Bushpig Hunting

Although the African Bushpig, Potamochoerus larvaus, one of the two native pig species in South Africa, the other being the much more common warthog, are strictly part of what is deemed plains game, they require such a different method of hunting that we have put them under a different heading. At Amaphisi we regard ourselves as specialising in bushpig hunting, and both Jason and Dewald are avid bushpig hunters in their free time, when not out guiding. Bushpig have become strictly nocturnal animals, with a complicated social structure.

Any large male or female bushpig hunted fairly can rightfully be considered an achievement, but outsmarting a large, old wizened up bushpig boar is an achievement with few equals. Officially, like European wild boar, bushpig trophy measurement is done by measuring the outside curve of the longest bottom tusk. However, what makes a true bushpig trophy is a combination of good tusks, large warts, exaggerated facial features and mass. Typically, a pig over 100kg or 220 lbs is regarded as a monster, and pigs as large as 125kg or 275 lbs have been taken.

In terms of the methods, bushpig are baited, often with rotten food to attract them and then the bait is maintained with a local agricultural crop that they typically damage in large volumes, corn, various nuts etc. the hunter will then establish a pattern of a sounder or lone boar coming in to eat via trail camera, and will then set his client up once the respected quarry feeds daily at a regular time. Sometimes it is easier to remain stationary at a blind, natural or artificial, and await the bushpig’s arrival. Other times one will watch a bait site from afar with thermal imaging, and stalk in to the sounder once they are eating comfortably and relaxed, often lying down in the bait pile. Shot distance is typically between 40m and 100m and a .300 caliber of sorts is usually advised. For this we use a rifle equipped with a suppressor and thermal rifle scope.

The other way we hunt pigs is with thermal equipped rifles, stalking them in the ploughed soya or corn fields, setting up the shooting sticks and harvesting them like ordinary plains game. Both methods require the utmost patience, constant observing to assess trophy quality through the thermal monocular, and in the case of baiting doing all of this being dead quite.