Hyena?

[wildfowler.250]

Folks, I’m intrigued by this as an option. I’m doing a first plains game hunt to KZN in 2025. Someone had recently gone with the outfitter and taken a hyaena at night, I presume with bait involved?

Trying to work out if this is a worthwhile hunt or not. I’m keen to try and maximise my time there. May also be burning the candle at both ends doing a day hunt and then a night hunt? Not overly fussed on bushpigs at this stage.

Anyone done it? Recommend it? Are there any other night time hunts worth considering?


I’m also very aware that taking a cites species will probably massively hold up at dip and pack?


As a side note when thinking about it, rabies vaccines worthwhile for over there? Suppose getting bitten by a dog or anything is possible..

 

[375Fox]

I’ve taken 3 hyena. Two over bait and one running down the road. They are a unique trophy but really don’t interest me that much. South Africa pricing is also generally very high. They are only typically $500+ in Zimbabwe. If you are looking for a different type of hunt I’d personally put a bushpig above a hyena for a trophy.

 

[375Fox]

Ive never got a rabies vaccine for Africa and think it’s generally unnecessary. Maybe if you were doing a bongo hunt in Cameroon with dogs, but not South Africa. South Africa is very developed and you have access to medical services if something was to occur. I would not try to pet a stray dog in town though.

 

[Sarg]

I’ve taken 3 hyena. Two over bait and one running down the road. They are a unique trophy but really don’t interest me that much. South Africa pricing is also generally very high. They are only typically $500+ in Zimbabwe. If you are looking for a different type of hunt I’d personally put a bushpig above a hyena for a trophy.

Can you still get a Hyena for US$500 in Zim ?

I ask as I have seen the price on all Hyena going up fast & more demand each year.

If you were referring to Spotted/Brown Hyenas being on CITES they aren’t, you need a TOPS permit in SA & a extra fee that was $300 & I think now over $1000 if you are in the US I think you can’t import the Browns not sure on Stripped ?

I love hunting Hyena, where I hunt both species are extremely switched on, Bushpig is also a great trophy & hunt, lacking on tusk size but awesome mount.

Rabies is about in SA & beware if bitten by any carnivore but it will be acting peculiar & your PH will be onto it & get you treatment (if he or you are silly enough to let yourself get bit) I was chasing a Big Civet Cat for a long time, couldn’t find one, well while I was out with hunters a Crazed Civet went into the Lodge Kitchen & attacked the girls & was in the end shot in the dinning room, obviously Rabies infected.

Oh on that Monkeys might carry it to so don’t let any Monkey/Baboon bite you either, actually sound advice at all times on all animals !!

My largest Brown, turned out to score No1 RW had a front foot missing from a Snare (I hate snares my main enemy & enemy of all African & maybe world wide animals) I have found snares or sign of snare injuries on most of the Hyena I & my guys have taken, even the Aardwolf the smallest of the Hyena family had a small snare around his neck !!!

 

[375Fox]

Can you still get a Hyena for US$500 in Zim ?

I ask as I have seen the price on all Hyena going up fast & more demand each year.

If you were referring to Spotted/Brown Hyenas being on CITES they aren’t, you need a TOPS permit in SA & a extra fee that was $300 & I think now over $1000 if you are in the US I think you can’t import the Browns not sure on Stripped ?

I love hunting Hyena, where I hunt both species are extremely switched on, Bushpig is also a great trophy & hunt, lacking on tusk size but awesome mount.

Rabies is about in SA & beware if bitten by any carnivore but it will be acting peculiar & your PH will be onto it & get you treatment (if he or you are silly enough to let yourself get bit) I was chasing a Big Civet Cat for a long time, couldn’t find one, well while I was out with hunters a Crazed Civet went into the Lodge Kitchen & attacked the girls & was in the end shot in the dinning room, obviously Rabies infected.

Oh on that Monkeys might carry it to so don’t let any Monkey/Baboon bite you either, actually sound advice at all times on all animals !!

View attachment 644184

My largest Brown, turned out to score No1 RW had a front foot missing from a Snare (I hate snares my main enemy & enemy of all African & maybe world wide animals) I have found snares or sign of snare injuries on most of the Hyena I & my guys have taken, even the Aardwolf the smallest of the Hyena family had a small snare around his neck !!!

View attachment 644185

I hunted dande with charlton McCallum safaris this year. They were $750 each. In 2021 they were $550 each. I see Tokoloshe offers them for $550 each in their 2024 offers. At least the community areas in Zimbabwe get a large quota of hyena. It was my understanding they don’t want the price too high as an incentive for more hunters to take one as an add on to their regular hunts. In safari areas it will be more expensive.

 

[autofire]

This August I dropped a very large spotted male hyena in Botswana. Night hunting, from chair on ground not back of truck. Used a caller with different hyena territorial and challenge calls. Called in a pack. Most exciting 10 minutes I've had in years. Spotted hyena are dangerous game and a pack at night would not hesitate to attack, kill you.

 

[PrechtlM98]

A buddy got a huge spotted one as full mount behind his entrance door.
It's very cool and scary. Definitly something I also like to have.

 

[ActionBob]

I've hunted a couple and been along on other's hyena hunts. It is a blast!

First was called in without bait. It was a combo of a hyena feeding frenzy and Buffalo calf wailing like it was being pulled apart.... awful noises. Soon had hyena calling back and giggling all around us in pitch black. It was switch on the light, find it in the scope and shoot fast! Very exciting!

Second was an opportunity to hunt off bait while hunting honey badger. This was in Limpopo but within a mile of the Botswana border... that was over bait and slower paced but we had thermal optics and it was fun watching a very large hyena seeking in. It never actually came into the bait but I had a clear easy shot where it was holding out away from the bait.

That location near the border had a lot of hyena. I think I may have shot the Alpha. The next night they were going bananas... We suspect they were re-sorting out their social order. We had a blind made of screening material in front of us and just sitting in chairs open to the back and I felt the breath of a hyena on my back. That was a little wild. The PH was actually throwing rocks at them trying to chase them away so a honey badger might come in. We abandoned the area for a week and then went back and shot a nice big badger at about 2 AM.

My elephant PH made an attempt at calling hyena in Zimbabwe but a rain storm moved in and we gave up. With the long days of elephant hunting there just was not much opportunity to night hunt although I think the area would have been great for several night critters. We saw jackals regularly at sunrise but the PH didn't want to shoot them because the local council wanted to be paid too much for them. Jackals were killing goats so he wanted to let the economics work themselves out within the village politics

Hyena are expensive in South Africa. Much less in Zimbabwe or even Tanzania.

You can bait and go out for and hour or two after dinner and try calling if nothing on bait. So can hunt them without a lot of extra effort. Also a good chance at very first light so get out early and sneak in on bait. Don't be surprised if you see leopard, especially in RSA.

However if you want to really hunt aggressively for them, expect to lose some sleep. If you are taking a nap in the afternoon anyway... no big deal. When I was justca bit younger I was on a solo hunt with Bossie of Limpopo Big Game Safaris and I swear we must have hunted 20 hours per day. That was with his first wife where he preferred to stay out all night anyway Now he's able but not as keen on that

A couple Aardwolf taken the same night as a bat eared fox, serval, 11 critters total including several jackal, porcupine, 5" Steenbok.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Ive never got a rabies vaccine for Africa and think it’s generally unnecessary. Maybe if you were doing a bongo hunt in Cameroon with dogs, but not South Africa. South Africa is very developed and you have access to medical services if something was to occur. I would not try to pet a stray dog in town though.

I would seriously rethink this. Although the chance is small, there is no antidote to rabies. If you contract it, its pretty much a one way ticket.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Zimbabwe - Day fees at ($750x7) plus trophy fee at ( $750) = $6000
South Africa - Day fees at ($300x7) plus trophy fee at $4000 = $6100

If you are doing Buff, Elephant or anything else in Zimbabwe or Mozambique, get it done there for sure.

 

[sgt_zim]

I would seriously rethink this. Although the chance is small, there is no antidote to rabies. If you contract it, its pretty much a one way ticket.

There is a treatment for it, but the treatment has to be given before you become symptomatic. Symptoms show up somewhere between 30 and 90 days. Ideally, TX starts within a day or 2 of being bitten because it takes about 2 weeks to receive the treatment.

 

[375Fox]

I would seriously rethink this. Although the chance is small, there is no antidote to rabies. If you contract it, its pretty much a one way ticket.

Do you get a rabies vaccine yourself? It looks like the rabies vaccine for humans is the same series of shots before or after a bite before a rabies infection sets in. I just don’t see the justification except maybe certain areas where medical care would not be available.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Cheers folks , interesting to hear the stories and reviews. Calling them in certainly sounds exciting and maybe quite fast paced.

Certainly I wouldn’t mind trying for a couple of hours a night. May only get there once!

What’s the appeal with a honey badger?

If it’s non cites and TOPS only, that makes things a lot easier. Certainly I’d only do a skull/euro mount.


Will keep an open mind on rabies. Will speak to a Dr

 

[Flipper Dude]

Think I paid $850 last month. Fun hunt late of an afternoon. Chewore S.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

There is a treatment for it, but the treatment has to be given before you become symptomatic. Symptoms show up somewhere between 30 and 90 days. Ideally, TX starts within a day or 2 of being bitten because it takes about 2 weeks to receive the treatment.

You are correct, but your point is moot. Kudu, Eland, Hyena, Genet can all carry rabies. Let's say you fire the shot without seeing any behaviour to indicate that an animal has rabies. Get infected without knowing. Three to 12 weeks later you start showing symptoms. Tickets.
Just get the shot.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Do you get a rabies vaccine yourself? It looks like the rabies vaccine for humans is the same series of shots before or after a bite before a rabies infection sets in. I just don’t see the justification except maybe certain areas where medical care would not be available.

I hear you Zach, but it there's no turning back once its too late. To answer your question, yes, I am up to date on rabies.
This coming from someone who don't always take Malaria treatment when going into areas where Malaria is found. I like how you phrased your question, because I do exactly the same. If the locals don't take it, then I follow them.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Shot this one for myself in one of our areas. Currently being mounted by Splitting Image.

 

[Certus]

Do you get a rabies vaccine yourself? It looks like the rabies vaccine for humans is the same series of shots before or after a bite before a rabies infection sets in. I just don’t see the justification except maybe certain areas where medical care would not be available.

Its not so simple as 30-60 days later. Rabies travels through nerve cells and the time it takes to reach the brain depends on distance of brain from bite site. It’s both cool and horrifying. But like @KMG Hunting Safaris says, once’s that periods up you’re basically screwed. Medically induced coma and goooooood luck! Very few survive the Milwaukee protocol although it’s not regarded as a treatment either really.


As for hunting hyaena - is it hunting or shooting if it’s under light?

 

[Elkeater]

Folks, I’m intrigued by this as an option. I’m doing a first plains game hunt to KZN in 2025. Someone had recently gone with the outfitter and taken a hyaena at night, I presume with bait involved?

Trying to work out if this is a worthwhile hunt or not. I’m keen to try and maximise my time there. May also be burning the candle at both ends doing a day hunt and then a night hunt? Not overly fussed on bushpigs at this stage.

Anyone done it? Recommend it? Are there any other night time hunts worth considering?


I’m also very aware that taking a cites species will probably massively hold up at dip and pack?


As a side note when thinking about it, rabies vaccines worthwhile for over there? Suppose getting bitten by a dog or anything is possible..

So I have not taken a hyena. But I will say adding a couple night hunts to your schedule over there would be worthwhile. We hunted two nights for a variety species. We simply came in from our days hunting, had dinner and went back out. We took several night animals including, porcupine, civet, and grey duiker. We also had opportunity to take serval, bushpig, and genet.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Its not so simple as 30-60 days later. Rabies travels through nerve cells and the time it takes to reach the brain depends on distance of brain from bite site. It’s both cool and horrifying. But like @KMG Hunting Safaris says, once’s that periods up you’re basically screwed. Medically induced coma and goooooood luck! Very few survive the Milwaukee protocol although it’s not regarded as a treatment either really.


As for hunting hyaena - is it hunting or shooting if it’s under light?

Outsmarting the Hyena over bait is part of the hunt in itself. Do you consider a Leopard hunt at night a shoot?
Interested to hear your perspective.