Thanks Shakari....
Its the essence of the whole experience....

I find the whole idea of 'I have more money so should be able to bag a bigger XYZ than you and who can guarantee this for me or I'll stamp my feet.....'

Go for the best you can and be proud if you get a great trophy but the whole idea of reducing the hunt and the animals life to the quarter inch that makes the book or beats the next guy, is quite frankly, quite distasteful.

As you write from your extensive experience, anyone who guarantees huge kudu might be taking a chance. Saying the chance is good or fair is one thing, a guarantee...another. As you say, some old bulls look magnificent but only 'tape out' at say 50. Its still a great trophy and privilage.

I did not intend on starting an "inch" war. I only put inches in my goals to try and ensure a mature, quality animal. I would in no way, shape or form be disappointed in any animal which I decide to take. If I like it enough to shoot it, I'm definitely going to be happy with it. I just don't want anybody on here to think I'm "inch" crazy!

I have an area where you could get big Kudu, it is in the Limpopo Valley on my concession close to the Main Lodge.

The best area for big kudu is , Limpopo South Africa and some areas in Zimbabwe

You intrested in bow or rifle well it doesnt matter both will work.
The biggest kudu form it last year 58 and average is 52 inches.

Hope you get that dream kudu

I have to put a plug in for my friend Hannes du Plesses and his place Bergzicht. I have got to know Hannes through a mutual friend who hunted there with two others last year. The three of them connected with kudu ranging from 53" to 56". Hannes spent last weekend with me while attending a local banquet and I was astounded at the quality of kudu that have come off his place, including the current Namibian No. 3 at 64"/65".

In one of Capsticks books he says that nobody shoots a Kudu under X inches because it is so easy to measure them generously or something like that. Can anyone elaborate on this and what is the proper way to measure?

Bulldog563,

The correct way to measure kudu are as follows:

1. Measure each horn around the spiral (on the spiral) keeping the tape/steel cable on the spiral ridge, starting at the lowest point at the front of the base proceeding to the tip. Where the spiral ends before it reaches the tip a straight line must be followed from here to the tip.

2. Measure the cricumference of the base of each horn at right angles to the axis.

For SCI add these numbers to give you a score. When people talk about a 55" kudu that means the longest horn measured as in point 1. You will hardly get that 2 horns are the same size.

I guess he was saying that people don't keep the tape on the ridge and wrap it around the circumference as they go up to get a longer measurement.

You want a Big One. Try John Sharp.




bobga

Nice one, Bob!

Ann,
Thanks, what memories I will have forever.
Bob

See 500 grains photo on page 2. He is spot on. I shot the 58 1/2" kudu below.

If I would have been comfotable with a +/- 260yd shot, which I wasn't, there were three I saw which would have called the one I killed "junior". Any one of the three would have gone 60" plus.



JPK