Any of three species of coarse-furred, canine-like predators found in Asia and Africa and distinguished by their scavenging behaviours are referred to as hyenas (family Hyaenidae), also written hyaena.
For transporting and dismembering prey, hyenas have strong necks and shoulders and lengthy forelegs. Hyenas are skilled hunters as well as tireless trotters with great hearing, sight, and smell for detecting carrion. Hyenas are primarily nocturnal animals.
Hyenas commonly come into contact with humans and are intelligent, inquisitive, and opportunistic in their feeding choices. The largest species, the spotted or laughing hyena (Crocuta crocuta), will break into food storage facilities, steal cattle, occasionally kill humans, and consume waste—habits for which they are typically loathed.
The spotted hyena hunts antelopes more frequently, although it also takes down fish and young hippos. They hunt most of their own food in East and Southern Africa, pursuing wildebeest, gazelles, and zebras for up to 3 km at speeds of up to 65 km/h (40 mph).
The animal can access every part of a cadaver and break bones with its powerful jaws and wide molars. The bones are then processed in the stomach by highly concentrated hydrochloric acid. Given that their stomachs can accommodate 14.5 kg of meat, spotted hyenas occasionally go several days without eating.
Spotted hyenas live in clans of 5 to 80 members and use anal gland aroma and excrement heaps (also known as “latrines”) to mark the limits of their territory.
Weighting in at around 40 kg, the smaller brown hyena has a shaggy, dark coat with horizontal white bands on the legs and an erectile white mane covering the neck and shoulders. In Southern Africa and the western coastal deserts, the brown hyena is known as the beach or strand wolf.
Birds and their eggs, insects, and fruit are staples, but leftovers from lion, cheetah, and spotted hyena carcasses are crucial during certain times of the year for the brown hyena’s survival.
Cubs (typically three) are born after a gestation period of three months, and they are weaned by the time they are 15 months old.
Brown hyenas, like spotted hyenas, live in clans that mark and protect territory, but their behaviour is different in several important ways: mature females care for each other’s babies, other clan members provide food to the youngsters, and females do not have superior status to males.
Intrigue is naturally sparked by the numerous myths and mysteries that surround these animals and how they behave. Their heart-stopping hysterical laughing revives the ancient fear that man once had of these potentially lethal animals when they were out at night.
They have been known to attack victims while they are asleep, leaving them permanently terrified. Their jaws are strong enough to crush bones, and their skulls are an amazing sight. They are unpleasant, flea-ridden creatures in real life, but they make wonderful full mount trophies, especially when portrayed in a hunting scene with a lion as the main character.
Using a method of baiting akin to a leopard hunt is the conventional method of hunting hyenas. The bait will be suspended considerably closer to the ground in this situation, yet high enough to prevent the hyena from grasping the cadaver. Baiting typically begins before the client arrives.
A trail camera’s data will reveal the size of the animal consuming the bait and, most importantly, the duration of its feeding. Once the bait is working a blind is constructed in which you will await the hyena’s return to the bait site.
The calibre you are most familiar with is the one to use in South Africa while hunting spotted hyenas.
Use a medium- to large-bore rifle that you are confident and capable of shooting.
A .270 calibre with a bullet weight minimum of 150 gr and a muzzle velocity of 2 700 ft/s (fps) is also a good option. Use only high grade ammunition such as Barnes TTSX, Nosler Partition, Sierra GameKing, Federal Premium, and others.
There are two ways to position a shot on a hyena. As a general guideline, while shooting broadside, aim for the hyena’s shoulder, which is around midway up from the bottom of the chest to the top of the back. A lung shot will undoubtedly result from this.
If you are presented with a flawless broadside shot, target the shoulder for a heart shot.
Hunt24 offers the chance to hunt and capture a trophy South African Spotted Hyena. The Spotted Hyena can be found in abundance in the South African province of Limpopo. We offer fantastic Trophy Spotted Hyena hunts all year round. The quality of a Spotted Hyena’s main and its age affect the price.
