CHASING THE GRAY GHOST IN BOTSWANA

Above: The Author’s 2021 bull from Botswana Below: Tracker Kamura with the Author’s non-typical 57” Botswana bull

The kudu is one of the most widely distributed antelope in Africa, with a range stretching from Ethiopia in the north all the way down to South Africa. The diminutive lesser kudu can be found in East Africa, and there are many recognized subspecies of greater Kudu. The two subspecies that are hunted the most are the southern greater kudu that is the largest subspecies, and the Cape Kudu that is quite possibly the smallest of the greater kudu.

Southern greater kudu are found in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, etc., and bulls are roughly the size of a bull elk, and their spiral horns are generally between 50 and 60-inches though a few grow even longer. A 60” kudu bull is comparable to a 200” whitetail. 50-inches has long been a benchmark for a good bull, but the bull must also be mature and his horns “finished”. That means he has completed his turns, and his tips are either facing forward or out to the sides. Generally, if his tips are still leaning back, he needs more time to mature.

Cape Kudu come from the mountainous Eastern Cape region of South Africa and are noticeably smaller than Southern greaters. Cape Kudu are darker in coat, and often have longer hair than Southerns, and mature bulls generally weigh 100-200 pounds less than their larger cousins. Good bulls will carry horns that will measure in the mid 40” range, and a 50” Cape Kudu is an exceptional trophy.

For most first-time safari hunters pursuing plains game, the kudu tops their list of species they want to hunt. I have been fortunate to hunt kudu many times, and I think I have taken 14 bulls over the years in a number of countries and been on many more successful kudu hunts with others. In my opinion, there is no better place to hunt big trophy greater kudu bulls than Botswana.

The Kalahari region of Botswana has some incredible kudu genetics and a high population. In this area, a good trophy bull will be in the mid 50 inches, and the two places I hunt generally produce 1-4 super bulls that break the magical 60-inch mark each year.

Above left: The Author’s friend and WTA client Randy Johnson with a 64” Botswana monster Above right: The Author’s son Drew with a very nice Cape kudu, notice the smaller body size and longer hair Below: Nothing like ending the day with a campfire in the bush

A few years ago, I was hunting there and got a call on the radio about 8:00 a.m. that I needed to hurry and get to the other side of the property to meet another PH and a couple of friends. I was actually a bit worried, but when I got there, I saw what all the uproar was about. My buddy, Randy Johnson, had taken an incredible kudu bull that ended up at a bit over 64 inches. They knew I would want to see and photograph the bull, and I was sure glad they called me. It was a true privilege to get to lay my hands on those amazing horns. Interestingly, Randy’s hunting companion Shane Nielsen took a 59.5” bull the next day. What a 2x1 hunt!

In June 2021 I returned to Botswana, and my plan was to hunt kudu for about 11 days and really concentrate on big bulls. I had taken about half a dozen bulls there before, including a 55” and 56” and a unique bull that had one horn growing downward and eventually into his neck while his other horn stretched the tape to 57 inches. On this trip, I planned to shoot any bull that just really appealed to me and then spend the rest of the trip looking for a bull that would break the magical 60-inch mark.

The first morning of the hunt, PH Werner Lombard and I spotted a bull walking down a trail toward us, and the closer he got, the bigger he appeared The big bull to be. The bull was incredibly wide, and Werner guessed him to be about 55”. Since it lurched forward and was down was the first half-hour of the first day of the hunt, I chose within 10 yards. He to pass him, and that decision still haunts me. I think the bull was an absolutely was over 60 inches wide, and gorgeous bull, and he would certainly have been the most impressive bull I had I couldn’t have ever killed. Over the next few days, we been happier. looked over dozens of kudu bulls. We saw quite a few that would have been a no-brainer in most other places in Africa, and a few that were very tempting where we were. I was really kicking myself for passing up the super-wide bull on the first morning.

We got some intel from a PH that had guided the week before my hunt, and he said he saw a massive bull in the general area of a waterhole on the southeast part of our concession around mid-day. We decided to spend some time in the area and see if we could find him. Werner and I took a slow walk down a trail and after a few hundred yards, spotted a nice bull feeding. He was nice, but not what we were looking for, and as we watched him through our binos, one of our trackers pointed out to our left a couple of hundred yards where we saw four more mature bulls and a couple of cows.

One of the bulls had super deep curls and was wide, but his tips were not finished. Then I saw a beautiful bull with long, heavy horns pushing what must have been a hot cow. I asked Werner what he thought because I really liked the bull. He said, “Well, he is a great bull, but definitely not 60-inches.” I knew that, but I really liked the bull, so with a bit more discussion, we decided to make a play on him.

The bull was actually pushing the cow closer to us, and we got low and made our way forward, using a thick bush as cover. When the sticks went up, the bull was only about 80 yards away, but facing away. As soon as he turned and gave me a quartering

Kudu Gear

On this hunt I was using one of my favorite rifles for heavy, non-dangerous game; a .338 Win topped with a Trijicon Accupoint 5x20x50 scope. The magnification is a bit more than needed in most of Africa, but this is an all-around setup I use for elk and moose as well. I had my scope on 5x for the close 80-yard shot in this kudu, but I have taken ibex out over 400 yards with the same setup. It’s an incredibly versatile rifle/scope setup that I have used all over the world. I love the illuminated aiming point for quick target acquisition, and the 50 mm objective really brings in light when things get dim early and late.

In my .338, I shoot a 225 Grain Cutting Edge Bullets Lazer that is supremely accurate and has pedals that sheer off and do massive trauma, while the back portion of the bullet travels on like a jagged solid. These bullets have served me well all over the world on all kinds of game, and I have absolute and supreme confidence in their performance, no matter what I am hunting.

away shot, I put the aiming point of my Trijicon Accupoint right behind his shoulder and sent a 225 grain .338 bullet through his boiler room.

The big bull lurched forward and was down within 10 yards. He was an absolutely gorgeous bull, and I couldn’t have been happier.

We spent the next week looking hard for a 60-inch bull, but never found one. I figured I looked at well over 250 kudu bulls, and many of them were at least as good as the one I shot. My friends, Russell and Jay, both took a couple of beautiful bulls, each in the 55-57” range. You can bet I’ll be back looking for a 60-incher, but if I never find one, it doesn’t matter at all. Hunting kudu is a total blast, and any mature bull is a wonderful trophy. ★