Week 350( 7th - 13th May 2010 )
A last attempt at a hunt and fun in another camp
Early in the week King Henry toddled over to the fence where I was standing near the group of young buck and lay down at the fence whilst Princess stayed in the middle of the camp. He made a show of talking to me but every so often he surreptitiously stole a glance or two in the buck’s direction and licked his lips. The buck ignored both of us and gradually grazed themselves around the back of a bush and King Henry immediately entered stalk mode. He crept forward silently, keeping the bush between himself and the buck – freezing in mid-stride every time he caught the rustle of grass as the buck moved. It took about twenty minutes to cover a distance of about 50 metres eventually reaching the bush behind which the buck were grazing and then sat down to contemplate his next move. After a while Princess felt left out and made her way over to her brother via the fence to greet the boys and they both sat behind the bush looking at one another. The buck grew suspicious and moved off hastily leaving the pair to contemplate their navels.
A consignment of live Blesbuck are due to arrive shortly and they therefore have to leave the camp for a short while. In spite of them having successfully hunted a young Blesbuck during the previous night Princess answered the predator call within minutes and together we waited for King Henry to join us. Whilst we waited she lay at the fence chuffing at me. I let them into the Mini camp and she made her way over to the pole shelter; she sniffed the upright poles thoroughly and then rubbed herself against one of them and then licked the other. King Henry had no interest in the pole shelter or even in her actions and had in the interim gone into the Ravine Camp. He suddenly felt lonely and chuffed at his sister trying to persuade her to join him. She ignored him as long as possible but eventually his incessant chuffing got to her and she left the pole shelter to join him. They both waltzed around the camp for a while sniffing every blade of grass and knee-high bush. Their investigations eventually took them across the river and they discovered their mother.