It has been quite a while since I've done an African animal profile. However, it's now the peak of the hunting season in most countries in Africa. In honor of this, I'll continue to post further profiles of African animals over the next few weeks in the same spirit that I wrote about the impala and warthog this time last year.
Perhaps these reports will inspire some readers to pursue dreams of hunting in Africa. Today, I'm writing about the bread and butter of almost any African plains game safari: the blue wildebeest.
Description and distribution
Blue wildebeest — also known as brindled gnu or black-bearded wildebeest — are a large, muscular species of antelope with large horns that curve in and upward. Males are slightly larger and darker in coloration than females and can weigh up to 600 pounds and stand 4-5 feet tall. Females are known to weigh as much as 550 pounds.
Most adult blue wildebeest have a deep, silvery gray or brownish coat with manes of long, jet-black fur. Blue wildebeest also have dark brown stripes on their necks and ribs, giving them their nickname of brindled gnu. Both males and females have horns, though males generally have significantly larger horns than females.
Safari Club International recognizes four subspecies of blue wildebeest: the white-bearded wildebeest, the Nyasa wildebeest, the Cookson wildebeest and the common blue wildebeest.
The white-bearded wildebeest is sometimes further broken down into the eastern and western white-bearded wildebeest subspecies, and it is found on the border between Kenya and Tanzania and is common in both countries. Their coats are lighter in color than the other subspecies of blue wildebeest, and they usually have white hair in their mane and on their face. Interestingly, their manes are lank and do not stand up.
The Nyasa wildebeest is the smallest specimen of blue wildebeest, and they live in southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique. They were once present in Malawi (formerly known as Nyasaland, hence the subspecies name), but are now extinct there. Nyasa wildebeest have a more brownish color to their coats than the other subspecies of blue wildebeest. The hairs on their manes are somewhat rigid and stick up in the air.
The Cookson wildebeest is the largest of all the wildebeest and is found only in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia. Their coat is grayer in color than any other subspecies. Like the white-bearded wildebeest, their manes also are lank.
The common blue wildebeest is the most widespread of any species of blue wildebeest and are found in Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Angola and Zambia. Of these countries, South Africa offers the best hunting, both in sheer numbers of animals and in trophy quality, for the common blue wildebeest.
Of the top 25 common blue wildebeest in the SCI record book, 23 were taken in South Africa (the other two were taken in Namibia). However, Namibia and Zimbabwe also provide outstanding trophy-quality blue wildebeest. Like the Nyasa wildebeest, the common blue wildebeest manes are rigid and stick up in the air.
This excellent common blue wildebeest was taken in Namibia and easily made the SCI record book.
Blue wildebeest are grazing animals and generally live in herds of 20-50 animals, or more in more open terrain. Their snouts are well adapted for feeding on grass, which is their favorite food. However, the blue wildebeest will also eat shrubs and leaves if grass is in short supply.
Though blue wildebeest are most often found in open terrain, they can also be found in areas with thick vegetation as well. They are resilient animals, but are dependent on water and will drink twice daily when water is available. As a result, they are most often found in moist grasslands and in other areas near water. Blue wildebeest are often found in the company of zebra, springbok, impala and hartebeest on the open plains.
Hunting methods
There are several possible methods available for hunting blue wildebeest. Probably the most commonly-used method is to attempt a stalk on a feeding herd of blue wildebeest during the morning or evening when they are most active. However, this can be challenging due to the difficulty associated with getting inside shooting range while avoiding the watchful eyes of dozens of blue wildebeest (to say nothing of the zebra, or any other animals with them).
Another commonly used hunting method — if it is legal in the area you will be hunting, and you consider it ethical — is to ambush blue wildebeest from a blind overlooking a water hole.
Cartridges
Blue wildebeest have a well-deserved reputation as tough animals and can take a lot of punishment before they go down for good. Indeed, they have the nickname "the poor man's cape buffalo" for a good reason. For this reason, it is important that hunters be appropriately armed when pursuing them.
Since they are so tough, the. 308 Winchester is the minimum caliber that I recommend for use on a blue wildebeest at short to medium range (out to 200 yards). For some of the longer shots that may present themselves in open areas, cartridges such as the .30-06 Springfield and the .300 and .338 Winchester Magnums are also great choices.
For those that prefer even larger caliber rifles, a hunter pursuing blue wildebeest using a rifle chambered in 9.3x62mm or .375 H&H is not using "too much gun" on one of these tough animals.
Shot placement
A saying among those who have pursued blue wildebeest is that "they are born sick and get stronger and run farther with each lead pill you give them." Like I stated above, blue wildebeest are tough and must be taken seriously by hunters. While they are not normally aggressive toward humans, it is not uncommon to hear about wounded blue wildebeest charging and injuring hunters.
For this reason, it is essential that hunters use deeply-penetrating bullets and place their shots appropriately. Additionally, no matter what cartridge and bullet they use, hunters should not be afraid to take a rapid follow-up shot, if possible. This can potentially avoid a frustrating and/or dangerous situation further down the road.
A good, quality bullet placed as indicated will result in a quick, ethical kill.
Fortunately, shot placement on blue wildebeest is not complicated. When they are standing broadside, simply aim along the back edge of the front shoulder approximately one-third the way up their body. This will result in a heart/lung shot, and the wildebeest will likely not go far after the shot.
However, I do not recommend that taking frontal shots on blue wildebeest. As you can see in the photo below, there is a small window to the vitals, and it is easy to hit too far to either side, or hit the animal's snout. In either case, there is a high risk of wounding and losing the blue wildebeest. For the same reasons, I do not recommend head or neck shots, except for experienced marksmen and hunters.
Blue wildebeest are among the most widely-distributed and commonly-pursued species in Africa. They are also nearly as tough and challenging to hunt as a Cape buffalo, but much more affordable. Due to this, the blue wildebeest is considered one of the cornerstones of a "classic" safari almost anywhere you go on the continent.
No safari is complete without a blue wildebeest, and I highly recommend adding one to your list if you're planning a trip to Africa in the near future.
