Category: African Hunting

Your Africa sable antelope should have an average shoulder height of around 50 inches, weigh about 550 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 38- 42 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a sable antelope is 96. This is measured by adding the length of each horn as well as the circumference of the bases.

Nick Bowker has a sable herd. They are not indigenous to the Eastern Cape but have been introduced for hunting.

Now widely spread across the Eastern Cape, and hunting prices are much more reasonable.

Hunting sable should be on every hunter’s wish list.

 A sizeable magnificent antelope trophy with shoulders higher than hindquarters.

Facial markings and underparts are white, with both sexes having long sweeping scimitar-like horns.

Except for the kudu, the horns are exceptional, and the longest antelope on the continent.

This species depends on water and prefers open and sparse woodland areas near grasslands with some cover.

Sable, like roan, can be territorial, and the herd male will engage the challenger in a ferocious battle, often to the death.

It would be best if you were always mindful when hunting. He can be aggressive when wounded or cornered and will not hesitate to charge.

When trophy hunting sable, look for the male somewhere on the sideline and not amongst the cows.

The side-on presentation calls for the high heart/lung entry point straight up the foreleg, about one-third into the body.

We recommend the 300 magnums as a caliber for sable hunts.

For those who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a gun, Nick Bowker has 300 Winchester Magnums fitted with suppressors for hunting.

The rifles are mounted with high-end Swarovski optics. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X 200-grain ammunition.

The guns, including ammunition, are free of charge as part of all hunting packages.

The most dominant male will be the first to join a new group of females when the position is open.

When judging a bull when hunting, look at the bases for size and a thick neck. The horns should have a whitish tinge around two-thirds of the way up.

If a predator threatens, they will confront it using their scimitar-shaped horns. Many of these big cats, for example, lions, have died while hunting this animal.

Hunts will be conducted by spot and stalk and can be successful most of the day. Hunting the sable should be on every hunter’s bucket list. This is an iconic African game animal.

• They congregate in herds of 15 to 20 individuals with a matriarchal social structure.

• The group will have a dominant female who will be the leader.

• The herd has only one bull and jealously guards his harem against intruders. The juvenile bulls are exiled from the herd at about three years old.

• All the female calves remain. When the herd gets too large, it divides into smaller groups of cows and young.

• These groups will form new herds and again with only one adult male.

• The young males, separated from the herd, form bachelor groups.

• The most dominant bachelor will be the first to join a new group of females when the position is open.

• They are very aggressive and territorial and can fight to the death. A recent clash at Hopewell in 2023 resulted in the death of a bull.

• If threatened by a predator, including lions, they will confront it using their scimitar-shaped horns. Many of these big cats, for example, lions, have died while trying to hunt these antelope.

• In Ernest Hemingway’s book, The Green Hills of Africa, he describes the habits of sables he used to hunt.

• This hunt should be on every hunter’s bucket list, like gemsbok and wildebeest, a unique, beautiful African plains animal.

Description for the hunter

The sable is sexually dimorphic, with the male heavier and about one-fifth taller than the female.

The length of the sable is typically between 75 and 100 inches.

Males reach about 46 – 55 inches at the shoulder, while females are slightly shorter. Males will weigh around 550 pounds and females approximately 490 pounds.

A thick neck and tough skin, and a compact and robust build characterize the sable,

It has an upright mane on its neck and a short “beard” on the throat. The coloration is rich chestnut to black.

Females and young are chestnut to dark brown, while males begin darkening and turn black after three years.

However, in southern populations, Eastern Cape females have brown to black coats.

This results from the vegetation they eat, which causes skin pigmentation to be much darker.

The common sable species should be differentiated from the rare giant species, which is endemic to Angola.

General Information for a Sable Game Hunt

Calves under two months old are a light tan and show faint markings. The sable’s underparts, cheek, and chin are all white, contrasting with the dark back and flanks.

It has long, white hairs below the eyes and a wide, black stripe over the nose.

Both sexes have ringed horns that arch backward. In females, these can reach 24 – 34 inches, while they are 32 – 48 inches long in males.

The average lifespan is about 17 years in the wild and longer in captivity.

They live in savanna, woodlands, and grasslands during the dry season, eating mid-length grasses and leaves.

Hunting will involve a careful stalk through the savanna and woodlands.

They visit salt licks and chew bones to collect minerals and drink water in the mornings, an ideal hunting opportunity.

They are diurnal but are less active during the heat of the day.

We offer a dedicated sable hunt package.

Your Duiker trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 17 inches, weigh about 25 pounds, and have a Horn length of approximately 4 inches.

The minimum Safari Club International score for a Duiker is 11. They are measured by adding the length of each horn as well as the circumference of the bases.

Duikers are solitary animals and often shot opportunistically while glassing for big game trophies.

They can make for a bonus while looking for your bigger game animals.

Duiker hunts require a stalk through thick habitat and terrain. As a result, shots will often be quite close when hunting grey duikers.

Shooting Duikers is usually done in the early morning, late afternoon, or by spotlight at night.

The Duiker forms part of the Tiny 10, and hunting one is a must for any hunter wishing to complete their selection of the small antelope species.

The duiker is primarily a browser and is most active during the late afternoon and early evening.

This member of the pygmy antelope clan can survive close to man.

He is independent of water as he can get sufficient moisture from browsing.

Common Duiker Hunting makes a cheap add-on to our seven animal hunting packages, including trophies as kudu and blesbok as standard.

A more expensive addition would, say, be a common reedbuck.

We do not require a deposit; please review our terms and conditions for any hunting safaris.

Trophy Duiker evaluation can be difficult when hunting a duiker, as only fleeting glances will be offered.

Horn tips that are level with the top of the ears are about 4 inches long; if the horns extend beyond the ear tips by an inch or more, you are looking at a high-scoring trophy.

Duiker hunting can be challenging; this mini-antelope has remarkably refined senses, small size, camouflaged coloring, and a habit of staying in or close to the long grass and thick brush.

Most hunting calibers are used to take the duiker as it is often opportunistic. However, if targeting – hunt Duiker with a 243.

For those hunters who do not wish to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has a Sako carbon light 243 fitted with a Swarovski Z8 tactical scope.

Also, we use Sako factory ammunition for duiker hunting.

Shoot straight up for the leg, as with all African mammals, for the heart-lung shot.

The Duiker or bush Duiker makes for a very underrated plains game hunting. Duiker hunting is a favorite pastime amongst local South Africans during hunting season. Hunting methods amongst the locals mainly involve driven hunts.

• The common duiker will stand on its hind feet to reach high into fruiting bushes.

• There are eight different races of common duiker. This varied coloration may enable them to match the habitats specific to their location.

• Some African rock pythons have died when the horns of male duikers have pierced their stomachs after they have swallowed them whole.

• When they flee danger, Duikers run with a distinctive darting and diving style. This gives rise to its common name, the Afrikaans for diver.

• Not a lot is known about the common duikers’ social life, so more research is needed before we can say whether they are monogamous and territorial.

• While duikers predominantly eat leaves, some unusual items have been found in their diet, including baby birds and small rodents.

• It’s not known whether these are eaten by accident or as a protein supplement.

• The common duiker uses a pair of glands under its eyes for scent marking.

• Duiker hunting often occurs while glassing for other trophies and can make for a bonus while hunting larger trophies.

Duiker is a small to medium-sized brown antelope native to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Found in heavily wooded areas.

Duikers are shy, elusive creatures and live in dense cover; those that tend to live in more open areas, for example, quickly disappear into thickets for protection.

Duiker hunting is often underestimated mainly because of the size of the animal.

Since the common grey duiker lives in more open areas, like the savanna, it has longer legs and vertical horns, which allows it to run faster and for longer distances; only the males, who are more aggressive and territorial, exhibit horns.

Also, duikers have well-developed periorbital glands, which resemble slits under their eyes or, in the cases of blue duikers, pedal glands on their hooves.

Males use secretions from these glands to mark their territory.

Your steenbok ram trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 22 inches, weigh about 25 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 4 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a steenbok is 8. This is measured by adding the length of each horn as well as the circumference of the bases.

They are underrated trophies, mainly due to their size or that they are rarely noticed before they disappear over the horizon during a plains game hunt.

Hunting areas are on the open plains and can be taken opportunistically while game hunting other trophies.

This little antelope gets its name from the Dutch settlers who traveled to Africa.

The word “Steen” means brick – as you can well imagine, the color of the Steenbok resembled that of a red building brick and thereby got the name steenbok.

The African steenbok is a magnificent trophy to add to any trophy room.

An ideal and cheap trophy to add to our seven animal packages, which include big game trophies such as Kudu, blesbok, waterbuck, and black wildebeest.

Juveniles take flight when adults approach. When hunting Steenbok, he will lie flat in the grass to avoid detection and flatten his ears.

He will only flush at the last moment, running away with astonishing speed.

It is a challenging hunt and quarry to approach on the open plains. This antelope often pauses to look back before continuing his flight; the hunter should be ready to take the shot.

As a caliber, we would recommend the 243 for hunts.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker Hunting has a 243 fitted with a Swarovski Z8 tactical scope.

We use Sako factory ammunition.

Mainly a browser, he will occasionally graze on newly sprouted grass.

• They form mating pairs that share a defended territory. However, they forage and rest away from one another. This is probably because it is less conspicuous in their habitat.

• The steenbok will scrape the ground before, during, and after defecating and urinating and sometimes bury their dung.

• This action is to demarcate territory and is done by both males and females.

• They have glands below their eyes, but they do not like other antelopes who use them for scent marking. Instead, they will use glands between their hooves for this purpose.

• They will browse and graze depending on what is available due to their location and the season.

• When grazing, they can rapidly increase the micro-organisms in their stomach to break down the fiber.

• They hide in old aardvark holes when the cover is sparse.

• The steenbok name is derived from the Afrikaans word – Steen, meaning brick due to its brick-red coloration.

• Hunting steenbok – all hunters should take a steenbok if the opportunity presents itself.

Description of steenbok

Steenbok resembles a small Oribi, standing 18-24 inches at the shoulder.

Their pelage (coat) is any shade from fawn to rufous.

The Steenbok’s underside and the chin and throat are white, as is the ring around the eye. Their ears are large and have “finger marks” on the inside.

Males have straight, smooth, parallel horns of around 4 inches.

The tail is not usually visible, only an inch or so long.

They are active during the day and the night; however, during hotter periods, they rest under shade during the day’s heat.

They typically lie low in the vegetation at the first sign of trouble.

If a predator approaches, a steenbok will leap away and follow a zigzag path to shake off the attacker.

Escaping, Steenbok frequently stops to look back.

They are known to take refuge in the burrows of Aardvarks.

Known predators include:

1. Southern African wildcat
2. Caracal
3. Jackals
4. leopards
5. Martial eagles
6. Pythons.

Information for steenbok hunting

Steenbok is typically solitary, except when a pair comes together to mate.

A pair occupies consistent territories while living independently, staying in contact through scent markings to determine their partner’s whereabouts.

They are browsers and are very selective of greens such as flowers, fruits, shoot tips, new leaves, and various plants.

Its selective feeding habits enable it to be independent of open water sources.

It rakes and digs for tubers, roots, and bulbs that contain moisture and are high in nutrients during dry months.

A single lamb weighing 1 kg is born after a gestation period of about seven months.

The mother hides her young for the first 3 to 4 months after birth and only feeds her lamb in the early morning and late afternoon.

During her visits, she eats her young’s dung and drinks its urine to eliminate odors that make it detectable to predators.

Your giraffe trophy should weigh about 2,500 pounds and be 8 feet tall.

This stately beast inhabits various plant habitats, from the dry woodlands to the reasonably dense low shrub veld.

But always present will be the thorn trees he feeds throughout the year.

A giraffe’s heart weighs approximately 25 pounds and is the biggest of any land mammal, and is used to pump 60 liters of blood around its body every minute at a blood pressure twice that of an average human.

The giraffe is not territorial and tends to avoid the very dense bush.

He feeds on a 6-foot band of browse, not accessible to all other animals except the elephant, with browsing being mainly during the day.

They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances or cruise at ten mph over longer distances.

Giraffe only needs to drink once every few days because most of their water comes from all the plants they eat.

Giraffe hunting can make for an extremely interesting and exciting stalk on a plains game hunt for the trophy hunter.

Hunting will most often be done by spot and stalk or tracking his very distinctive spoor.

Hunt Giraffe with a 375 in South Africa.

Nick Bowker has a 375 and ammunition for hunters not wishing to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle to South Africa.

Also, the rifle and ammunition are free of charge in your package.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service may treat giraffes as endangered. This could result in a ban on importing taxidermy products.

Any ban will achieve the exact opposite impact. Landowners will be forced to shoot out giraffe herds and replace the giraffe with domestic livestock.

A giraffe’s lungs are positioned well forward and high in the chest cavity. At the same time, the brain is tiny and set just below and between the horns.

If you make a spine shot, place it in the center of the neck, where the neck joins the body.

A quartering frontal shot should be aimed to break the prominent shoulder joint; avoid the quartering-away shot; take it only as a last resort! It’s an exciting addition to your game animals in the trophy room.

• The giraffe species is the tallest mammal in the world, with their legs alone being more elevated than many humans, about 6 feet.

• A giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground to drink water.

• Giraffe spends most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up.

• Giraffe young can stand up and walk after an hour, and within a week, it starts to eat some vegetation.

• Calves are often killed in their first few months, although the females attempt to stand over their calves during attacks by lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and African wild dogs.

• A giraffe species’ spots are much like human fingerprints. As a result, no two individual giraffes have the same pattern.

• Giraffe only needs 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in 24 hours. Achieved in quick naps that can last only a minute.

• It was thought that giraffes do not make any sound. But this is untrue, as giraffe makes low-pitched noises beyond the range of human hearing.

• To protect the giraffe’s brain from sudden changes in blood pressure when it lowers its head to drink, it has valves to stop the backflow of blood.

• A female giraffe gives birth standing up. As a result, their young fall about 2m to the ground and can stand up within an hour of birth. The newborn giraffe is taller than most humans.

• Giraffes are plentiful and available throughout much of South Africa and are not considered endangered. Giraffe hunting takes place throughout South Africa.

Description for the hunter

Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and open woodlands. Also, they feed on shrubs, grass, and fruit and eat around 75 pounds of foliage daily.

Fully grown giraffes stand 14.1 – 18.7 feet tall, with males taller than females.

The tallest recorded male was 19.3 feet, and the tallest recorded female was 17 feet tall.

The average weight is 2,628 pounds for an adult male and 1,825 pounds for an adult female. Despite its long neck and legs, the giraffe’s body is short in comparison.

Located at both sides of the head, the giraffe’s large, bulging eyes give it an excellent all-around vision from its great height.

A Giraffe has a perfect sense of hearing and smell and can close its muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.

Giraffe hunting, while unusual, is well worthwhile. They have good eyesight.

Male giraffes become darker as they age.

Hunting Information

The giraffe’s prehensile tongue is about 18 inches long. for getting at the most challenging foliage. Also, the tongue is purplish-black, perhaps to protect against sunburn, and helps grasp foliage, as well as for grooming and cleaning the animal’s nose.

The giraffe’s upper lip is also prehensile and useful for foraging and covered in hair to protect against thorns.

Also, the tongue and inside of the mouth have papillae.

The coat has dark patches, which can be orange, chestnut, brown, or nearly black, separated by light hair, usually white or cream.

The skin color and pattern serve as camouflage in the light and shade patterns of savannah woodlands.

Giraffe calves inherit pattern traits from their mothers.

The skin underneath the dark areas helps with thermoregulation.

Your fallow deer trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 36 inches and weigh about 140 pounds.

The British introduced Fallow Deer from Europe to South Africa in 1869. Since then, numbers have increased, and many have been relocated to various regions throughout South Africa.

A fascinating animal to hunt, especially during the rut, when stags can be heard calling, and one can detect and stalk stags by the sound of crashing antlers.

During the rut, the Deer fear of humans and become obsessed with mating – hunting during this time can be one of the most exciting hunts.

The rut for fallow Deer takes place from March – to June, and hunters looking at hunting Fallow Deer in the rut must be advised: the earlier in the rut, the better.

Stags begin shedding their antlers towards the end of September into October, with regrowth starting immediately in Spring.

Fallow Deer stag are widespread in the Eastern Cape, particularly in the Bedford region. Fallow Deer are also common in the Free State,

Most fallow Deer are shot while hunting other trophies such as kudu, nyala, buffalo, and springbok or blesbok. Hunting prices are very reasonable.

• These deer are mostly from the Mediterranean regions of southern Europe. Because of hundreds of years of transporting and selling, their exact origins are still unknown.

• Because of the ease of transportation, they are the most widespread exotic deer in the world.

• Fallow deer have a very pronounced Adams apple. If you can spot the adams apple, it is most likely a fallow deer!

• There are three color variations of fallow: white, tan with white spots, and brownish, almost to the point of being black. You’ll often see spots on a light brown coat, but the coloration is highly varied.

• Up to 14 variations occur from white through shades of red-brown to dark brown, and some have spotted markings.

• The color fallow deer are born will be the color they will be for life.

• They have a very good sense of smell but excellent vision.

• Fallow deer are friendly and compatible with other species, except for the rut. Locals hunt fallows for their meat.

• Fallow deer have a history with George Washington. He was one of the earliest raisers of “English Deer.”

•  Bucks do not eat during the rutting season.

• Fallow Deer hunting areas are widespread in Eastern Cape, South Africa, with high animal numbers. Male antlers are impressive but not as big as those in certain areas in New Zealand.

Deer hunting in South Africa is similar to deer hunting in the United States – active during the early morning and late afternoon hours.

Set up along game trails or near food plots and pastures where he will likely be grazing.

Your favorite deer rifle will be more than adequate in taking fallow Deer.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has 300 Magnums fitted with suppressors.

The rifles are mounted with Swarovski tactical scopes. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X ammunition.

This setup up including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge.

A medium-sized deer with more color variations than any other. Color ranges from white to chocolate brown/black.

Most are rich brown with white spots; the coat becomes much thicker and rougher in winter, turning darker.

The underparts are lighter in color than white.

Males have a prominent Adam’s apple.

South African Fallow Deer and Axis Deer are the only Deer species available on a plains game hunt. The Bedford area has a sizable population.

Adult bucks are 55 – 63 inches long, 33 – 40 inches in shoulder height, and typically 130 – 180 pounds in weight; does are 51 – 59 inches long, 30 – 33 inches in shoulder height, and 66 – 110 pounds in weight.

Fawns are born in Spring. Their lifespan is around 12 – 16 years.

Agile and fast in case of danger, fallow Deer can run at a maximum speed of 30 mph over short distances.

Fallow Deer can also make jumps up to 5.8-foot-high and up to 17 feet in length.

They have six types of vocalizations:

1. Barking, which is an explosive alarm call used by females;
2. Bleating, which is produced by females during parturition or with their young;
3. Mewing, given by any deer during submission postures;
4. Peeping, produced by fawns in distress or contacting their mothers;
5. Wailing, an intense distress sound by a fawn older than two days;
6. Growling, produced by rutting males.

Your Bushbuck ram trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 33 inches, weigh about 100 pounds, and have a Horn length of 13 inches.

The minimum Safari Club International score for an Eastern Cape Bushbuck is 31. Measured by adding the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases.

Bushbuck are part of the Spiral Horn Antelope family and are the smallest family in South Africa. The spiral-horned family includes Kudu, Nyala, Eland, and Bushbuck.

He has keen senses and is very alert. Males are very aggressive and can attack when wounded.

Dogs usually bear the brunt of attacks, but humans do get targeted. Males make for outstanding trophies with thick black necks, shiny coats, and majestic horns.

Awe-inspiring animals that offer excellent walk and stalk hunting opportunities in the Eastern Cape.

In Bedford, Bushbuck hunting areas are in the mountains or in riverine forests and dense thickets.

The majority of Bushbucks are shot during the late evening or the early morning.

Bushbuck will easily live amongst human settlements, adapt their feeding habitats, and become nocturnal.

Hunting methods are sitting in a vantage point in the late evening and waiting for the Bushbuck to step into small fields and begin grazing.

During the day, Bushbuck will rest in thick brush. This is a medium-sized antelope rather than a big-game trophy.

Primarily a browser, he feeds on leaves, grass, branches, flowers, and fruit during the night or early morning and late afternoon.

When disturbed, his alarm signal is a loud, hoarse bark similar to a dog’s.

Walking through the bush, probing the dense cover, and always being mindful of the wind direction can be productive.

Hunt Bushbuck trophies with a 7mm or a 30-caliber rifle with suitable 180-grain bullets on your hunting safari.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has 300 Magnums fitted with suppressors.

Mounted on the rifles are Swarovski tactical scopes. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X ammunition. The rifle and ammunition are available as part of all hunting packages.

Shot placement is critical; from any angle, place your shot to penetrate and pass through the chest cavity.

You do not want to wound this little guy as, for his size, he can be extremely dangerous. For instance, an injured or cornered bushbuck is aggressive and will not hesitate to charge.

If your wounded Bushbuck escapes to dense cover, which he will undoubtedly try to do, be cautious in your pursuit, allow ample time for your bullet to do its work, and always send “Jack Russell” into the bush to find him.

The Difference Between a Male and Female Bushbuck for the Hunter

• The fur of the bushbuck’s color depends on the habitat. It can be yellow, reddish, or brown. Bushbuck that live in dense forests have darker fur.

• The ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck, have white, geometrically-shaped markings.

• The main predators of the bushbuck species are big cats, hyenas, hunting dogs, and crocodiles.

• Bushbuck is a solitary and shy. It is usually active at night (nocturnal) but can be active during the day.

• Bushbuck is a typical herbivore (plant-eater). They are browsers and grazers and consume fallen fruits, tubers, tree bark, flowers, and shrubs.

• Bushbuck does not tolerate birds that remove insects. As a consequence, bushbucks have a lot of ticks.

• Nick Bowker hunts the Cape Bushbuck species in the Eastern Cape. Bushbuck in the north (Limpopo province) is referred to as the Limpopo Bushbuck, and in Botswana, the Chobe bushbuck is prevalent.

• Besides diseases transmitted by insects, bushbuck is prone to a viral infection called rinderpest.

• The bushbuck is not a fast runner but a good swimmer who can jump 6 feet and hide in thickets.

• Bushbuck mate throughout the whole year. Pregnancy in females lasts six months and ends with one baby.

• After a baby is born, the female eats the placenta and dung of the young bushbuck to remove all smells that will otherwise attract predators.

• The baby remains hidden in the vegetation when its mother is foraging.

• When it reaches the age of 4 months, the baby accompanies its mother in the food search.

• Bushbuck can survive up to 12 years in the wild and up to 15 years in captivity.

• Bushbuck driven hunts is a favorite pass time of the local community in the Eastern Cape pastime.

Description of Bushbuck and Hunting Areas

Bushbuck live within a “home” area, usually around 12 acres on the savannah and much more significant in the forest, that they will not usually leave.

These areas usually overlap other male home areas.

Bushbuck are solitary animals, and mature males go out of their way to stay away from each other, in contrast to plains game animals such as the black wildebeest and blesbok.

They are most active during the early morning and at night; and can be almost entirely nocturnal in areas where they are likely to be disturbed during the day.

Bushbuck inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands

This species stands about 33 inches at the shoulder and weighs 100 to 120 pounds (depending on sex). Females have a light brown coat with up to seven white stripes and white splotches on the sides.

White patches occur on most mobile parts of their body, such as the ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck.

Information for Bushbuck Hunts

The muzzle is also white, and horns are found only on the males and only one twist.

At ten months old, young males sprout particularly twisted horns and, at maturity, form the first loop of a spiral.

Males are much darker in color and are often almost black in color.

Males and females have geometrically shaped white patches or spots on the most mobile parts of their body, namely the ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck, and a band of white at the base of the neck.

On males, these markings become more visible during their displays when they arch their backs and slowly circle one another, walking in a tense, high-stepping gait.

These highly ritualized displays usually make fighting unnecessary, and a rigid age-based hierarchy among Bushbuck keeps the males in check.

When disturbed, Bushbuck ( Tragelaphus scriptus) freeze or go to the ground and wait for the danger to pass.

Your blue Wildebeest trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 58 inches, weigh about 350 pounds, and have a Horn length of approximately 25 – 27 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a blue wildebeest is 70.

Trophies are measured by measuring the length along the outside of the horn curl from tip to tip, plus both bosses’ circumferences for a combined total score in inches.

Hunting Wildebeest, also referred to as the poor man’s buffalo – not only in looks but for sheer brute strength once hit. These animals can travel up to 200 yards with a well-placed heart shot.

Golden Wildebeest, a color phase, can also be hunted.

When hunting wildebeests, always try to position yourself for the side-on shot; aim up the back edge of the front leg and place the shot about four inches above the point of the elbow.

This ‘high heart’ shot will take heart and lungs; the animal will rock to the shot and probably go down within 50 yards.

Hunt Wildebeests by spot and stalk methods. Wildebeest hunting is often in thick wooded and savanna areas and plains.

If your shot placement is not entirely on the mark, hunters should be very cautious in your follow-up.

This animal can be hazardous when wounded. Hunters should approach a downed wildebeest from the ‘offside with great care, as he can get up and charge.

A very tough antelope. The prominent hump on the shoulder and the mane may often lead to shots placed too high during Wildebeest hunts.

Hunt Wildebeest with the flat shooting .300 magnums and a 200-grain bullet in our open country.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into Africa, Nick Bowker has 300 Winchester Magnums fitted with suppressors.

The rifles are mounted with Swarovski tactical scopes. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD- X 200-grain ammunition.

This setup, including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge, as well as a PH, accommodation, and trophy fees for hunters.

It is vital to look at the size and hardness of the boss to assess the trophy quality of a wildebeest. Also, the curl of the horn must be beyond the tip of the ears.

Mature gnu bulls display black or darkened hair between their bosses and on the front part of their heads, not red or brown hair, a sign of immaturity.

A trophy Blue should be on any hunter’s Africa hunts list.

• Wildebeest got its name from their coat, which has a blue sheen.

• There are around 1.5 million living in the Serengeti alone! They are widespread in many areas of Africa.

• Their primary defense from predators is living in a group. Wildebeest stick together and move in herds to be safer.

• This species can run up to 40 mph, which is pretty fast! Although unfortunately for them, they are not as fast as lions or cheetahs.

• They migrate to Kenya and Tanzania as many as 1000 miles each year, which is a distance that would take around 20 hours to drive.

• They have a dangerous migratory route; during their migration, they cross two rivers – both of which are crocodile-infested.

• Wildebeest or gnu as a species spend, on average, 53% of their time resting (32% lying down and 21% standing on the plains).

• It is often called the brindled gnu because of its coloration, with dark bands over its shoulders and flanks that give it a distinctive brindled appearance.

• The Gnu term refers to the sound it makes a “Gnuuu”.

• They also have pedal glands in between their toes, which are used by raking the ground (sometimes forming bare patches of soil), after which the scent is transferred to the earth, thus marking its territory.

• The Blue Wildebeest’s cousin, the Black Wildebeest, was once nearly extinct.

• Hunting Wildebeest – can be added to our African hunts packages.

Information for wildebeest hunting

The wildebeest is primarily active during the morning and late afternoon, with the day’s hottest hours spent in rest.

These extremely agile and wary animal species can run up to 40 mph, waving their tails and tossing their heads.

They usually rest close to the herd and move about in loose aggregations.

Males form bachelor herds, distinguished from juvenile groups by the lower activity and the spacing between the animals.

Around 90% of the male calves join the bachelor herds before the next mating season and become territorial at four or five years.

Mature male wildebeest will actively defend and mark their territory utilizing scent markings.

With specially modified glands under the eye called preorbital glands, they will rub against trees, leaving a scent, thus marking his territory.

Description of wildebeest for hunting

A robust muscular appearance. The face, mane, and tail are black with a bluish appearance dark vertical stripes on the neck and flanks.

The wildebeest male antelope is more extensive and darker than females. The average height of the species is about 45 – 60 inches.

While males weigh up to 400 pounds, females seldom exceed 300 pounds.

Both sexes possess a pair of large horns shaped like parentheses.

These extend outward to the side and then curve upward and inward. In males, the horns can be 30 inches long.

Despite being an antelope, the wildebeest game species has some bovine characteristics. For example, the horns resemble those of the female African buffalo.

Further, the stocky build and disproportionately large forequarters give it a bovine appearance.

Your Red Hartebeest trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 48 inches. Weigh about 350 pounds and have a Horn Length of approximately 22 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a Red Hartebeest is 62. The trophy is measured by adding the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases.

The Hartebeest is one of the fastest plains game species in Southern Africa.

In some areas, Red hartebeest can be incredibly wary and alert when being hunted.

Primarily a grazer, he is partial to ‘red grass. He will sometimes browse on leaves and drink when water is available.

Being gregarious, they form herds of up to 20 animals. Different herds are made up of territorial males: Harem herds, bachelor herds, and solitary males.

Harem herds are stable. They consist of a territorial male as the leader, young males, females, and offspring.

Active in the early mornings and late afternoons. They lie in the sun to rest except at midday when it is sweltering.

The bulls are incredibly territorial and will defend their turf at all costs. In the absence of a herd bull, leadership of the herd will be passed temporarily to one of the adult cows.

Hartebeest will mostly be found in savanna areas. They avoid dense bushveld.

They are primarily grazers and are partial to red grass. However, they will sometimes browse leaves. He drinks when water is available.

Red hartebeest hunting occurs across most of South Africa and is nicknamed the “Harley Davidson” because of its horns.

When hunting the red Hartebeest, be patient as he is inquisitive. When disturbed, the herd can pause to survey the situation.

His fatal mistake – take the shot.

The Hartebeest has a strong herd instinct. Forming herds of more or less 20. Though herds numbering in the hundreds are not uncommon.

Mature bulls will stand out in the herd. Their shoulder height is much higher than the cows and young bulls. Mature bulls have a darker, richer color, which intensifies with age.

Look for a big boss and a minimal gap between the horns.

Often, the bosses will be closed off, making skinning a difficult task.

Hunting red hartebeest will demand an excellent flat-shooting rifle because distances may be a bit longer, so we recommend the 7mm or 300 magnums.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has 300 Winchester Magnums fitted with suppressors.

Furthermore, the rifles include Swarovski tactical scopes. Also, we have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X 200-grain ammunition.

This setup, including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge.

Be careful of the ‘humped withers’ when hunting red Hartebeest, as they have caused more than one experienced hunter to shoot too high.

• The name hartebeest could have originated from the out-of-date Afrikaans word Hertebeest, literally deer beast.

• The early Dutch settlers gave the name based on the resemblance of the antelope to deer.

• Pictorial and epigraphic evidence from Egypt suggests that Egyptians hunted hartebeest.

• Hartebeest occurs from altitudes up to 13,000 feet above sea level.

• Hartebeest has an elongated forehead, oddly shaped horns, a short neck, and pointed ears.

• Hunting all the hartebeest species, including the red hartebeest, involves travel across the African continent.

• Red hartebeest hunting makes a great add-on to one of our existing packages, for example, the kudu package

• The Hartebeest is made up of eight subspecies and includes the following:
  1. Northern Hartebeest,
  2. Red Hartebeest,
  3. Cokes Hartebeest,
  4. Lelwel Hartebeest,
  5. Lichtensteins Hartebeest,
  6. Western Hartebeest,
  7. Swaynes Hartebeest
  8. Tora Hartebeest.

• The real difference between the subspecies is in their horns.

1. Red Hartebeest has Z-shaped horns.
2. Lichtensteins have an S-shape.
3. Swaynes and Toras Hartebeest have wide-set horns.
4. Lelwels Hartebeest have a V-shape.
5. Western Hartebeest has U-shaped horns.

The red Hartebeest is the most colorful. Black markings contrast against its white abdomen.

It has a longer face than other subspecies. Elaborate curving horns almost join at the base.

The average weight of a male is about 300 – 400 pounds. The life expectancy of a Red Hartebeest is approximately 15 to 19 years.

There is little difference between males and females. No identifiable physical differences are visible, except the male is bigger.

Red Hartebeest is a glossy reddish-brown. The outside of the legs are black, and the tail and the blaze on the neck.

Red hartebeest trophy hunting is underrated and makes a great hunt.

The male skull weight and circumference are bigger than that of the female.

Hartebeest has an excellent sense of hearing and smell, although their sense of sight is poor.

When alarmed, Hartebeest can reach a maximum speed of 35 miles an hour. Their strategy to avoid predators is to run in a zigzag pattern. This makes it difficult for predators to catch.

Red Hartebeest is distinctive and can’t be mistaken for red lechwe or impala with similar colorations.

Your Black Wildebeest trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 45 inches, weigh about 350 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 20 inches. The Safari Club International minimum score for a  trophy black wildebeest is 72.

Trophies are measured by measuring the length along the outside of the horn curl from tip to tip, plus the straight-line width measurement of both bosses for a combined total score in inches.

Black Wildebeest are also known as the White-Tailed Gnu or the “Clowns of Africa” due mainly to how the way they run in circles when approached.

Nick Bowker has access to several black wildebeest herds for game hunting. Hunting blesbok and black wildebeest in Africa are very similar, with both species out on the open plains and savanna.

Anthills are the main hiding point as you try and ambush these plains animals.

As with blesbok, black wildebeest bunch together at stages, so careful communication with Nick Bowker, your professional hunter, is essential.

Black Wildebeest Trophy Hunting is conducted by setting up ambushes, looking down valleys, or spot and stalk.

It can takes patience to distinguish the bulls from the cows, with both sexes carrying horns.

Hunt Wildebeest during the morning or late afternoon while the herd is grazing in the open. Choose a herd member carefully.

In cool weather, they graze anytime but tend to rest during the hottest part.

Black Wildebeest can be very aggressive when mating, disturbed or wounded. This ‘clown of Africa’ will often trot in circles and chase other herd members.

Big bulls are territorial and often return to their territory shortly after being disturbed by the hunter.

Judging Black Wildebeest trophy quality, it’s essential to look at the boss’s size and the curl’s drop. Also, consider the height and rise of the tips.

Mature Black Wildebeest bulls will display black hair on their faces and bosses. Red or brown hair is a sign of immaturity.

He’s a very tough game animal to bring down. Bow hunting Black Wildebeest is difficult in a free-range environment.

Black Wildebeest hunting in South Africa on open terrain calls for a flat shooting caliber. Therefore, we recommend the flat shooting magnums.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker Hunting has 300 Winchester Magnums fitted with suppressors.

Mounted on the rifles are Swarovski tactical scopes. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X 200-grain ammunition. The rifle, including ammunition, is free of charge as part of all hunting packages.

• Also known as White-tailed gnu, the Black Wildebeest lives in the savannas and plains of South Africa.

• The species’ historic range also included the open plains and grasslands of Lesotho, Swaziland, and Free State.

• The most interesting fact about Black Wildebeest is their comeback from near extinction. Only 17 of these animals remained after being eradicated by Mucous Disease.

• Nowadays, these African antelopes are plentiful across South Africa.

• Black Wildebeest hunting is now commonplace on private reserves.

• Historically, Black Wildebeest inhabited the northern temperate grasslands during the dry winter and migrated to the arid southern regions during the rainy season.

• When their numbers were much higher naturally in the central plains of South Africa, they never migrated on masse as their close relative, the Blue Wildebeest, still does in places.

• Being very gregarious animals, forming groups consisting of males and females with calves is usually 30 to 500 individuals.

• It is also seen in groups composed solely of females and their offspring or by single males.

• In periods of drought, animals of various groups gather in herds, reaching thousands of individuals. These herds migrate towards the major rivers and lakes across considerable distances.

• Wildebeest is associated with other African animals. These include springbok, impala, and zebras. They may also associate with ostriches on the Southern African plains.

• The Black Wildebeest can run up to a speed of 50 mph. They serve as prey for large predators. Predators include lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and cape-hunting dogs.

• The lifespan of the black wildebeest is about 15 -20 years.

• Black Wildebeest requires excellent shot placement as they are incredibly tough and resilient.

The Black Wildebeest inhabits open plains, grasslands, and Karoo shrublands in steep mountainous regions and lower undulating hills.

A dominant male Black Wildebeest has a harem of females and will not allow other males to mate with them.

They have a dark brown to almost black coat, slightly paler in summer and coarser and shaggier in the winter. Calves are born with shaggy, fawn-colored fur. Males are generally darker than females.

They have bushy manes, like the blue wildebeest that stick up from the back of the neck.

Black Wildebeest females are smaller in size and more slender than males. Males reach about 44 to 48 inches at the shoulder, while females reach 42 to 46 inches.

Males typically weigh 350 pounds, and females 250 pounds.

A distinguishing feature in both sexes is the bright-white tail, which is long and similar to a horse.

Its bright-white tail gives this animal the vernacular name of “white-tailed gnu” and makes it very easy to tell them apart from blue wildebeest, which has a black tail.

Both sexes have strong horns that curve forward, resembling hooks up to 24 inches long.

The horns have a broad base in mature males and are flattened to form a protective shield. In females, the horns are both shorter and narrower.

Wildebeest hunting is mainly on the open plains but also in savanna areas.

Your Red Lechwe trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 39 inches, weigh about 200 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 24 – 26 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a red lechwe is 58. The trophy is measured by adding the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases.

The Lechwe male is usually of trophy quality at around five years.

The Lechwe is a magnificent trophy and does not occur in abundance in South Africa. However, numbers are good throughout the Eastern Cape.

The lechwe is a medium-sized antelope hunted safari style in Africa.

Lechwe is an introduced species on game ranches and is not endemic to the Eastern Cape.

Lechwe game has adapted well to open savannah country. Nick Bowker Hunting has access to several free-ranging herds of red lechwe in the Bedford area. Bow hunting free-range Lechwe is a possibility.

Lechwe has done very well in a free-ranging environment where they are less susceptible to disease from the brown tick.

In a free-ranging environment, they can move and find grazing without going deep in the brush. In high-fenced areas during arid periods, lechwe are forced to go deep into the brush foraging for grazing, where they encounter the brown ear tick. This disease can wipe out the entire herd.

Only the male carries horns, which sweep backward and then curve forward at the horns’ tips, similar to the waterbuck. The lechwe feeds on dry grasses and drinks regularly.

The herd grazes mainly during the early morning and late afternoon, resting in the day’s heat.

We recommend a .30 caliber or, even better, the flat shooting 7mm magnum for Lechwe hunts in Africa.

For those hunters who wish to avoid going through the red tape of bringing a rifle, Nick Bowker has 300 Magnums fitted with suppressors for hunts.

The rifles are mounted with a Swarovski Z8 tactical scopes. Also, we have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X 200-grain ammunition for all our hunts.

The rifle, including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge for your safari hunt in Africa.

Lechwe can be confused with impala tRed Hartebeest Hunting – All You Need to Know About Hartebeest Hunts to the untrained eye but never the red heartbeest.

The aim point for red lechwe hunting is the standard high heart/lung shot; straight up the foreleg, one-third into the body, and squeeze. Your lechwe should not go far.

When selecting a male to hunt, note the spread of the horns backward and outwards, and tips have opened and hooked forward.

Horns will wear down dramatically with age. Hunters should be mindful of this when hunting Lechwe in Africa.

• Four subspecies of these antelopes have been identified in Africa and include:
  1. The black lechwe is found in the areas of Zambia.
  2. The red lechwe is found in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.
  3. The Roberts Lechwe was formerly found in Zambia but is now considered extinct.
  4. As well as the Kafue Lechwe of Zambia.

• Only the Red subspecies is available in South Africa.

• The lechwe is one of the three antelope species known to form breeding areas with a high population density.

• Inhabiting marshy areas and feeding on mostly aquatic plants, they always utilize knee-deep water for safety and protection against predators.

• Water-repellent substances cover the lechwe’s legs, allowing them to run quickly in knee-deep waters in the Okavango swamps.

• Males have long spiral-structured horns. Lyre-shaped horns are the signature trademark of a Lechwe trophy. This antelope makes for a magnificent trophy.

• Both sexes have longer hind legs than other antelope species, which is essential for easing long-distance running in marshy soils.

• They are a diurnal animal that lives in large herds comprising thousands of individuals. These herds are surprising of one sex but will mix during the mating season.

• Lechwe has greasy and water-repellent coats, and females have tawny to chestnut coats that resemble one another, though they can have minor marking differences.

• Feeding on aquatic grasses is one of the abundant resources that most other herbivores cannot utilize, and they usually graze on grasses that spring up as floodwaters increase.

• Nick Bowker has a dedicated Lechwe hunt package.

A medium-sized antelope is reddish-yellow and has a darker back than on the flanks and legs.

They also have white on the underpants, with a white band running up the front of the neck to the jaw and characteristic dark markings on the forelegs.

Although this usually varies depending on the subspecies, the males are darker in color than the females.

Their hindquarters are higher and broader than their forequarters, with long necks and short muzzles adapted for swamp feeding.

The shoulders are distinctly lower than the rump, and the body slants forward.

In its natural habitat, lechwe is found in or near the water on shallow flood plains, swamps, and rivers, and on well-watered grasses with feet wet.

Lechwe has also adapted well to the open savannah country. Hunting will nearly always be by spot and stalk.

As a result, red lechwe hunting is in savanna or well-wooded areas.

These animals form small herds of 10-30 animals.

Bachelor herds, nursing herds, and solitary adult males can be distinguished.

A few males establish territories during the mating season.