Bushpig Hunting

June 2011: Jay Brasher and our new record Bushpig ever!

May 2011: Ron Gallman's Bushpig

April 2011: Benji Boyd from Panama with Bushpig no. 1

April 2011: Benji and Bushpig no. 2

Benji and Bushpig no. 3

June 2011: Karl Evans, TX and Bushpig

July 2011: Randy Bell, TX and Bushpig

April 2011: Christian Brendel, Cape Town & Bushpig

August 2011: Jorge Garcia, MX and Bushpig

REGARDING BUSHPIGS AND THE PURSUIT OF THESE WARY
CREATURES

There probably is no more apt name for a wild animal than that of the bushpig.

The 80 000ha Blaauwkrantz in the Eastern Cape is blessed with vast amounts
of indigenous Valley Thicket or simply just plain bush. We at Blaauwkrantz
continually endeavour to protect this sensitive habitat from degradation of any
sort. Not surprisingly this is prime habitat for our indigenous bushpig.

Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal on Blaauwkrantz however daylight sightings
do occur. These pigs are extremely sensitive to any indication of nearby human
presence or any predator for that matter, making them a very difficult animal
to target. The best way to select the larger pigs are at a bait on moonlit evenings.
Baits have to be meticulously prepared and studied over a period of time by
checking tracks and lately by the use of digital scouting cameras.

The stakeout at baits can be long and tedious on some very cold nights, with
the hunters needing to get into the blind or shooting position well before dark.
Often multiple evening stakeouts are required as bushpigs are very territorial
and normally the baits are frequented only by specific pigs that arrive and leave
together in a group, making it a hunt targeting specific individual animals. This
is no easy task!
However, the excitement generated when these pigs actually arrive often after
much anticipation is truly worth the effort!

Hunters who wish to seriously pursue bushpigs need to ensure that their safari
coincides with the 1st quarter to full phase of the moon. The second most
important thing about the pursuit of pigs is to inform us at Blaauwkrantz Safaris
well before arriving that bushpig will be on the wish list. The more time we have
to prepare the bait the better the chance of success.

For more information relating to the Blaauwkrantz Bushpigs go to
www.eardleyrudman.blogspot.com