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Hunting Africa Plains Game: The Bongo

The Bongo is the Largest and Heaviest African Forest Antelope

The bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) is the largest and heaviest African forest antelope worldwide. Africa plains game hunting for bongos is undertaken in Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Congo–Brazzaville, and the Central African Republic. There are two sub-species of bongo, namely the western or lowland bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus) and the eastern or mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci). The eastern bongo is listed as “critically endangered” by the IUCN and it is illegal to hunt them, while the western bongo is hunted in the four previously mentioned countries. The western bongo’s IUCN status is that of near threatened.

Bongos are native to the lowland rainforests of West Africa and the Congo Basin to the Central African Republic and southern Sudan. Their habitat consists of rainforests with dense undergrowth, spread across tropical Africa.

They are shy, secretive, and silent animals that are most active between dusk and dawn. The male of the species is mostly solitary, while females and their offspring live in groups of approximately 20 animals. Males and females typically only come together to breed. Their mating season stretches from October through to January, with the peak birthing period being June to August, after a nine-month gestation period. Females give birth to one calf in thick, dense bush that aids her in hiding her offspring from predators. The horns are visible on the young bongo from 3-4 months with weaning being completed by six months.

Bongos are herbivorous browsers, consuming a variety of foods such as leaves, bushes, vines, bark, grasses, roots, cereals, shrubs, flowers, and fruits. Bongos can be quite timid and tend to vocalize through a series of grunts, snorts, and bleats.

The bongo is facing several threats to its survival, amongst others the increase of the human population, and their natural habitat decreasing through deforestation, poaching, and disease. Additionally, they are preyed upon by a range of predators including lions, hyenas, and leopards. Humans target bongo on game hunting safaris where they are hunted for both meat and as a big game hunting trophy.

AT A GLANCE

Name:
Tragelaphus Eurycerus

Weight:
880 pounds

Shoulder Height:
3.5–4.3 feet

Range:
West & Central Africa

Gestation:
9 months

Life span:
19 years

Hunting Bongo

The Bongo is Targeted on Game Hunting Safaris in Numerous Central African Countries

Size and Appearance

This beautiful antelope is the third heaviest of all antelopes, after the giant eland and common eland. Males weigh up to 880 lb, with females weighing up to 550 pounds. The bongo stands 3.5-4.3 feet at the shoulder and 5.6-8.3 feet in length. Both males and females have long, spiraling, and lyre-shaped horns, although the female’s horns are thinner and more parallel. The horns can reach an impressive 40 inches! Their horns are used to dig roots, mark their territory and fight. Bongos are quite aggressive fighters and you may witness males with many scars on their coats telling tales of battles gallantly fought.

Hunting Methods

Numerous techniques are utilized to hunt this African plains game antelope. Some outfitters build a high blind over salt lick, often near water, making it the perfect spot for hunters to target this large antelope. Bongos are drawn to the salt, providing the game hunters with the perfect opportunity. Secondly, trackers will find the spoor of a large bull and track them through the forest. They may also be hunted at night, using a spotlight, or even hunted with a hound that will track, chase, and corner the bongo. This is dependent on the region, and whether night hunting and hunting with hounds is legal.

Challenges and Rewards

The bongo is a shy, timid Africa plains game antelope often targeted as a trophy. Although this antelope might be difficult to hunt firstly due to its secretive nature and secondly difficult to track through the dense vegetation, the bongo remains a great trophy piece to add to a game hunting trip in Africa.

Rifles and Requirements

Bongos are normally hunted in thick bush so a heavy bullet to penetrate is suggested. Any 30 caliber with a minimum 180 grain will work. Bigger calibers such as a .416 or a .458 are also a perfect choice as with bongo hunting, the hunter often needs a proper blood trail to follow. The first shot may not always be the kill shot. A rifle with a shorter barrel is a clever idea in thick jungle bush. When targeting the bongo, as with all hunting safaris, correct shot placement is critical.