One of our more adventurous hunts is to hunt the Red Lechwe, a medium-sized antelope that are rarely found more than 2 or 3km from permanent water. After the sitatunga, the lechwe is the most water loving antelope. Lechwe are characterized by dark markings on its forelegs with a bright reddish body. The Lechwe slants slightly forward due to his shoulders being lower than his croup. This antelope is very similar to the smaller sized Puku, however the Puku has a more golden color and has no markings on the front legs.
Lechwe are gregarious and herds of 15 - 20 are common, growing to aggregations of thousands. Bachelor herds only break up in the mating season and only males carry the lyre-shaped horns. The biggest populations of this sought-after trophy can be found in the Caprivi Strip of Namibia.
Only the male Lechwe has horns that curve backwards. The tips of the horns however curve forward. It is also no surprise that the females tend to be smaller than the males. The shallow floodplains along swamps and rivers are a natural habitat for this medium sized antelope. When in danger they tend to flee into the water where they can move very easily.
Hunting Lechwe antelope is a challenging affair because he will stand and watch you while keeping a safe distance. Retrieving your trophy after a long-distance shot will most likely be done from the water.
When hunting Lechwe you can be sure to get your feet wet. Also make sure to choose a rifle that is capable of performing long ranged shots. As with most medium sized antelopes you should aim for the high heart and lung shot.
ABOUT SCHALK PIENAAR SAFARIS NAMIBIA
Founded by freelance professional hunter Schalk Pienaar, we are a premiere outfitter that provides once-in-a-lifetime hunting experiences in beautiful Namibia. Located on our own private land in the central eastern part of Namibia, we balance quality game & thrilling hunting experience with solid conservation – focusing on 20 clients per season. Quality over quantity…boutique & exclusive hunting over large scale cookie-cutter outfitting.
Fully licensed, we have over 30 plains game and dangerous game species available and can offer an enriching & exciting family-friendly excursion for any hunter, at any age & any level.
The hunt begins at: spsafarisnamibia.com/
