Hunting Black Wildebeest in Africa with Bushmen Safaris

Also called white-tailed wildebeest or white-tailed gnu, the black wildebeest is well established, though the animal is not really black. It does, however, appear black at a distance and is darker than its relative the common wildebeest. The name wildebeest was given it by early Dutch settlers in South Africa who regarded it as a wild ox. "Gnu" is a Hottentot word that describes its characteristic bellowing snort.

The black wildebeest is a large, dark brown antelope of grotesque appearance. The shoulders are massive and somewhat higher than the slender hindquarters. The head is large, with a long face that is covered by a brush of stiff hairs pointing upward. There is a beard under the throat, a tuft of hairs between the front legs, and a stiff buff-and-black mane on the neck and shoulders. The tail is long and white, nearly reaching the ground. The horns (both sexes) form bosses, grow outward and downward, then bend forward and sharply upward. Females are similar to males, though a little smaller, and their horns are slimmer.

The black wildebeest is just one of the many species available to hunt on Bushmen Safaris 22,000-acre ranch in South Africa. For more information, please visit www.bushmensafaris.com.