Trophy Hunting Hippopotamus in South Africa

Overview of this species and the hunt

There are many hunters who would consider the hippopotamus to be one of the most dangerous animals to hunt. They are aggressive animals and while you might think that a predator would be responsible for the most wildlife related deaths in Africa, you would be wrong. Hippos kill more people in Africa than any other animal. Hippos live in rivers and dams throughout Southern Africa and when disturbed, they quickly go on the defensive. Hippos spend most of their days submerged in water to avoid the heat so they mostly graze at night.

Trophy hunting hippo in South Africa is not as straight forward as you might expect. Instead, they provide a real challenge. Bulls are the most difficult to hunt as they rarely leave the water. When looking out for a hippo bull it helps to know that their head is about the size of a cow, or perhaps a bit larger, and he will have tusks protruding from either side of his nose. When hunting hippo, the best weapon to have is a rifle. You will need to be skilled to place that kill shot when the hippo is in the water, there is no room for error. Most experienced hunters will advise you to aim for the indentation just above his eyes as this will bring him down. If the only shot you can get is from the side, then you will need to place your shot below the ear. Once you have hit him, he will sink but only for an hour. After that, the hippo will float back to the surface.

Hunting hippo on land can be just as exciting and just as dangerous. Regardless of where you encounter the hippo, they can quickly turn aggressive and attack. A cautious approach is needed and you will need to be prepared to run if the hippo attacks. Heavy calibre rifles with a solid bullet should do the job though using one of the 40 calibres is always best if you want to be on the safe side. Should the animal charge, aim for the weak points on the head as this should put a halt to his progression.