure: Hunting in the Eastern Cape

Join us on an exhilarating hunting expedition as we delve into the heart of the Eastern Cape to experience the fallow deer rut like never before. In this captivating episode of PH Journals, I’m accompanied by the adventurous Anri Steyn as she encounters this phenomenon for the very first time. Our journey is enriched by the expertise and hospitality of our long-time friend and seasoned Professional Hunter, Rusty Coetzee, who generously shares his wealth of knowledge about the area and its wildlife.

From the crack of dawn until the setting sun, we navigate the rugged terrain, tracking elusive fallow deer amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Eastern Cape. With each step, we immerse ourselves in the beauty of nature and the thrill of the hunt, forging unforgettable memories along the way.

Join us as we embark on this unforgettable hunting adventure, where camaraderie, excitement, and the pursuit of game converge in the wild heart of Africa. Don’t miss out on this epic journey as we uncover the secrets of the fallow deer rut and celebrate the spirit of hunting on the majestic plains of the Eastern Cape. Subscribe now to PH Journals for more thrilling hunting experiences and outdoor adventures!

[Applause]
so we’re on the outskirts of kedok in
heart of the Eastern Cape and I’ve
joined a very good friend of mine fellow
pH Rusty not only does Rusty know this
area out of the back of his hand but
he’s played such a critical role in the
development of my career as a friend and
as a fellow pH
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no one can really put a finger on how
the fadia got here what we do know is
they came with the English settlers
whether they came in the 1860s as a gift
from Queen Elizabeth to King George for
all the good work he did um on the front
lines or was it part of the settlement
and the cruise ships coming over to the
tip of Africa with the rich iron content
in the fadia meat they thought they
could get here to the shores of South
Africa and domesticate these animals for
the longevity of it however like most
common scenarios they’ve broken out and
they’ve made the tip of Africa their
home without any common Predators or any
of the large cat species around to
decimate or keep their population under
control it’s up to us as Hunters to keep
these animals such a rich history
um and such a crucial part that they’ve
played in the development of our country
so it leaves us to manage these herds
and to manage these animals and hence
why such an important part of a
conservation story in South Africa and
more specifically the Eastern Cape
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sh mid April can be edged in stone as
the fellow deer rut it’s probably one of
the more important times of the year in
the Eastern Cape you can hear them
barking and grunting and making homes
throughout the acacia
fortresses so check this out check this
this is cool so this is pretty much what
we’re looking
for
these as the locals call it the brm
blacker the the places where the fer at
smashing their ERS up against these
trees pee taking just turning up dirt
constantly making at a half for females
to come around and sniff and see if this
is the male that they want to mate
with this is something so special and
just around
us I’m looking forward to this one
mid April It’s Autumn month so there are
particular times of the evening where
it’s really really chilly but still
midday it gets warm enough for the Stags
to take a quick breather during their
busy period of the Rat and it’s crucial
for us to capitalize on those resting PS
not sit around and wait for them to come
to us more so gather the ground and
cover the ground and get to them just in
time
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W
much guys
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first day was a
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hit no very big mess um forough it’s
it’s frustrating you can’t take away the
experience we had it’s something I’ve
never experienced before that many stars
in such a concentrated area gromming and
scratching and Performing the way they
did it was enough to send even the most
experienced
Hunters a back
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fever day two was special early morning
ride
get up opportunities with few and far
between I’m crawling around hands full
of thorns and twigs in between your
kneecaps it made it very very difficult
but again an experience I will take back
for me for the rest of my life and hence
while bow hunting has become such a
crucial part of the development in my
professional hunting career is that I’ve
learned a lot throughout the time it’s
it’s been a very very special way to
encounter these unique elements
n
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make
frustrating but extremely exciting
morning probably one of the coolest
opportunities I’ve ever had h a fer of
this thick con concentration and the way
they’re
ratting it’s been a it’s been a dream of
mine and an absolute once in a lifetime
opportunity we haven’t got lucky yet
however it’s the experience and a miss
opportunity today is always a gained one
tomorrow we going to head back now for
lunch and hopefully after when things
start cooling down the sun’s baking at
the moment but when things start cooling
down we’ll try luck again
from the midaf afternoon we head into
the evening hunt hry was once again bang
on the money hello my name is hry St
I’ve been hunting from about the age of
16 I’ve always had an interest in
wildlife and recently gotten more into
the hunting industry so my first
impressions of a fellow deer is that it
is an extremely majestic
animal the uniqueness of the ANS cuz
most of
the the antopia in South Africa we’ got
like the straight horns or the curly
horns I’ve never seen these top of the
antlers that was just something that was
very cool for me
chamber
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squeeze
good shot good
shot so experiencing the fellow dear rat
was insane I have never in my life
experience anything like that if I was
just out there in the bush this weekend
and didn’t get the opportunity to shoot
it would have been more than enough
feeling that the way that they’re
bramming in your chest is it’s an
experience that I actually can’t put
into it something special that I took
away from this weekend was getting so
close to these Majestic animals I’ve
never thought in my wildest dream that I
would have the opportunity to do so and
to experience wildli in that manner was
it was
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incredible we got our first bit of blood
on the ground and in the exceptional St
part of this exercise is always to
understand the conservation points we
need to take away from it and the Stags
we’ve harvested or the Stags we’ve
hunted particularly this time of the
year has been crucial into that
conservation pattern we want to save the
young and Prime Stags for the next year
and the year after and then maybe for a
couple of generations down the line so
it’s important to highlight those
crucial elements in what we want to take
away for our conservation
efforts and to close off
what was one of the most spectacular
days in my hunting career
we come up onto these two Stags
absolutely bashing and locking antlers
um and we capitalize on that noise and
that restlessness in the bush and
managed to get in
close the back
good
shot did you get
it fortunately very very fortun some
quick thinking for myself and some
excellent opportunity work from
Rusty straight p through
6
he didn’t run 10
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y look at this beautiful look look at
this here another St but that’s how
pretty is that jeez now this is
awesome I mean this one’s same thing
check this these ears are all
tattered see this is the the two split
points I mean he’s thick and he’s got
points everywhere but just check out
bashed up he is
yeah well done how many years is it now
13 years 13 years for 13
yards well done thank sir manting I’m
telling you it’s nothing
like and that closes the curtain on a
very very special weekend a weekend that
will live in my memory bang for a very
very long time yeah what I can take away
from this weekend is not only some
superb conservation efforts from a very
good friend of mine in Philip pH
Rusty but also for self-development and
self-awareness I got to spend time with
very special people and that was the
most important thing I could take away
from not only did we play a crucial part
in conservation efforts that we got to
do so with the ones that are very close
to us and that is very very important in
the circle of life that we Chase so just
another reason why the Eastern Cape is
one of the more unique and special
places in the tip of Africa to come
along and Hunt my name is D Love and the
pH journals if you are happy aune until
then stay safe stay blessed stay humble
we’ll catch up with you guys soon