Red lechwe hunting South Africa

Red lechwe hunting South Africa with the best red lechwe hunters

Once you have hunted Africa several times you will develop an urge for red lechwe hunting. Red lechwe originate from the swamps in Botswana and Zambia and have been introduced successfully to South Africa.

Red lechwe hunting South Africa

Hunting red lechwe South Africa is for the hunter who would like to add a little something different to his collection. Red lechwe originate from Botswana, the Eastern parts of the Caprivi strip in Namibia, and the Western parts of Zambia. Red lechwe were introduced successfully to South Africa to the extent that there are self-sustaining herds spread out over a wide area from the North-Eastern parts of the country to the Free State and the Eastern Cape.

These furry coated animals make beautiful mounts with their long rusty reddish brown colored coats. The fronts of the forelegs are black. They are a cousin to the waterbuck and should be considered to add to an existing waterbuck mount, or even better, why not harvest both these magnificent animals?

Red lechwe are medium sized animals, comparable to white tail deer from the USA. Males are referred to as “rams”, and females as ewes. Territorial males will defend their specific territory during the breeding season (also known as: the rut). During the rut the males will actively fight other males entering their domain.

Red lechwe fun facts

Scientific name of red lechwe: Kobus leche

Only rams (males) have forward curving horns, similar in shape to waterbuck.

When female herds with their juvenile dependents cross into a territorial male’s territory, that male will fight for the breeding rights with the receptive females. Juvenile male red lechwe will not be affected by the wrath of a male in full rut as juveniles are not contesting for breeding rights. Female red lechwe give birth to a single lamb once they distanced themselves from the herd. Young are kept away from the herd for two to three weeks before introducing new offspring to the herd dynamics. Red lechwe activity peaks during the cooler hours of the mornings and late afternoons. On the heat of the day these fine animals prefer to bed down.

Red lechwe tend to sneak away when feeling threatened. Have a look at our red lechwe hunting video to see how they tend to put their heads down in an effort to move away as unseen as possible.

The hind legs are noticeably taller than the front legs. It is believed this evolved by having to jump so much in marsh regions. Alongside to this are the specially adapted elongated hooves for wetlands.

Red lechwe hunting information South Africa

Red lechwe ammunition

Only use premium grade ammunition for red lechwe hunting South Africa.

Our preferred ammunition manufacturer is Barnes TTSX in just about any weight.

Other premium grade ammunition manufactures you can use with confidence are Federal Premium, Sierra and others.

Average red lechwe shot distance

The average expected shooting distance when red lechwe hunting South Africa is 100 to 200 yards depending on the terrain you are hunting in.

Red lechwe hunting South Africa cost

Gun scope for red lechwe

A good 2 – 12 X 50 gun scope is sufficient for red lechwe hunting South Africa.

Make sure the gun scope can withstand the recoil of your rifle. If you have a good scope on your rifle do not buy a new scope. Use that money to hunt more!

Best caliber to hunt red lechwe

The following calibers are the best calibers for hunting red lechwe in South Africa: 270, 7 X 57 (all 7 mm’s will work well), 308, 30-06, 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag, 8 X 64, 35 Whelan or any other comparable caliber.

Red lechwe hunting calibers

Red lechwe hunting prices

Red lechwe hunting prices South Africa for the 2024 hunting season is            $ 3 000.

These hunting prices have come down by almost 10%.

Red lechwe hunting prices South Africa

Red lechwe shot placement

Red lechwe shot placement is extremely important. These are tough animals that will take you on a guided walk to see most of the property you have not seen before. They can take a proper punch and great care must be taken to ensure correct shot pacement.

Broadside shot

The shot should be placed right on the shoulder in line with the front leg, one third of the way up from the bottom of the brisket to the top of the back. Slightly behind the shoulder and slightly higher will also work well.

Quartering to shot

Bisect the angle formed by the front legs, aiming for the inside of the closer shoulder at the same height as for a broadside shot.

A quartering away shot

Make sure you are using a larger caliber rifle when wanting to take a quartering away shot. The bullet can encounter a tremendous amount of stomach content on the way to the vitals.

Aim at the opposite shoulder in the middle of the angle formed by the front legs, one third of the way up from the bottom of the chest to the top of the back.

Facing on shot

Aim where the bottom of the throat meets the chest and place the shot right there.

Gallery of red lechwe trophy hunting pictures

Red lechwe hunting video

Tips when hunting red lechwe 

Red lechwe are associated with water rich, tall grass areas, in flood plains, along river fronts and marsh areas. As such one can start a hunt looking in those particular areas. Red lechwe are also available in different parts of the country with different habitats.

Best time of year to hunt red lechwe

Red lechwe can be hunted from March to November with peak hunting times during May to October. We can and do hunt red lechwe from January to December.

South African big game hunting trips 2021 and 2022

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