Hunting Specialty Animals in Africa

Hunting specialty animals in Africa offers a lot of variety for the modern day African hunter.  From the nocturnal aardwolf to the Rock Python, Africa has a lot of conversation making showpieces for your game room.  Many of these odd ball animals require special permits to be able to hunt and take one of these special trophies home, but by locating an outfitter and some advance planning, most of these specialty animals can be added to your trophy collection.

Hunting specialty animals in Africa can occur in the daytime or nighttime, but as many of these species are primarily nocturnal, a lot of this hunting takes place at night.   Animals that are primarily hunted at night include the aardwolf, foxes, jackals, buhpigs, and honey badger.  There are three primary methods of hunting these animals at night.  One method is to spotlight for them while slowly driving the roads.  The other method is to set up bait stations and concealment blinds and then to wait for them to come in to the bait stations to feed.  The third method is to call them to within shooting range through the use of distress calls.

Although jackals and foxes may sometimes be spotted during the day while you are out hunting plains game, it is far more common to take them by spotlighting for them at night while they are out foraging for food.  Another common method that is growing in popularity is to hunt them by using electronic predator calls to lure them in and then spotlighting them with a red lens spotlight, which does not seem to frighten them like a white spotlight does.  If your PH is adept at blowing a mouth distress call, this method may be used also.  Some PHs will plan the hunts on the full moon and forgo the use of lights.  A good illuminated red dot scope is invaluable for this kind of hunting.

The spotted and brown hyenas are highly desired trophies and are either hunted by spotlighting, or may be baited into range at bait stations.  The use of trail cameras has made this type of hunting much more productive, as you will normally only sit on bait that has a hyena visiting it regularly.  Plus, the trail camera will give you an indication of the approximate time that the hyena is visiting, which can eliminate a lot of unproductive sitting.  Several other animals can be taken during these hunts, with honey badgers, civet cats, genets and bushpigs also being frequent visitors to these bait stations.

Bushpigs may be hunted at bait stations as described above, but are also hunted with dogs.  As bushpigs do not typically live in burrows, but bury up during the day in thick brush, putting the dogs on a fresh track early in the morning will often bust the bushpig out of his lair and initiate an exciting daytime chase.  The only caveat to this type of hunting is that you will be expected to shoot the bushpig no matter what its size is, as that is the only practical way of getting the dogs away from the bushpig.  So be sure your PH gives you a non-trophy fee if you end up shooting a small bushpig.  The landowners want you to harvest all of the bushpigs that can be taken, as they are destructive nuisances in the agricultural areas and are also prolific breeders.

When hunting Specialty animals in Africa, many hunters target the baboon and vervet monkey.  Both make interesting mounts for your trophy rooms.  The male baboon with a snarling expression looks especially fearsome and makes an amazing mount.  Both of these primates are primarily hunted in the daytime.  Baboons that have been regularly hunted are especially wary and make difficult adversaries.

Finally, when hunting specialty animals in Africa, you may decide to harvest an ostrich for its magnificent plumage or a rock python for its incredible skin.  Be sure to know the importability of your snake before pulling the trigger.  There are other unique trophies available also, such as the mongoose, honey badger and water chevrotain.  Along with the rock hyrax, these animals make up the specialty animals of Africa.