Favorite Species Taken

L

littlejoe

Guest
So what is your favorite African species you have taken?

What species have you taken that really surprised you?

What is your dream species?

I have to say for myself the Kudu is my top but not by much. The Nyala and Vaal Rhebok are right there. Zebra not to far behind that.

I was shocked how addicted to the Tiny species I have become. I have a very high passion for the Tiny 10 now.

I was lucky and took a Cape Grysbok, Vaal Rhebok and Brown Bush Duiker to name a few.

My dream species without question is the Cape Buffalo. I have not been able to do it yet but it is my motivation and dream to finally hunt Black Death. It won't happen next year in Namibia but hopefully in Zim a couple of years behind that.
 
Tough question! kinda like asking blonde or brunette, tall or short? Where is the box that says "I like them all" ??? :) Each species is so unique and different, it is tough for me to pick a favorite. If I HAD to pick one, I don't know that I could. but my top three would prob be Nyala, Gemsbuck, Kudu. (in no particular order)

The animal that surprised me the most is the Bushbuck. what a cool animal! Everything changes when you see an animal in real life vs a picture in a book. Walking along the Limpopo river hunting bushbuck was one of the greatest hunting experiences in my life.

Dream species is Elephant. To me, a big mature bull elephant is the pinnacle of big game hunting. but for right now, its just a dream...the species that are more realistic for me to hunt that I am really excited about are Cape Buffalo, Red Heartabeast, springbuck, and the black wildebeast
 
Hands down no doubt my dream species is a 1 in a million cape eland. I have yet to get my eland but it will happen. Not just any eland. I want one that looks like he's been on steroids his entire life. I've had chance at hundreds and even passed bulls well over 40" but I want one eland in particular. I've seen two hunters that have harvested an eland like I want but have never had the opportunity to take one myself. Here's a pic of one in the golden gate park in south africa. One day I will find this ol boy.

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I would say the waterbuck I took was my favorite so far.looking forward to taking a nyala and bushbuck next trip with many other animals.Tony not sure were you got the pic of the truck with horns but wow.Eland is the one my son wants but with his bow so we will look for one more like vw bug then the mack truck in that pic.
 
Here are my favorites:

1- Kudu
2- Nyala
3 (tie) - Zebra and bushbuck

My number one animal that I wanted was a caracal. Since I was an idiot, and could not see it at first, I ended up rushing the shot and shot over its back at 50 yards! That opportunity will never happen again. When I first arrived, I told my PH that I wanted a caracal. He laughed and said he had only seen a few in the past 5 years!

One thing I learned from my first and only trip there was I ended up wanting different animals (bushbuck) that I never considered previously. Thats a fun thing about about the trip, and also sad for the pocket book :)

When I go back in 2014, my top priority will be a leopard. A giant blue eland will also be on the list.

Leopard to me is easily the #1 African animal!
 
For me it is definitely dangerous game. I've been fortunate to take all of the Big 4, and if I ever shoot another lion I'll have taken all of them twice. Of everything I've ever hunted in Africa, my favorites are easy to pick.

#1 Elephant. Hands down, the greatest game animal to hunt.
#2 Cape Buffalo. They come in a close second to bull elephants.

I've never hunted an african species that I wouldn't want to hunt again, but if I only ever got to hunt one or two animals ever again, these are the two I'd want to hunt.

The only thing keeping me from elephant hunting every year for the rest of my life is a lack of financial capacity to do so.
 
That Eland pic is a tank. Wow! I don't have the Leopard or Sable bug right now but I have the Cape Buff fever like no other. It will have to wait a while though. Another plains game trip next year and then it will be a big focus on Buffalo. I am going to Namibia next year to see something new and different. I really hope to go to Zambia in 2015 for Buff and some of the other wonderful species they have to offer.

All of the Africa species are unique in their own way. I had zero intention of shooting a Blesbok when I went and got a totally different reality check when I got there in regards to them. I had to have one and was lucky to take and old ram.

They are all neat and trophies in their own right.
 
Hands down my favorite animal to hunt is the Cape buffalo. Dangerous game hunting is really special. Elephant is great, but not nearly as exciting as buffalo for me. I haven't taken a lion yet, so it is high on my prioirity list, but I'm not that big a fan of sitting in blinds. Long nights waiting for several leopards have cured me from that fixation.

As far as the trophies go, nothing compares to wrapping your hands around big ivory, and the cats are really beautiful. Nothing that glamorous about a dead buffalo, but the hunt is really great and exciting.

As far as plains game is concerned, I really enjoy hunting bushbuck and zebra. As silly as it sounds, shooting warthogs and impala can be a lot of fun as well, and can usually be done in large quatity. Oryx also hold a peculiar fascination for me.

Its all good really, and don't go with too many preconcieved notions about a particular species. Enjoy the hunt.

Bill
 
llamapacker I definitely agree about the preconceived notions. I had that with the Blesbok, shot one and cannot wait to have it on the wall. They are all definitely unique in their own way.

I do know for sure that I am very thankful I only did plains game on the first trip. I don't think I would have enjoyed nearly as much if I had focused or spent so much time on only a Buff or Leopard. The are next but the Buff is what consumes me.
 
this year im going to hunt leopard over hounds on the property bordering john sharps safari area. if the leopard trees im shooting him with my bow. if he bays in a brush pile i will use my 300wby when he charges. however i am now getting quite hooked on the croc idea. i wanna do a lake chamo croc hunt if they ever open that back up
 
My favorite animal would have had to of been the Kudu. yes because of the animal but the stalk we put on him made it so much more memorable. But now really thinking about it they were all so memorable.
 
I usually don't like sitting in a blind but with the action around leopard bait I don't mind. On my second leopard I actually had a Brown Hyena chew on my gun barrel that was sticking out of the blind. The shaking of the PH also intrigued me as we were surrounded by Hyena's. So leopards #1 never shot a lion or elephant. Cape Buffs #2. Eland #3.
 
I've only been fortunate to hunt Africa once. I plan on doing so again once the boys are done with college.

I bowhunted in SA, it was sitting in blinds, and overall I'm happy with my first hunt, but the next time I really want to do more glassing and hiking.

I went to Africa with Kudu on the brain, I love how regal they are, on day 9 my last day to hunt of the trip I finally shot my bull...The sun setting highlighted the ivory tips of his horns...I will never forget that image.

I killed a Gemsbuck, Waterbuck and Bushbuck as well. I was shaking so bad on the Bushbuck, he snuck into a hide and totally surprised me. What a stunning animal.

Next time I go Nyala is my focus, and of course in search of another Kudu.

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"Quitting is not an option!"
 
For me and me alone it's the Spiral Horns. Lion and leopard today are as exciting for me as shooting a can of paint from a dead rest at 40 yards. I prefer the difficulty of sneaking up on a bushbuck or Lesser Kudu, or facing down the jungle ghost, that is the aggressive Bongo, or just trying to keep up with the fast walking Eland, either Lord Derby's or Patterson's or Cape or Livingston. Don't even get me started on fighting millions of Mosquitos looking for a Sitatunga. For me and only me ( probably) its the Spirals.

The greatness of Africa is that we don't all have to hunt Whitetails. Find what you like without regard to what the "Jones" are hunting, and go for it.
 
OK Navaluk, you have me intrigued! Please post up some hunt pic's. I'd love to see some of your hunts on here! A bongo would be a dream hunt....
 

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