The spiral horned bushbuck is found in many African countries. Here’s a general list of bushbuck habitats. The Abyssinian bushbuck’s territory is the lowlands of Ethiopia. Giant, or Barker, bushbuck are only found in the southern Sudan; They are no longer recognized as a huntable trophy animal. South Africa book your hunt is home to the Cape bushbuck. It is also found in southern Mozambique. The Chobe bushbuck is located in Angola, northern Botswana, Malawi,
Mozambique, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. East African bushbuck roam from Kenya to Mozambique. The harnessed bushbuck is in West Africa from Senegal to Congo. Limpopo bushbuck range along the Limpopo River valleys in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Menelik’s bushbuck are only located in the mountain areas of Ethiopia. The Nile bushbuck inhabits Zaire, Uganda, and southern Sudan. Shoan bushbuck live on the central plateau book your hunt of Ethiopia, however, SCI does not list them as a different species.
Bushbuck males typically weigh between 100-130 pounds, and stand 32 inches to 36 inches at the shoulder. They range in color from a light brown to a dark, almost black, brown. Only the males have horns. As the name indicates, bushbuck prefer inhabiting thick brush or vegetation, usually near riverbanks.
Hunting trophy bushbuck in Africa is best done in the Limpopo Province in South Africa, or the upper Limpopo Valley in Zimbabwe. This province is the premier destination in book your hunt the world for trophy bushbuck. Roland Ward’s Records of Big Game list the largest trophy South African bushbuck, both Limpopo and Cape, right at 21-7/8 inches. It was picked up in KwaZulu-Natal in 1994. SCI rates the largest Cape bushbuck at 52-1/8 inch taken in 1987 in Zululand. The largest Limpopo bushbuck measured 54-3/8 inch, and was taken in South Africa in 2008.
CHOBE BUSHBUCK
Roland Ward lists the largest Chobe bushbuck horn at 19-5/8 inches. SCI scores one at 20-4/8 inches, with an overall score of 55-3/8 inches. When hunting trophy bushbuck in Africa it can be hard to differentiate the three bushbuck species, Chobe, Limpopo, and Cape from each other. The Chobe weighs right around book your hunt 100 pounds and usually the Chobe bushbuck is smaller than the Limpopo or Cape bushbuck. The typical Chobe bushbuck stands less than 32 inches at the shoulder. It can be found in Zimbabwe in the Zambezi River Valley and surrounding areas.
Hunting Chobe bushbuck in Africa means that you have to be aware of other animals like lion, hippo, and elephant that share the habitat. Coming across a sleeping Cape buffalo while stalking a bushbuck can provide for a few interesting moments – especially if your rifle is a .243. A .375, or larger would be my personal minimum when hunting trophy bushbuck in the dangerous game areas of Africa.