Bushbuck hunting with hounds?

[BRICKBURN]

I took this screen shot from the web and wondered if this type of "traditional" driven hunt was offered very often?

Anyone that can share any more background on the history of this type of hunting I would love to learn about it.

 

[CAustin]

Seven down abou to be in the salt it looks like.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Taking out a lot of potential trophies in that picture from what I see. Gotta have a lot of B.B. to be able to do that type of culling.

 

[Royal27]

I know they do these type hunts in the area that @KMG Hunting Safaris hunts blue duiker.

BUT.... From what I was told it's VERY invitation only and local guys wait for years to be invited. It's quite cliqueish to my understanding.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Only to be left out again.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I know they do these type hunts in the area that @KMG Hunting Safaris hunts blue duiker.

@BRICKBURN Royal is correct, it is a traditional hunt down here in the Eastern Cape. In order to get invited, you need to own land, and you need to own your own pack of dogs. There would be probably 10 land owners in an area that partake, with their sons in a group, and they hunt every landowners' property on consecutive weekends.
A friend of mine's dad use to do the annual Bushbuck hunt for 20+ years with his friends. When he sold his land, he was never invited again. Talk about a tough crowd.
It speaks for itself, it is a driven hunt with hounds, and very traditional. Only males are taken, so quick identification is needed. Big fires and beverages after the day's hunt, where fines meetings are held for rams taken "too young" and anything that was out of line.
Duikers, Warthog, Bushpigs are all taken over the hunt.

Been very fortunate to have been on one of these hunts with a Xhosa king in the old Transkei. As much fun hunting, as it can get.

 

[LJ SAFARIS]

Hi Brickburn

Everything KMG said is correct. Growing up along the coast close to Grahamstown I was fortunate and did quite a few of these hunts. It is a very tight group of hunters and getting invited to hunt is an achievement. A lot of the properties where we used to hunt got sold over the years and very few people still do it in our area, however I still have a couple of friends that do this type of hunts every year.

Some good quality bushbuck used to get shot on these hunts, it was always for meat not so much for horns, but big horns used to give the hunter some bragging rights after the hunt around the fire.

All I can say is that it is quite a unique experience and cannot really be described, gets the heart going when you hear the hounds coming your direction and the possibility of shooting a ram.

 

[Hank2211]

I admit to being torn. I support the right of landowners to use their land as they see fit, I support traditions, particularly hunting traditions involving fathers and sons, and I support legal hunting even if it's not for me.

On the other hand, when I saw the picture without reading the comments, my first thought was "oh no - who's responsible for this." To see so many bushbuck killed in a day - an animal which is my favourite among the spiral horns (and I have them all save the LDE) - causes me some pain.

To keep myself happy, I'm going to assume that as landowners, all of those who participated in this hunt are involved in the preservation of bushbuck habitat, and protect the bushbuck numbers on their lands so that this type of hunt is sustainable over the long term. If I'm wrong on any of those assumptions, please do not feel the need to disabuse me.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

@Hank2211 , some days 15 rams will get taken on such a driven hunt, then in the same property the following year, 12, the year after that 18 again.
A landowners property will only get hunted once a year.
New rams move in.

 

[LJ SAFARIS]

Hi Hank

You have a valid point of view. What we use to do back in the days when I did these type of hunts a lot, we only hunted a property once a year and shot the quota of 6-8 maybe 10 bushbuck depending on the property. It was always a well managed hunting system and even today on the farms that got sold we do trophy hunting on. Some of these properties today you can see 10-15 bushbuck rams in one good day of hunting.

 

[BRICKBURN]

So, you guys are telling me the day fees are kinda steep!

 

[Hank2211]

So, you guys are telling me the day fees are kinda steep!

View attachment 217227

I’m in Wayne. That makes two! Likely need a few more!

 

[Royal27]

I’m in Wayne. That makes two! Likely need a few more!

I will put in for .5 hectare!

Does that get us over the edge?

 

[Hank2211]

I will put in for .5 hectare!

Does that get us over the edge?

There have been threads about this, and how it makes no sense, but I can still dream. I looked this property up. 7+ miles of Fish River frontage, lots of game, beautiful terrain. Tented camp.

A man can still dream!

 

[gillettehunter]

I'm in too. I enjoy hunting Bushbuck. I read about the hound hunts in Peter Flacks book on Bushbuck. Be a fun experience.
Bruce

 

[sierraone]

That is about 21 square miles. I cannot imagine owning that much land! So about $64,857,000 for all, I could go in with an acre , maybe two!!!

 

[LivingTheDream]

I put in for an acre or two as well. Looks like fun, I love bushbucks. Definitely my favorite of the plains game I have hunted or been around.

 

[BRICKBURN]

That is about 21 square miles. I cannot imagine owning that much land! So about $64,857,000 for all, I could go in with an acre , maybe two!!!

You slipped a decimal point.

 

[sierraone]

What are you saying? I now could maybe go for 3 acres!!!

 

[IdaRam]

Put me down for a .5 hectare as well. More if there is a sweat equity program
@KMG Hunting Safaris & @LJ Safaris , thanks guys for providing historical insight about these hunts. Very interesting and informative