IN PURSUIT OF A 60 INCH KUDU

[Maui Kolohe Boy]

Hello All,

I have been to Africa several times, and have shot a Southern Greater and Eastern Cape kudu. Now, I would love to hunt the majestic 60 inch kudu. I would love some recommendations on outfitters, current prices I should expect, and any information or suggestions.

Thank you & Aloha!!!

 

[IvW]

Botswana....

 

[375Fox]

You should really specify the type of hunt you want. There are put and take 60” breeding bulls available in South Africa. There are some high fence farms that have very good genetics. There are free range bulls. Generally free range bulls have better genetics than most game farms for kudu. I’ve hunted areas where 60” bulls have been taken but I’ve yet to ever see a 60” bull. I think I’d go to Botswana if I wanted a dedicated kudu hunt for a big bull or maybe a mountain hunt in Limpopo.

 

[eyedok]

My son shot a 60” in Botswana, at lunch one day heading back to camp

 

[eyedok]

Ghanzi area

 

[Tanks]

Not quite 60" at 59 5/8". Nyakasanga, Zimbabwe. CMS was the outfitter. $1,750 trophy fee.

 

[62flint]

My daughters kudu. Wasn’t quite 60 inches. Just couldn’t help showing it off and bragging on her a lil bit. She’s the reason I went to Africa. The bullet is a 180 barnes ttsx that flipped ends and the mushroom petals hung the hide and kept the bullet from falling out. First Time I ever saw that. 75 yards 30-06.

 

[MontanaPat]

Botswana for sure is the best place to look for a free range kudu going 60” of more. I’m hunting with NKWE at the end of May, they take several over 60” every year and trophy fees are $1700 currently for kudu. Search NKWE on the forum and you will see pics of 60”+ kudu. Tholo or Bokomoso are two other outfitters in the same general area of Botswana that could get you a free range kudu of this size.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

If you want free range, this likely isn’t going to be easy or quick. I’d look in Botswana, or consider a hunt in NW Prov. of RSA on some free range cattle lands along the border. Parts of Namibia have some amazing genetics as well.

If you’re looking in RSA make sure you’re asking the right questions because there are a ton of put & take places where you can pay by the inch just like on parts of Texas.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Now, I would love to hunt the majestic 60 inch kudu. ......

A very worthy pursuit...
Needles in hay stacks....
Good luck.

Here's a motivator for you. This one happened to be in Namibia. It is not a current photo though.

 

[Maui Kolohe Boy]

Thank you everybody. I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions.

 

[DE KLERK SAFARIS]

We hunt several 57 to 62 inch kudu in our area (Northwest province South Africa against Botswana border). We have several free range areas in addition to our own privately owned game reserve.
If you book 7 days between 1 May and 15 June (when most kudu are in rut) and just focus on kudu and nothing else we can guarantee you with 90 % certainty that you will get a kudu of over 57 inches.
I saw over 30 kudu bulls yesterday when driving to one of our ranches on the Botswana border.
I did not even count all the kudu cows as there were just too many.

Sincerely
Hans de Klerk

 

[McKenzie Sims]

My best bull is from the Caprivi in Namibia, not 60 but 58 and change. Seen lots of great bulls on that trip. 60" is the holy grail for a big free range kudu bull, as mentioned lots of big bulls from that botswana and the edges in SA. KwaZulu Natal holds some extremly good Kudu genetics as well

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Botswana & Tanzania. Not exactly 60", but close enough

 

[NKWE SAFARIS]

Hello
We can help you with kudu hunting for sure. We do take a couple 60 inch bulls a year on average. This is absolutely not a guarantee. These are free roaming bulls over thousands and thousands of acres. There are a couple pictures on this forum of bulls we have taken.

Here is a 60 inch bull taken just last month.

 

[Mac13]

I would manage expectations regarding 60" Kudu. This would be the equivalent of a 200" whitetail or a 400" elk. If you do enough research on this forum, the list of outfitters that have been producing 60" Kudu in resent years with photos and references to back it up is very small. Be very specific when asking outfitters questions. The outfitter that check all my boxes is Jaco Visser with NKWE Safaris in Botswana. My son and I are heading there this June and I will be posting our hunting report when we get back.

 

[Piet-Vis]

You should really specify the type of hunt you want. There are put and take 60” breeding bulls available in South Africa. There are some high fence farms that have very good genetics. There are free range bulls. Generally free range bulls have better genetics than most game farms for kudu. I’ve hunted areas where 60” bulls have been taken but I’ve yet to ever see a 60” bull. I think I’d go to Botswana if I wanted a dedicated kudu hunt for a big bull or maybe a mountain hunt in Limpopo.

Please explain your rational behind a completely non-rational statement such a "Generally free range bulls have better genetics than most game farms for kudu."
I'm really trying to understand what you are saying here but everything I learnt up to Masters level in Animal Breeding is railing to hard that it is making my head hurt.
Some people that does not know better might take your statement seriously!

 

[Piet-Vis]

Hello All,

I have been to Africa several times, and have shot a Southern Greater and Eastern Cape kudu. Now, I would love to hunt the majestic 60 inch kudu. I would love some recommendations on outfitters, current prices I should expect, and any information or suggestions.

Thank you & Aloha!!!

You have two options - Identify a region with really good genetics + nutrition. Those areas produce better-quality bulls. If I must give you a tip, then I would look at those areas where guys can farm cattle with very minimal nutritional supplementation throughout the year. We call it "sweetveld" in South Africa. Thats where the environment alllows the animals to reach their full genetic potential. In Animal Breeding parlance - Phenotype = Genotype + Environment. Then start hunting really hard.
I've shot a 60" bull on a 50,000-hectare farm that I managed in the Kalahari. The bull was well known, and I always had a rifle in my vehicle. It took me two years to get him.
The other option would be to find an Outfitter that knows where one is. It will most likely be a retired breeding bull. Take it; it will be free-roaming on several thousand hectares and clever as hell. The grey ghost of the Bushveld never gives it life away easily. You won't find a free-range 60" bull. You don't have the time.

 

[Piet-Vis]

Note how his hooves grew out in the Sand, it was his last winter

 

[Kelly G]

Tholo Safaris - Botswana