How many of you have hunted any of the Grysbucks? And how did you do it? Where did you hunt them?

I consider trying for a Cape Grysbuck in RSA in a couple of years, but am a bit reluctant due to hunting method (mostly from vehicles at night with spotlight). I know it`s legal cause they have a permit for it, but how ethical do you think it is?

I took mine at sunset, no spotlight, no vehicle. They are doable, you just have to be there when they pop up and start moving around. For me, the only thing I'll shoot from a truck with a light are jackals. Not very sporting (for me) to hunt any of the antelope from a truck under the lights. Might as well buy a pre mounted one from a local taxidermist over there. Just mho.

I took my Grysbok at night by light, and apologize to no one about it. It was some of the most challenging hunting I've ever done. You drive across the hills on the farms which are covered with a zillion, round, bread loaf size stones, with the truck lurching, sliding and frequently getting "stuck." You have to get relatively close to determine what you are looking at, Grysbok or something else, female or male, nice trophy or pass. The method of hunting is dictated by their habits. These are essentially nocturnal animals, are not seen during the day, and become active only at dusk. And we are talking small, really small animals: 20" at the shoulder and 22lbs.

We hunted over one farm, and then moved on to a neighbor's farm; however, no one bothered to clear the matter with the neighbor prior to our gun shot. Needless to say, the farmer was wide awake and disturbed when he heard my shot virtually in his back yard. (Although not prevalent in the Cape, farmers have been shot in RSA!)

Thank God for cell phones! A quick call to home to his wife by our host with instructions to call the neighbor, whose land we were on, kept us from being peppered with birdshot or worse.

Hunting at night in the Cape can be more interesting than you planned! Kudude

A agree with Kudude, I'm very proud of the Grysboks that I shot at night with a spot light. I hunted then for 5 Safaris before I got my chance, saw them on earlier safaris but the little buggers gave us the slip!

He's the two Sharpes Grysboks I took in Zimbabwe last May with Buffalo Range Safaris, Brent Leesmay and Rob Style were responsible for getting me the shooting opportunity. First one is 1 3/4 inches! The second one was a real hog! Almost 3 inches!

When it rains it pours!!!!!!

Grysbock was one of the ones that evaded me, thought I hunted them a few time, always in the daylight. I have been told that they tend to lie at the base of big trees late in the day, and that is indeed where we would see them. The method of hunting was to hang on to the side of the truck, drive by them and drop off and hike back to where you saw them. They were always very alert, and when I got to where I saw them last, they were gone. Myself, of the small antelopes, the one I really like to hunt is klipspringer.

I saw several Gysbock on my trip to Zim. I took a niced one at about 40 yrds with a .470 double using 500 gr. solids...Use enough gun!!!!

I shot a very good Cape Grysbok (3 6/16" x 3 4/16" x 2" x 2") on our recent hunt in the Eastern Cape by driving slowly through the fields at night with a spotlight.



I used a .22 Hornet at about 40 yards to shoot the little guy. There was certainly nothing dangerous or difficult to boast about, but they are very attractive little animals and mine not only tasted excellent roasted and served with a fine Pinotage, it will also make a very nice life-size mount!

Don't get me wrong, I take clients out all the time for small antelope in the truck with lights, it's just not my bag, personally. Guess once you've btdt one too many times, it's just not interesting any more. When you're pressed for time with a bunch of animals in a few short hunting days, you need the edge a truck and light can give you. When I went for my grysbuck, it took three days of patient still hunting. Not everyone has that kind of time for something so small.

Mark in SC

Excellent Grysbok!!!

The photo is done perfect!!! good job on both!!

Yeah. Beautiful trophy and photo both Mark and Widowmaker416! Those photos made me want one even harder..
Do you think it`s possible to hunt one on foot with spotlight at night, after a couple of nights out to check for signs?
I might go for the vehicle method anyway if that`s how they`re hunted. For me it`s important to learn another hunting culture as well when I travel abroad. Can`t always expect to hunt like I do at home..

Anders, it would think it should be possible to hunt them on foot with a spotlight by stalking quietly into the wind on a dark, moonless night. However, they may be more difficult to approach on foot than in a vehicle. A man on foot sounds like a predator, grysbok hear vehicles moving around all the time and probably are not alarmed by them.

Another strategy might be to locate grysbok sign and then simply park the vehicle (or find some elevated observation post) in the field at dark and turn on the spotlight periodically hoping to see one within range.

Either method should work, but may require significantly more time for success. You can cover much more country in a night by driving and spotting. In addition, there are other interesting, nocturnal creatures that make the night spotlight drives a memorable safari experience, such as genets, civets, African wildcats, porcupines and spring hares.

I didn't have a problem shooting a grysbok in the spotlight from a vehicle; it's legal in South Africa and it's the customary way for visiting hunters to take a grysbok. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," as they say.

If I was a resident and had unlimited time to hunt grysbok, I would enjoy experimenting with more challenging ways to hunt them.

quote:

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," as they say.

If I was a resident and had unlimited time to hunt grysbok, I would enjoy experimenting with more challenging ways to hunt them.

Just what I was thinking myself! I`ll ask some outfitters what would be possible. If it`s standard results to shoot a good grysbuck after one night/evening, it might be possible to get one after 4 atempts on foot, and then the last option would be best for me.. But I definetly agree with you, Mark!

I`m actually close to booking now.. I`ve discussed things with the selected outfitter. He says it will be very difficult without vehicle and spotlight. They had seen a few during daytime, but that kind of hunting method will depend A LOT on lady luck..
I`ve decided it will be ok to use vehicle and spotlight if that is how it`s normally done.
My outfitter told me it was important to choose dates without moon.. Maybe he meant IF we`ll try at daytime..
Or is it important for nighthunts as well? Any ideas?

In 8 years of hunting Zimbabwe ( total of probably 200 days) I have SEEN 3 Grysbok. Two right at dusk and one at night on road. Have never seen one while walking. Would have liked to take one but never had the chance although I really looked for them. If someone is opposed to hunting from a truck or at night with lights that is certainly their priviledge and I welcome them to it. It's all a matter of personal choice.