32 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



The other kudu I shot at the same time as the above 

 head had also a fair pair of horns, as they measured : 



Curve 53i in - 



Straight 41^ ,, 



Tip to tip ... ... 32^,, 



Circumference ... ... ... ... ni,, 



These measurements show a more normal head in every 

 way, and the circumference measurement also shows that 

 the animal was older than the one bearing the abnormally 

 wide horns. 



A kudu head is certainly one of the finest trophies a 

 sportsman can hope to get in Africa, and these animals 

 being very wary, as a rule, and not so often shot as many 

 of the antelopes inhabiting more open country, they are 

 still numerous in parts of Nyasaland, Portuguese territory, 

 and North-Eastern Rhodesia, and will likely remain so for 

 many years to come. 



I think, as do the majority of men who have shot in 

 Africa, that the kudu is quite the finest antelope there,, 

 although a few hunters might give first place to the sable 

 antelope or the gemsbuck. A kudu's horns look well on a 

 wall, and so do a gemsbuck's, but a sable head, owing to the 

 great backward curve, does not show up as well as the 

 other two heads mentioned. Owing to their wary and 

 retiring habits, kudu are more difficult to find and bring to 

 bag than most antelopes, but this only enhances the value 

 of the trophy to the lucky sportsman who manages to bag 

 a good head. 



I have heard men say that kudu are scarce in Central 

 Africa, but they are really one of the most numerous 

 species, and there are plenty of them, only they inhabit 

 rough, broken country where the walking is often hard, at 

 least to people who like to find their sport easy. 



