Where do you guys shoot your hippos land or water? It seems like it would be a bit more exciting to shoot them on land to me. What do you guys think?

I have shot quite a few, both in the water and out.

All one has to do is be accurate in his shot.

I have also met them hiding or sleeping in the bush by the river bank.

This can be quite hairy if you don't see one until you are on top of him. And if he does not run aweay, charges instead, you need a very quick and accurate shot to save your hide.

But, on all the occassions we have seen them, and getting within a few yards of them, all they want to do is get away from you.

sounds like a fun hunt but it seems many places now wont let you take the trophy home.

Steel
We shoot them in a small water course where it gets a bit exciting when you find them.
Great fun and well worth the trip.
I would suggest adding Nyala, Kudu, Reedbuck and a Buff if you are interested.
If you going to bring a double and only want big game then take Hippo and you can decide on either 1 Buffalo bull or 4 Buffalo cows.

Either way, you going to have a lot of fun doing it.

All trophies are exportable and I might suggest you look at Highveld Taxidermy to do the hippo mount, they do a much better job than anyone else in the country, most guys just get hippo wrong and they look like stuffed pin cushions by the end of it.

Mine was shot in the water and it was not an easy shot! Hunting hippo and croc can be some of the more difficult hunts, in my opinion, due to the small areas for shot placement.

Steel,

I've shot four in the water which is the most efficient way to get a lot of cat bait up quickly. I shot them all in the Luangwa river in Zambia. A hippo on land there is almost impossible as they go back into the water just as the sky is getting grey and all you see is a big dark blob crossing the sand.

I think in the Selous the environment is more conducive to hunting them on land as they hall out in the bush along the rivers in the daytime.

Mark

I shot my one and only for lion bait. It was in the Luangwa river. We had a beach party with chairs and cold beer while waiting for the right bull to show himself. While it wasn't much of a "hunt", it was a lot of fun and the actual shot was difficult.

If I was to go on a hunt specifically for hippo, I'd like to do it in an area where a hippo on dry land was a strong possibility.

Mine was in the water......tough shot to make....easy hunt....


.

Neither, I shoot mine in the head.

I prefer to shoot them between the eyes, as shooting them in the water or on land doesn't seem to kill them very effectively.

Well, all BS aside, my son shot his hippo on land. He refused to shoot one in the water. This happened in Aug. 2011, hunting with Martin Pieters, in the Omay North. It was awsome, and I got to watch the whole thing!






Here is a pic of the trophy he had shipped home.





Long story, and no time to post right now[go back and search our hunt], but if I was to hunt a hippo, I'd opt for dry land, myself.


Mad Dog

Mad Dog:
Thanks so much for the pic and the teeth. I'm off to Zim for hippo in June and now I know what to do with it!
Cal

I have shot 8 all in the water. I would prefer on land but the first one was for lion bait and we needed it quick. The other 7 were part of a culling program in Zambia.

Cal, wish I had the money, I'd love to go back to Lake Kariba and spend a week, just looking the shore line for a big hippo, while my son is hunting a leopard he wants so bad....


Mad Dog

I don't have an interest in shooting one in the water (bait aside), but would very much like to try for one on land.

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Neither, I shoot mine in the head.

I'm with Wendell on this one. I've shot 6 - 7 of em, all in head! Great bait.

Steel - Here are a few posts that might provide some additional insight:

I want to shoot a hippo on land

Why shoot a hippo in the water?

Interesting read makes me want to hunt one even more.

Hello Steel; check with MS he offers the most exciting Hippo Hunting I ever saw.


Best regards

Malek
Good shooting/hunting and God's best.

I have never shot a Hippo, but I plan to do so this year on land with a double rifle. I think that's about the most exciting way to do it.

Took mine on land, not necessarily for the extra thrill, we just didn't have access to a boat for retrieval.

Stalked up on a pod slleping on the bank of the Zambezei.

Shot mine on land. The only reason I'd shoot one in the water would be for bait purposes. The trophy isn't worth the expense without getting the excitement of the up close and personal hunt. JMO of course!

Land and looking down the barrels. Sight picture is everything. between the eyes inside of 20feet.

Mike



cat bait and my tsetse fly gun in the background

Whereever they happen to be.

Jeff

I would really like one but sure want it to happen on land if possible.

The last one I shot the Hippo was on the dirt........... But I was thigh deep in the water!

Wonder how that adds up??? I shot mine while I was in the Water! LOL.....

quote:

Originally posted by michael458:
The last one I shot the Hippo was on the dirt........... But I was thigh deep in the water!

Wonder how that adds up??? I shot mine while I was in the Water! LOL.....

Michael - Now you've gone and done it! This totally skews the whole hippo land/water issue. I never considered the hunter in the water before?? Man, now what do we do? Guess we'll all have to go shoot another hippo on land, but of course we can "snorkel" up close and let him have it! But wait, will that still be sniping the hippo, or would it be hunting the hippo? This is all just way to confusing!

By the way - CAN I BUY SOME BULLETS? I'm totally ignoring your tag line.

quote:

Michael - Now you've gone and done it! This totally skews the whole hippo land/water issue. I never considered the hunter in the water before?? Man, now what do we do?

Aaron

You know me, "Non-Conventional".... Always looking for an alternative to "Conventional"....


Andrew and I were wading across to an island where lots of hippos were lounging about. About 20 ft from "Feet Dry", hippo came running up to the edge of the water..... We are still thigh deep, we stop, he stops, I shoot, he drops, I'm in the water, he's on the dirt! LOL.......

No man, can't swim, no snorkeling for me............ Oh, and yes, there were plenty of crocs laying about as well........

Bullets?.................

M

Michael

Now what am are we going to do in October????

quote:

Originally posted by Kwan:
Michael

Now what am are we going to do in October????

Walter - Definitely don't bring the snorkels, Michael can't even swim!!!!!