Puku are golden brown, medium sized antelope which are very similar to the Lechwe and Impala. Puku are easily identified as they do not have the typical white for legs of the lechwe and lack the black buttock stripes of the impala. Mature animals weigh in the region of 150 pounds and measure 30 inches at the shoulder.
Puku inhibit wet grassland areas within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Zambia and Tanzania. The majority of Puku occur within the Kilombero valley of Tanzania, the Luangwa and Kafue areas of Zambia. Most Puku trophies come out of the Luangwa valley of Zambia, these populations are genetically diverse and occur in good numbers. There have been few reports of puku being hunted in the Caprivi area of Namibia as well as the Zambezi area of northern Zimbabwe.
Puku are most often hunted incidentally whilst pursuing other African game. Due to their abundance in the areas in which they occur, it is not very difficult to locate puku herds. Good puku trophies are usually taken when encountered in the field whilst tracking buffalo, or larger game and when a good trophy presents itself it is difficult for any passionate hunter to say no.
Hunting the Puku in wetlands and areas where there are large masses of water can get tricky especially when it comes to recovering your trophy. These animals are often spotted grazing in wetland areas where the water covers the bottom half of their body. Shooting a puku in such area is of course a unique experience.
Puku congregate in small herds of 2 to 6 animals, usually the herds are made up of female animals and their young. Male puku establish a territory where they will protect females within the area during the mating season. At this time of the year the makes are often seen with females. When out of mating season, male puku are generally solitary or pair up with other males. Bachelor herds are also common. Male puku are often bumped in river beds and wetland islands where they bed down for the heat of the day and only feed and move around when it is cooler. Puku are most active during the early hours of the morning and then late afternoon. Shooting a puku can be at any time of the day, especially when the animal is bumped while it is bedded down which is what happens in most cases.
Due to the abundance of puku in the areas in which they occur, they are targeted by a wide range of predators such as leopard, lion and wild dogs. Shooting a puku for leopard bait can be very successful as it is something that the cats are used to.
Only the male puku carry lyre shaped horns with thick ridging. A good trophy will have thick dark bases, which grow outwards providing a good spread. Ideally the spread should align with the outside of the ears in order for the animals to score well. The tips get smooth with age and long shiny, sharp tips will only help with the score. 90% of Puku trophies come out of Zambia; these government managed areas continue to produce excellent trophies.
Only the male puku carry lyre shaped horns with thick ridging. A good trophy will have thick dark bases, which grow outwards providing a good spread. Ideally the spread should align with the outside of the ears in order for the animals to score well. The tips get smooth with age and long shiny, sharp tips will only help with the score. 90% of Puku trophies come out of Zambia; these government managed areas continue to produce excellent trophies.
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