Mountain Reedbuck Hunting in South Africa

• Mountain reedbuck are active throughout the day and night, showing the most activity around dawn and dusk, and frequently rest when temperatures are high.

• Although the species is social (usually females are found in small herds), groups are not stable: individuals may switch groups regularly. Females occupy home ranges of around half a mile, which overlap several smaller male territories.

• The male use of body posturing and vocalizations is to maintain boundaries between neighboring males.

• Females prefer territories with steep slopes to enable them to escape from predators, irrespective of the presence of food or water. As a rule, population densities are 5-9 animals per half a mile in South Africa.

• Males are solitary and territorial but associate with females as they pass through their territory. Immature males live in small bachelor groups.

• Where conditions are favorable, breeding occurs year-round. Whereas in South African regions with harsh winters, most births happen in the austral summer (mostly November).

• Lambs are tucked away in dense vegetation by their mothers for at least one month, where the mother will visit to nurse them.

• One lamb is born after a gestation period of approximately eight months Weaning occurs after about a year.

• Females reach sexual maturity as early as 9-12 months, though they are not fully mature until 18-24 months.

• Males reach full maturity at 27 months of age.

• Mountain Reedbuck hunts are very different from the common reedbuck due to the habitat difference.

The mountain reedbuck averages 30 inches at the shoulder and weighs around 65 pounds. It has a gray coat with a white underbelly and a reddish-brown head and shoulders.

The male has ridged horns of about 6 inches, which curve forward. The male and the female have a dark scent patch beneath the ears.

This medium-sized antelope is found in the Cape province of South Africa and free state on rocky slopes.

The ears’ points are rounded, and the most noticeable feature is their big, white, bushy tails.

A typical group is several adult females and juveniles and one nomad male. Adolescent males are forced out of their herds and form small bachelor herds.

Mountain Reedbuck is a hugely underrated hunt experience.

The Mountain Reedbuck is different from the Common and Bohor reedbuck.

Your mountain reedbuck trophy should have an average shoulder height of around 29 inches, weigh about 65 pounds, and have a Horn Length of approximately 5 inches.

The minimum Safari Club International score for a mountain reedbuck is 11. Add the length of each horn and the circumference of the bases to get your score SCI score.

Trophy Mountain Reedbuck hunting can be a more difficult animal to hunt than the other Reedbuck species in Africa. However, the Bedford area’s population density is unusual and makes life much easier than in other parts of the country.

As a result, the hunter will find these animals much warier and live on more challenging terrain. Also, its smaller body size makes it a difficult target.

The mountain reedbuck is spotted and stalked from high points such as steep slopes and canyons’ entrances. Stalks are often long, and a good pair of boots is needed.

The hunter often finds the female lying in the grass or under a tree. The male will most likely be lying a little away from the females.

The trick is to avoid being spotted by his harem. The best scenario is to find a bachelor ram on his own.

Warthog is often a hindrance when hunting mountain reedbuck as they share the same areas. The focus is on the mountain reedbuck; a sleeping warthog under a bush will not be spotted and give the game away.

Trophy Judgement

The Mountain Reedbuck’s horns tend to be shorter than the common reedbuck but still have the characteristic curve forward at the horns’ tips.

Any set that goes past the ear lengths will constitute a good trophy.

They are wary but often inquisitive – a trait the hunter can use to his advantage.

They graze and drink early in the morning and during the late afternoon or even at night, usually resting in the shady spaces of their habitat during midday.

Mountain Reedbuck hunters can expect shots to be longer, with steep gradients at times.

To judge the Mountain Reedbuck trophy quality, one must always look at the neck’s size: a thick and darkened, well-set neck is the first sign of a mature animal.

The horns are in the shape of hooks, hooking forward with a good base. Therefore always look to harvest a male with horns in line with the ears’ tips or greater.

Rifle caliber

The Eastern Cape region of South Africa is probably the best area to hunt these mountain dwellers, where hunters will enjoy great numbers and exciting hunting.

Often spotted on the slopes of valleys and draws while glassing for kudu or eland.

For those hunters who do not wish to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle into South Africa, Nick Bowker has Sako 300 Magnums fitted with a suppressors.

Mounted to the gun is a Swarovski Z8 tactical scope. We have hand-loaded Hornady ELD-X ammunition.

The rifle, including ammunition, is available as part of all hunting packages free of charge.

Include Mountain Reedbuck Trophy hunting in your African hunting safari; you won’t regret it.