Black Lechwe Characteristics | Scientific Name : Kobus leche smithemani |
|---|
Weight : 70kg (f)110 kg (m) |
Shoulder Height : 70 cm (f) 90cm (m) |
Breeding Season : Year round |
Minimum Calibre : .270 |
Black Lechwe hunting is only possible in the Bangweulu Swamps in central-northern Zambia. They inhabit the floodplains of the swamps and surrounding area by the thousands and it's possible to see several thousand in a day's hunting. Access to the swamps is by charter flight or 7-hr drive from Lusaka which makes hunting them logistically difficult but a hunt for black lechwe can be combined with a sitatunga hunt.
The bulls carry horns that sweep back initially and then curve forward at the tips. Their horn shape and length are similar to that of a red lechwe, often thinner and wider. SCI minimum for black lechwe is 55 inches.
Lechwe hunting is best done in the late afternoon and early morning when they graze in the open floodplains of the swamps. A.270 caliber is adequate, a flat shooting cartridge is preferable when hunting black lechwe. .
The cost of a black lechwe hunt is $6000 for a trophy black lechwe.
