Hippo Hunting

Hippo hunting is quite a challenge. Though you may see piles of hippo lying inertly around on a river bank, they are extremely sharp-eyed and will make a run for the water if they feel in the least bit threatened.

"Hippos are mysterious. They do things that defy explanation. For instance, they sprawl all over each other when taking afternoon naps. A herd of ten average-sized adult hippos weighs twenty tons. Yet down in the bottom of that pile of snoozing hippos are the babies, resting securely and comfortably. They always emerge unsquashed." Alexander Lake

Hippo Trophy Minimums

Hippopotamus amphibius (Hippopotamus)
RW Minimum	RW Record	RW Measurement Method	SCI Minimum	SCI Record	SCI Measurement Method
29⁷/₈"	64¹/₂"	5	50"	65¹⁴/₁₆"	12

Hippo Facts

Habitat And Requirements

Hippos live near rivers and lakes.
Prefers enough water to submerge completely.
This species is usually a nocturnal feeder and comes out of the water to graze and will travel long distances to find the best grazing.

Social Structure

Hippos live in family units called pods.
The dominant male will defend his territory ferociously and dominance disputes are common.
Shoot a hippo in a river and it's very common for very soon afterwards, every pod up and down the river to be fighting to re-establish their own separate hierarchies.

Gestation Period

Mating takes place in water and after about a single calf is born about 5 months after.

Hippo Gender Identification

Not as easy as you might think, especially when they're in the water.
The bulls are generally bigger than the females and usually have considerably more scarring due to dominance fights.
Look also for ears that might have been bitten off during those same fights for dominance.
Bulls tend to have bigger heads and stronger necks in comparison to their body size.
The easiest way though is to look at the eyes of the animals - male hippos have hooded eyes and the females look like they are wearing pink framed spectacles and have slightly popping out eyes.
It's very common for the 'educated' bulls to sneak to the back of the pod if they get concerned or suspicious.

Hippo Hunting Methods

If you're very lucky, you can catch them on land, but not very often.
Most are shot in the water and then recovered.
Taking a hippo is as much a test of marksmanship as it is a test of hunting skills.
If you do shoot them in the water, it's a good idea to pay some attention as to feasibility of the recovery of the carcass beforehand.
If you do shoot a hippo in the water and you get the shot right, the carcass will immediately sink. Then as the gases in the stomach expand, the carcass will float to the surface, usually taking between 20-40 minutes.
Although not part of the Big Five, it should be noted that these animals are extremely dangerous and despite appearances, very fast indeed. Extreme caution should be taken when close to them.

A Good Hippo Trophy

Size of teeth is the deciding factor.
Sit and watch (from cover) a pod of hippo and it won't be long before the males start 'yawning' at each other, which makes the process of trophy spotting considerably easier.

Hippo Hunting Shot Placement

If the animal is standing at right angles to you, you'll find the heart by running your crosshairs up the back of the foreleg, and about a third of the way up the body.
If he's standing directly away from you, at the root of the tail and if he's facing you, it gets a bit more difficult. The rough spot is at the top of the 'vee' that is seen on his forehead, but the angle of the head will dictate the exact spot.
A good rule to remember with all mammals is that the brain can found by drawing a line between the eye and the opposite ear and the eye and the opposite ear. Where those lines cross, is where you'll find the brain.
Large calibres and solid bullets should be considered mandatory for this species.