Top 5 plains game?

[Trogon]

As many others have said, Bushbuck can be challenging and frustrating, which makes them desirable. Another unique and very interesting South African animal is the Vaal Rhebuck....habitat is mountainous and not many other animals inhabit their favored areas. This is another antelope that I would hunt again.

 

[LWPhunt]

What a fun topic.

Sable
Kudu
Eland
Nyala
Zebra

sitting the bench, Gemsbok and Bushbuck

 

[mdwest]

The "top 5" I think are very individual and personal.. what is most important, most beautiful, most challenging, etc.. is really situation dependent and largely driven by the person doing the hunting..

For me, the "top 5" are all very basic, but in my mind represent what everyone should at a minimum experience in hunting southern Africa... while at the same time represent a pretty diverse set of hunts (how you hunt one animal is very different than how you hunt another)..

Impala
Blue Wildebeest
Warthog
Kudu
Bushbuck

 

[wildfowler.250]

For me, the "top 5" are all very basic, but in my mind represent what everyone should at a minimum experience in hunting southern Africa... while at the same time represent a pretty diverse set of hunts (how you hunt one animal is very different than how you hunt another)..

This pretty much nails the thought process! And I’m weighing up if there’s stuff that should be subbed in.

I may well add a warty. I think if a big bushbuck stepped out at 100 yards then I’d be daft to say no by the sounds of it..

 

[Tom Leoni]

If by "top" we mean glamour, then the four spiral-horned species and the sable:

In no particular order:

Nyala
Kudu
Eland
Bushbuck
Sable

I think very few would have big disagreements with this list. Perhaps substitute roan or zebra for the sable, but at that point we're quibbling over small details. I've left off the bongo, because I don't consider it "plains" game since he lives mostly in tropical forests.

 

[meigsbucks]

When I look at my walls and think back on the hunts, the five that stand out are:
Eland
Kudu
Gemsbok
Warthog (I love the pigs)
Bushbuck

Honorable mention: Blue Wildebeest, Zebra (everyone needs a zebra rug) and impala

Top of my to get list: Nyala, Bushpig and Hyena.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Most of what I set out to hunt changes. I've gone with a 7 animal list and took 22!
I've gone to the free-states to hunt springbok and during the process of completing my SB slam, I shot a monster black wildebeest... I got my bushbuck while hunting Nyala, because we stumbled upon him. I took an exceptional Waterbuck the same day I took my black springbok.

Being open to opportunity is the biggest advantage you can give yourself...

 

[DLSJR]

For me it’d have to be the spiral horns, kudu, eland, Nyala & bushbuck. I really enjoy hunting all of them. I’m leaving in a couple weeks for a buffalo hunt on the Savé Valley conservancy. It’s a buffalo only hunt but if I see a special bushbuck or huge kudu I may add them.

After this hunt, my next 3 hunts are all focused on spiral horns, albeit some are more specialized than others. This October in Zambia for Sitatunga. May of next year for Bongo & Forest Sitatunga in the Congo, then September next year for kudu, eland, Nyala & bushbuck plus a couple buffalo in Mozambique.

About bushbuck…. I was visiting an elderly friend (Dr. William Pritchard) prior to Covid who’d done more African hunting than 99.9% of all hunters who’ve hunted Africa. Over more than half a century, Bill had hunted Africa more than 65 separate times in pretty much every country that could be hunted, with a good number of 30+ day hunts under his belt. He started hunting Africa in the 1950’s and was still hunting there till around 2018. He’d shot pretty much everything at one time or another. We were sitting in his study among a small collection of exceptional animals discussing African hunting and I asked him what his favorite African game was to hunt. Without hesitation Bill said ‘Bushbuck’. He only had a few dozen animals mounted in his study, but 9 of them were bushbuck. I ‘get it’, as bushbuck are very neat animals. Fun to hunt, beautiful, challenging and 9 different subspecies.

 

[Green Chile]

I recommend going with a short list of desired animals BUT tell your PH that if you know of something special or see something above average, let's take a look at it!

Kudu and bushbuck should always be on the list, especially older animals. Big nyala or sable will stop your heart briefly. Really old blue wildebeest are awesome but who knows what will catch your eye...a big klippie up in the rocks...or an old blue eland bull...or an ancient warthog crawls out of his hole in front of you. You never know what Africa will serve up from day to day.

 

[Longwalker]

Mountain Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Nyala, Waterbuck, and common Reedbuck. Because they are species that I haven't yet had the pleasure to hunt!

 

[Houston Bill]

For me the list of my top 5 so far is:

Kudu - because I read the Green Hills of Africa (grey ghost) before my first safari in Africa and I was fortunate to shoot a 60" kudu
Sable - the most regal of the plains game
Nyala - perhaps the most beautiful plains game species and it was my oldest son's favorite plains game animal
Bushbuck - just love them
Waterbuck - I shot a very nice waterbuck on my first safari and I remember smelling them before I could see them

 

[shark_za]

Bushveld
Kudu
Impala
Blue Wildebeest
Zebra
Warthog
(Eland, Bushbuck, Nyala, Waterbuck)

Plains and Semi Desert
Gemsbok
Blesbok
Springbuck
Black Wildebeest
Red Haartbeest

 

[shark_za]

Berg
Mountain Reedbuck
Common Reedbuck
Vaal Rhebok
Eland
Mountain Zebra

 

[Kevin375]

My top 5 :

1: Eland. I really like to hunt these big animals that are so wary, and also to hear their famous "clicks" close by, and try to distinguish them through the thick bush.

2: Kudu: The magnificient grey ghost, so elusive.

3) Zebras : An animal underestimated by many new african hunters because it looks like to horses while it can be a very challenging animals to hunt.

4) Wildebeests : I have a special feeling with this weird looking antilopes that can be extremly tough. Sometimes a bit stupid (especially the black one) and sometimes extremely wary. It is by far, the species I have hunted the most.

5) Gemsbok : The symbol of Namibia. A beautiful looking animal but that can be a terrible warrior once wounded. I remember some of them wounded, and after bayed by dogs, which were very agressive, trying to impale with their long swords, hitting loudly the vegetation all around.

 

[BryceM]

In no-fence or low-fence areas I’d say:

Kudu (always the king)
Sable
Gemsbok
Hartman’s Zebra
Eland

But there are soooooo very many honorable mentions.

 

[Hogpatrol]

My 2¢
kudu
sable
zebra
oryx
white tail gnu or blue wildebeest
red hartebeest
caracal or any of the other small cats

 

[Fatback]

Of the ones I’ve been fortunate enough to hunt are
1. Bushbuck
2. Kudu
3. Sable
4. Mt. Zebra
5. Impala

The ones I want to hunt and are on the top of my list.
1. Roan
2. Reedbuck
3. The tinies.


I will always take the opportunity to hunt bushbuck if they are available. I would love to get one of each of the sub-species of bushbucks. I think for me the allure is they remind me a lot of hunting whitetail deer, which is what I spend the most of my time
hunting.

 

[300 Wby]

Folks I’ve been back reading old posts with interest and there seems to be lots of top 10 posts - basically covers a good chunk of what’s available!

What would your top five plains game be for a week hunt? And even better, why?

Just to get some ideas for myself going forward. I’ve a mental idea. I think if I could split a South Africa hunt down to kudu, springbok, impala and zebra, I think I could still come away and say I’ve covered a few key animals but interested to hear what folk rate? Maybe throw a wildebeest in there.

Kudu, Eland, zebra, warthog, sable

 

[wildfowler.250]

Lots of gemsbok / oryx votes coming through. Would that still be the case if it was South Africa or purely a Namibia appeal?

 

[FlyGuy]

Oh how I love plains game! I’ve concentrated on plains game in their indigenous areas/countries. It’s a much different way of hunting them.

I will be in South Africa in July for blesbuck, springbok, bontebok and black wildebeest. Also darting a rhino to complete my Big 5. These species are indigenous to South Africa. If I were you @wildfowler.250 those species would be heavily considered, especially if you are not planning to go back to South Africa.

Completely forgot about the poor Blesbok.
People often mention how tough a Blue wildebeest is, but a bad shot on a Blesbok can turn into a very long day.
Bontebok are very, very beautiful, but for some reason, I’ve never seen a full mount that has the same almost iridescent purple of a live specimen.