White-Flanked Impala hunting

White Flanked Impala are rare compared to the herds of Impala found roaming the savannah, scrub and bush landscapes in the southern and eastern part of the African continent. Biologists divide the antelope into two subspecies: Common and Black-Faced. Trophy books and hunting clubs further divide the Common Impala into Southern and East African varieties, and some South African game breeders have now bred different colour variants which include Black, White and White Flanked Impalas.

Impala inhabits shrub and savannah type habitat where a hunter and the PH can see far to spot the animals, and yet there’s enough cover to stalk them. Impalas can be active during the day and at night but are most conspicuous in the morning and in the evening. This behaviour makes Impala one of the best quarries for spot-and-stalk hunting. When alarmed, the herd of impalas forms a tight group, when it is easy to lose track of the trophy you’ve chosen, and, the bullet might easily pass through your target and hit another Impala that stands behind. It’s also not the best idea to shoot Impala on the run, as they can leap in zig-zag, effectively avoiding predators. An Impala never ventures far from a permanent water source and must have a drink on a regular basis. This offers a bowhunter an opportunity to hunt this animal from a ground blind or tree stand positioned over a waterhole.