(Thought a visual aid might help)



While on my second PG hunt in June, a fireside discussion developed one night on the wierd and strange in game animal behavior. One PH, who was quite a story teller, gave an account of watching a lone mature Black Wildebeest bull (see picture) maliciously kill an Impala ewe that was grazing close to him, and then chase and attempt to gore just about any other animal that was within his field of vision. He and his client were hunting Blue Wildebeest at the time and din't notice any kind of a rut going on... This bull pretty much ruined any chance at stalking a herd of Blues nearby and wasn't on the clients menu, so he took his client to another likely Blue WB area. This wasn't the first time he had seen Black Wildebeest act this way, but had never actually seen one kill another animal without any apparent reason. Some of the other PH's present had also seen this kind of behavior in Black WB.



Ever had an occasion to see Black WB's act this way or any other wierd or strange game animal experiences? I know the rut can bring out the beast in most males. Just curious, as the Black WB is on my list for the next hunt.

If ever there was an animal who's horns say "Don't mess with me" its that one

Ever notice that when you hunt them they will run off and then return to observe you time and time again..They are keen on knowing where you are at all times..This is their defence against Lions stalking them, it makes them pretty easy to hunt with a rifle, but darn hard to grab with your claws and teeth!

The only thing I noticed is they can make Mopone tree jump in way of bullets, never figured out how they do that.

I shot one in the eatsren cape a few years ago and if any animal lived up to the reputation of bullet proof it was that one. I ended up putting a total of 5 different 160 gr Noslers from a 7mm Rem Mag into his boiler room before he fell over. When we opened him up at camp, his chest was literally mush. Somehow he just got into his mind that he wasn't going to fall down. Never seen anything like it. I shoot all my wildebeest with a 375 now.

Mac

I shot my B W in RSA in 2002 using 9.3 x 62 and 286 Norma Alaska bullet.
First shot was about 200 + off the sticks and the BW went all four feet up in air. PH was busy slapping me on the back when BW stood up. I suggested a trip back to the car for a drink and to let him bleed out a bit. One Coke later we are back and he is still standing and facing me. Then he starts toward me. At some point his decides to stop coming so I pull the trigger again. Once again, dust flies off him and he rotates to the "feet in air" position. Once again the PH is a happy camper and beating me on the back...once again the BW stands up. Now...he takes off...
There were a total of 13 shots fired at the BW. Not all connected. One I recall hit him in the rear and went out the far side. You could have put a golf ball in that hole and not touched the sides. Somewhere in the hail of lead he fell again. When I got to him I finished him with a 40 cal. from a Walther pistol.
The first shot was maybe a tad high but still centered in the left front shoulder...right in the transmission! He was standing in some tall grass and evidently I should have mowed some grass with the first bullet on the way in.
Now, I took my cape with one shot of my 416 at 161 steps.
The BW has my respect and then some! Twice I had him on the ground and all four feet in the air. You could see the dust fly off the back side of him when the bullet struck.
He is one of my pride and joy trophies. I have never had to fire off 13 rounds at anything else in Africa or anyplace else I have hunted.

Ray is right, their propensity to trotting by at a distance can cause them to become "life challenged" around rifle hunters.
I was set up on this one's second pass at about 225 yards. He took a 250gr. X through the chest from a .340 Wby. and was done about the time I got on him for a second shot.



The PH warned me but I was still shocked at how much smaller they are than blue wildebeest. Getting to hear the "alarm" snort they make is worth the experience of hunting alone not to mention a really interesting trophy (my hunting partner thinks they're toooooo UGLY to hunt).

Kyler

This old boy was guarding the rear of a herd we spooked in the Eastern Cape in 2001. We were glassing the herd bulls and my PH was trying to deceide which bull I should shoot. I said" What about the old boy with the gimp horn there, he looks like a good one?" The PH says "I'm thinking the same thing, but I didn't think you would want him." Boom went the .375 and off he goes about 75 yards full tilt, but gradually slows down and keels over. One of my all time favorite wall hangers.
I'm sure that horn came in handy for him over the years and he acted like he knew how to use it.

"...my hunting partner thinks they're toooooo



UGLY to hunt..."



I thought so to BEFORE I went to Africa. My

very first African animal was a blue wildebeest.

After taking pictures my PH asked me what I was

going to do with him and I blurted out skull mount

because it is way too ugly to mount.



The safari manager because of that to this day

still thinks I didn't mount any of my animals from

two safaris which couldn't be further from the truth.



I think when/if I shoot a black I will have him

mounted just because of the unique horns.



Now the nyassa, cookson's et. al. who knows,

way too far into the future.

At one time, the Black Wildebeest population was down to 15 animals. Those few weren't breeding very well. The old hands said "shoot the surplus males". Of course, there was a debate about that. But their advice was taken and immediately, the herd started to increase to the point where they are very plentiful today, and don't command much respect.

I also believe this species is unique to South Africa.

The high degree of inbreeding must have some impact on the present population. There is also a parasite that gets in their brains and drives them nuts. Perhaps that is what you were witnessing.

In July 2001 I took my then 10-year old son to SA. We were hunting on a Gov't reserve in the Free State, and most all shots were long. We finally managed to stalk to within ~125-yards of a group of 5-6 black wildebeest bulls, looking down on them from a cliff of sorts. The wind was blowing hard so the PH told my son to aim his 7mm-08 at the rear quarter and the bullet would blow into him. To my amazement it looked like a good hit, perhaps a tad low. He hung with the other bulls, who eventually chased him from their group as he was wounded. There was no cover and we could not get within 350+ yards. I managed to put a 200gr TBBC from my .300Mag in him, and he took off. The game scout from the reserve said he knew where he would be headed, and we located him again several miles away. We got after him on foot up a rocky hill, and I can't recall if I shot and missed or hit him again but poorly (why I keep a journal anymore). We found him backed into a clump of brush, where I administered the final shot. When he could not run anymore, he was prepared to fight. Pretty amazing animal, who now occupies a prime wall in the trophy room. Also memorable as my son learned the importance of never leaving the truck w/o toilet paper. Somewhere in Africa, right near where this wildebeest died, is his sock, under a rock. We tease about this every so often, it's amazing what experiences are the ones that stick with you.

In stark contrast, earlier in the hunt in Natal, my son got within 60-yards of a blue wildebeest, hit him perfectly, he jumped, ran 20-yards, stood there a few seconds, then collapsed.

Eric,

I like your attitude.

Keith

Well wildebeest in general are pretty hardy. I saw one take a 300wsm in the shoulder and spin 360 degrees 4 revolutions before he took off never to be seen again.

Where we hunt we have a beautiful herd of 60 + blacks which split into a breeding herd and several small batchelor groups. we have had very good success in stalking them up to 125 metres or so. Mind you they are tough, we reccomend that a good quality 30 cal bullet be used. I personally prefer 300 wm or wsm.

Blues and blacks do show a propensity to charge if they can identify the thing hunting them and sometimes we have seen them just buck and charge "ghosts", especially in the all male groups.....maybe its their form of play.

pretty fun to watch when they are active. I like the black as i think it really pretty with that brush on his muzzle.

cheers tm.

RHS,

I�ve never seen a Black WB attack a member of another specie, but would not doubt that an individual animal might do that. I have seen Black WB bulls work on territorial intruders � and that is not a pretty site!

Sheep ranchers with a stock theft problem are increasingly introducing lone Black WB bulls in the different camps of their ranches. The WB tend to be protective towards the sheep, and a few stories/reports have surfaced of sheep thieves not surviving their quest for a bit of illegal meat.

If you intend to hunt Black WB, you must prepare yourself mentally for the ordeal. The first step in the process is to realize that WB are born sick, and they get healthier every time you shoot them.

The second step is to realize that they don�t have vital organs. Sure they have a hart & lungs, but it seems that those parts were only included to help with the weight, balance & lift issues in a rather maladroit body. Their destruction does not necessarily lead to the rapid expiration of the animal in question. Other than their non-vital hart & lung area, the rest of their body is for motivational purposes. If you hit them in the �motivational parts� (specifically the guts), you will spur them on to become over-achievers in the games of survival & escape.

I watched a friend of mine shoot one cleanly through the lungs from no more than 90 yards away with a 300 Weatherby and 180 grain X bullet. Broadside shot, and the damn thing still ran over 1000 yards before falling over. The whole time it was running away after being hit, we could see blood just pouring out its nose and mouth. They are tough!

I've only shot one black, and it was non eventful, except for the long belly crawl in tall grass. We finally decided 250 yds. was as close as we could get, and he constantly looked in our direction. I took a frontal shot with my 375 H&H and 300 Gr. TBBC. He went down instantly.

He is called "The Clown of the Bushveld", you know.