Blue Wildebeest HuntingBlue Wildebeest hunting with Mkhamba Safaris can take place in the Kalahari or KwaZulu-Natal hunting regions of South Africa. There are hunting packages available from Mkhamba Safaris which include Blue Wildebeest hunting opportunities.Description Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also known as Brindled Gnu are some of the bigger animals that are hunted. Adult males are a dark grey colour, sometimes appearing to be black from a distance. Their necks and shoulders have a series of stripes running vertically, which gives a brindled appearance, hence their name. They have a long dark mane. Both sexes have horns which sweep outwards, curving down slightly, and then curling upwards. Horns on the males are normally heavier than those of the females. Size Blue Wildebeest are larger than Black Wildebeest. They have an average shoulder height of 1.5m, and can weigh up to 250kg. Habits Blue Wildebeest usually occur in herds of around 30 animals, but have been recorded in herds numbering thousands during the migrations, which sadly do not occur any more in our hunting areas. Blue Wildebeest are associated with open woodland, where there is water, on which they are dependant. Territorial males will defend a territory challenging any males that enter it. Batchelor herds will frequent areas not defended by territorial male. The Hunt Blue Wildebeest hunting is better carried out in the early morning or late afternoon. A knowledge of their feeding and watering habits is a distinct advantage. They are renowned for their incredible toughness, and have an ability to take a lot of punishment without lying down and dying, so good shot placement is crucial with a sufficient size caliber. The males have a hump on top of their shoulders, which can give a very deceptive picture as to where their vitals are, causing many hunters to shoot too high, and miss the vital target area. Identification of the Blue Wildebeest males can sometimes be difficult, so good binoculars are essential. Minimum Caliber Rifle Required Blue Wildebeest can take a lot of punishment, therefore in the opinion of Graeme Geldart, Professional Hunter and Outfitter for Mkhamba Safaris, when hunting Blue Wildebeest bigger is better. His personal preference is a 30 06 with good quality bullets, at least 180 grain weight. Some hunters have used a 270 win with good results with well constructed bullets. Minimum Requirements for: S.C.I. - 70 inches Roland Ward - 28 1/2 inches Cites Restrictions There are NO cites restrictions on the hunting of Blue Wildebeest. |