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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,186 Likes: 21
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,186 Likes: 21 |
A lot of it depends on how abundant a particular animal is in that country--or that region of a certain country.
Kudu got their legendary reputation mostly due to Hemingway and Ruark, who both hunted in Kenya and Tanzania, where kudu aren't generally as abundant (or as large) as in Namibia or South Africa.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,318
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,318 |
The hardest animal for me to hunt was the Selous Unicorn. In fact, I've only seen one in the wild. I shot mine with a 739 Rigby Magnum with open sights at a measured 3946 yards. It was running flat out when I hit it. DRT with one shot. It was a special handloaded 24K gold bullet out of an unobtainium cartridge case that chronographed 24fps on my new Garmin Xero. now this made me laugh ! Pete53
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 426
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 426 |
For me the most challenging Plainsgame has been Eland. In six trips to Namibia I’ve only shot two Eland bulls. Tracking all day following promising tracks is a challenge especially if you’re in your mid 70’s like me.
Jesus saves, but Moses invests
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,361
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,361 |
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,207 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,207 Likes: 1 |
Nyala may be the animal I spent the most time looking for, and Hotfire is loaded with them. We passed up many bulls looking for a good one.
Zebra are very spooky. Even if you aren't hunting them, you best avoid them, because if you spook them, they will blow out any other game within sound or sight. I was told they are the "policemen of the plains".
In some areas, fallow deer can be hard to hunt. At least if you are looking for a good stag and no just a representative stag.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,921 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,921 Likes: 1 |
Eland for me. I have 9 stalks and never had a reasonable chance at a shot. Guinea fowl, impala, giraffe and even a leopard all spoiled our stalks. Out of all the plains game, they seem to be one of the wariest.
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078 |
One of the “farms” we hunted had a pivot nearby that had been planted with corn and it always had baboons in it. There were several men employed there and the baboons payed them no attention. When a truck full of Bwanas pulled in the baboons all payed very close attention. When the bwanas got out and walked away from the truck the baboons would go back to their business. If a bwana went back to the truck the baboons would all pay very close attention again until the bwana again left the truck. If the bwana stepped away from the truck with a rifle in hand the baboons would run like mad to the trees. Obviously these baboons had seen this all unfold before. It was the damndest thing I’d ever seem “wild game” do! But fortunately a baboon can’t outrun a 200gr partition shot from a 300wby!
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,361
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,361 |
Zebra and Bushbuck for me. 2 trips over and got each both times, Had the second Bushbuck done full body and he's huge, 17 plus inches. Everybody at Highveld taxidermy came out to look at it. My very best trophy, truly Blessed.
Last edited by boatammo; 04/21/24.
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,271 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,271 Likes: 7 |
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 768
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 768 |
Landowner in SA wanted me to cull the largest zebra to break-up the herd. We stalked all day, but the zebra were near a herd of hartebeest who are very skittish & break at the slightest puff of wind. Hartebeest kept bolting, zebra right behind. Finally saw them calm at 175 yards grazing. Not a difficult shot at a large animal, but getting them to stand still was a challenge. That's the only animal I've harvested shooting from the back of a bakkie (pickup truck), which added to the experience. Wish I could post photo. Waiting for return trip to pickup my zebraskin rug
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,474 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,474 Likes: 1 |
That is kind of a hard question because there are so many variables. I have only been to Africa twice, but I would say that the hardest thing to hunt is the animal that you want the most and the easiest thing to hunt is any animal you don't want, can't afford or don't have on license . On my first trip to Namibia, Mountain Zebra were the toughest to get but I was covered in Eland. We spent part of each day trying to find MZ in just about every way you can think of. I finally connected on my last day after we tracked a small herd for about 2 hours. The only MZ I ever saw that trip was the one in my scope just before I pulled the trigger. My second trip was all about getting an eland. Again, we spent part of every day hunting them. They weren't hard to locate, but since they are browsers, finding a good bull in the brush and getting a clear shot was challenging. They are also spooky and lots of other animals feed with them. We had to constantly maneuver around springbuck, impala, warthogs, etc. I did finally connect on a good bull, but I think it was the 8th or 9th day and 4th location we hunted on that trip. Good topic!
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