Blackbuck hunting
38 hunting trips from 22 outfitters starting from $1,450
Where to hunt Blackbuck
Blackbuck is a graceful, spiral-horned antelope that originates from the Indian Subcontinent. Across its original range its numbers have been greatly decimated by habitat loss, and no Blackbuck hunting is allowed in India, Pakistan or Nepal. Fortunately, Blackbuck have been introduced to the USA, Argentina, Mexico, and Australia, where populations with sufficient numbers and genetic diversity exist for future reintroduction attempt - or for sports hunting.
Price distribution
Female/cull blackbuck hunts start at about $500, and the price for a trophy blackbuck hunt across its range of distribution may vary from $1,500 to $4,000. Please note that some outfitters charge the trophy fee according to horn size. Hunts priced over $5,000 will typically be combination hunts with other species or bird hunting.
When to hunt Blackbuck?
Blackbuck being an introduced / exotic species, there’s no closed season for hunting it, and hunting opportunities exist year round. The best time for blackbuck hunting, in terms of both meat preservation and better visibility with lower vegetation, is in the winter months, December to February in the Northern hemisphere and April to October in the Southern Hemisphere.
Hunting methods All hunting methods (11)
In the old days the Maharajas pursued Blackbuck with specially trained Cheetahs, and the British colonials found it a perfect alternative to deer stalking back home. Spot-and-stalk is by far the best method for blackbuck hunting. The antelopes are diurnal, and graze in the mornings and evenings. Having spotted a buck that looks like a good trophy, the hunter tries to approach it, which, given the blackbuck’s acute senses and exceptional wariness, sharpened by millennia of evolving on open plains, is easier said than done.
Why hunt Blackbuck?
Hunting introduced/exotic animals carries a certain stigma with some hunters. It is undeniable, however, that the introduction of endangered species on game ranches and farms and careful regulated hunting creates an efficient scheme for keeping sufficient stock of the animals to save them from the threat of total extinction. And in most cases introduced or exotic species are every bit as challenging to hunt as any local animals. Pursue a blackbuck on the open plains of Texas or Argentina, and you’ll soon be able to associate with that young English officer trying desperately to get within the range of this careful and fleeting creature.
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