Bushbuck...best month to hunt?

[Erny]

I was looking at booking a hunt near in South Africa's eastern cape. Anyone know if there is a preferred month to hunt them. I have been wanting wanting to bag bushbuck but have never even gotten a shot on one in previous hunts.

 

[enysse]

I'm not sure there is best month, the most important thing is to hunt a well managed, non pressured property. I guarantee you if you hunt a good property you will get a mature one. I saw 2 nice ones in May, one year I went. I will be trying again this August.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I was looking at booking a hunt near in South Africa's eastern cape. Anyone know if there is a preferred month to hunt them. I have been wanting wanting to bag bushbuck but have never even gotten a shot on one in previous hunts.

Hi Erny,
Bushbuck are called Bushbuck for a reason, and not because they live in the plains.

If you are looking for the best time, I would say look at doing the trip in the coldest month for the area. In the Eastern Cape that would be July. On those cold crisp mornings, the Bushbuck can't stay out of the sun. If the sun hits them, it means we can see them. If we can see them, we can hunt them.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[bassasdaindia]

I was looking at booking a hunt near in South Africa's eastern cape. Anyone know if there is a preferred month to hunt them. I have been wanting wanting to bag bushbuck but have never even gotten a shot on one in previous hunts.

@Erny , @KMG Hunting Safaris - Marius is your best bet for the Eastern Cape , really professional organization and well run . Good luck with selecting your outfitter , Marius is my PH of choice.

 

[BWH]

I'll be hunting bushbuck next week.... First week of May, in the Midlands of KZN. So, I hope May is the best month....

 

[Royal27]

If the sun hits them, it means we can see them. If we can see them, we can hunt them.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Hahaha...probably my favorite movie this.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Hi Erny,
Bushbuck are called Bushbuck for a reason, and not because they live in the plains.

If you are looking for the best time, I would say look at doing the trip in the coldest month for the area. In the Eastern Cape that would be July. On those cold crisp mornings, the Bushbuck can't stay out of the sun. If the sun hits them, it means we can see them. If we can see them, we can hunt them.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

What Marius said. Marius and I watched plenty of Bushbuck Rams every morning.
I passed on this guy at thirty yards. As I recall it was July.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

As I recall it was July.
View attachment 149500

Yip. So cold, I was wearing two pairs of shorts....

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Bushbuck think its cold. That's all that matters.

 

[Wheels]

Yip. So cold, I was wearing two pairs of shorts....

Scary.

 

[spike.t]

Scary.

the charlies angels photo!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

And if those blue shorts are the ones Marius wears when only wearing one pair........

 

[Wheels]

Scary.

the charlies angels photo!

Never thought of that before. Even down to two brunets and a blond!

 

[CAustin]

I'm not sure there is best month, the most important thing is to hunt a well managed, non pressured property. I guarantee you if you hunt a good property you will get a mature one. I saw 2 nice ones in May, one year I went. I will be trying again this August.

I would like to add one of these to the trophy wall as well! I'll be over there in July so hope to see some!

 

[BWH]

More like Reno 911....

 

[Royal27]

I would like to add one of these to the trophy wall as well! I'll be over there in July so hope to see some!

Wow Charlie.... I mean Ok... if that's what you want to hang on your wall, well, your call, but I don't see why anyone would actually want to see one....

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Bushbuck think its cold. That's all that matters.

If you go to ride the the back of the Bakkie and you want in the cab within the first hundred yards, so you do not freeze to death, then it is perfect weather for seeing Bushbuck.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

You boys cut me deep....

 

[WildRose]

I'm no expert but I've been told basically that all of the plains game are best taken during the winter months of July and August in South Africa. Like many have mentioned here the frosty mornings bring the game into the sun to warm up and the smaller species such as the Bushbuck can be really difficult to find, much less get a shot at when they stick to the heavy brush.

I was fortunate to see a few of them in the wild but never one I thought was a true trophy so I passed on them.

Doc Haward at Donkerkloof lodge has probably the two prettiest representatives of the species I've ever seen mounted in his living room there at the ranch.

Of all the places I visited on my trip his is where I felt most at home and will absolutely return in the future as many times as he'll have me.

He has I think 17 or 18 species available on the ranch where he does very limited hunting and has access to more on neighboring properties as well.

He's only a couple of hours away from Port Elizabeth in the East Cape and I can't recommend him or his place enough.

He can be contacted at"

neil@donkerkloof.co.za

His website is:

http://www.donkerkloof.co.za/

If you are also interested in some hunting in the Karoo I'd also highly recommend you book through PC Ferreria. The "Lodge" is the old family ranch headquarters that's been in the family for hundreds of years. He also has some packages that include sightseeing trips to PE and Cape Town along with some of the most outstanding game watching you'll find outside of the national parks. He's also the main force behind the Karoo Hippo Restoration project and has donated a large portion of his river acreage to that end.

PC can be reached at

info@karoogariep.co.za

His website is:

http://www.karoogariep.co.za/

He is just getting his feet wet in the outfitting business but has contacts all over the area and access to just about any species that can be found in the Karoo or East Cape. He even has an airstrip on the place for small planes and Helicopter access so if you are interested in aerial vewing and photorgraphy of the area both are available as well as being able to arrange air service to/from Capetown and Port Elizabeth or just about any other location within reasonable reach of a small plane. Again, you'll have a hard time ever finding yourself more welcome than you would at his lodge.

In all fairness though, I have yet to meet an Afrikaner that didn't make me feel like part of the family within minutes of walking through their front door. It wouldn't take a whole lot for me to just pack up and move over there and stay if the truth be told.