This was the first animal I ever took with a rifle. I went to Africa intending to hunt solely with my crossbow, but late rains had turned every waterhole into ponds and once dry, grassy pans (meadows) were lakes. So it was learn to shoot or spend alot of time watching the animals that were out of bow range.
Black Wildebeest (or white tail Gnu) are called the Clowns of the Savannah and are the most comical of all the animals in Africa. They run back and forth, around in circles, kicking up their heels and are constantly moving to confuse their predators.
We were in the Landrover trying to move in closer, my driver was trying to stay behind the brush as we crept closer. At 125 yard the Wildebeest stopped momentarily, I settled for my shot...and nothing. I forgot to take the safety off! The Wildebeest ran off kicking up his heels and whipping his white tipped tail.
We again started sneaking from bush to bush in the Landrover. He stopped again to watch a herd of Bonteboks running through the pan. I took the safety off, settled for my shot and dropped him at 175 yards.
There was no ground shrinkage as we walked up on him. In fact he as larger than any of us firs thought. We green scored him in the field and he is potentially the new #2 SCI Black Wildebeest.
SCI Record Book Black Wildebeest - April 2010
