Animals That Surprised You

[chiefdale]

Planning my first safari. I am wondering what animals really took you by surprise when you saw them. Did any animals then become a must have. It's easy to see pictures and be blown away. But I am sure real life will change everything. What animals surprised you that you thought you may not want to take, but did?

 

[CAustin]

Nyala surprised me in terms of their stealth and beauty!

 

[lcq]

Mountain reedbuck. I was warned how tough it was going to be but like an idiot I didn't listen

 

[billc]

I wanted all the general animals you think of when going to SA. The red hartebeest was never one I thought I wanted then seeing them out in the sun red coat shining may me look at them in a whole other light.
Then also the steenbok and duiker which I took the last trip. Just thought they were to small to want but know I look for them when hunting.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Bushbuck and Red Hartebeest. The first for its smarts and the latter for its speed.

 

[Pheroze]

Kudu. I actually forgot to pull the trigger I was so blown away by it. Very graceful and regal.

 

[cpr0312]

Red hartebeest for sure, already knew I wanted gemsbok, but their beauty still surprised me as welll

 

[wipartimer]

Waterbuck. I had absolutely no interest in one until I arrived at the lodge on my first safari. Something about the shear size of that magnificent shoulder mount seeming to look down at me made me have to hunt one. I knew Kudu was way out of my budget, an honestly I didn't want one simply because everyone else wants Kudu; but for some reason that waterbuck struck me.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Elephant; How the hell does something that big hide in plain sight.

Kudu materializing out of nowhere when I was actually staring at the opening in the bush.

Vaalies. Zero interest until I learned where they lived in the mountains and just how similar they were to mountain sheep to hunt.

 

[Hank2211]

Sable. Saw lots on my first safari, and had never even heard of them. Magnificent animal.

Ostrich. Never thought I'd want to shoot one until they keep busting all my stalks. Then decided to take it upon myself to rid the world of this curse. So far (three or four ostriches later), not much luck.

 

[Aaron N]

Blue Wildebeest. The only interest I had in one was just because they screamed Africa. But once I got close to mine, they have a beautiful coat. I'm not convinced on the "poor mans buffalo" moniker though.

 

[hunting4sanity]

Probably my number one animal going over was a kudu, seeing them only intensified that desire, seeing an even better kudu on the last day makes me want another one. I was leaning towards a zebra going over, that changed to a must-have once we were out hunting, back at home it's probably my favorite mount. We encountered cape buffalo and waterbucks several times while hunting, they weren't on the radar for the first safari, but when I go back I really want to hunt both.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Duiker, never wanted one, had zero interest in the tiny 10, after shooting a common duiker, I've got to have the other 9. I believe the way that my PH had them displayed really peaked my interest. They are like Coues Deer, hunt them once and you are addicted!
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Poz]

I had a list of 6, Kudu, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Warthog and impala going over, as I knew I wanted them, I also had Eland in the back of my head as an animal I really wanted to hunt if a good bull presented, red hartebeest was an animal I had no interest in, they seemed funny looking and not interesting to me at all. The lechwe was another I had seen but virtually discounted. Well the lechwe was probably 1 of the first African animals I saw and I was hooked, I also took a Red Hartebeest cow and the more I looked at that skull the more infatuated I became with them. Of everything I hunted there is not 1 animal that I could have taken off my hunt list even down to 2 Warthogs everything came into the wonderful dream I can relive daily in my mind that others call a trip to Africa. I am hooked on this amazing place and wonderful people. I hope you have the trip of a lifetime, as I did.

 

[gizmo]

I have to say springbok did it for me. I'd seen a million pics of them but it wasn't until we started hunting them that I really fell in love with them. They are so graceful and just an absolute hoot to hunt. It was, at least for us, a distance game which I really enjoyed. Reminded me of hunting pronghorn.

 

[AZDAVE]

Cape Buffalo the first time a young bull looked at me from 30 yards and Watching a cape Eland move and jump with a grace that is hard to believe in an animal that large.

 

[BSO Dave]

I think just about every animal that I wasn't initially impressed with, became very impressive on the hoof standing no more than 30 yards away from my bow blind. I think bow hunter's have this advantage over rifle hunters in that we have the luxury of viewing the game for longer periods at much closer range. You can really study the intricacies and beauty of each species and gain that appreciation from such a close encounter.

I think the point here that everyone has demonstrated is to be prepared to be impressed with animals that you originally had no interest in taking. The best think about Africa is the abundance of opportunity. You need to plan on taking a trophy or two more than you are anticipating, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to you.

 

[Poz]

Yep, went planning on 6 or 7 ended up taking 10 animals and started making plans for a return trip!

 

[Therack]

Bushbuck is a beautiful animal and I found it harder to hunt than other plains game as they live in the thick stuff and don't travel in herds.

 

[tay50]

The one animal that surprised me the most, was the Red Hartebeest never had an interest in one, they have the face only a mother could love, boy was I wrong. I took a beautiful Red in June and fell in love with it when I finally laid hands on it, hard to stalk and hard to put down. I will be hunting one again next May in the EC, and any other time I'm hunting Africa.