Hunting hippos in their natural habitat presents a unique challenge that intertwines excitement, patience, and precision into an unforgettable dangerous game hunting adventure. The thrill of tracking these massive creatures as they navigate their watery domain requires not only a deep understanding of their behavior but also a mastery of the skills necessary for a successful hunt.
Key Takeaways
- Hippo hunting in Namibia is a dangerous game hunting safari, but well worth the thrill of the chase.
- Hunting hippos during the wet and dry seasons each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
- With a hippo in the water mostly only showing its eyes and ears for a short period, this dangerous game hunting safari is quite a challenge.
- As always, shot placement remains paramount when enjoying a hippo hunt.
- Non-exportable trophies from a hippo hunt provide much-needed protein, allowing hunters to give back to local communities.
Hippo Hunting in Namibia: An Adrenaline-filled Adventure
As I stood at the water’s edge, the sun setting on the horizon, I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. The rhythmic sounds of the river blended with the calls of distant birds, creating an atmosphere charged with potential. Today, I would hunt one of the largest and most formidable animals on the African continent: The hippopotamus. The challenge ahead was immense, and the thrill coursed through my veins like electricity.
I was tracking down a hippo in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip in the middle of October (the dry season) with temperatures reaching 42°C. During the wet season, hunting hippos here is even more challenging as it’s all one big massive body of water and there is a very real possibility of losing your hippo if your shot is not 100% on target the first time.
So, in the dry season, the hunting conditions are a little more forgiving, as there are smaller bodies of water that are cut off from the main Chobe River, making it far less likely that you lose your trophy hippo. The environment adds another layer of complexity to hippo hunting. Rivers, lakes, and swamps serve as both habitat and hunting grounds, but they can also be treacherous. Hunters must navigate these waterways, often using boats or canoes to get close to their quarry. The water can hide not only the hippos but also other dangers, such as crocodiles or submerged obstacles.
This makes approaching a hippo hunt challenging, requiring hunters to remain stealthy and adaptable. Careful consideration of the approach path is critical; hunters must ensure they do not create unnecessary noise that could alert the hippos.
The thrill of hunting hippos is palpable. As one approaches the water’s edge, the anticipation builds. Hippos, despite their bulky size and seemingly lethargic nature, are formidable animals. They can weigh between 3,000 to 8,000 pounds and have powerful jaws capable of crushing bones. Their unpredictable behavior, especially when provoked, adds an exhilarating element to the hippo hunt. Observers may see them basking in the sun or submerging themselves in water, which creates an atmosphere charged with potential danger and excitement.
Spotting the Hunting Adversary
The initial excitement comes from the prospect of spotting these massive creatures. Often, hunters must scout areas where hippos are known to reside, studying their patterns and habits. Hippos spend a significant amount of time submerged to keep cool, emerging primarily at night to graze on vegetation. This nocturnal activity requires hunters to adapt their strategies and be patient, waiting for the right moment to strike.
After browsing through the concession for a day, we found a male and female hippo as well as a couple of crocodiles in one of these smaller areas of water. It was about a kilometer long and forked at one end leading to two other smaller dams. At this time of year, the Caprivi is very dry, very flat, and has very few if any trees, so sitting in the shade of a tree is all but a dream. Patience is a virtue in the pursuit of any game, but it is especially critical when hunting hippos. The water they inhabit can be murky and unpredictable, obscuring visibility and complicating the hunt. A successful hunter must be willing to invest time into observing the hippos.
Moreover, the patience required extends to the actual moment of the shot. Hippos are adept at keeping their heads above water just enough to breathe while remaining submerged enough to stay hidden. This behavior means that the hunter must be prepared for long periods of waiting, often staring into the water, waiting for the right moment when the hippo surfaces fully to take a breath. Each time a hippo surfaces, there is only a fleeting opportunity to assess the target.
We set up, me lying down (in the full sun) focused on the water, remembering not to zoom in too much because you don’t know where your trophy hippo will pop up, and keeping my other eye open just to make sure that I can catch him when he surfaces. Hours passed as I scanned the water, eyes trained on the surface. I focused on my breathing, steadying my heart rate as I fought the urge to fidget. The beauty of the surrounding landscape helped to ground me. The shimmering water, and the distant sounds of wildlife provided a serene backdrop to the tension building within me.
Now, while this may sound relatively easy, bear in mind this is a target the size of a golf ball, bobbing up and down in the water, never bobbing up twice in the same spot! And to make matters worse, the female also bobs up every now and again to check things out. The female was not the target, however, when you are only seeing eyes, ears, and a bit of snout, it takes a few seconds to distinguish between her and the male. This is where you rely on the expertise of your PH, as he has the experience and was so much quicker than me in identifying which was the male and which was the female hippo.
Successful Shot Placement
Executing a successful headshot on a hippo demands exceptional precision. The target, as mentioned, is roughly the size of a golf ball, a rather small area to aim for on a massive animal. This difficulty is compounded by the hippo’s tendency to move unpredictably, especially when startled or threatened.
The anatomy of a hippo’s head is such that vital areas are closely packed. A bullet must strike the brain to ensure a quick and humane kill. However, the hippo’s head is often submerged, with only its nostrils and eyes visible. This positioning means that a hunter cannot afford to take a hasty shot; the shot must be calculated and deliberate.
When aiming for a headshot, several factors must be considered: distance, movement, and environmental conditions. Wind can affect bullet trajectory, and the ripples in water can distort the hunter’s view. Additionally, the hippo’s buoyancy causes its body to shift continuously. A well-trained hunter learns to compensate for these factors, honing their skills through practice and experience.
The use of appropriate firearms when hippo hunting in Namibia is essential. Many hunters opt for high-caliber rifles, capable of delivering the force needed to penetrate the thick skull of a hippo and reach its brain. The choice of ammunition also plays a critical role, as hunters need to select rounds designed for deep penetration and maximum lethality.
Our hippo pair decided to move much further along and just too far to get a good shot, so we hopped into a little mokoro (a little canoe carved out of straight-growing trees like the African sausage tree or ebony) to cross to a small island to get a better position. I must admit it was my first time in a genuine mokoro and, man, It’s nerve-wracking! Hippos can easily overturn these and the hippo I was hunting had already been chasing the local fisherman in their mokoros! So, yes, I was a little apprehensive, but we arrived without incident and set up on the bank.
Blood, Sweat and Tears: Hippo Hunting is Not for Sissies!
By this time, it was now a couple of hours into this hunt and the heat was starting to take its toll, with sweat dripping into my eyes making them burn, every exposed piece of sun-blocked skin getting seriously burnt as the sunblock had sweated off hours ago… Shu, hippo hunting in the dry season is not for sissies, it may have the advantage of increased visibility, but man, you pay for it in other ways!
Now as Murphy would have it, the hippos were getting rather shy, so their “bobbing” time had decreased to only a second or two, which just really wasn’t enough time for me to get a good shot and they then decided to move away out of range again. By then it was almost midday, and we decided to give it a break, give the hippos chance to relax and not be on high alert, and for us to grab a quick lunch, rehydrate and then come back refreshed.
Lunch was awesome, I must admit the outfitter that we booked with (and have hunted with before) Thormahlen and Cockren (africatrophyhunting.co.za) really know how to treat clients and always go above and beyond. The luxury tented accommodation, the friendly attentive staff, the 3 course meals, the experienced trackers and awesome PH’s makes the whole experience truly memorable.
We returned refreshed and with new “vooma” to where we had last seen the hippos during our hippo hunt. Once we saw them, we waited until they had gone under the water to set up so they couldn’t see us and get tense again. It was a little cooler, so I think I felt a little more focused. Now I was ready! 😊 It was, after all, our wedding anniversary so it felt like it would be fitting to be successful on this special day.
Lying there waiting for my hippo to surface… and the female pops up again…aaarrgh…finger off the trigger…wait…male pops up but only briefly, but that brief moment me a good idea of where he is so I can shuffle my position. At last, he resurfaces, I have him in the scope and I can see that precise spot where the bullet needs to be…and gently squeeze the trigger…
A big splash in the water and the hippo disappears! Now I’m convinced that it’s a hit, and my PHs are convinced it’s a hit, but the game scout… is not so convinced and thinks it’s a miss – not what I wanted to hear!
The Wait…
But, looking at the water there isn’t any disturbance, no bubbles, and the female is staying put (she would usually follow the male if he decided to move). Here comes the agonizing part of hippo hunting…now you must wait …wait for the gasses in the stomach to expand so that the body floats, which unfortunately is not a quick process; or at least it doesn’t feel that way when you are the one waiting. It generally takes about 2-3 hours for the hippo to float…and float he did!
Aah, I was so pleased (and relieved). What an incredible anniversary present! As I secured the hippo and prepared to return, I couldn’t help but reflect on the entire experience of hippo hunting in Namibia. Hunting hippos was unlike any other hunt I had undertaken. The combination of excitement, patience, and precision made it a profound and transformative experience.
I had come to appreciate not just the thrill of the chase but also the deep connection to nature that game hunting fosters. Each hunt teaches lessons about life, death, and the delicate balance of ecosystems. It instills a respect for the wild and its inhabitants, reminding us that we are merely visitors in their world.
It is interesting how local people start appearing out of nowhere, to help get the hippo carcass out of the water and to gut the animal, all in the hope of perhaps getting some stomach lining or intestines.
Hunting a non-exportable animal is certainly the most cost-effective, the animal is hunted for the benefit of the local community, and you don’t have the headache of waiting for quarantine and taxidermy costs. Just ensure you take tons of good photos of your hippo hunting adventure like we did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Hippos be hunted?
Hippo hunts are legal and take place in many African countries, including South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Cameroon, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Can you go hippo hunting in Namibia?
Yes, hippo hunting in Namibia is legal, with the Zambezi region, formerly known as the Caprivi Strip, being a popular region to enjoy this dangerous game hunting activity.
Is hippo meat edible?
Yes, hippo meat is edible and enjoyed by many African communities. Non-exportable hippo hunts usually see the meat donated to the local communities, allowing them a tasty protein option.
Are hippos dangerous?
As a member of Africa’s Big 5 and Dangerous 7, the hippo has earned its spot by being one of the most dangerous African animals to hunt on foot. Their formidable tusks, as well as their sheer size and weight, make hunting them an unforgettable dangerous game hunting adventure!
Are hippos targeted by poachers?
With their large ivory tusks, hippos are most certainly targeted by poachers, even though they remain one of the deadliest animals to target.
How many humans are killed by hippos each year?
Numbers vary, but it is said that a minimum of 500 people lose their lives to hippos each year. Many of these people are from local communities that live alongside the rivers or bodies of water that hippos frequent. While swimming, canoeing, fishing, or even going about their daily tasks of washing in the river, local people are often attacked, mauled, and killed by these dangerous mammals.
Conclusion
Hunting hippos in water is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a blend of excitement, patience, and precision. The thrill of the hunt is undeniable, but it is the patience in waiting for the right moment and the precision required for a successful kill shot that defines the experience.
If you are interested in booking a non-exportable hippo hunt or any other hunt, please visit the Find a Hunt section on the website or email tamlyn@gamehuntingsafaris.com or info@gamehuntingsafaris.com
Author: Tamlyn van Wyk