The Little Big Buck

[McKenzie Sims]

Bushbuck, one of them members of the spiral horn family that is found almost throughout the entire continent of Africa making it the most diverse and widespread spiral horn antelope. SCI record book has 8 subspecies of bushbuck registered while upwards of 10+ subspecies have been talked about in the early years of travels and hunters first exploring the dark continent.

Hunting this small antelope species will put you to the test whether it’s in the mountain terrain or along the thick riverine habitat they call home. Trying to scrounge out a monster ram can be a lifelong journey. The southern varieties such as the Cape Bushbuck, Limpopo Bushbuck and Chobe Bushbuck have a higher average in horn length but that does not mean that really big East African, Nile and Menelik’s bushbuck do not exist, they are out there. The Harnessed of central and western Africa and the Abyssinian of Ethiopia are the two smallest horn sized of the Bushbuck family but are the hardest two to get with the Abyssinian being the most challenging. Regardless of subspecies trying to find a big ram is a very challenging task. Pursuing all of the Bushbuck varieties will take you to many countries and into many different types of habitat they call home giving you a vast experience of the country.



I’m not much on ranking animals but if I had to, I would place the bushbuck in the top 5 of my most favorite African antelope to hunt.


I have shared photos of my Menelik’s from Ethiopia, Limpopo from South Africa, and my Cape from South Africa. I still have many subspecies to hunt but without a doubt will always be on the lookout from a truly monster ram wherever I go that bushbuck call home.





Let’s see some of your bushbuck photos!

 

[Hunt anything]

That’s not a little big buck, that’s a giant. Bushbuck are far and away my favorite plains game. I’ll be going after my fourth next year. Hopefully one that compares with that one!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I thought about hunting bushbuck but the method preferred by my lodge didn't turn my crank. Not interested in sitting on the edge of a farmer's field at daybreak and waiting for something to step out. That's beanfield whitetail shooting. Yawn. Going after bushbuck in the thick stuff must indeed be challenging. Sometimes hunted with shotguns? They make a beautiful and very manageable shoulder mount.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

That’s not a little big buck, that’s a giant. Bushbuck are far and away my favorite plains game. I’ll be going after my fourth next year. Hopefully one that compares with that one!

They are such a fascinating species to hunt! I cant get my other two photos to upload. I sure hope to see photos of your next one.

 

[TROPHY DESTINATIONS]

They are such a fascinating species to hunt! I cant get my other two photos to upload. I sure hope to see photos of your next one.

Definitely one of the most underrated plains game animals in my opinion! I love hunting them and they can be incredibly aggressive if wounded. I have walked up on a lot of bushbuck (luckily all dead by the time I got to them) that had their backside in a bush and were facing the way they had come from, and I was approaching from, ready to ambush!

 

[Hunt anything]

I thought about hunting bushbuck but the method preferred by my lodge didn't turn my crank. Not interested in sitting on the edge of a farmer's field at daybreak and waiting for something to step out. That's beanfield whitetail shooting. Yawn. Going after bushbuck in the thick stuff must indeed be challenging. Sometimes hunted with shotguns? They make a beautiful and very manageable shoulder mount.

Me either I much prefer sneaking up and down thick riverine habitat hoping for a quick shot.

 

[Hunt anything]

Here are my first 3, Cape, Chobe and Limpopo

 

[TROPHY DESTINATIONS]

Some Limpopo bushbuck we have hunted over the years

 

[bakerb]

I definitely need more of them myself. This is a cape bushbuck taken with Crusader Safaris in 2016 with a .338 Win Mag

. I missed one a couple inches longer just 20 minutes before I shot this one. We weren't sure about the shot, and my PH was ultra cautious on the track. And the blood-tracking dog wouldn't bark until he made sure the bushbuck was dead. He had bad experiences with bushbuck. . .


I shot my bushbuck on the last day, and it was HIGH on my list (after kudu) for animals I wanted on that trip.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I definitely need more of them myself. This is a cape bushbuck taken with Crusader Safaris in 2016 with a .338 Win MagView attachment 595965. I missed one a couple inches longer just 20 minutes before I shot this one. We weren't sure about the shot, and my PH was ultra cautious on the track. And the blood-tracking dog wouldn't bark until he made sure the bushbuck was dead. He had bad experiences with bushbuck. . .


I shot my bushbuck on the last day, and it was HIGH on my list (after kudu) for animals I wanted on that trip.

The year before my first safari the lodge lost two tracking dogs to bushbuck. They are vicious little buggers with horns sharp as daggers ... no exaggeration. I wonder how they manage to keep them so sharp. Must not do much sparring for females or the rams would all be scarred up.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

Here are my first 3, Cape, Chobe and Limpopo

Some very nice rams, congrats!

 

[Fatback]

One of my favorite PG animals. Top one was from Limpopo last year and bottom 2 pics are one I got in Namibia in 2022. If there available when I’m on safari I’ll have them on my list.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

I definitely need more of them myself. This is a cape bushbuck taken with Crusader Safaris in 2016 with a .338 Win MagView attachment 595965. I missed one a couple inches longer just 20 minutes before I shot this one. We weren't sure about the shot, and my PH was ultra cautious on the track. And the blood-tracking dog wouldn't bark until he made sure the bushbuck was dead. He had bad experiences with bushbuck. . .


I shot my bushbuck on the last day, and it was HIGH on my list (after kudu) for animals I wanted on that trip.

Nice ram and what a lovley cape he has! Bushbuck can be very dangerous when wounded have read some stories of them gettting guys and have even killed a few folks.

 

[bakerb]

The year before my first safari the lodge lost two tracking dogs to bushbuck. They are vicious little buggers with horns sharp as daggers ... no exaggeration. I wonder how they manage to keep them so sharp. Must not do much sparring for females or the rams would all be scarred up.

It was really interesting with the dog. My PH had a young beagle as a blood tracker. He helped with a kudu and a couple other animals. As soon as he got the scent he started a trailing bark, and then he'd bark "treed" (as I would call it), when he found the animal.

With the bushbuck he got on the trail and didn't make a sound. He went into some THICK cover and we held back, and we could hear the dog snuffling and going through the long grass, and he circled that bushbuck 3-4 times before he went in and started barking. He found it quick, but he made dang sure it was dead before he went in and started barking. Smart dog

 

[McKenzie Sims]

View attachment 595967View attachment 595969View attachment 595970
One of my favorite PG animals. Top one was from Limpopo last year and bottom 2 pics are one I got in Namibia in 2022. If there available when I’m on safari I’ll have them on my list.

Man that Namibia Chobe is incredible love the shape he has, Congrats!! Agreed if they are there, they are on my list as well.

 

[McKenzie Sims]

Finaly got this to upload, my Cape Bushbuck from my very first Safari back in 2007

 

[McKenzie Sims]

My Limpopo from 2010

Some Limpopo bushbuck we have hunted over the years

View attachment 595957View attachment 595958View attachment 595959View attachment 595960View attachment 595961View attachment 595962View attachment 595963

Some great rams!

 

[McKenzie Sims]

My Limpop Bushbuck 2010

 

[cajunchefray]

View attachment 595967View attachment 595969View attachment 595970
One of my favorite PG animals. Top one was from Limpopo last year and bottom 2 pics are one I got in Namibia in 2022. If there available when I’m on safari I’ll have them on my list.

What do they taste like? Good eating?
I know everything is relative to field dressing, environment, and cooking techniques.
A simple Cajun chef is curious.

 

[Hunt anything]

My chobe was so full of worms we used him for leopard bait but the cape and Limpopo were excellent.