Bongo Hunting

The bongo hunting under conditions of immense physical discomfort in African rainforests by dedicated hunters may bring a truly prized trophy.

Bongo Trophy Minimums

Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus (Western Bongo)
RW Minimum	RW Record	RW Measurement Method	SCI Minimum	SCI Record	SCI Measurement Method
27"	35¹/₈"	8	70	82²/₈"	2

Bongo Facts

Habitat and Requirements

These antelope are found in dense tropical jungles with dense undergrowth.

Social Structure

Males tend to be solitary while groups of females with young live in groups of 6 to 8.

Gestation Period

After a gestation period of around 9 months, one offspring is born.

Bongo Gender Identification

Unlike other tragelaphines, both sexes have heavy spiral horns - those of the male are longer and more massive.
Males become darker coloured as they age until they reach a dark mahogany-brown colour.
Females are usually more brightly coloured than males.
Adults of both genders are similar in size.

Bongo Hunting Methods

Hunting is mainly on foot but also from blinds.
In some countries it is permitted to use dogs to hunt bongos. Only when the dogs see the bongo will they pursue it and hold it at bay.
Hunting usually begins after a recent rainfall, which makes the antelopes move out in the open, where fresh tracks can be found quite easily.
After finding a fresh spoor, the bongos are tracked into the dense forest.
The shot is usually taken at close range.

A Good Bongo Trophy

Good horn length with thick bases will make a good trophy. Look for horns that flare out at the tip.

Bongo Hunting Shot Placement

As bongo shot placement is similar to other antelope plains game species, go to Shot Placement On Plains Game.

Bongo Pictures

(Place cursor over photographs to enlarge)

Bongo

Bongo from CAR courtesy of JB de Runz

Bongo from CAR courtesy of JB de Runz

Recommended Reading

Search For The Spiral Horn is by Craig Boddington who is one of the few hunters who has successfully hunted each of the major varieties and most of the subspecies of the nine spiral-horned antelope of Africa.

Spiral Horn Dreams by Terry Wieland is about a subject that arouses as much excitement and emotion as any big game. Kudu, bongo, Lord Derby eland, sitatunga, mountain nyala and bushbuck. These animals cause any big game hunter both pain and joy - sometimes simultaneously. If you're not 'mad keen' about hunting these animals before reading this book, you will be afterwards.

Buffalo, Elephant And Bongo: Alone In The Savannas And Rain Forests Of The Cameroon by Reinald von Meurers is an account of many hunting trips into the interior of Cameroon in search of elephant, bongo, buffalo, sitatunga, giant forest hog, bushpig and dwarf buffalo. The author organises his own safaris and carries them out only in the company of local helpers. Includes a chapter on organising your own hunting trip, as well as much incidental useful advice.

Big Game And Pygmies (1924) by Cuthbert Christy. The author travelled extensively in the region over a 25 year period and describes the Ituri Forest of the Congo in detail in this work with much on the Ituri Pygmies, the Okapi, elephants, rhinoceros, buffalo, the forest hog, chimpanzee, the bongo, the aardvark and ant-eaters.

Recommended Viewing

Bongo & Sitatunga With The Pygmies DVD. Hunts for western bongo, western sitatunga and the duikers of the rain forest with hired hunters of the Pandjele Pygmy tribe as trackers. 60 mins.