From: Safari-Hunt (Original Message) Sent: 11/28/2002 6:48 PM
Hi,

Safari asked me about my bushbuck photo that I have posted and he wanted more info so since that bushbuck are very near to my heart let me add info for all of you on bushbuck.

Well let me first tell the story of that one bushbuck love to stay close to water in thick bush and also mountainous areas. Before I go on I must say that I don't have any expereince with East Cape bushbuck but all of them that I have hunted were all Limpopo Bushbuck.

Anyway I have a spot where there is plenty of bushbuck around it is thick stuff next to a river and in the mountains as well. My first bushbuck I hunted was by accident as we were hunitng for kudu on the mountains we were on our way back when out of the corner of my eye I saw movement and saw two bushbuck running away into the thicker stuff. I ran after them and surprized the ram It was only 15 meters from me looking at me over its back I shouldered my rifle planning to hit him in the neck where it meets the body but because of the range and the time it took for me to take the shot the shot was low.

The bullet entered in the correct line but entered next to the spine and moved all the way to its lungs where he just dropped like a stone. My first bushbuck beatifulle very dark color almost black at placesn with nice white markings I was 17. I gutted him and carried him of the mountain making a backpack out of him luckily it was all downhill but I was exhausted when I got down. His horns were just under 15"

Since then I have killed another 8 rams on that piece of land the 8th one I decided to finally get mounted becuase they are so beatifull and I had some money to do it. He also had very dark skin with beatifull white marks. He measured 16" the next week I was out again after kudu but didn't find any I walked back and looking down onto this one ridge I saw this bushbuck lying and he heard me picked up it's head Bushbuck is very fast action and I took the shot. He ran off and I heard him crash down I wlaked up to him and then only realized what set of horns he had he didn't have the same colour more brown not as dark as the others.He measured 17" but very big in body weighing around 80kg he was the biggest in horns and weight. So I took him to the taxidermist as well to get mounted and asked if he would have any problems selling the other so that I can only pay for this one as I only had enough money for the one mount. He said it was OK as it would be easy to sell off a 16" bushbuck as they don't come around everyday for sale anyway.

Well that is the story no more of the habits they will only be found in the open late afternoons and early mornings by open I mean you will be able to see them. They don't run fast and you ran run after them as they dash for short bursts then satnd and wait for you if you are quick enough you can get your shot. The are aggresive don't corner them they will charge. They have a loud bark almost like a kudu and you can forget to hunt them if they bark and you don't spot them. They vanish into the bush even better than kudu. You need a lot of luck to hunt them to find a good trophy I am lucky as most of them were good and without adding the last 17" the avg must have been around 14 1/2". I love bushbuck hunting and except for kudu they are my favorite to hunt. I have shot all of them with my trusty 303 enfield. The longest shot I had ever shot one was 55 meters. The norm being between 15 - 30 meters I hope this gives you enough information enjoy.