What are the toughest plains game animals??

[StevenQ718]

I'm a new hunter. Just wondering which plains game animals are the hardest to bring down. From my experience, I think it might be blue wildebeest??

 

[375er]

Blue Wildebeest are for sure tough as are Hartebeest and Zebra.

 

[Still alive]

Out of the ten pg animals I shot the blue wildebeest was the hardest to bring down. He jumped, kicked then ran 60 yards to his death. Died right on a road for us drive up to him. Awesome

 

[BRICKBURN]

 

[ActionBob]

In spite of their reputation, the two blue wildebeest i shot dropped and died in their tracks. I've had the most difficulty with zebra.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

1. Blue Wildebeest
2. Waterbuck/Zebra
3. Sable

2 & 3 can be interchanged, depending on the individual animal.

 

[slam8031]

In my humble opinion, study of the anatomy, accurate shooting, caliber choices, and a quality bullet all play in to the toughness argument. A poor shot at poor angles often results in wouda, shoulda, couda problems. My best shot compared to my worst shot have not been based on the animal but me the shooter...

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

In my humble opinion, study of the anatomy, accurate shooting, caliber choices, and a quality bullet all play in to the toughness argument. A poor shot at poor angles often results in wouda, shoulda, couda problems. My best shot compared to my worst shot have not been based on the animal but me the shooter...

Toughness should not really be judged on good shots, but poor shots. You could take a Blue Wildebeest down with a well placed .22, can't you? When things don't go your way, and if you hunt enough this will be the case, that's when we should judge an animal's will to live.

Blue Wildebeest are born sick. The more you shoot them, the healthier they get.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I had one blue wildebeest run 100 yards or so with a .458+ hole from one side of her heart out the other side….amazing.

I had another just spin around a bit spewing blood from both holes with a perfect broadside shot. He however was an ancient old bull.

And another that also ran on a good broadside shot. So yah I’d agree with the blue being on the list. I’m kind of surprised the Black Wildebeest hasn’t been mentioned, they seem just as tough as their blue cousins.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Wilderbeest
Zebra
Sable

 

[Red Leg]

1. Blue Wildebeest
2. Waterbuck/Zebra
3. Sable

2 & 3 can be interchanged, depending on the individual animal.

That would be my list as well. My personal worst experience was a waterbuck (Crawshay Defassa) in Zambia. We finally caught him only because he largely ran out of blood as he reached the deep mud and reeds on the banks of the Kafue.

In my humble opinion, study of the anatomy, accurate shooting, caliber choices, and a quality bullet all play in to the toughness argument. A poor shot at poor angles often results in wouda, shoulda, couda problems. My best shot compared to my worst shot have not been based on the animal but me the shooter...

Well duh.

But on the day all that study, accuracy, proper caliber, and perfect bullet somehow just doesn't go according to plan the list above seems about right to create a really long few hours.

 

[flatwater bill]

An old German told me in broken English: Kudu and Hartebeeste...not so tough.
zebra and oryx.....very tough

22 years later that fits my experience.............FWB

 

[R.M.C.]

I've only shot one blue wildebeest but they have my vote, with zebra being right there with it. I would think eland would be tough just due to their size but I have no experience with them. The wildebeest I shot was with a 30.06 right in the shoulder at 50 yards. He ran about 30 yards and laid down at which point the little tracking dogs caught up and started harassing him. He managed to get up on wobbly legs and try to gore the dogs a bit and made it a few steps towards us, I shot him three more times before he laid back down. Only one bullet went all the way through, the one that went into his throat area at a funny angle. The other three were under the hide on his far shoulder. The same gun and bullets took a zebra at 100 yards and got pass through on his shoulder and a follow up that was just under the hide. So in my limited experience the wildebeest seemed tougher.

 

[JimP]

I actually don't think that you can pick one.

I have seen heart shot animals go 100+yards after being hit. I have also seen them drop in their tracks. So if you ask the hunter that had one go 100 yards he'll say that the animal that he shot is a tough animal. The hunter who had one drop in it's tracks will say that there is no problem. So who's right?

I had a black wildebeest go 50 yards, I had a blue wildebeest drop in it's tracks, so is the black wildebeest harder to kill than the blue wildebeest? I had a kudu drop in his tracks and another one go for a mile or more with the same hit through the lungs, which one is tougher.

I also had a bleastbuck take three hits to put him down, my next one dropped in his tracks.

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All were shot with the same bullets out of the same rifle at various distances.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I actually don't think that you can pick one.

Will have to disagree here Jim. Blue WB stands above all. Seen them take shot after shot after shot, all withing a tennis ball group on the shoulder, sneezing blood from their nose, and still try to walk off, only to realise that the fuel line has been cut.

All were shot with the same bullets out of the same rifle at various distances.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here. Barnes TSX/TTSX?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

That would be my list as well. My personal worst experience was a waterbuck (Crawshay Defassa) in Zambia. We finally caught him only because he largely ran out of blood as he reached the deep mud and reeds on the banks of the Kafue.

View attachment 511102

Problem with the Waterbuck is also their lack of throwing a good blood trail due to their skin. Especially for the blood trailing hounds. On the other hand, their strong smell however makes it easier for the hounds to scent them simply from the air. That musky smell lingers for a long time after they have passed through the area.

 

[JimP]

Will have to disagree here Jim. Blue WB stands above all. Seen them take shot after shot after shot, all withing a tennis ball group on the shoulder, sneezing blood from their nose, and still try to walk off, only to realise that the fuel line has been cut.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here. Barnes TSX/TTSX?

Yes all with a 338 TTSX. All had good exit wounds and when at the cleaning shed looking at the damage, it was extensive on the lungs and heart. It was interesting on the first kudu that I shot the skinners were holding up a heart that was shredded and looked like what you would pull out of a paper shredding machine. While this one didn't go far he did do a few circles to the point that my PH was telling me to hit him again when he stopped.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Have witnessed a few die hard blesbok. Good hits and they still stayed with the fleeing herd.

 

[autofire]

Roan and Eland are tanks. Will go for hours, days with serious but not fatal shot placement. Spent 7 hours tracking Roan with shattered rear leg, up and down koppies, through thick bush and nasty monkey thorn. Hell of a great memory!