Duiker hunting

There are many subspecies of Duiker, that can be grouped into forest and bush Duikers. The Common, or Grey, Duiker belongs to the bush duikers, and can be found in savannah in most countries of Trans-Saharan Africa. Forest Duikers, such as Yellow-Backed, Peters’, Gabon’s, Black-Fronted and Bay Duikers, prefer the thick undergrowth of rainforests. You can add a Duiker trophy to your plains game trophy list in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and Ethiopia. But the real Mecca for a Duiker hunter, offering an opportunity to hunt numerous species of both savannah and rainforest Duikers, is Cameroon.

In most cased, Duikers are hunted opportunistically, that is, killed if an opportunity arises when hunting a different animal. Targeting a Duiker specifically is a whole different story. Duikers take to areas with dense undergrowth, where they can see and escape hunters before the hunters can see them. They also don’t depend on water sources, being able to extract enough moisture from the plants they graze on. Thus, the two classic African methods – spot-and-stalk and waiting in a blind over a waterhole – aren’t always reliable. Some species respond well to calling, and in some locations it is legal to hunt Duiker at night with an electric lamp. Shotguns work better for this small creature than rifles. For a trophy hunter, the biggest challenge of Duiker hunting is estimating the size of the horn, which is difficult both because the horns are small and lie almost level with the animal’s back, and because you typically get only a fleeting glance of the Duiker.

Check out an amazing footage from outfitters and landowners properties.