A Poor Man’s Leopard Hunt: Bushpig

By Robert P. Braubach

While in Zambia on a sable hunt with PH Strang Middleton in May 2024, I remembered the saying, “Don’t pass on an animal on day one that you would not shoot the last day.” So when I had an opportunity early on in the hunt to take an exceptional sable, I did not hesitate.

With more time available for the rest of the hunt, I learned that Strang Middleton’s passion is to pursue the bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus. The bushpig is a strong, stocky animal with powerful legs and often has red or green hair on its body with upper and lower tusks (lower tusks not usually used). They are mostly nocturnal, with a keen sense of smell and hearing – but don’t underestimate their eyesight, which is also exceptional.

With red, sandy soil and good vegetation at the Middleton ranch, there is an abundance of bushpigs. They are normally hunted during the night when they are most active, usually with bait from a blind.

While visiting the property, we came across the strong odor of a dead animal. We walked the area and found a magnificent eland bull that had died of natural causes or disease, close to a termite hill in thick brush. The maggots and flies were consuming this beautiful animal. Bushpig tracks were close by, so we decided this would be a perfect spot, with the bushpig thinking the carcass was his meal.

We built a blind approximately 35 yards from the dead animal against a tree to break our silhouettes. We tried to set up a blind with the wind blowing into us, anticipating the direction the bushpigs would come from behind the bait, based on their tracks. The correct wind direction is critical to the bushpig hunt.

We then set up a trail camera close to the bait and an overhead light that activates a green light upon movement, in the tree close to the dead eland and returned the next morning to check the SIM card from the camera. The photos confirmed the bushpigs were coming to the carcass with one exceptionally large male in a group of ten.

We went back to the blind that afternoon at 5:00 p.m. The wind was right for us, if the bushpigs approached from the thick forest from behind the eland carcass. We then sat still and quiet as the night approached and listened to the music of the birds and animals in the forest.

We remained quiet and motionless for several hours in the darkness, just like in a leopard hunt. The bushpigs appeared quietly around 8:00 p.m. as we could see the green light gradually turn on when one of the large female pigs was feeding under it.

The male bushpig rolled around close to the dead eland and was occupied eating the skin, bones, and maggots. He stayed out of the light.

The male then joined the female in the other bushpig clan under the green light. I waited until the male was broadside and presented a clear shot. My rifle shot was true, and the massive male, an old and mature animal, ran a short distance and then collapsed and expired. A shot must be well placed on a bushpig, for a wounded pig is dangerous and may charge you. A giant boar is an impressive animal, and hunting one is a true adventure and experience in Zambia.

I suggest any hunter interested in hunting leopards in Africa consider doing a bushpig hunt with an experienced hunter like Strang Middleton. The planning and setup are like a leopard hunt. You need to position the blind correctly, in front of a bait and anticipate the approach of the animal and the wind. You will normally need to sit quietly and motionless for three hours or more in the dark to be successful with a bushpig, and then you need to make a successful shot at night. If you do not have the patience and skills to be successful on a bushpig hunt, then you may need to improve your preparation for a successful leopard at night. The bushpig is a poor man’s leopard hunt.

Contact Strang Middleton, PH, in Zambia at strangm76@gmail.com