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  1. #1
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    Default Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Just out of interest.

    Shooting and culling baboons has been mentioned in a few threads. I have zero experience in this regard and would like to get a better concept. Would the knowing okes please comment on the following, and add a thought where necessary?

    Baboons have good eyesight and are very aware of their surroundings?

    They can be tough to kill?

    They die slowly?

    They can be a nuisance and really dangerous once they loose their fear of humans?

    Use enough gun?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Baboons have excellent eyesight and are very intelligent. They can be tough to kill so shot placement is everything. I've seen a large male drop when shot with a .223 at around 220m and I've personally dispatched a couple with brainshots using SD hollowpoint 9mm from min pointblank range. It took 2 shots both times to do the job. If the aim is to reduce the population number of a specific troup or to get them to relocate then it is best to avoid shooting the Alpha at all costs. Better to shoot a female or little ones as the rest will generally decide to move on.

    This thread by TStone might be useful: http://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/showthread.php?t=68268

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Ds J...I am not an expert on baboons but have had a fair amount of exposure and problems with them to feel i can answer your questions .

    .Good eyesight...yes. Like any predator,they have foreward facing eyes [like a human] and really good eyesight. They also post a sentry while feeding or raiding crops.This sentry sits in an elevated possition and his sole job is to keep a lookout for danger.Not much gets past him.They are also highly intelligent and,in areas where they are regularly shot at, they develop an extra sense of alertness that verges on unbelievable.

    Tough to kill/die slowly...I think they have earned this reputation for 2 reasons.One is that they are often shot indiscriminately/on sight.This leads to them being shot at,at long distance so hits are marginal resulting in a wounded baboon getting away.The second reason is that they will be shot with whatever is available,leading to the use of marginal calibers.Due often to the nature of the terrain and the distances involved in the shooting of the baboons,no follow up is done and so it is assumed that the baboon is tough as it took a hit and still got away.
    Maybe,there is a little to the story of their toughness but a decent bullet in the right place means a dead baboon.

    Nuisance/dangerous...Crop raiding,yes. Destructive to isolated buildings,lodges,pump stations,solar panels,yes. Dangerous when they have lost their fear of humans,are cornered or wounded,yes,extremely so. They can/are extremely destructive on young animals and will kill and eat the young of for eg. impala or sheep.On the one farm where i hunt,well over half the newborn impala were taken by baboons which actively followed the herds in lambing season.

    Use enough gun....Same as any other hunting,yes

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Baboons are like jackal.

    Don't take marginal shots at them, it will be very expensive misses.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    I cant realy add anything more. Just that baboons are one of thise few animals that dont need "movement" to see you, when they see you they see you. What makes it more of A challenge is they usually have plenty of eyes scanning in all directions. I personally dont think its A case of "they are tough or die slowly". Shot placement is obviously important, but knowing there anatomy is vital, since they dont allways sit or stand in the same position like most other animals. Visualising their bodys in "3D" is A must in my opinion, but that obviously only helps if you know exactly where the vitals are from all angles. It is just easy to mis the vitals because of their build and the way they position their bodies. It almost reminds me of A bluewildebeest, they are wounded (and so tough) for the same reason.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    They are intelligent animals for sure. I've seen the remains of what we think was a sentry that was posted higher up. The troop beat him really good. We shot one of the troop that were causing damage to a peach crop the day before and can only assume the lookout fell asleep or missed us somehow. They dealt with him swiftly.


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  7. #7
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    They are intelligent animals for sure. I've seen the remains of what we think was a sentry that was posted higher up. The troop beat him really good. We shot one of the troop that were causing damage to a peach crop the day before and can only assume the lookout fell asleep or missed us somehow. They dealt with him swiftly.
    The sentry was killed? It would be the first "court martial" I've heard of in the animal kingdom.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Quote Originally Posted by Ds J View Post
    The sentry was killed? It would be the first "court martial" I've heard of in the animal kingdom.
    Ds it may have just been coincidental.


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  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    Ds it may have just been coincidental.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Baboons defenitely have "court martials", but they rarely end up dead. Maybe his second offence? Lol.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Hunting / controlling baboons - a question or two

    Third strike maybe.

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