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Encyclopedia of African Huntable Animals
African Cats
Hunting African Cats
Hunting African cats is a great challenge. From the diminutive genet to the fearsome male lion, Africa offers a good variety of huntable cat species. Some of the African cat species are not currently huntable. These cats are the black-footed cat, the golden cat and the sand cat. All the rest of the African cats may be hunted, but importing them may be restricted by law in certain countries. Currently, the cheetah is not importable into the US. Australia has banned the importation of spotted cats and lions. The European Union requires an import permit for African lions, and starting in 2016, so will the US. Leopard exportations are governed by the CITES Treaty, which sets export quotas for the various African countries that allow leopard hunting.
One of the most unique African cats is the cheetah. The cheetah once occurred throughout most of the African savannas and desert fringes. Today it has a patchy distribution and can only be hunted in limited numbers in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Once hunted with dogs, the taking of a cheetah is mostly now opportunistic, as the cheetah is a daytime hunter. A decision to hunt a cheetah will need to be made in advance, as a permit is required to harvest one.
The seval is a medium sized spotted cat that prefers areas of tall grasslands, reed beds ad forest edges. The serval will normally be located close to water. Serval are offered as trophies in South Africa, Tanzania and Burkina Faso at the present time. They are taken as animals of opportunity or are hunted at night with spotlights. Some outfitters also offer hunting with dogs as an option.
Caracal are medium sized cats and are known for their tufted ears that make them a prized trophy for those hunting African cats. The caracal is widely distributed in Africa, although most are shot in South Africa and Namibia, where they are considered problem animals in agricultural areas. They may be spotlighted at night or hunted with specially trained dog packs, as they will usually tree up when pursued for any length of time.
That leaves the leopard, African lion and the African wild cat as the remaining trophies when hunting African cats. The leopard is a powerfully built cat that has a tail almost as lomg as its body. It is one of the wold's most beautiful cats and is prized for its coat. It is arguably the most difficult trophy to aquire of all of Africa's cats. The lion is known both as the king of beasts and as the king of the jungle. It is the largest of the African cats and is prized by hunters as a sign of hunting prowness and dangerous adventure. An African lion hunt is considered to be the pinnacle of dangerous game hunting.
Finally, when hunting African cats, taking an African wild cat is a must. The African wild cat is a unique and special trophy. Similar in appearance to a domesticated cat, but with longer legs and a shorter tail, the African wild cat is mostly taken by spotlighting in grass fields where the wild cat will be found hunting mice. For the African cat collector, acquiring all of these species will lead to many great hunting memories.
African Leopard
The African leopard is a spotted cat whose tail makes up approximately half of its length. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. The leopard is huntable in most African countries where trophy hunting is allowed. Export permits for leopard trophies are governed by CITES. Leopards are solitary animals that occupy rather large territories. Where lions exist, they are known to lodge their prey in trees to avoid losing their kill to a competitor. African Lion
The African lion is the largest of the African cats. Males carry a long-haired mane on the neck, head, throat and shoulder region. They are the most social of all the cats and are known to live in prides of from 3-25 individuals headed by a mature male or two. They are mainly found in savanna grass and open woodlands, but are also known to frequent desert fringes. Their food consists of medium to large-sized animals, with Cape buffalo being a favorite. They are still huntable in several African countries. African Wildcat
The African wildcat is similar to a house cat in appearance, but is a distinct species of wild cat that inhabits much of Africa, parts of Europe and Asia and the Arabian peninsula. Wildcats tend to have longer legs and shorter tails than domesticated cats. They are available as huntable species in several African countries. They are mostly hunted at night with the use of a spotlight as they are mostly nocturnal hunters and can be found in grassy fields searching for mice and other prey. Caracal
African caracal are one of the African cats that hunters prize most. Their tufted ears make them a feature animal in most game rooms. Caracal are hunted by a variety of methods, including chance, baiting, spotlighting and with the use of dogs. A well trained pack of hounds is very effective at treeing caracals and many hunters opt to take their trophy in South Africa's Eastern Cape or Kwazulu-Natal Province. Caracals are considered nuiscance animals by many farmers. A caracal can make quick work of a chicken coop if it gains access. Cheetah
Cheetahs are the worlds fastest animals. They have been clocked at speeds approaching 80 mph. The cheetah uses its exceptional speed and agility to run down prey. It is primarily a daytime hunter. The cheetah is considered to be endangered and is only currently hunted in Namibia. As the cheetah is a daytime hunter, the cheetah usually gets the blame when a farmer finds a dead animal and the cheetah is out and about during the daytime. This has caused farmers to eliminate much of Africa's cheetah population. Cheetas are not currently importable into the US or Australia.