Hunting a trophy eland
Hunting Eland (Taurotragus oryx) Back to price list
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Best recommended caliber to hunt |
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Eland – Cape |
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30-06, 338, 375 |
Hunting notes when hunting eland:
Hunting the eland is incredibly difficult in dense bush as they never seem to stand still for long. They also move about the property from the one side to the next overnight. The eland is the largest antelope in South Africa, and specifically the Cape eland. The Livingstone eland (from Zimbabwe) has successfully been introduced to South Africa but they do interbreed with the Cape eland. They adapt well to almost any kind of terrain and are worthy adverseries in the bushveld.
The best suggested caliber to hunt eland is from the 300 cal and up. The average shooting distance when hunting eland can vary according to the terrain it inhabits, but should be in the region of 60 – 180 yards.
Description:
This is the largest antelope specie. It usually has a light brown to tan color and becomes bluish gray on the neck and shoulders when it gets older. Mature bulls develop a tuft of course hair on the fore head.
A short dark mane occurs on the back of the neck. The tail is long with a dark tuft of hair at the tip.
Older bulls also develop a sizeable dewlap. When hunting eland the hunter should never be fooled into thinking that it will be as easy as hunting cattle. These animals (the largest antelope in South Africa) are agile jumpers that are able to clear a 6 foot fence with ease.
Habitat:
Eland adapt to a wide variety of habitats, ranging from mountainous areas to semi-desert regions. They do prefer open plains with the availability of wooded areas for cover.
Reproduction:
A single calf can be born throughout the year, but calving reaches its peak during the wet summer months (October – January).
General:
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Gestation period |
About 270 days |
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Average shoulder height |
68” |
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Average weight |
Bulls |
Up to 2 000 lbs |
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Cows |
Up to 1 100 lbs |
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Horns |
Both bulls and cows have horns |
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