The best Kudu hunt?

[Saul]

I first dreamed of hunting Africa after watching the classic 1950 film “King Solomon’s Mines” starring Stewart Granger. What I cannot remember is how I came to have an almost singular focus on hunting Kudu.

With that in mind, what advice would you give to someone aiming to have the ultimate Kudu hunting experience? Can you recall any specific hunts that were especially memorable, and what made them stand out?

 

[WAB]

The upper Luangwa Valley, Zambia, or the Kalahari, Northern Botswana.

 

[375Fox]

It really depends what you are looking for. I’ve taken I think 11 kudu in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. I think hunting low fence ranches in the mountains in Namibia has been my favorite kudu hunt because of the ability to glass and really see some ground. Hunting the Karoo in eastern cape South Africa I thought very good hunt as well because the ability to glass and plan a good stalk. All the other kudu I’ve taken have been in thick brush and more opportunistic with a short stalk from the vehicle more than really hunting them. Rut is in May/June depending where you hunt. Later in the season concentrates kudu as well. If I wanted a huge kudu now I’d hunt Botswana during rut, but if trophy isn’t priority I’d choose an area with mountains.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have three on the wall and spent a lot of hunting for them. My advice is:

1. Be in good shape. Kudu typically hang out in thick cover and rough terrain.

2. Get a gun good for three hundred yards. Mine were shot at 330 yards, 440 yards (but not with my rifle), and 70 yards. 30-06 or 300 Win would be good choices.

3. Always put kudu at the top of your list. They are not easy to connect. May take several days to get your bull.

 

[JimP]

My first kudu on my first hunt in the Eastern Cape.

I wasn't fixed on shooting one but it was on my list. The first few days we saw some but never a shooter, so as we went I filled my other animals on my list. Then we got down to the last few days. My PH was busting his rear trying to get me one but again no shooters were found.

We headed to a couple different properties and all we managed to do on the first one was to break the starters mount on his vehicle. On the other property we took a very long walk, again no shooters were seen, but we were seeing some. Then the tracker found one down in a small valley, as all of us tried to get into a shooting position some noise was made and off he went. I also has a warthog on my list and on our way out of that area we spotted a very nice one, he headed into some brush but we never saw him again.

The last day came and off we went to another property. We hiked into a area and again only saw small ones. We took a short drive and hiked into another area with a second PH and tracker. We saw a nicer one but my PH said that we could do better, the other PH wanted me to shoot it, but on we went. We then spotted one up in some trees. We crawled the last 50 yards to get into position. The only trouble was that all I could see was his body and I wasn't going to shoot until I saw his horns. I was in a sitting position with my rifle on the sticks watching him through the scope. This went on for a good 45 minutes, then he moved to where I could see his head but not his body. A hour later nothing was happening but we noticed some cows in the valley below him and figured that he would stand up for them. The cows came up the hill and picked up another bull, there was no question that this bull was larger than the one laying down but he was moving through the brush so no shot. Then the cows came out into the open and stopped. He was right behind them and as soon as he stopped I pulled the trigger. I recovered from the recoil and the second PH said to shoot him again, but as soon as I got the scope onto him he was down.

While I wasn't after a kudu I had a very nice one on the ground. All the hiking, sweat, and glassing paid off on that morning of the last day. It is one that I'll remember the rest of my life when I look at the mount on my wall.

 

[fourfive8]

Best kudu hunt? Like any other hunt. Depends on what you put into it and any hunt amounts to much more than any particular location or size of animal. I’ve killed 5 and hunted them in Zambia, Zimbabwe, RSA, Mozambique and Botswana. Although not as common a method as “drive and shoot”, they can be hunted by tracking. Good trackers can track them. Good trackers are where you find them but the San Bushmen of the Kalahari in Botswana are the best IMO. Big kudu are where you find them. Once buggered in thick, broken country, their reputation as gray ghosts is well deserved. My largest kudu is from Botswana. My hardest earned from Mozambique.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I took my kudu on a 30,000 acre property in S. Africa in Limpopo. I know there is a split between high fence and free-range/low fence hunting on here but I can tell you...It was not easy. I really thought we were going to leave that day empty handed. The property was incredibly thick and we just happened to luck out and have a decent (not a monster), shooter male come to the water at the blind we were at. It's the one in my avatar. We had driven around a ton that day, only would spot them for a second, and most were females and immature males. They do truly disappear in an instant, very quietly. For every, 2-3 immature males and droves of females you see, you might spot one good male.

The real driver is terrain. From what I understand, the Stormberg Mountains offers some unreal free-range kudu hunting in Eastern Cape. The difference between mountain hunting and hunting on the brushier, flat areas is glassing then stalk vs. spot then stalk from the truck.

In the low/plateau/flat lands, like Limpopo, you are not going to glass. It's too thick. Up in the mountains, they literally hunt them like they do elk, sheep, deer, etc here in the USA. Get up to a vantage point, glass around, find what you're looking for, and put a stalk on. You could just luck into one on a walk, driving, etc. They seem to disappear even easier in the mountains with the shifting terrain, elevation, and shadows.

You can definitely try and bag a monster your first time out. However, you may want to get your feet wet with hunting a decent bull somewhere with a little easier terrain.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Hunting the hills and mountains of Eastern Cape you'll want to be up early and in the bush when the sun just comes up. Kudu are big animals but their skin is thin and their hair is not hollow like our North American ungulate big game. Kudu get cold at night during the South African winter. So when the sun hits the hills just after dawn, look for kudu to be moving to small openings to warm up. Don't wait around at the lodge for fancy breakfast with the rest of the crowd. Grab a bowl of cereal and coffee and hit the road in the dark.

 

[USN]

Bayly Sipple safaris has a deal with a large cattle ranch that adjoins one of their properties in the Limpopo region of South Africa. The kudu eat the cattle pellets and are protein enhanced. The ranch puts out citrus pulp to try and draw the kudu off the protein pellets. You get the idea. Contact them and enjoy. Tell them Mac sent you. Hunt report with 56 inch kudu here or check their Facebook for pics.

 

[samson7x]

Bayly Sipple safaris has a deal with a large cattle ranch that adjoins one of their properties in the Limpopo region of South Africa. The kudu eat the cattle pellets and are protein enhanced. The ranch puts out citrus pulp to try and draw the kudu off the protein pellets. You get the idea. Contact them and enjoy. Tell them Mac sent you. Hunt report with 56 inch kudu here or check their Facebook for pics.

I’m booked with them next May and Dempsey was telling me about this. Looking forward to the hunt.

 

[375Fox]

I took my kudu on a 30,000 acre property in S. Africa in Limpopo. I know there is a split between high fence and free-range/low fence hunting on here but I can tell you...It was not easy. I really thought we were going to leave that day empty handed. The property was incredibly thick and we just happened to luck out and have a decent (not a monster), shooter male come to the water at the blind we were at. It's the one in my avatar. We had driven around a ton that day, only would spot them for a second, and most were females and immature males. They do truly disappear in an instant, very quietly. For every, 2-3 immature males and droves of females you see, you might spot one good male.

The real driver is terrain. From what I understand, the Stormberg Mountains offers some unreal free-range kudu hunting in Eastern Cape. The difference between mountain hunting and hunting on the brushier, flat areas is glassing then stalk vs. spot then stalk from the truck.

In the low/plateau/flat lands, like Limpopo, you are not going to glass. It's too thick. Up in the mountains, they literally hunt them like they do elk, sheep, deer, etc here in the USA. Get up to a vantage point, glass around, find what you're looking for, and put a stalk on. You could just luck into one on a walk, driving, etc. They seem to disappear even easier in the mountains with the shifting terrain, elevation, and shadows.

You can definitely try and bag a monster your first time out. However, you may want to get your feet wet with hunting a decent bull somewhere with a little easier terrain.

I really haven’t seen a difference in behavior between a high fence and a low fence kudu, other species like sable though huge difference. The difference in a low fence or high fence kudu hunt comes in the amount of other animals on property. A low fence farm might only have kudu, warthog, a few others depending on the region so a lot less other animals to ruin your stalks so when you find a good kudu there is a better chance of getting it. Also more ability to focus just on kudu.

 

[Rem280]

@KMG Hunting Safaris hunts the Kudu on free range properties in the Eastern Cape. It reminded me of Elk/Mule Deer hunting here. Tough hunt and free range. Lots of glassing. Here is the one I shot. Love the ivory tips.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I really haven’t seen a difference in behavior between a high fence and a low fence kudu, other species like sable though huge difference. The difference in a low fence or high fence kudu hunt comes in the amount of other animals on property. A low fence farm might only have kudu, warthog, a few others depending on the region so a lot less other animals to ruin your stalks so when you find a good kudu there is a better chance of getting it. Also more ability to focus just on kudu.

Low fence won't hold kudu. High fence may not hold them either. I'm told they can half jump half climb over high fence. My Eastern Cape PHs told me kudu go where they want. Game density and variety on fenced properties depends mostly on how the property is managed, not necessarily the height of fence.

 

[WAB]

My best kudu hunt was in Botswana with my wife. She didn’t harvest a kudu, but we played cat and mouse with an honest 60” bull for an entire evening. She continually passed on the lesser bulls he pushed ahead. It was a fantastic hunt!

 

[USN]

I’m booked with them next May and Dempsey was telling me about this. Looking forward to the hunt.

It will be a blast. Enjoy, they will take good care of you!

 

[dchum]

I really want to hunt in the east cape - seems like hunting I would like.

But the EC kudu are smaller on Average. 48 seems like a real good EC kudu.

Although @TERMINATOR just posted a 57” EC bull that is just crazy. So no blanket statements are not being made!

But like many have said lots of big Bulls in Botswana. I shot a nice 55” In the mountains of Namibia and saw lots of nice bulls. Seems to have good genetics in namib. Probably not the density of animals as other countries though.
Here is a big heavy Namibia bull 55”

Here is a young central namib bull with great genetics - he needs a few more years - we let him walk through the dry Heusis river peacefully.

 

[Fatback]

Bayly Sipple safaris has a deal with a large cattle ranch that adjoins one of their properties in the Limpopo region of South Africa. The kudu eat the cattle pellets and are protein enhanced. The ranch puts out citrus pulp to try and draw the kudu off the protein pellets. You get the idea. Contact them and enjoy. Tell them Mac sent you. Hunt report with 56 inch kudu here or check their Facebook for pics.

I shot this kudu bull on that cattle ranch with Dempsey last year. It wasn’t really a hunt, the bull had been shot previously and was in real bad shape and we put it down around the feed lot.

But it does show the type of genetics that are on that place. A very nice bull that measures right at 55 inches with good mass.

 

[Tintin]

Like @Rem280 - I had a great Kudu hunt in some amazing Eastern Cape country with @KMG Hunting Safaris.

 

[dchum]

Like @Rem280 - I had a great Kudu hunt in some amazing Eastern Cape country with @KMG Hunting Safaris.

View attachment 627826

Beautiful country and bull

 

[Green Chile]

The kudu genetics in Botswana are pretty incredible. If I was super focused on kudu, I would be talking to forum sponsor NKWE. They have taken many high 50's and into low 60's kudu in recent seasons...not 10 years ago...now!