Hunt expectations, how many animals?

[mark-hunter]

Folks, this is as much a combination of 1) curiosity and 2) guessing bank balances.

What would you expect on a plains game hunt in South Africa? An animal every other day on average?


Im going for an 8 day hunt. I’m basically planning to go with the flow and not going to stress about how many animals and ticking items off a list. Main hope would be for a kudu, this may take the week in itself. Appreciate some other things may get added in along the way.


What’s an average for a good hunt and a difficult hunt? Weather and a lots of things can all come into it I suppose. A piece of string question! My goal has always been as fair chase as possible and not ‘canned’ hunt so the total numbers won’t make or break the trip over the experience if that makes sense..

Consider 1.5 days per animal, if hunting trophy.

That being said, culling is much more prolific.

Good hunt / difficult hunt. Depends on many factors, many factors are individual and personal. One is your shooting skill, shooting from stick, 200 meters or more.

Next is, do you want your trophies to be all in SCI record book, or you are more flexible? One - two, top class trophies, 4 - 5 average?

Are you species specific, or flexible? If you dont get nyala, maybe bushbuck will be satisfactory?
Etc,
So defining success is up to you. Of course all your expectation needs to be discussed in advance with your PH, so you will not be disappointed.

 

[sgt_zim]

Folks, this is as much a combination of 1) curiosity and 2) guessing bank balances.

What would you expect on a plains game hunt in South Africa? An animal every other day on average?


Im going for an 8 day hunt. I’m basically planning to go with the flow and not going to stress about how many animals and ticking items off a list. Main hope would be for a kudu, this may take the week in itself. Appreciate some other things may get added in along the way.


What’s an average for a good hunt and a difficult hunt? Weather and a lots of things can all come into it I suppose. A piece of string question! My goal has always been as fair chase as possible and not ‘canned’ hunt so the total numbers won’t make or break the trip over the experience if that makes sense..

The difficult hunts often occur if you're being really picky about trophies. If you want a 58" kudu, you may spend several days hunting only that. If you want a black zebra like the one in my avatar, you could be there 2 weeks and never see one.

In Limpopo anyway, bushbuck is universally challenging.

For nearly everything else, if you're happy just getting your first batch of African wall hangers for your trophy room, game is abundant, and 1 or 2 animals a day is do-able. My blesbok was first thing in the morning, just before 7. My zebra was around midday, but everything else was in the last hour of light. The warthog was somewhere between 90 and 120 seconds before the very last light of the day.

I got 6 animals in 6 days, and there would have been a 7th if the missus' aim had been true on day 7.

And no small part of such a journey is just luck. I put everything down with one shot per animal, but lots of these critters can soak up a bunch of lead. That's made worse if the first shot didn't go quite where you wanted it to go. You could spend a day or 2 tracking an animal. Hunting is "easy," tracking a wounded animal is bloody hard work.

 

[migrabill]

I booked a 10 day hunt for PG in Limpopo. I was dropping animals at a fast pace so I took 2 days off. 1 day we went Pilanesburg Park and the other we just went souvenir shopping in town. I still managed 10 animals. Here's how my hunt went-
Day 1 - Zebra and Zebra (offered a special deal on a second one - they wanted them gone).
Day 2 - Kudu and Blesbok.
Day 3 - No animals harvested by me. My buddy got his Cape Buffalo this day).
Day 4 - Blue Wildebeest and Impala.
Day 5 - Red Hartebeest
Day 6 - Warthog
Day 7 - Pilanesburg Park
Day 8 - Souvenir shopping in town.
Day 9 - Golden Wildebeest.
Day 10 - Golden Wildebeest. (PH didn't love my 1st one and offered me a 2nd one).

 

[Datchew]

This is a great thread.
I'm considering an oddball attack plan for next year.

I'm going for a cape buff on an 8 day hunt in RSA and if I get one early on, switching to sleepless night mode to go after a hyena.

I'm not really after anything else as I'm not taking home trophies except the buff & possibly the hyena.
But you never know... something may tempt me.

 

[sgt_zim]

I booked a 10 day hunt for PG in Limpopo. I was dropping animals at a fast pace so I took 2 days off. 1 day we went Pilanesburg Park and the other we just went souvenir shopping in town. I still managed 10 animals. Here's how my hunt went-
Day 1 - Zebra and Zebra (offered a special deal on a second one - they wanted them gone).
Day 2 - Kudu and Blesbok.
Day 3 - No animals harvested by me. My buddy got his Cape Buffalo this day).
Day 4 - Blue Wildebeest and Impala.
Day 5 - Red Hartebeest
Day 6 - Warthog
Day 7 - Pilanesburg Park
Day 8 - Souvenir shopping in town.
Day 9 - Golden Wildebeest.
Day 10 - Golden Wildebeest. (PH didn't love my 1st one and offered me a 2nd one).

With whom did you hunt?

 

[wildfowler.250]

I need to reply to the comments individually but just to add - partly because bushbuck has come up a few times..

I’m basically going to tell the PH, if you think something is well worth taking, let’s just do it. Really decent hartebeest or waterbuck? Okay, you’ve got more clue than me! They’re probably not top on my list but not to pass up an opportunity..


There’s things I’d like eg a warthog where, if the chance arises, fab. I’d actually quite like to hunt one. It’s just interesting to see what’s reasonable expectation wise..


The challenge of a bushbuck appeals but at the same time, it’ll be more a case of right place, right time. Weirdly blesbok doesn’t appeal and I can’t say why!

 

[Green Chile]

Depending on how open/common your list is, 1 or 2 per day is common. It's also not unusual to go a day or 2 in between while looking for something. Be flexible and willing to adjust. I had NO plans for another sable on my last hunt but when I got there and heard about a 48" sable on the back of the property, my plans changed.

I have a decent amount of experience but I love talking to those who have done WAY more than me. One of the things they all tell me is when you find something special, do whatever you can to take it. You will probably never see it again...and that's the cheapest you will ever find it since it's right in front of you. That's often how very experienced hunters ended up with some of their most memorable trophies.

 

[Green Chile]

The challenge of a bushbuck appeals but at the same time, it’ll be more a case of right place, right time. Weirdly blesbok doesn’t appeal and I can’t say why!

Bushbuck are wonderful...and in my opinion, blesbok are not very interesting. Opinions will always vary on this. For some reason, the blesbok, bontebok and tsessebe (all related) don't interest me at all from a hunting perspective. I've been around hundreds of them and I like to watch them but just have NO interest in them as a trophy. They are fun to watch run...super fast. Everyone will find something that doesn't interest them.

 

[migrabill]

With whom did you hunt?

Van Wijk Safaris.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Like all have said, have a list but be open and flexible. I went this year with only 3 main things. Rhino Dart, croc and Buff cow.
But wound up with 12 animals in the 14 day hunt. PH wanted some culling done so took several Blue wildebeest and zebra. Offered a second Buff Cow. I had never considered or wanted a Giraffe, but right place right time! Neighbor called PH about problem old Bull Giraffe and I couldn't refuse the price quoted.

So be flexible.

 

[Buffalo1]

I think I read in a Boddington book ~ 1 animal per 1 1/2 days. I have found this to be true bow hunting.

 

[sgt_zim]

Bushbuck are wonderful...and in my opinion, blesbok are not very interesting. Opinions will always vary on this. For some reason, the blesbok, bontebok and tsessebe (all related) don't interest me at all from a hunting perspective. I've been around hundreds of them and I like to watch them but just have NO interest in them as a trophy. They are fun to watch run...super fast. Everyone will find something that doesn't interest them.

Don't forget red hartebeest. They're closest to tsessebbe, I believe.

 

[Deepfork]

I took nine animals in seven days of hunting. The first three I shot were not on my original six animal list! Like many have said be flexible and take advantage of unexpected opportunities. One of my best memories, a very long spot and stalk and a favorite trophy is my Red Hartebeast. Not on my radar and I did not have a interest in one until I actually saw one.

 

[Nyati]

This is a great thread.
I'm considering an oddball attack plan for next year.

I'm going for a cape buff on an 8 day hunt in RSA and if I get one early on, switching to sleepless night mode to go after a hyena.

I'm not really after anything else as I'm not taking home trophies except the buff & possibly the hyena.
But you never know... something may tempt me.

Great idea, by the way, a hyaena skull makes a great trophy, this is my brown.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Great idea, by the way, a hyaena skull makes a great trophy, this is my brown.

View attachment 637536

Looks good! The perruque in the back is a one off that’s for sure!



Thanks for all the help folks, a lot of interesting feedback

 

[Oldwavy]

One animal every day and a half of hunting is what I've seen cited previously.
Be concerned about the remaining opportunity targets.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I took 5 animals over 6 days. A lot of it depends on expectations, the type of animal, and the area. Being my first time, I just wanted decent shooters. I didn't need a 50"+ kudu or a massive male warthog. I just wanted to know I was taking respectable animals.

Some animals are tougher than others to find. For example, we almost spent 2 days just looking for a decent shooter male warthog. We'd get a glimpse of good shooters then they would wind us. Finally, since it was part of my package already, I ended up taking an old female warthog without piglets and decent tusks.

My kudu, we spent one day on. It came right down to the last part of the day and he happened to just step into a shooting lane at a blind we were at right after lunch.

If you are looking for really top-level animals, it can take a while, depending on the area you're hunting.

 

[Rare Breed]

On my first safari I booked a 8 day hunt for several animals and hoped for a couple more. The kudu evaded me for 7 of those 8 days. We would see them but not be able to get on them or they were not big enough. Through those other days I went about collecting the other animals on my list as they came along while I was looking for the kudu.

On my last safari I had kudu on my list of 12 animals on a 10 day hunt. Surprisingly I shot one on the first day out of the lodge, that same day I collected a impala and a blue wildebeest and missed a shot at a warthog. The second day I took two more animals that were on my list and then my luck went cold for a few days. You just never know. My primary animal on this hunt was a warthog and I didn't get him until later.

Remember that as you are hunting that most of the animals taken as the opportunity comes up. You may be hunting for a specific one but then another one shows up. Just let your PH know what animals are your priority are but don't pass up one if he tells you to shoot it.

I tend to take on two safaris such as this year about 5 animals, my target DG animal then about 4 PG