Puku

Scientific name: Kobus vardonii

How weight is recorded: Carcass weight

Field notes

Appearance

Small, stocky antelope with a glossy reddish-brown coat, lighter on the underside and rump. Males are noticeably darker and more robust than females; only males carry short, lyre-shaped horns.

Size and weight

Males 45–57 kg, females 35–45 kg; body length 130–160 cm.

Habitat

Puku inhabit floodplain grasslands, seasonal swamps, and riverside meadows in low-lying areas, typically below 1000 m elevation. They favour open to semi-open terrain with short grass and access to water.

Distribution

Endemic to south-central Africa, found in scattered populations in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. They occupy specific floodplain systems and are locally abundant but geographically fragmented.

Diet

Primarily grazer on fresh, short grasses; shifts to browsing herbs and forbs during dry season when grass quality declines.

Behaviour

Mainly diurnal, most active in early morning and late afternoon. Territorial and often solitary or in small family groups; males establish and defend feeding territories year-round.

Hunting tips

Look for well-defined paths to water and grazing areas; droppings are small, clustered pellets. Approach from downwind across open ground, using any undulation or sparse vegetation for cover. Stalk early morning when animals are feeding in the open; their visibility makes long-range observation valuable for judging individuals and planning approach routes.

Carcass weight

This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.