Most surprising/had to have animal on your first Safari

[cpr0312]

Well, since there are no Hartebeest where you will be, I would say be on the lookout for waterbuck and eland. I like your list of kudu, impala, and zebra already on top of the 2 DG

 

[VertigoBE]

I never thought bushbuck, warthog and baboon could get me so excited, but there it is.

 

[ActionBob]

I've never had the pleasure of hunting the Save, but hyena comes to mind. Especially if you can call them in on a really dark night, very exciting and fun experience! Definitely bushbuck. I want one of every sub species.

As to my first African hunt and what surprised me... red hartebeest, black wildebeest, duiker, bushbuck. Didn't know what a mountain reedbuck was, but a fine trophy one was my first African animal.

I has purchased a package but told my PH I would shoot almost anything that was a good trophy. A few minutes into the first morning he stopped the truck suddenly and asked if I was serious about shooting anything even if not in the package. I said yes, he said get your rifle and follow me. Soon had that fine mountain reedbuck. I had said no red lechwe or Nyala as they were expensive and that was not their indigenous area.

I strongly encourage you hunt animals in their indigenous areas as much as you can.

In subsequent hunts I became interested in all the predators and tiny 10, including the little ones. The ones that eludes me yet and you may want to watch for are African wild cat and civit.

Check out the silent seven also

 

[Berettaco]

Kudu and waterbuck. I wasn’t able to get the waterbuck last trip - maybe my next trip. I was very surprised how fast and graceful those big rascals are! Grew up in Colorado hunting elk and mule deer - as you know these move nothing like the African antelope.

 

[jasyblood]

Bushbuck, Bushbuck, Bushbuck!! On my first trip over, I had never heard of one. On the morning of day 4 of that first trip, we were slowing walking the edge of a dry riverbed, looking for a group of impala that we had spotted earlier and out stepped a huge Limpopo Bushbuck! I knew right then that I wanted it. We couldn't get the sticks set up quick enough for a shot, but I have been hooked ever since. On every trip since, if there's an opportunity to hunt one, I take it.

 

[buck wild]

BUSHBUCK !!

 

[Ryan]

On my first trip to Namibia the most surprising to everyone I showed pics to was a red hartebeest. Most people brushed it off until they really saw one. I think they're awesome looking and underrated. They can be quite spooky, never giving me an opportunity with a bow at water, so I used my rifle stalking. And even then it wasn't easy. But I read someone above mention your area doesn't have them.

Otherwise, bushbuck. I went after them on my trip to the Eastern Cape and they impressed me. They remind me of Coues whitetail in Arizona. Sneaky little things. Don't underestimate an eland. I didn't get one after a few days of trying in Namibia. I finally lined things up in the Eastern Cape. They're not dumb by any means and they can disappear far easier than you think.

Good luck

 

[Jörg Krüger]

For me it would be a Nyala. I think it is one of the most beautiful planes game

 

[The Engineer]

I would suggest picking 3 or 4 core animals and then taking other mature animals that you come across while hunting the core animals. You never know when you will come across some magnificent animal that was not on the bucket list. A number of years ago a PH told the story of a client that was hunting ele and they came across a 52" buff (The PH had pictures of the buff) that the client would not take since he was hunting ele. I take what Africa provides and I have several trophies the I had not expected to take on a particular hunt.

If you do use that strategy I would also suggest you review the entire trophy fee list to make sure you do not have any surprises.

 

[IvW]

For me it would be a Nyala. I think it is one of the most beautiful planes game

Not at $5000.....for that area......

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Not at $5000.....for that area......

Definitely not for that area, but local I would love to get one.

 

[crs]

Kevin on Zebra -
Have you ever raised Welsh Ponies or even horses? I have and do, so no Zebra for me.

 

[IvW]

So no buffalo or wildebeest or eland for the cattle farmers then and no turkeys or guinea fowl for the chicken farmers and no lions or leopards for the cat breeders or....ahh bugger that all is fair game....

 

[fourfive8]

Pre-conceived notions are always interesting. Kudu are of course at the top most PG lists. Finding one may not be a big issue but finding a big one might. A good hard boss buffalo is always worth the effort- forget the width nonsense! That notion is driven by the "book" chasing crowd. Cleanly killing an old had boss bull is the deal. If you can track them down, getting up close with a good tracker all the better. Eland I notice gain little respect in the OP. Hmm? Don't know about the Save, but I've been with good trackers in a similar area not far from the Save and hunting eland by tracking is near the best hunt there is for PG. Whether on the oldest sand mass in the world in the Kalahari or through miles of mixed timbered sameness, if you can stay with them then get a clear shot at the right bull at the end of the track, assuming there is an end to the track, hunting eland that way has to be near the top of the PG list! In addition to impala, there's blue wildebeest, don't underestimate wildebeest. For sheer sharpness of all senses and difficulty to hunt, zebra that have been hunted also have to be at the top of the list. Finally, bushbuck! Hunting bushbuck mano a mano by stealth in the thick stuff has to be attempted to be appreciated.
Good luck no matter what you pursue...

 

[chonk34]

Black Wildebeest was the one for me. I didn't have one in my initial package, but after watching them in the hunting area for a few days I knew that was an animal I had to get. Due to "outfitter math" I traded away the Springbok and Warthog from my package deal to get it, then added a Warthog back to my package from the price list.

A good Warthog was one of the top animals on my list going in, but they just keep growing on me. I saw a lot of hunters go home without lining one up while I was there, so I felt pretty happy that I was able to connect. I'd love to get a Bushpig, too.

I'm sure that as you move around and observe the animals there are ones that will grow on you. It's a pretty individual thing. The animals that stood out to me were different from the ones that hooked my dad, and the uncle who hunted with us had another group of animals that struck his fancy.

 

[meigsbucks]

On my first, buffalo was my main objective and warthog, kudu, bushbuck and zebra rounded out my top five. After that it was take what came my way. Impala and blue wildebeest are classics (I took three and two respectively) but the one that surprised me was waterbuck. Although I didn’t have much interest in it… as I key this, the mount is right above my head. It has become one of my favorites. (Our dog’s favorite as well, he often sits and just stares at it.

 

[Bsto270]

I missed a baboon and really would like to take a dedicated try at one if I ever return. I did not take a shot at a duiker that I really should have, and also had no interest in a zebra until I saw later how flighty they can be ( didn't have one in the budget so did not hunt one). Ostrich also fascinated me although I don't know if I would have taken any part of it home.

 

[PARA45]

Kudu for me. My wife's favorite antelope as well. She gave me strict marching orders to bag a kudu, and that we wouldn't leave S. Africa until we got one. I almost took her words as gospel, and it turned out to be our hardest hunt. LOL.

 

[Nyati]

Impala, yes, of course, now Eland, well, there´s the young Eland, and the really old ones, which are not that easy...

 

[Tundra Tiger]

The two goals of my first hunt were kudu (I shot 2) and a cow buffalo. Kudu had been at the top of the list for decades; the buff opportunity materialized late in the game (I got one).

But to your question... I think you're asking what wasn't on the list before but now is, assuming I make it back. For me there are a couple. I had zero interest in a black wildebeest when I went over (zero!); they are close to the top of the list now, after having watched them while hunting other stuff. I had only tepid interest in nyala. After seeing them, they are much, much higher on the list. I had no real interest in zebra or warthog. Zebra was a part of my original package and after hunting and shooting a nice one, I'd happily hunt one again. If we had them in Alaska, they would be what I targeted because I enjoyed what I had so much as table fare. I shot a warthog as a low cost item late in my hunt, and, after seeing one up close, I'd happily give dedicated time to finding a good one on a future hunt.

All that said... Kudu will be on my list every time. I am delighted with the two I shot. I want to hunt them again.