This is open to anybody, whether they've hunted in Africa or not. Just tell me the top three animals you prefer to hunt, or would prefer to hunt, REALISTICALLY. I mean, sure, many of us would like to hunt lion, but these days the price of a real, wild, BIG lion is at least $50,000. If you have that kind of money to spend, go ahead and list it, but if not keep it real. Even a sable these days is getting close to $10,000, everything considered.

JB

buffalo
leopard
sable

That's on the list for next time...if there a next time, given the state of affairs over there. jorge

Warthog for me, I could spend a whole season just searching out giant varks

Buff
kudu
zebra

Kudu, waterbuck, buffalo. Maybe you could swap the first two--but, I am prejudiced toward Tragelephines.

my list for next time would be the same as Jorge's.

kudu would be number 3, but I've got one already

Buffalo
Blue Wildebeest
Gemsbok

Cape Buffalo
Kudu
Oryx

Kudu
Gemsbok
Bongo

My must-have top three for my first trip were:

Kudu
Impala
Cape Buffalo

When I go back, my top three will be:

Nyala
Waterbuck
Roan Antelope

And I will go back...

(If I lived there and were biltong hunting, I could be happy spending my days chasing impala .)

DN

Red Heartebeast(sp)

I love hunting Kudu, Bushbuck, as well as BIG Warthog and Impala. Next year I'll fulfill a dream by hunting Cape Buffalo - successful or not, this will be my only hunt for one. In a couple of years, when I retire, I'd like to hunt Leopard.

Buff,
Lion,
Leopard

1. Buffalo
2. Kudu (already done that)
3. Eland, I think.

Warthogs are definitely the most fun.
Eland stalking is way up there too.
I've hunted others, but those two were a cut above the others.

Brent

1) buff
2) leopard
3) eland tied with cow ele (cull or control)

Had I not taken a good kudu which I would never expect to better it would first or second. I love sable but as been said they are priced way up there

George

+1

Kudu
Nyala
Bushbuck

Jaywalker

Baboon
Hyena (I hate these things-Are they legel to hunt? You never hear of anyone hunting them?)
Buffalo

I agree. Bongo are the most beautiful thing you could imagine with greater kudu right up there. The only thing about bongo is you have to hunt in the bugs, creepy-crawly things, and the jungle. No thanks.

George

I had the most fun hunting kudu in the rocks, and chasing impala on foot with my bow.

The three that haunt my dreams
kudu
impala
bushbuck

honorable mention for warthog.

They were all fun to hunt, kind of like telling a father of 5 to pick his favorite kid.

1.Elephant - the physically hardest thing I've ever done.
2. Buffalo - just plain fun!
3. Lion - walked up, not over bait.

SOS

kudu
zebra
nyala

BTW JJHACK really does like to hunt the varks!! He will even shoot em' way out in the muddy green slimy water...against good advice!

jmr

The top three doesn't leave enough room for me.

But here goes:
1.) Elephant - most exciting hunt there can be.
2.) Nyala - beautiful animal in thick riverine bush that is just made for a slow, easy going walk in the early morning or especially in the late evening along a beautiful river during which you will see tons of other game. Best done where there are elephants for the added excitement, and where there are elephants, best done with an elephant capable rifle.
3.) Bushbuck - another beautiful animal and the same fun walk and stalk as nyala in the same cool riverine bush.

To continue:
4.) Lion - by tracking if possible.
5.) Leopard - just to see how much patience you have.
6.) Hyhena - its fun to start the day really early, but just stationary, listening to the bush wake up, same goes for the evening, listening as the night creatures begin to move. This applies to sitting for leopard and lion too but the hyhena hunt is more relaxed, though you never know if spots or the king will make an appearence.

I have hunted all of these animals except nyala and seen all of them including nyala. Some I've taken, some I haven't, but the hunts have all been great.

JPK

nyala, bushbuck, warthog

JB,

Kudu, Gemsbok, Eland

Planning my first trip in the next couple of years. These are at the top of my list.

Steve

gotta go with JJHACK on this one....in terms of hunting a whole bunch then warties are too much fun!

For me my number one on the WANT to hunt again is Lion. I love the adrenaline rush and total concentration that is required when hunting stuff that can kill you which explains why my others are Elephant and Cape Buffalo.

BTW, Sable hunting is NOT $10,000.00 in Zimbabwe with us, not even close and Lion hunting either the track em up or the bait em in hunts are not $50,000.00 they are $27,000.00 and this is for a good mature male. Hyenas are hunted a lot in Zim but not taken all that often because they are hunted mostly at night over bait and with calls and most hunters who come over are hunting other stuff and are tired when the evening rolls around. Most Do not want to be so tired the next day or days that they are not as focused or efficient when hunting thier primary game animals. Also missing the evening nightcap by the fire is a part of the overall experince which will be missed if Hyena hunting is a focus. I agree that smackng baboons is way fun, too.

Even though I've yet to hunt in Africa, I'll be leaving in 2 weeks to hunt the "realistic" top three on my list:
1. Buffalo
2. Kudu
3. Eland

For my next hunt (amazing how I'm already planning the second trip before I've left for the first!) I think I'd like to focus on:
1. Leopard
2. Sable
3. Nyala

This is with the realization that hunting all three animals on the second list on the same hunt might not be feasible or practical. That said, I think Buffalo will always be on the top of the list.

Test

Thanks so far, guys. Keep 'em coming!

Part of the reason I am doing this is to roughly determine reader interest in various African animals, when buying articles for SUCCESSFUL HUNTER. I am not the type of editor who does it solely on the basis of surveys, but I do want to make sure that my own prejudices do not get in the way of what readers want.

Some years ago I was told by a long-time editor (you would all recognize his name, I am sure) that the only African animals most hunters are interested in are Cape buffalo and kudu. So partly I wanted to find out if he's correct. At least so far he is: those two animals are tied for the lead at 14 votes each, far ahead of the second place animals--leopard, warthog, nyala and bushbuck--which are tied at 5 apiece.

And all of this does not mean I won't run a story about ANYTHING as long as it is interesting. Hippo did not show up anywhere so far, but I am running a hell of a hippo story in the upcoming issue. A good hunting story is a good hunting story, no matter the subject. I also just received another very fine story on bushbuck by the same guy (a veteran PH) and it will be running soon, so it is nice to see those little antelope (one of my personal favorites as well) showing up strongly.

I wonder how many of the voters so far know that a bongo hunt also costs more than many elephant hunts nowadays?

Keep 'em coming....

JB

John: Great thread, but upon reading your last comment, I think you inadvertently "stacked the deck", in that the wish list is tied to realistic monetary concerns. I think if the list was a "stand alone" affair i.e., pure "wish", Lion would have certainly been numero UNO on my list with elephant second. As for the rest of the folks, I think lion would have been up there as well. jorge

kudu
eland
buffalo

AD

Yes, I very deliberately stacked the deck. Otherwise too many people would list their top three preference of the Big Five and I wouldn't learn anything.

Maybe three years ago I did a similar survey of North American game preferences here, but limited it to $5000 for the hunt. Otherwise too many people would have chosen brown bear or bighorn sheep.

One rule I was told, many years ago, by one of my mentors in the magazine business was to keep my eye firmly on the average guy. Not that I won't be running stories about high-end stuff, either in RIFLE or SUCCESSFUL HUNTER, but I am not going to try turn SH into GRAY'S SPORTING JOURNAL, either, or LION HUNTER'S DIGEST.
It will always have whitetail stories in it is as well. I am just going to run more African stories than the "common wisdom" (an oxymoron I have never been able to fathom) suggests is wise, and want to get more of a feel for what people are indeed interested in.

For years the common wisdom in American lagazine publishing has been that Africa bores the average guy. One editor I know justifies that view by telling people that he was informed (by whom is rather vague) that only 2000 Americans hunt in Africa every year. I told him that this was strange, as a quick check I made of the PH's belonging to their various organizations in southerm Africa came up with close to 2000--and each PH has to guide more than one person a year! That is only one example of the prejudice against African stories in the business.

I suspect that interest in Africa is rising rapidly. The price of AVERAGE plains game safaris has been remaining rather steady, as opposed to either dangerous African game or almost anything in North America. This is due to competition in RSA and Namibia rather than any drop in demand. And plains game hunting will always be the backbone of African hunting demand in America.

So yeah, I stacked the deck.

JB

John,

You brought to mind a second tier if that matters and that would be bull hippo and a big croc (as long as I don't have to get in the water to hall either one out!)

I don't know if you talked with Jochen about the same things I did but he told me 95% of his clients were Americans and that they were very good. He didn't elaborate on "good" but he seemingly is never without hunters and I met more Americans in the airport. I think there is great interest.

Jorge,

There's no question that for me lion would light the fire like no other but I dissed it because for me it won't happen.

George

prolly the oddest list of the group but.........

#1 Bongo.....saw a full body mount of one of these not long ago and fell in love...i could deal with hunting in the jungle for one

#2/#3 prolly a tie between Hippo or croc.......both critters facinate me to no end. they kill more ppl than any other big animal.

#4 also interested in hyena......facinated with their natural history aswell.

ofcourse i would like kudu, gemsbok and the like but the above are what i would take above and beyond anything else....

It'll take a few trips and some compromises on countries and trophy size, but;

1)Elephant (And buffalo)
2)Leopard (And buffalo)
3)Lion (And buffalo)

I've got to where I have the plainsgame that I wanted the most already, so will just keep an open mind for opportunities in that area.

This is what I would still like to hunt. Like ModelGuy above after a few trips I have most of the plains game.

1)Leopard
2)Elephant
3)Waterbuck
4)Nyala
5)Hyena

As mentioned above, I shot a Sable this year and it was less then 1/2 of the 10K that was mentioned above. Beautiful animal.

Warthog
Kudu
Bushbuck
In that order.

Maybe, maybe not. I would have no interest in shooting a lion if it cost $50 instead of $50,000. Same with leopard. Loved seeing them; no interest in tripping the trigger on one.

This is a really interesting thread...Thanks.

DN

have no clue on my wife's total list but i do know the #1. its dik-dik........for some reason she is facinated by the lil antelopes.

John: I see that you are getting mixed results anyway. A couple of posters listed lion & elephant and I don't they they appreciate the cost of one of those hunts including Bongo. A Bongo today will run you 30 grand without air fare. Regarding the african stories, you are right on the money. Even though most of us hunt deer most of the time, magazines like yours offer all of us a reason to dream and plan and in my view the more african stories you publish the better you'll do. jorge

I have never been to Africa. My list is pretty big and trimming it down to three is tough. But I have to go with:
1. Cape Buffalo
2. Kudu
3. Impala
but the rest of the list in no particular order:
Leopard, Nyala, springbok, gemsbock, bushbuck, blue wildebeast, waterbuck, zebra, warthog.

I'm probably forgetting some.

As long as African Plains game hunts are available covering several animals for the same or similar price as an elk hunt, there will be a market.

I would prioritize the spiral antelopes for myself, with Nyala the priority.

Buffalo is of interest too, as usual.

AGW

JB ive been reading Sports Afield more now adays cause they run alot of foriegn hunting, that and the writers are pretty good even if im not particularly interested in a certain critter. a good hunting story is a good hunting story......and as much as i would like to hunt kudu and cape buffalo, its about as common to read about them as whitetails when talking about African hunting......if you could round up some good storries on the lesser critters like some of the various smaller preditors. JJHACK was talking one time bout calling civets ect in at night using preditor calls which i found extreamly interesting or the smaller antelopes or warthogs or what have you. i would think they would be interesting additions though not staple type stuff......not nessisarily cause they are so much target critters on safari but it seems ppl bump into them by chance more than anything and its interesting to read about them even if they arent as grand aas a kudu....

Buffalo
kudu
zebra

For reasonably affordable:

eland
zebra
sable


really, really like to add buff and leopard

Not going on my first one until next year, but this is the list

1. zebra
2. warthog
3. blue wildebeast

If I ever get a second hunt then it would be BUFFALO!

Mad Dog

Have not been to Africa YET...

1. Sable
2. Kudu
3. Buffalo

JB, an article for the first timer in Africa would be interesting also. Tom

,,,elephant,buffalo, et al.

I recall an article within the last year saying that Namibia alone gets about 5000 visiting hunters a year.

Have hunted Africa twice (with more trips in the planning), but I remain most fascinated by Cape Buffalo and eland, with all the larger plains-game types still clinging near the top of my personal list (kudu, hartebeest, zebra, gemsbok, wildebeest, waterbuck, nyala and of course sable and roan).

The smaller stuff is interesting, but not fascinating - at least not for me at this time. I suppose that could change.

And elephant is a reoccuring dream and goal. This is especially so when one factors in seemingly increasing opportunities for non-trophy bulls or cows at near-bargain prices.

Kudu
Leopard
Cape Buffalo

muledeer/DN

+1 - I have no interest in hunting the big cats, either.

Jaywalker

+ 1 with TTS on being interested in a "First Time to Africa" article. I honestly had no interest in hunting Africa until I started visiting this site. Now I'm seriously considering it. Like Mule Deer I have no interest in a lion, would love to see one but no interest in shooting one, same goes for zebra, giraffe and elephant.

1. buffalo
2. kudu
3. warthog

I'd also like to learn what happens to all of the meat. Is it possible/practical to bring any home? I assume nothing goes to waste but haven't found anything specific.

Have'nt been yet but initial planning for 08-09:

Buffalo
cull elephant
eland

Depending on where you are and the ownership or control of the land, etc..., there are different possibilities for utilizing the meat.

Some of the possibilities:
1) land owner or leasee recovers and then sells the meat into the market.
2) The game is recovered and delivered to locals, often the case with tribal trust lands.
3) For elephant especially, the meat is given to the locals and they come to the site of the kill to receive their meat. Sometimes the elephant meat is recovered from the animal and then the meat is divied up on the spot reasonably fairly, sometimes is every man or woman for themselves with many knives flashing. It works best when the meat is recovered and then divied up, imo. You will never see so many happy africans in one place as you do at the sight of an elephant kill in a tribal area.
4) often on farms or ranches, some meat is sold into the market but the workers are given some of the meat too.
5) in some concessions in Zim, the terrain is rough and the location remote and a crocodile farm recovers elephant meat to feed the crocs. Even then, the trackers and game scout will have big hunks to take for themselves.

I'm sure that I have ommitted some possibilities. BTW, most all of the game is good eating and grilled elephant meat with some salt, cooked over a fire while the rest of the meat is being recovered, is hard to beat. Especially if there is a cold beer around.

JPK

Buffalo, imapala, springbuck

(My wife and daughters would disown me if I killed a kitty...though I'd love to get lion or leopard)

I have done a little investigating into bringing meat home, and know that if it is canned or cured-and-sealed (as in jerky sealed in plastic) that it is generally considered legal. One PH also thought that it might be possible to freeze and vacuum seal some and bring it back in a cooler. But I have never been able to confirm the last, and would hate to go to all the trouble of doing it, then having some junior Customs agent who really didn't know the rules confiscate it back here. Which very well might happen, as in general the word "Africa" sets off all sorts of alarm bells in North American heads, especially if the person in question has never been there.

I have seen about all the variations JPK describes. Have never seen meat "wasted" in Africa. On my last hunt in May, a lot of it was culling on two pbig properties in RSA. The safari company had a contract for 5 tons of game meat, and it was met.

One interesting sidelight: One of the local meat sellers had a hell of a time selling zebra, which is pretty darn good in my experience, even though some cultures (especially white) have trouble with the idea--to the point of claiming it's no good to eat.

So when several zebra came in on one cull, this guy advertised it as "zebok," at a little lower price per kilo than any of the high-demand meats such as springbok, eland and gemsbok. The zebok sold out very quickly, and there were no customer complaints. In fact, within a few days several asked when the next zebok would be available!

JB

Oh, and Cape buffalo are now slightly in the lead, 24 to 21, over kudu. Second is now a tie between elephant, eland and leopard (8).

JB

Okay, I'll tie it up. Only been to Africa once, but based on that my favorite to hunt are -

1. Kudu
2. Kudu
3. More kudu

Love those beautiful grey coats striped with white and the horns are really impressive. Also like their more secretive ways hanging around dense vegetation instead of the more open savannahs.

If you want it bad enough, nothing is unreasonable.

Of the stuff I have taken...
1. Buff
2. Leopard
3. Eland

Of the stuff I will hunt in 2008...
1. Buff
2. Hippo
3. Croc

Of the plainsgame stuff I will always hunt if I get a chance...
1. Zebra
2. Kudu

Of the stuff I want to hunt...
1. Lion
2. Elephant (probably in 2010).
3. Sable
4. Sitatunga

1. More kuda
2. more bushbuck
3. more impala

Sorry, McCray,your ballot is full of hanging chads. You omly get to pick three, not 12.

Cape buffalo now still two in the lead, despite three Jim in Idaho. Only one of his kudu votes counts.

You two can lodge a protest, but it will do no good. I know the election committee very well, and he is one arbitrary SOB.

JB

A mix of done it and want to.......hard to pick three:

1. Gemsbok (tough & beautiful)
2. Zebra (my favorite if we're just going by taste)
3. Bushbuck (haven't hunted yet but need to)

elkjaeger

1. Bushbuck
2. Greater Kudu
3. Blue Wildebeest

I've killed Rowland Ward (not the silly SCI) trophys of each, but doing it all over again would be marvy. In my opinion, the bushbuck, especially HUGE ones, is a fabulous game animal. They really turn my crank.

Steve

My top 3 were leopard, sable and buffalo and now that I've taken them and if I could afford Tanzania the trophy that I'd like to have would be Grant's Gazelle and a couple of big buffalo from Masialand.

Kudu
warthog
impala

Gambels Quail
Scaled Quail
Mearns Quail
In Arizona as I shall probably never be able to afford Africa again, but it's been fun.

1-Kudu

2-Bushbuck

3-Impala

JB,
when savings allows:
roan
eland
buff

John,

Thanks! So you smitten by those roan with the "E.T. Ears"?

The coun now reads buffalo 28, kudu 26.

Bushbuck are alone in 3rd place, with 11. Go, bushbuck! Also our old buddy warthog is tied for 4th with eland.

JB

John,

Thanks! So you were smitten by those roan with the "E.T. Ears"?

The count now reads buffalo 28, kudu 26.

Bushbuck are alone in 3rd place, with 11. Go, bushbuck! Also our old buddy warthog is tied for 4th with eland.

JB

Okay, okay. I was hoping this might be a Chicago style election. You know, vote early, vote often.

I haven't been there yet, but the top of my PG wish list is:

Gemsbok
Eland
Kudu

Jeff

Would you believe I was just trying to give you the opportunity to spin the results however you choose?

I think it's safe to say that MORE african game stories, regardless of species focus, is better.

John,

My favorites of those I have taken are:
Cape buff
gemsbok
impala

Animals still on my list:
sable
roan
elephant
lion

Cape buff offer terrific excitement, I think once you take one you are going to keep going back to that well.

jim

McCray,

Unfortunately, I am a reasonably honest pollster. But I admire your intentions!

Buffalo 29, kudu 27. Bushbuck a distant 3rd with 11, eland alone in 4th with 10. I like this, as they are some of my personal favorites. It is also heartening to see warthog and impala with 9, and gemsbok and nyala tied with 7.

JB

John,

On our first Africa hunt in Namibia I told the folks that asked me what I was hunting for that I was after "kudugemsbok", as I had those two at the top of the list for that plains game hunt. Kudu are the more glamorous of the two I think, but gemsbok are studly dudes and I think way more difficult (fun) to hunt.

I have done three leopard hunts, and it is a different sort of hunt. Taking the second shift in a leopard blind from three to midnight will show you an Africa you might not expect. I remember the night a bushbaby dropped indto the blind, and another hunt when approaching elephant ran us out of that blind. And September spiders jumping around the blind foliage another time. They are big, but the intense quiet in the blind amplifies the "jump factor".

jim

Jim,

I know what you mean about gemsbok. I have taken several kudu and gemsbok now, and rate the "giant oryx" right up there with the "gray ghost." Have hunted them in several different kinds of habitat now--including thornbush, "sagebrush" hills, wide-open spaces--and think they should be ranked far higher than they are.

But I love kudu too....

JB

I am prone to go with test1328 on his second list: leopard, sable, nyala.

MD, they're one of my favorites too in terms of beauty and tastiness. I have one though and my list reflects it. If I hadn't gotten one, it'd be #2.

My favorites are the tiny guys. I've gotten steenbok, common duiker, Cape grysbok, and a klippie. I've tried unsuccessfully for Damara dik-dik, red duiker, blue duiker and others. For sheer hunting pleasure and consistent challenge, I don't believe that the pursuit of the tiny ones can be beat.

When I went this year, gemsbok were the top animal on my list, along with kudu. I got a kudu, but not a gemsbok. That's why I listed gemsbok and buffalo above kudu - I didn't get either of those! But I sure hope to next time.

Kudu
Eland
Gemsbok

Love the antelope...........

Kudu, Gemsbok and zebra if I ever get the chance. Rufous.

Rupert--

Maybe you missed the rules. Only your top three allowed!

Kudu have made a recent run and are once again tied with buffalo at 29. Bushbuck and eland tied for 3rd at 11. Behind them are several at 9: leopard, gemsbok, warthog, impala and elephant.

JB

i have no intention of hunting in africa but, if i were going to, i reckon i'd like to hunt the congo buffalo, a giant pangolin, and a bush pig... i've no idea if these species are huntable....

the pangolin is about the oddest looking critter i've ever seen....

Gemsbok
Kudu
Waterbuck

John: What the hell is a "pangolin"? Not being a wise guy, just never heard of it.

When I go, Cape Buffalo, Kudu, Sable.

kind of ant eater, looking a bit like a "tatu" ....

different species in the world are:

Manis culionensis
Manis gigantea
Manis temminckii
Manis tricuspis
Manis tetradactyla
Manis crassicaudata
Manis pentadactyla
Manis javanica

I personnaly would prefer 1) Forest buffalo (caffer nanus) 2) Greater Kudu 3) Crocodile or forest elephant ... can't choose between them ...

unfortunately, i think it's not possible to hunt all of those different species in the same country (but i find the prices you give are very high, i think it's quite cheaper in some central africa countries like RCA, Cameroun or mozambique)

Kudu now lead buffalo (of all subspecies) by one vote.

The prices I quoted wre from recent research, partly because a friend was planning to go on safari rather casually said he wanted a "good" WILD lion. I looked into lions and, since RSA and some other places have clamped down on canned lions, the price. Looked at Zim, which is still about the cheapest, but never found a photo of anybody with a "good" dead, lion. They all looked like they could use some time to grow up. (Sorry if somebody does not feel that way, but I hunted Botswana when they did ot allow any lion hunting, and there wee BIG lions there. I saw several.) Tanzania now has a rule that any lion taken must be at least six years old. Throw in the cost of the safari and yes, $50,000 is about minimum.

I was in South Africa in May, on a place where a sable was $8000. Throw in the daily rate for a week and that's an easy $10,000. So I priced a sable safari in Zim, and the cheapest one came to around $7000, daily rate + trophy fee. Throw in tips, charter flights, etc. and again you get close to $10,000.

If there is someplace much cheaper, for a WILD sable, I'd appreciate any info.

JB

i thought you were only writing about trophee fees but i' ve read about antelope safaris costing less than 15 000 euros, including airway.

i'll try to retrieve posts about those. Of course we fly to africa from europe, it could make a difference, but it seems tanzania is probably the most expansive destination. In addition i've heard they would increase their trophy fees of almost 100 % in 2007.

The big problem is that if you want a sable, everything goes up: daily rates, and often length of safari as well. So where trophy fees are still in the $2500 range, you still get stuck for other costs. Or you can go to RSA and pay less on the daily rate, and a lot more for the trophy fee.

In other words, they are not just another common antelope that you can include in a typical plains game safari anymore.

Tanzania is the most expensive destination, and I have heard about the possible price increases too. Don't know if they have been implemented or not yet, though.

Would be interested in hearing how much it costs to fly from Europe, if only out of curiousity. From the U.S. I have paid anywhere between $1500 and $2200 depending on the African destination in recent years.

JB

I'm not always the best at getting the deal but our flights from Minn to Chicago to Frankfurt to Windoek were at about $2600 a piece for my wife and I as booked through Gracys.

Gdv

It sounds as if from reading these posts that everything in Africa is on the upswing price-wise which I guess is no surprise.

Perhaps another survey would be opinions on the best countries all things considered for selected game.

Gdv

Goodnews,

Yeah, I know it is a little more expnsive going through Europe, but was curious how much it cost just for the European leg.

This thread is obviously winding down, so I also added up first-place votes, something I did on the North American survey as well. So far:

Buffalo--20
Kudu--15
Warthog--4
Gemsbok--3

Way to go, warthogs! The RSA trip I'm going on next year will include some warthog culling, which is just fine with me. I like to hunt all pigs--Sus scrofa, javelina, warthogs--big and little. The big ones may be a challenge, but the little ones taste best!

This 1st-place rating provides a little different slant, as the vast majority of the people who listed eland and bushbuck enough to make them 3rd on the overall list, did not put them first.

It also illustrates that the editor who said few people are interested in African game other than buffalo or kudu was pretty much right. But I am still going to run good hunting stories about just about anything. After all, hippo only got one mention on either of the lists, but I liked the story I received on them, and so am running it. At a certain point, a magazine editor must assume that he is somewhat of an average reader, and what is interesting to him should be interesting to other readers.

Either that, or....

JB

JB,
Since this seems to have run it's course I'd like to resubmit my answers pretending to be a typical member of the drive-by media.

1. Tiger
2. Water buffalo
3. Jaguar

SOS

Congratulations! Those are all endangered species, aren't they?

I have dropped hints about my favorites here and there, but now will make my own list, of truly African animals:

1) Aardvark. (How anybody could not put old AA first on any list is beyond my understanding.)

2) Okapi. I know they usually don't get much respect, especially when compared to bongo, because of their short horns, but as with nilgai, size has nothing to do with it.

3) Francolin. Did I ever actually say this had to be big game?

I am somewhat surprised that nobody listed forest hog.

JB

John,

I would have loved to have listed lion as one of my top three, because I love to hunt lions at least as much as I love to hunt anything else, and I've taken just one superb, big, ancient, scarred-up old male lion in Tanzania.

The trouble is, I don't see that I have much of a future hunting lions in Africa. Like you, I haven't seen very many photos of truly good Zimbabwe lions, which remain affordable, and the price to get a lion as good as the one I already have taken in Botswana, Zambia, or Tanzania is off the chart any more. I wouldn't even consider any sort of canned lion hunt anywhere else.

So unless something changes (unlikely!), I don't think I'll be hunting lions anytime soon..............

AD

I like pigs too but am surprised the warthogs rallied to third place. Goes to show you looks ain't everything!

Gdv

Little late to this party, but I really wanted a honey badger. (Don't know why.) Then, when I finally got a chance, it turned out they weren't legal. Well, at least I saw one.

Had a chance at a pangolin (sp?), but didn't see the point.

Hunted forest hog a little, but never saw one.

well bob,

we weren't allowed any personal cameras, and i've never digitized any of my old pics anyway but, the pangolin is sort of like an anteater with heavy prehistoric looking scales on top, and some fur below...

the congo buffalo is an odd looking cow... the ones we saw were quite shy... i'm convinced that the only reason that we saw them was the fact that we were in stealth mode....
they are quite small, like a half grown guernsey calf, with odd swept back horns

the bush pig is, well, a pig.....

For me the top 3 would be:
Cape Buffalo
Greater Kudu
Warthog

Although I could replace warthog with a zebra or eland and not be dissatisfied.

If was insanely blessed with funds and could go more than once somewhere along the line I would like to include a PAC elephant & a lion.

John ditto on the mention of an article for the first time hunter in Africa. How about one on hunting Africa on a budget,ie inexpensive hunts,how to find good airfares, etc. I think something like that could prompt a lot more people to hunt Africa.

BUFFALO and more Buffalo!!

Allen,

Having recently investigated the "high cost of lions" (as Ruark put it) I sympathize. In fact, due to my sympathy I'll give lion an extra, semi-honorary vote....

JB

Elephant
Buffalo
Bushbuck

About trophy fees increasing in tanzania, i catched this on a french forum (source: the hunting report)

did not translate: amounts speak from themselves

tanzania is one place I'm looking for my 09 hunt and will have to see how this shakes out before committing a deposit there....

Since "reasonable" seems to be mainly plains game, the top three are:

1. Sable / Roan
2. Kudu
3. Oryx / Gemsbuck

Of course the Buffalo is up there but for a general safari would probably double the time and cost.

What I'd really like to see is more information about the hunt it's self (technique, terrain, ect) and the equipment involved (rifles and such....and why nthese were chosen). Less about which manufacturer paid the most to have his products advertized in the form of a "hunting story". A good article should be more than "me and Joe got a big 'un" followed by a ten page ad for the latest bullet, rifle, ect.

I'd also like to see more stories on the lesser read-about game. The idea of a good Hippo story is just the ticket and there must be many other game animals that we seldom read about. Maybe varmit calling for the various small preditors, or shooting game birds in Africa (which I've heard was excellent and varied).

Just an idea.....

I suspect you'll find that hunting sable or roan is right up there in cost to buffalo these days.

I already have an African bird-shooting piece scheduled in SUCCESSFUL HUNTER for next year. May do a varmint piece, as it is indeed a lot of fun.

These days I am mostly running African articles by long-time PH's who really know the animal in question, instead of American writers who have taken maybe 3-4 (or only one) of the same animal. Have two good PH's writing for the magazine right now, Kevin Robertson, who is pretty well known already as "Doctari,"

The other is Kevin Thomas, a long-time PH in his 50's, who also happens to be a very fine writer. He just never tried it until he got older! Originally from Zimbabwe, he moved to South Africa in 2000 and now works in both countries, and has his own safari company in RSA. I hunted with him in 2002 and found he was working on a book, and it was very good. After becoming editor at SH I contacted him. He's the one who did the hippo piece (an exceopt from the book) and just submitted a great story on bushbuck. He is also a fairly well-known artist in RSA, and I hope to run some of his paintings with his articles.

JB

Lion
Leopard
Bushbuck

John,
I'm not sure what the cost of a Sable hunt is today, but in Zim in 2005, it wasn't close to the cost of a buffalo hunt...

Given that, and the fact I've only been once (to Zim) my favorites were Nyala and Sable. Hunting the Eland was fantastic as well.

I'd love to go back for elephant, buff and lion. Maybe someday...

Zim: Min 12 days @400/day plus 3500 dollar trophy fee. That's about the average I could come up with. Other plains game available of course. jorge

very cool.........thats the kinda stuff i like to read....

DPhillips,

Jorge's sable quote comes to 8300. I just priced one at right at $7000, and a buffalo hunt from the same company was $9000.

JB

John,

1. Cape Buffalo

2. Elephant

3. Lesser Kudu

RS

For me- oryx, kudu, eland.

Thanks for asking

MD, Tell me more about the Eland. I see it named quite often, but to me, other than being bigger than a sports car, it just doesn't seem that interesting. Seems like shooting a longhorn in the Texas brush......diffecult due to terrain but boring......and ugly too.

I see the blue bulls the same way.....big, tough, but ugly with no horns. Maybe there's something I'm missing.

I know the Sable /Roan are in the same cost-range as Buffalo......but are still plains game in my mind. Buffalo added to a plains game safari seems like a complete second hunt added on top.......not that the idea of Buffalo isn't attractive. Any of the Big 5 is attractive.

Speaking of the Big 5........is the hunting of Rhino still possible? Would love to see a story about that too.

Texas Rick,
I found the eland anything but boring. I had 9 days of walking invested in mine in two countries before it was taken. I'm not sure that 3 foot horns with 11 inch bases quite qualify as no horns, but you are right that the sheer size of the animal is much of the appeal. It was for me.

1. Cape Buff
2. Kudu
3. Eland

Eland are just incredible animals to hunt. They are as big as moose, plus they are much smarter, more agile, more mobile, and far easier to spook. Hunting them on foot, the proper way, can be a time-consuming, often frustrating experience, but few hunts are as satisfying............

AD

AD
I really wanted a mature eland bull and we saw one after they had seen us of course and they put large pieces of real estate between them and us right away. Even the females and younger males were very skittish and were always on the move away from us when we saw them.

Their coloration was also close to that of the bush and they could just fade away before your eyes. With the exception of that one bull early in the morning I saw no other; if one trip is any measure they were right up there with the zebras for shyness.

By the way I've read eland referred to as "the gift of the gods", so good are they on the table and though I didn't get one I got to eat quite a lot of it and that saying is true.

Gdv

Gents: I am currently working on my eland story that I hope you will enjoy. But just to echo others' comments, it was a very exciting and fun hunt. Lots of tracking and stalking. Very enjoyable hunt. jorge

Elephant
Buffalo
Leopard

...for the future or maybe next time.

"Africa is a demanding mistress. Once you have drank from her cup, she is never far from your thoughts." ~ George Hoffman

1. Lion
2. cape buffalo
3. Lesser Kudu

Why are sable so cotton pickin expensive anyway? I'd love to get one but we'll see. It also seems when I check out some outfits prices that they want you to pay dangerous game daily rates to hunt one, what gives? Eland hunting is fantastic great fun. My own eland was taken when I actually spotted the herd in the distance, we stalked in and hid in some brush where we watched the whole herd walk past single file at 90 yards through a gap in the brush. The last eland was the big old herd bull and I dropped him with a single shot from my .375. What an animal though. I don't know about favourite 3 but the next 3 I want are nyala, zebra and wildebeast.
Matt

When I was there, it was 500/day 2000 trophy fee, 10 minimum for sable.

Buff was 12 day minimum, 850/day, 2000 trophy fee. So, was a bit more expensive at the time. About 1.5 times more per day and a couple of days more minimum.

Both minimums were required if you wanted to take other game besides sable or buff.

Guess things have changed in the past two years.

Matt,

Decades ago, sable were just another plains game animal, although one of the desirable ones, like kudu. But then several areas or even countries where sable were found were lost to hunting.

Today sable have a limited distribution in the wild state, and are considered one of the must-have animals by trophy collectors. Now they are pretty much limited to "wild" Africa, where hunting tends to be more expensive because therre aren't as many good roads. Just getting around is more difficult, as is supplying safari camps. Plus, safari operators have found out just how much more-wealthy clienst will pay to put a sable on the wall.

There ar starting to be piles of sable in South Africa, but they are limited to game farms where they are not particularly wary. Some would even call it dumb. (To tell the truth, many PH's say that even "wild" sable are not the most wary animals in the bush.) But even farmed sable are not cheap. I have seen RSA prices averaging about $8000 (just for the sable, not daily rate), but have heard of one guy wheedling the price down to $4000.

Perhaps as farmed sable in South Africa become even more abundant the price will drop. They were native to South Africa, and widely distributed.

JB

FWIW,I'm an average guy who has NOT been to Africa,YET.

I plan to in the next 5 years,or so. Maybe for my 50th birthday.

My choices,and why,presently,would be:

1) Cape Buffalo,just to see if I could. Or would I stand there,drop my gun and wet my pants before getting trampled. Also,to prove to them that I DON'T owe 'em any damn money!

2) Warthog. A fantastic trophy,in my book,and one that I could realistically afford to hunt and have brought home and mounted. Wild hogs are some of my favorite game here at home.

3) TIE-Kudu/Eland. Beautiful animals and representative of a safari hunt,IMHO. Quite challenging,from what I read,and I do love a challenge.

Another option would be a large croc.
Of course,any of the plains-game listed would be fine.

I really have no desire to kill any Cats,Giraffes,Zebra,Elephant,Hippo or Rhino. Would dearly love to see some. Just ain't mad enough at them to kill 'em.

I do have a couple guns ready for my trip! A Ruger 77 .458WM and a Model 70 .375H&H.

Just an average guy's(and AVID reader's) thoughts...

Here's the Ruger.
[img][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/bigt7mm/100_1840.jpg[/img][/img]

My 'favorites' for the next trip to Africa will be:

Cape Buffalo
Sable
Leopard

Texas Rick,
I have to echo the comments from Model guy on Eland. I have been to Africa twice and taken almost 20 animals. From Sable, cape buffalo to Gemsbuck. My favorite hunt of all was for my Eland, maybe the exciting tracking was what made it so enjoyable.
Plus they are so small they are hard to see in the bush.

Gemsbok
Eland
Kudu

I always placed Sable at the top of the list too, but that just isn't affordable.

I agree with bigt7mm. I've never had an urge to kill any of those animals either. Especially Giraffe.

Favorites do not necessarily correlate with most challenging...
My most challenging hunts with regards to stalking and woodsmanship have been for bushbuck, zebra, and roan. I have taken two sable one in the Selous and one in Zambia, both are treasured trophies because of their beauty but neither was too difficult. Sable bulls are highly territorial and easy to pattern.

I agree the Sable is a beautiful animal and I can not wait to get my pedestal mount. But, not a very exciting hunt.

Yeah,I can see how that'd be hard to spot!
Great photo!

Any idea what it weighs? Are they any good to eat?

My apologies to MD for getting off-topic,just curious...

No need to apologize. I have all the info I need from this survey, but there's no reason we can't keep going....

JB

I am a little late on this as I just had the old elbow operated on.

Buffalo
Leopard
Lion

I would have left the lion off if it wasn't for the fact that I was really looking forward to going for one next year and the politics of a country are getting in the way. This area really had some good lions and was worth the 4 year wait (or so I thought).
I do enjoy "stalking" francolin for a little something different on the menu and to take a little pressure off the day.
I have only taken one bushpig, and I do love to hunt all the swine variety, but their is just something about the bushpig.

Big7mm,
Strange as it seems those eland can hide like a whitetail.There aren't many animals that are bigger than them though. Elephant, hippo, giraffe, rhino and that's about it. Moose don't even come close.

Leopard
Sable
Buffalo

Bigt7mm,
Eland are very good to eat. Some might say the best of African meat. My guess for weight is around 2400 pds, my PH thought 2000+. I am about 240pds if that gives you an idea on the size.

Kudu in the mountains of NW Namibia- '06
Buffalo in the hills of Tanzania's Selous-'07
Lion in Tanzania's Selous...next season

JB,

I'm looking forward to the bird hunting article you have scheduled. When and if I make it to Africa I sure want to lug along a scattergun.

BTW put me down for:
Cape Buffalo
Leopard
Kudu

Mule Deer, thank-you for the explanation of sable prices. I hadn't realized that sable were as relatively rare as they are. I knew they were sought after but so are kudu but of course kudu are quite common. If sable prices do ever become more reasonable again I'll be going for one for sure, but really all plains game hunting is fun regardless of species!

Yes, eland is delicious. When I got mine they took out a big piece of the tenderloin and grilled in over the fire. It was stuffed with cheese, onions, peppers and spices and the cook rubbed it with garlic butter as it cooked, very tasty. When I mentioned my own eland hunt I sort of summarized it to two sentences but I should say that the stalk and watching the herd was about 3 hours of intense hunting and really great fun.

Maybe a little different but I am facinated with Wildebeest and would love to get what you could call a "Wildebeest Slam". A Black, Blue, Nyassa, and Cookson's Wildebeest.

If I had to pick 3:

1) Wildebeest - Don't care which one first.
2) Eland - I took one in Texas cause I couldn't wait, otherwise it would have been #1 (Damn they taste good)
3) Giraffe - I hear they are tough to hunt because the have their own spotting tower and see you coming for miles.

I would also like to take a Hyrax or "Dassie" - they're related to elephants and it would be the closest I would ever get to huntin" an Elephant.

Lance

Buffalo
Kudu
Sable

Buffalo would rank first, since I haven't hunted them yet and buff will be next. Of the animals I've hunted the toughest to get a shot at has been the hartebeest, the mountain zebra is a very fun animal to hunt.

John,

Craig Boddington has an article in the July '07 SCI Safari Times on the growing popularity of Africa hunting, and his analysis shows that we are going to be hunting Africa for a while, at least for plains game in RSA and Namibia. The other countries have much smaller numbers. Craig's opinion is Africa engenders a "gloom and doom" story, after all it is Africa.

He reports on an academic study that develops the annual number of safari hunts at 18,500 in recent years (over 23 countries). South Africa has 8,530 and Namibia 5,363, and are the most popular destinations. Craig says you can still go after PG for the price of an elk hunt, without worrying about drawing tags and warm gear.

His source is a paper in ScienceDirect www.sciencedirect.com. The authors are P.A. Lindsey and S.S. Romanich of the University of Zimbabwe, and P.A. Roulet of the Universite' d'Orleans in France.

jim

Jim,

Thanks very much for the update. All very interesting info!

JB

3040 Krag,

Missed your post for some reason. I love African bird hunting myself--one of the big reasons I bought a good 12x12x.30-06 drilling last year. Can't think of anything handier for a typical plains game/bird hunt!

JB

My favorite hunts
Cape buffalo
Leopard
Sable

I did this in '95 at prices that were quite reasonable compared to todays

Late entry...

1. Buffalo & leopard
2. Sable

Cape Buff
Greater Kudu
croc

and I'd use my .375 Sako and appropriate loads/bullets for all three

It was a running joke between my PH Karl and I while I was in Africa that as soon as I got home from my first safari that I could proclaim myself an expert on all things African. It seems to be the most common thing in the world for Americans to feel like African experts after their first trip. I told Karl I would soon be advising him on such things as elephant bullet selection and hippo stalking methods as soon as I got home. Of course, I have laid eyes on neither.

In that vein, in my limited experience, here is my list based on the animals I hunted.

Gemsbok-wary and they are a very interesting animal to see for the first time. A bit horselike when they run and I really like those dangerous looking sharp horns.

Eland-just a beautiful animal and very African looking.

Springbok-attractive and plentiful.

Josh (the newest African expert)

Cape Buffalo
Leopard
Kudu

On my one trip to Namibia I took a Kudu, Zebra, Gemsbok, and Springbok. Would find it hard to return to Africa and not hunt Kudu again.

Bushbuck
Sable
Waterbuck

I already have a 14" Bushbuck but want a 16" plus. Hey, I can dream. I consider the bushbuck a real challenge to hunt in South Africa.

My next trip will include a Sable and Waterbuck hunt. I have a 7mm mag and a 127gr bullet all prepared for them.

Don

Kudu,kudu,kudu

buff and kudu

How did I miss this ...

1. Eland (LD)
2. Gemsbok
3. Kudu

If I had to pick 3 it would be buffalo, gemsbock, and kudu.
The next 3 would be blue wildebeast, zebra and impala.

1. Eland
2. Kudu
3. Leopard (probably my next African trip)

Better late than never, I guess:

1-Kudu
2-Waterbuck
3-Nyala

Kudu
Hartebeast
Cape buffalo

These are my 3... keeping it real.

Wildebeest
Kudu
Eland


Still want a buff

Waterbuck, Kudu, Leopard. I, too, still want a buff.

Waterbuck, Oryx, springbuck

Buff
Buff
Eland

Elephant
Buffalo
Kudu
Bushbuck
Mt. Reedbuck and Valrhebok.
Eland
Zebra
Impala
Springbok

In that order....

My favorite critters to date have been Buffalo, Wildebeast, and Waterbuck.

Bushbuck
Kudu
Blue wildebeest

All in that order.
I have a 17" bushbuck a 50" Kudu would love to get a bigger one but it doesnt matter as long as it looks good.
And would love to bag a big bodied wildebeest. Poor mans buffalo

Buffalo
Kudu
Bushbuck

Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo

Kudu
Sable
Gemsbok

For some reason kudu had me over a barrel. I got a nice one , but not before letting a 55 - 56 incher go. With the buffalo I was nervous. With the lion I was (like everyone else) scared. I enjoyed blasting baboons. If I am ever privileged enough to go again. A waterbuck, an eland, and a leopard would be on the list.

My mind changes on a daily bases on this one...

Today I will change once more:

Elephant and Lion are so expensive so I am probably through hunting them..Also I would only hunt big bull elephant and it would have to be really big to entice me to shoot another..but everyone should shoot one elephant bull, one Lion, and one Leopard.

Buffalo have mostly been my quest, I love to hunt buffalo and always will.

Plainsgame is hard to choose from also.
Kudu of course, the holy grail

Eland are great, huge animals and hard to hunt.

Gemsbok are a beautiful animal

Zebra are a challange and a half

Mt. Rhebok and Vaal Rhebok are a real challange.

Bushbuck are awesome animals to hunt

Sable is the King of the plainsgame, he is only described as majestic.

Nyala, now there is a great trophy for sure..

I will probably change it all around within a week, I usually do when asked such a question.

What I do believe is that everyone that loves the hunt should be subject to a charge life threatening experience at least once, it will make you realize your own infalibility and its a rush that no one should be denied in life.

$ constricted:
Gemsbok
Kudu
Impala

If I get rich:
Leopard
Hippo
Lion

Been once and going back 2008 for buff.
kuda
bushbuck
impala
got all 3 but will go after more of the same again.
I went with jjhack and am going back with huim this year.

The plan is to go back in 2009 for Buffalo and maybe bushbuck and nyala.

But I have a real soft spot for the Wildebeest. Maybe I need to do a Wildebeest Slam?

1. Cape Buffalo: This is the one game animal that stays in my mind.

2. Rhinoceros: Similar to the Buff, it just stays in my mind, maybe I read too many Capstick stories when I was young.

3. Wildebeest (any type)

Elephants...I just feel too much brotherhood with them to want to hunt them, haha.

Gemsbok
Kudu
Buff

going in June on my list Kudu, Gemsbok, Eland Mtn Zebra

To answer your question my top 3 would be

Cape
Kudu
Sable

Buffalo
Kudu
Gemsbok

If I am fortunate to hunt Africa again I believe a Waterbuck would top my list. Next would be an Eland, then a Sable, and finally a Leopard. The Waterbuck to me was the most regal of the non-dangerous species I have ever seen. They smell though.

Cape buffalo hunting is a joy. I was fortunate enough to bag a very nice trophy lion. When the shooting stopped there was a great deal of remorse on my part. I will never hunt African lion again. He did not suffer. But to look down on that once mighty beast and know I took his life was an emotional event that I was not prepared for. There were no obvious emotions when this took place. I quietly made a promise to myself that one is enough.

Of the four game animals listed the Sable would be the easiest to obtain. You must be in good Sable country. Not much drama involved.

Sorry that I didn't see this until now. A couple guys have beat me to the punch.

My selection would be 1. buffalo 2. buffalo. 3. buffalo.

My next trip will be for an elephant, but I'll work another buffalo in there some way.

Tom

1) Cape Buffalo
2) Hippo on dry land
3) Tie - Kudu vs. Gemsbok. I would choose the cheapest to hunt to break the tie. $$$ is always a consideration for me!

1-Buff
2-Warthog
3- . . . . .?

BMT

Mine would be....
1.Buffalo
2.Leopard
3.PAC Elephant

Fred