Mountain Reedbuck Hunting

Mountain Reedbuck hunting is a more demanding game animal to hunt than the other reedbuck species in Africa. As a result, the hunter will find these animals much warier. Also, they live on more challenging terrain, and its smaller body size makes it a difficult target.

• 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 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 regions of South Africa with harsh winters, most births happen in the austral summer (mostly November).

• Infants are tucked away in dense vegetation by their mothers for at least one month and remain hidden there unless visited for nursing.

• The gestation period is approximately eight months with one lamb, and weaning occurs after about a year.

• Sexual maturity in females is as early as 9-12 months, but not fully mature until 18-24 months. Compared to males, where full maturity occurs later, around 27 months of age.

• Mountain Reedbuck hunting is very different from the common reedbuck due to the habitat difference.

The difference between a male and female mountain reedbuck

Mountain Reedbuck males have horns while females do not. In this case, two females are pictured below with a young male.

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

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

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

A typical group is one adult male and several adult females and juveniles. At the same time, adolescent males are forced out of their herds and form small bachelor herds.

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.

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

As a result, the hunter will find these animals much warier and living 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’ entrance. Stalks are quite often long, and a good pair of boots is needed.

Females will often be lying in the grass or under a tree. At the same time, the male will likely be lying a little way 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 those of 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 that 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. Again, as shots may be longer and we recommend the 7mm magnum.

Hunters can expect shots to be longer, with steep gradients at times. To judge the trophy quality of the Mountain Reedbuck, one must always look at the size of the neck: a thick and darkened, a well-set neck is the first sign of a mature animal.

Rifle caliber

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 tips of the ears or greater.

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 available a 7mm custom made Remington Magnum fitted with a suppressor.

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.