The bushpig, or Potamochoerus larvatus, is a species of pig native to East and Southern Africa. They are also found in Madagascar and may have been brought there from elsewhere. Unconfirmed sightings have likewise been reported from the Comoran island of Mayotte. The bushpig is the African variety of the European boar.
The wild hogs that can be found in many parts of the United States share certain characteristics with the African bushpig. While they are smaller than European or North American pigs, they nonetheless exhibit the same vicious nature and aggressive tendencies as the vast majority of wild pigs.
The bushpig is similar to domestic hogs in appearance but tend to be hairier. As they age, their brownish-gray hue shifts to a deeper shade of brown.
While related to the warthog, this species’ sharp tusks are noticeably shorter, and they lack the facial warts. Their ears are also noticeably higher and more erect than those of the warthog.
Bushpigs are nocturnal, meaning they are most active after dark and rest during the day. Every group of bushpigs has at least one male head of the family, or boar, and anywhere from one to four females, or sows, and their young.
Territorial sizes start at 50 acres and go as high as 2,500 acres. Young bushpigs can live with their parents for a year if they so choose. Most patriarchs will force younger males out of the group, which may then band together as bachelors.
In Africa, bushpigs are hunted as a means of population control and damage reduction. Bushpigs are omnivores that feast on rotting meat, bulbs, and fruit that has fallen to the ground. In Southern Africa, bushpigs are a major agricultural pest that cause significant annual crop loss.
In South Africa, bushpig hunting is typically an add-on to a plains game hunt. Due to the bushpig’s widespread distribution across the country, numerous tour companies have partnered with local farms to eradicate the animal. Bushpig trophies may be imported to the United States without a licence or authorization.
Multiple strategies are utilised in South African bushpig hunts. To capture a male bushpig as a trophy, luck is often most needed, and a successful bushpig hunt is typically a rare event. It’s true that bushpigs are nocturnal, yet occasionally a hunter may stumble upon one during the day and release a fatal shot.
If you’re looking to take home a trophy bushpig, you have three main options besides just getting lucky. The first and most common tactic is to set out bait and wait in a blind until a bushpig comes by at night to feed.
More and more hunters are using solar-powered red lights and trail cameras to save time and energy when waiting in the dark for game. The hunter must maintain complete silence because bushpigs have a keen sense of hearing and sight and can detect the scent of an approaching predator from upwind.
Spotlight nighttime searches of fields and open areas for foraging bushpig is the second most common strategy. Each year a great number of bushpigs are killed using this approach.
As a final option, a hound pack can be used to pursue and corner a bushpig during a hunt in South Africa. After ensuring the hounds are safe, the hunter closes in for the kill. You should only let the dogs loose on a large track, as it is usually necessary to kill the pig in order to get the hounds off of it. Hunting with a pack of hounds greatly improves the hunter’s chances of bagging a trophy bushpig.
A rifle with a calibre of.270 or higher is suggested for hunting bushpig in South Africa. Slug-firing shotguns are another viable option for the forearm.
When on the hunt for bushpigs, you’ll have to make your way into the thickets and undergrowth where they like to sleep during the day. To maximise your chances of killing one, it is still best to wait until nightfall.
Be cautious around these animals since even in small groups, juvenile bushpigs can display aggressive behaviour. Bushpig hunting can be an exciting evening and a fascinating stalk, but hunters should be aware that a wounded bushpig can be quite deadly.
Hunt24 provides an exhilarating experience of bushpig hunting in South Africa. Our expertly trained trackers are highly adept at helping you find a prize bushpig, and we are able to turn the luck needed to hunt these elusive animals into a true skill that will give you a story to tell for years to come.
