Judging Kudu

[Norwegianwoods]

Jduckhunter, your son shot a dream kudu! It was like winning the lottery!

And winning BIG too!
I love Kudu and I am very much looking forward to see if I will manage to shoot a mature one with my bow while stalking this year

 

[EDD]

Wouldnt mind getting myself one like this one.......

View attachment 16021

 

[jduckhunter]

And winning BIG too!
I love Kudu and I am very much looking forward to see if I will manage to shoot a mature one with my bow while stalking this year

Good luck, I wish you all the success in the world.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

That is the thing about these 60+ bulls, you dont hunt them you acidentaly walk into them in the hunting field.

Good luck all

 

[Buff-Buster]

Here is a picture of a kudu my son shot on the 11th day of a 10 day hunt. We hunted for that bull for days with no luck, then when we were leaving to go to the airport for the trip home doesn't he walk across the pasture about a half mile away. Well we couldn't leave without giving him a chase so off go my son and the PH. About an hour and a half later I heard several shots that told me the chase was over. One horn taped out at 60" the other 61" it was our young PH's first 60"+ kudu and needless to say everyone was very happy. And we did make our flight. Some times the hunting Gods just smile on you! (I hope the photo is attached I'm not too good at this.)

What an absolutely beautiful bull! That one would have haunted him the rest of his life had he not gotten him at the last second! The bull of a lifetime. Congrats!!

 

[jduckhunter]

Thanks B-B, yeah his whole attitude and general outlook on life changed in a matter of minutes. And that smile took months to wear off. Now he's smiling cause we booked to go back and hunt buff. We'll see if his luck holds out. I sure hope so!

 

[Bobpuckett]

Here is a picture of a kudu my son shot on the 11th day of a 10 day hunt. We hunted for that bull for days with no luck, then when we were leaving to go to the airport for the trip home doesn't he walk across the pasture about a half mile away. Well we couldn't leave without giving him a chase so off go my son and the PH. About an hour and a half later I heard several shots that told me the chase was over. One horn taped out at 60" the other 61" it was our young PH's first 60"+ kudu and needless to say everyone was very happy. And we did make our flight. Some times the hunting Gods just smile on you! (I hope the photo is attached I'm not too good at this.)

Fantastic Kudu

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Scoring Spiral-Horned Animals

 

[Trap123]

I am just glad I will have a pro with me to tell me what I can and can't shoot because they all look good to me I would be coming out of my skin with every one of them

 

[ROCKET]

I would really appreciate it if any of the experienced people here could put the inches to the following categories for Kudu......


Representative......

Good......

Very good.....

Excellent.....

Incredible.......

This is not just about inches, but will help me to have a better idea about Kudus trophies than I allready have about this animal.

I dont have my trophies back home yet....almost....and I didnt measured my Kudu when I hunted it.......I would like to know if you see it as a mature animal.....

Watching pics and comments here at the forum I guess that my Kudu should be into the "Representative" categorie.

Thank you in advance mates.....!!!!

 

[sestoppelman]

I would say mid to high forties is representative. 50 to 52 is good. 52 - 54 is very good. 54-57 is xllnt and anything over that is incredible. I read recently where Craig Boddington who has taken many kudu list as his best at 53 inches.

 

[jeffpg]

Gotta Love Kudu!

There's some great photos and information shared here. I think my favorite thing about Kudu is the wonderful variety found in the different shapes that can be seen on individual animals.

I don't consider myself to be much of a expert judge of them. I just know when I like what I see and if I have my bow in my hand I find it very difficult to NOT shoot a mature bull that shows up!

Here's a couple of pics of my most recent bull taken in the Limpopo province of SA.

Although probably the smallest of the 5 Kudu that I have been fortunate to take, he lived in some pretty steep mountains and when I commented on his beefy body my PH told me that the Kudu there were bigger bodied than those I'd previously hunted in the flat country of Botswana due to the workout they got in the mountainous terrain. It was also mentioned that due to the fact that the bulls had more places to remain hidden in the broken terrain, they naturally grew older and bigger horn wise, on average.

This made perfect sense to me. What do you guys think of that logic?

 

[Bobpuckett]

Not wanting to assume anything which Kudu are you asking about?

Abyssinian Greater Kudu

East African Greater Kudu

Eastern Cape Greater Kudu

Lesser Kudu

Southern Greater Kudu

Western Greater Kudu

I am with Sest if your talking Southern Greater Kudu.

 

[sestoppelman]

Pretty sure he is talking GK, that's what he has pictured.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Pretty sure he is talking GK, that's what he has pictured.

Yep that's what I was thinking too!

 

[ROCKET]

Yes friends, you are right.....I was talking about the Southern greater Kudu......Ses give to me a good idea about the categories/inches to judge a animal like that......I really apreciate all your answers.....!!!!

Thanks......!!!!

 

[archerman]

Rocket,


In my limited experience a representative Southern Greater Kudu would measure around 45 to 48"... that is average...... a good bull is in the 50 t0 53 ".. a very good bull would be in 54 to 59 " an excellent bull would be 60 - 65 "...

Remember, Length is not the only factor... the shape of the V , the 3rd spiral on the horn, and the ivory tips that point straight up all contribute to what a trophy Kudu should be. One that has all of this and measures 60 " +is excellent and over 70" would be incredible. My understanding is that the largest entry in Rowland and Ward was a set of horns that measured 72" and was actually not killed by a hunter but found on a carcass by a PH in Mozambique .

So, that should give you some Idea...

The picture of your bull looks good, his horns have 3 curls and the tips have a little ivory and are just starting to go straight up.

I would be curios to find out what he measures...

Congratulations,

 

[BRICKBURN]

53 7/8 is Rowland Ward Minimum.
That is an amazing Kudu.

(You have to remember that anything making Rowland Ward will blow the SCI min score out of the water.)

60 is over the top incredible.
Rare as hens teeth.

 

[sestoppelman]

That's a 2 curl bull and I would guess it at about 46 or so inches.

 

[archerman]

Rocket,

BTW... your bull has a really nice dark coat, well defined Chevron and the horns have good mass. All around he is a fine trophy and will make a nice mount. You should have a great memory of the hunt. Those things should be the most important aspects of your hunting experience.

Enjoy,