Africa Hunting

[DidIDraw]

My wife gave me the green light to take a really big hunting trip next year and I decided to go to Africa for some plain's game (kudu, gemsbuck, impala, etc.). I am just starting my research on the different places to hunt. I'm pretty set on South Africa or Namibia.

Can anyone give me some information about the good and bad of your African hunting experiences? Any information about good outfitters, when to go, what to take, what to watch for, etc. would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Zigga]

I sent you a pm about sadakasafaris.com

I've heard good things.

 

[flyingbrass]

Why plains game? Consider others as well.
I want to shoot a leopard over bait at night. I just saw a hunt on dish network. I actually know nothing but would like to shoot a leopard.
cold dead hands

 

[Outdoordan]

I have hunted Africa several times and have to say that most of the outfitters/PH's are very good. However, I believe that most people are under a mis-conception about hunting South Africa. First off, most properties are high fenced. In South Africa the game belongs to the property owner if it is on his property. Some animals are listed as endangered, and can't be molested, but can be removed with permits from the government agency, such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, etc or removed by the agency. Most of these properties are fairly large, but many of the operations are less than 3000 hectares, as you can imagine how fencing a property larger than that can be just too costly. Some large properties have just the indigenous animals of that area, such as the Kalahari and are unfenced. But, you are limited to those animals ie Kalahari springbok, and ory (Gemsbok) with some kudu and warthog but little else. Most of these operations are utilised by PH's whom transport you to various properties in search of special animals indigenous to those areas. This is the exception not the rule, again, most are high fenced and contain many of the 30 odd animals indigenous to all regions in Southern Africa. A property owner must high fence the property for two reasons, he is responsible for his game, and should it get loose he can be liable for damages to neighbors properties. Secondly, he would like to protect his investment. Many of these animals are purchased at game auctions and placed on the property 6 months or so before the hunt season, and some (not all) are self-perpetuating. There are some concessions whereby a group of property owners will take down interior fencing and collectively have a very large area to hunt and the proceeds go to the group.

Namibia, is fairly new to large scale hunting. Many of these properties are very large and some are in an group interest. Some though are just very large ranches.

I have hunted South Africa, and I would personally like to hunt Namibia next on one of these "free ranging" large ranches. I hope this clarifies.

 

[fullcry]

Have hunted all of them..Namibia is the best...A extra 200 dollar flight.But hunting is cheaper in the long run...Namibia is a better deal all the way around....If you want better info i will PM you my phone number....

 

[Blank]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-19-07 AT 10:10PM (MST)[p]I will be leaving for Namibia again in 28 days. The wife and I will be with friends for 3 weeks and will celebrate our anniversary there, and I am hunting for a nice leopard and a waterbuck. I have had my son and daughter-in-law there as well. All of the other species on the ranch are at risk, if they can top the wonderful trophies I got the last time! Warthogs of the plains, look out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Decide what animals you really like, and then decide what country to go to. Factor in what you will do with them when you get them back. The Limpopo region of RSA - bushbuck, nyala, kudu, warthog, maybe some other properties down south for reedbuck, lechwe, impala, etc. The East Cape has wonderful ranches. Go to Namibia and you have great kudu, gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest, wildebeest, impala, warthog, little guys like dik-dik/duiker/steenbok.

Most people will try a PG hunt and get hooked on Africa, then make another trip for cape buffalo, leopard, elephant, whatever the price will bear. You really can go on a great African hunt for the price of a premium elk hunt in the States.

My best advice is to decide what you can afford and want to shoot, then log onto WWW.ACCURATERELOADING.COM talk forums with all of your questions, then go to the SCI Annual convention in Reno in January, and thoroughly confuse yourself there. I can highly recommend several reasonable outfits in Namibia, if you're interested.

 

[scottyboy]

I worked in South Africa for about 11 months for an outfit back in 2000 and '01. Also did a 10 day hunt with another outfit just this last year to see something new. I am headed back next summer again with them.. Both are first class operations and I would recomend them to anyone.
PM me if you would like some info! I'd be glad to help!

 

[josh]

www.drhuntingadventures.com Check out my website. I have a great place to hunt in Africa. My partner and my father hunted with our outfitter last year and most of there animals qualified for roland ward with the smallest being sci silver. You can see some of the pictures on my website. There is info on my website to get in touch with me.


Thanks for looking,
Josh

 

[Bambistew]

If you go to RSA, I would avoid the Eastern Cape all together. Most all hunting ranches there are put and take, i.e. game farm animals released and killed each season, and by far most all the game is not indigenous to the area. The vast majority of the ranches in the Limpopo/northern region are indigenous game born and raised in the bush. If in doubt find a site that lists the animals that are native to the area. Most ranchers won't spend the money on animals that will naturally flourish on thier property with proper managment.

There are only a few animals that the fence really keep in anyway, wildebest, elend and zebra. Most all the other animals will either go through, under or over the fences, as they are hardly 'game tight' like you would see in Texas for instance. All the ones I saw where nothing more than smooth wire 6-8"oc stetched between posts that were probably 50' apart, and then small 2" wood stays were placed between the posts. An animal would have no problem going through them, and we saw many that did just that. The only 'tight' fences we saw were along major roadways, and even then we still saw quite a bit of game on the road at night. What my friend from RSA tells me the #1 reason for the fence is to allow hunting on the property year round.

The province hunting season on low fenced property is something like May-July. A fenced opperation can opperate a couple months on either side of that and be within the law, hence making more money for them.

3000ha is fairly small, but roughly 7500 acres or a little over 11 square miles. Most of which in the northern province will be bush that you can only see 100 yards at most, and will hide plenty of game. Hunt in Nam with low fence on three times that much or hunt behind a high fence, you're still going to come back with the animals you went for.

I think Namibia would be a fantastic place for a first safari though. Its on my list for 'next time'. But the vast majority of the hunting opperations in Nam have only a handfull of indigenous animals. Luckily they are some of the more popular ones however.

 

[Elkcrzy1]

I hunted south africa in 02 and had a blast. Very good outfitter, awesome animals, great food, awesome ph's. Dont know how it would get any better actually. Send me a pm if ya want details. I hunted with bobbyhansensafaris.com Gary

 

[hunterofelk]

I hunted Namibia in 2004 and had a great time. I used the taxidermist the PH recommended and got screwed. The Kudu, gemsbok and springbok I received two years later are not the ones I shot. The zebra hide, hartebeest and klipspringer were mine. I think my stuff got mixed up with some other hunters stuff and I've gotten no where trying to clean it up. So, check out your taxidermist, maybe have the work done in the States.

 

[kilbuc]

I've been to Africa 3 times and will probably go again. Hunted with same PH as Scottyboy, in RSA, who I highly recommend. My next trip will probably be in Namibia. (would appreciate those above who hunted in Namibia would send me there recommendations). Also, go to the SCI Convention in Reno and be blown away.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

 

[Blank]

DidIdraw:

PM sent.

 

[WVHUNTER]

I think Outdoordan's post on South Africa hunting is right on the money. I think most of the hunting in South Africa is high fence. Ranches vary in size from 1,000 acres to more than 30,000 acres.

I hunted with Huntershillsafaris.com in 2005. The ranch was about 30,000 acres and we did most of the hunting on the one ranch. The fences there were game proof for the most part. I saw where warthogs had went through the fence and the people there thought a big bull kudu could jump the fence if he wanted to. Some of the animals like zebra, blesbuck and wildebeast wouldn't cross a 4 ft cattle fence. Some of the animals native to the area like kudu, impala, duiker, mountain reedbuck and steenbuck had never been stocked but were just contained when they built the fence. The others had been stocked at some point but it didn't really appear to be put and take. They made the most money if the game bred naturally and they didn't have to buy new animals after the herds were established. There were rhinos delivered while I was there that had came from a game auction.

If this is the type hunt you are looking for I would highly recommend them.

I think Namibia may have some free roaming hunts but as Outdoordan said there won't be 30 different species there. But Namibia has fenced ranch hunts also.

Good luck with your hunt.

 

[hntnhrd]

Met with three different PHs that were here in MT during this spring doing some marketing. Talked to two different booking agents and finally decided to book with Cruiser Safaris for ugust of 2008. There were some things I found out about South africa and based my decision on the new info. One thing is that some outfits just cruise around and lease time slots off of different concessions. They may have may june july on a certain 20,000 acre ranch and are allowed say 10 kudu bulls in that slot. They have no control over what happens the months before or the months after or what the landowner does. Also accomidations vary. I am bringing My wife and 12 year old daughter and wanted to have a nice place for them to stay and activities for them to do and experience africa. Some outfits had NOTHING for non hunters to do excpet tag along on the hunts. Cruisers actually had quite a few side trips listed that non hunters could do. They have over 100,000 acres that they hunt and actually own all the land. They own the buildings and lease nothing.If whoever you pick has to lease a lodge and buy animals for you to shoot you are paying that fee plus whatever they tack on to make a profit. This keeps their prices extremely low. I also compared quality of animals. Some places were happy that the killed a 55 inch kudu last year. This place posts a quick report of every single safari they have done for the past 4 years. There were some 48 inch kudu bulls killed but they also killed two over 60 inches last year. If I remember right i think they killed 24 kudu bulls over 50 inches in 2006.In fact it took me 4 days to go through all the pages on their website. Just like finding a good hunt here in the states I think it takes ALOT of leg work to find the place that will work best for you. Good luck and find someone that will fit what ALL of your plans will be

 

[DidIDraw]

Thanks to everyone for your insight. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowlege. This is a daunting task because if it turns out to be the only trip we make to Africa (hopefully it won't be) I want to be as sure as possible that we're going to have a good experience.

 

[huntinco]

Were putting together a group for next year & I will be one of those hunters. If you are interested give me a call

Justin Richins
Www.huntinco.com

 

[Muleyslyr]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-07 AT 11:18AM (MST)[p]Here's just a coupla' critters my wife shot while hunting in Namibia this last October. She ended up shooting 8 different animals while she was there. The over all experience of being in and getting to hunt Africa changed her perspective of things immensely. She hunted strictly open range fair chase and was/is totally opposed to hunting behind a fence. There is a ton of open range country in Namibia.

I will be hunting with the same outfit this October for 12 days. Hopefully I can knock down a few different critters that she wasn't able to get. We're gonna need a bigger house.