Commonly abbreviated as “Gnu,” the wildebeest is an African ungulate. Eastern and Southern Africa are the most common locations for finding this species. The Blue Wildebeest and the Black Wildebeest are the two subspecies of this mammal.
The Bovidae family, to which these animals also belong, includes goats, sheep, and cows, placing them in the same group as antelopes. Wildebeests are quite common on the African continent, and are one of the most numerous hoofed animals in the region.
The wildebeest has a cow’s head, a horse’s body and tail, and the legs of a gazelle, making it an unusually attractive mammal.
That these creatures range in appearance is one of their most appealing features. There are those with a pale grey coat and those in a bluer grey. Additionally, the darkest members of this species have a grey-brown tint.
Wildebeests share vertical dark brown stripes across their shoulders. In addition, their black mane is lengthy and thick. The wildebeest’s long, white or black beard around its neck is the animal’s most striking characteristic.
Wildebeests have horns that curve away from their heads, with the males sporting larger horns than the females. A male wildebeest’s horns can grow to be twice as large as a female’s. The horns on males can reach a length of 83 centimetres, whereas females’ horns rarely get over 40 centimetres in length. The horns, for whatever reason, become more abrasive as the animal ages.
The wildebeest can grow to be 1.35 metres tall at the shoulders and 200 kg in weight. An adult animal can be as heavy as an adult male lion.
Large as they are, wildebeests are no match for the lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, and hyenas that prowl the African Savannah. For this reason a herd might have up to a thousand animals during migration.
Savannah grasslands are ideal habitats for these herbivores since grass grows more rapidly there. Wildebeests are social animals that prefer to live in groups, yet they are perfectly content to share their habitat with zebras. While wildebeests choose the lower layers of grass, zebras enjoy munching on the higher grasses, which is why these two species are often seen migrating together.
Wildebeests are quite remarkable creatures. They have vigour, strength, and determination.
Exciting times can be had when hunting blue wildebeest, or brindled gnu. The term “poor man’s buffalo” is commonly used to refer to this huge, bearded animals that is found in acacia savannas and short grass plains.
Even though the Wildebeest population has shrunk in many of its traditional habitats, the Serengeti ecosystem is teeming with them; there, their numbers may surpass a million.
Excellent hunting possibilities for blue wildebeest can be found on the game ranches that are common in southern Africa. Differentiating bulls from cows can be challenging due to the animals’ shared horns and physical similarities between the sexes.
To find the strongest individuals, seek out those who are heavier built and have a greater amount of droop in the base of their horns.
Bulls that are several years old tend to have a darker coat and larger stripes. Bulls that have reached maturity can weigh up to 600 pounds. Blue wildebeest are far more difficult to spot from a distance in the bushveld than they are on the wide plains.
Therefore, a good strategy is to sneak up on a trophy wildebeest by walking slowly towards a likely resting location into or across the wind and watching the ground ahead of you for movement.
Unless you have a .270 and a solid 150-grain bullet, you shouldn’t try to hunt a blue wildebeest. The flat shooting .300 magnums with 200 or 220 grain bullets are great for use in open terrain.
When hunting blue wildebeest in the bushveld, it’s possible that larger calibres and heavier bullets are required. The mane and pronounced shoulder hump can make it easy to aim too high for a clean body shot.
Always aim for the side shot when hunting blue wildebeest; raise the back border of the front leg and shoot four inches (a hand’s width) above the elbow. This “high heart” shot will penetrate the animal’s chest, killing it instantly or at most 50 yards out.
If your initial shot placement wasn’t perfect, tread carefully when trying to correct it. When injured, this creature becomes exceedingly lethal. Wildebeests have been known to rise up and charge if approached from the wrong side.
Top-tier wildebeest hunts are available in expansive public game sanctuaries. For a long time, herds of animals have walked these wide lands. Wildebeest can be hunted completely freely in these expansive areas.
Not only do we take great pleasure in the quality of our trophies, but we also aim to provide a truly genuine hunting adventure for each of our clients. Our expert guides have been hunting blue wildebeest for years and can help you have the most successful hunt of your life.
