This is the second part of the blog relating to our recent African safari hyena hunting in South Africa’s famous Limpopo province.

Missed the first part of the blog? Check out Part 1 of Hyena Hunting and the Unfavorable Scoreboard to see how we prepared for this exciting and challenging hyena hunting experience.

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Day 1: Travel, Arrival and Strategy

The Hyena Hunting Safari

Tamlyn and I arrived in the Limpopo Province and were welcomed by our African outfitter and professional hunter.

It was already quite late in the day after we unpacked and familiarized ourselves with the setup. So, we decided to get to know everyone, share a few cold beers (luckily we always pack extra!) and good food, and enjoy a campfire under the African sky discussing our primary goal, namely spotted hyena hunting. It is always good to get some rest on the first night knowing there is an excellent plan.

As hunters, we were in great spirits and ready for the hunting adventure. I was already planning how to mount my trophy spotted hyena and, in my mind, knew exactly which area of the trophy it would be displayed.

Day 2: Early Morning Plains Game Hunting

Up early, we headed out to the outfitter’s “secret spot” about 80 miles away in search of hyena bait and to see what plains game options were available.

By lunchtime, Tamlyn had managed to bag a stunning Limpopo bushbuck. As bushbuck in some areas where they are threatened are often mostly nocturnal, this trophy came as a big surprise. We decided to use the intestines for “drag” when going out later that night for the spotted hyena hunt.

Getting back to camp, we had a quick brunch and started packing for our up-and-coming nocturnal adventures. We had been advised that spotted hyena had come down from Botswana and moved into a new area on a ranch near the Alldays area. These hyenas were apparently causing a little chaos and were happily and regularly killing the ranch owners’ prize African plains game antelope.

Night 2: Spotted Hyena Hunting, Alldays Region

We arrived at the ranch around 16h00 and decided to do a quick reconnaissance of the area and evaluate the night vision on the 7mm rifle we were using. After a few minor adjustments to the scope, we proceeded to drag the area with the Bushbuck intestines.

We headed back to the lodge, had a quick dinner of some of the best lasagna we have had in a while and headed off at about 20h00 to the hyena hunting grounds. We started calling for spotted hyenas at about 21h00 and within ten minutes, a few black-backed jackals came in. About 15 minutes later, we changed our FoxPro caller settings and immediately heard the familiar “Whooooop” return call of the spotted hyena.

However, this critter just did not want to come into the shooting range and continued to circle a large loop between 100 yards and 300 yards from the caller.

After an hour, we changed locations but unfortunately were only visited by a few black-backed jackals. The sound played by the FoxPro of a dying duiker was imprinted on my mind.

At around 04h00, we decided to pack about and tackle the 80-mile drive back to camp. After only one night, it already became obvious that spotted hyena hunting was going to be a challenge.

Night 3: Brown Hyena Hunting near Waterpoort in Limpopo

After minimal sleep, we decided to leave the spotted hyena for a night and managed to arrange a tag for a brown hyena. So, after only one night of hunting, we were already changing our hyena hunting strategy!

We headed out at about 12h00 to a new area where the brown hyena was highly active. Tamlyn shot a warthog to use as drag. Unfortunately, the shot was a little low and it took us until early evening to try to find the warthog. For a moment, our brown hyena hunt almost turned out to be a warthog hunting safari!

Long story short, we found fresh brown hyena tracks, called, but within 5 minutes a young leopard came in. No brown hyena. We tried a few other spots without success, not even a jackal.

As the wounded warthog covered a few miles, we agreed that maybe the brown hyena had gone off in the opposite direction. Heading back to camp, we arrived at 06h30 and had a few hours of much-needed sleep. After days of truly little sleep, my good mood was beginning to diminish ever slightly.

Night 4: Brown Hyena Hunting near the Border to Zimbabwe

Leaving early in the afternoon, we headed in a new direction to an area about twenty miles from the Beit Bridge border crossing from South Africa into Zimbabwe.

It felt as if we had forgotten that our main target was in fact spotted hyena, as we were now continually searching for brown hyena, on little sleep. In my mind, I felt as if the spotted hyena was indeed laughing at the team on the hunting safari…

We set up and started calling in an area laden with brown hyena tracks. Within five minutes, again we had a leopard coming to investigate the commotion, but still not a brown hyena. We moved around the ranch for a few hours and tried everything, but still no success. At this point, after four nights. I was beginning to consider the impact of the waxing moon. We decided to head back to our first spot where we were surprised by hearing dogs and seeing lights out at about 600 yards out. Poachers, hunting with dogs. We took a couple of shots into the air and the poachers took off.

Poaching and using big hunting dogs is a problem in these areas of Africa. Game meat is a valuable resource. The next morning, we were advised that these dogs had killed two Eland cows, but at least we had stopped the poachers from escaping with the meat. The ranch owner could then at least recover a little of the cost.

In these areas, drones fitted with infrared sensors are utilized to spot poachers and assist management with anti-poaching initiatives.

Night 5: Brown Hyena Hunting in the Northern District of Limpopo

After another 100-odd miles drive, we arrived in an area of a mix of bushveld and irrigation fields. The ranch owner pointed us in the right direction and off we went to set up our hunting station.

At around 21h00, we started calling and within 15 minutes, we heard a brown hyena come charging in, only to immediately turn and run off. This behavior was unexpected. Again, the waxing moon was playing on my mind. Looking at the tracks, it turned out that there were in fact two brown hyenas who had visited, but we had not picked up anything on the night vision.

We decided to follow their tracks and call again in an area in the South. As we set up, it started raining only in our hyena hunting area. We had no choice but to terminate the hunt as we did not want any of the expensive night-hunting gadgets to be ruined.

Frustration, humor failure, and lack of sleep were seriously beginning to affect our moods. I must have had to listen to that poor duiker on FoxPro die hundreds of times over…

Night 6: Spotted and Brown Hyena Hunting Combo on the Botswana Border

Leaving early in the afternoon, we drove for what felt like forever to a hunting area near the border of South Africa and Botswana.

Apparently, this area was packed with both spotted and brown hyenas. I had a good feeling that by applying the different hyena hunting methods, on this night we would have success with the spotted as well as brown hyenas.

We drove along the bank of the Limpopo River forming the border between South Africa and Botswana. Here, this poor ranch owner must deal with all the fences being broken due to the elephant traversing down from Botswana. It really is a continual losing battle with these elephants, who have no respect for a game fence.

Judging by all the fresh elephant dung spread over an area of 20,000 acres, it made one feel as if we were in the Chobe Elephant Reserve in Botswana, and not in South Africa.

In preparation for the hunt, Tamlyn made quick work of harvesting a nasty old baboon with a successful headshot in one of the dry riverbeds. We had a fresh drag, in an area with great hyena populations. Our moods were lifting.

The ranch manager showed us fresh brown hyena tracks and advised that the den of the spotted hyena was about five miles away. We decided to “quickly” get a spotty, and come for the brown, that is how confident we were.

Heading out, we dragged for a few miles near the den and waited until 21h00 to begin calling. Even this early in the evening, with all the driving and lack of sleep, it really was a battle to try and stay awake. Luckily, the cooler was loaded with cold beer (which we were saving for our celebrations) and Redbull.

 So, with the FoxPro calling, we sat back waiting for the return calls of the spotted hyena. Nothing! Not even a jackal, genet, or porcupine. I was getting ready to throw the towel in. Packing up, we headed off to where the fresh brown hyena spoor was spotted.

Leaving the baboon carcass near the FoxPro, we began calling again in earnest.

Sitting in the dark, the poor duiker dying once again over the FoxPro, we sat in anticipation waiting for the brown hyena.

After a few moments, the professional hunter began to tap my arm and pointed to the iPad showing the thermal images. Heart racing, I looked down only to see a leopard once again on the screen. Do not let anyone tell you that leopards in South Africa are endangered. This was now our fourth cat to answer the caller. CITES makes available 200 leopard tags in South Africa every year. For whatever reason, Nature Conservation fails to issue any permits. Just another frustration to deal with. At this point, I was close to adding a leopard to the hunting safari.

At 04H30, we packed up and took the two-hour drive back to base camp. Spirits were low, but with one night left, there was always hope and time for prayers to be answered.

Night 7: Spotted Hyena Hunting somewhere South West of Louis Trichardt

There was no doubt in my mind that tonight was the night to harvest my trophy spotted hyena. Never before had I ever failed to harvest the sought-after trophy, so failure was not even an option. We took a turn past some local gentleman and picked up the intestines of a calf that had died, my goodness the smell was horrific. A spotted hyena would locate this carcass from miles away.

Tired and miserable, beginning to realize that spotted hyena hunting is no easy task, we headed off into yet another unknown hunting territory.

Arriving and putting out the bait, we bumped into three elephants and took a moment to let them pass through the area. The calf carcass I think worked as a great deterrent.

Setting up the FoxPro, my heart sinking at having to listen to the dying duiker again, we waited until the dark hours just before 23h00. Our only visitors besides Elephant, were two duikers, a couple of eland, and a side-striped jackal. The side-striped jackal was impressive to see. I had never seen a wild one before as they are very scarce.

Letting the duiker die for the last time (the sound still keeps me awake at night), we sat back and admitted that both the spotted hyena and brown hyena hunting safari was a failure. The hyena had kicked us in the butt and were the winners of Round 1.

Packing our belongings the following morning on two hours of sleep, knowing we still have to pay a chunk of cash for a safari that failed, does not put one in a good mood at all.

But full marks to the outfitter who went above and beyond for us as clients in our quest to successfully harvest a trophy hyena.

Hyena hunting can be exceptionally humbling and it’s good to be reminded that sometimes in life, no matter how hard you work, you may still not achieve your goals.

While we failed at our hyena hunting safari, we were certainly blessed to enjoy wild Africa and all it has to offer. Of course, I was subtly reminded by Tamlyn that she had harvested a beautiful bushbuck, warthog, and baboon. FYI, if a marriage can last a hyena hunting safari, you should be ready to take on any other of life’s challenges and come out winners.

But we will be back for both spotted and brown hyenas later in the year and will not give up. The score needs to be settled. We will see who laughs last!

Learn more about hyenas in a handy blog entitled: The Hyena Hunting Handbook.

Author: P.C. van Wyk