Question? Free range Eland hunts in South Africa

I've been doing a lot of research for my next Safari to RSA. I've talked to and emailed a lot of PH's and Outfitters some with strong feelings towards canned hunts and that means anything behind a fence but what I can't seem to get is a straight answer to is free range Eland. Does anyone have any ideas if there is any outfits that still do free range Eland hunts in South Africa if they still do exist.

There's a world of difference between a canned hunt and a plains game hunt on a fenced South african game farm.

The former is where an animal such as a lion is captive bred, spends it's life in a pen and is then (usually) transported to a different area that he (or she) doesn't know at all, has no idea of escape routes and terrain etc and is then executed (it's not hunting) a few hours or days later..... often whilst still under the influence of sedating drugs.

The latter is where plains game animals spend their life on what is usually a big to huge area with a fence around the outside. They pretty much always know the terrain, the escape routes and predator dangers etc.

As to are there any properly free range areas in RSA where eland can be hunted?........ very few is probably the best answer you could get but one of the guys that could probably find such an area for you is Jaco Human at Index.

Your other option is to look outside SA and find a true wilderness area but that of course is going to put your prices up dramatically.

If you want to go halfway between the two, you could opt for somewhere like Tuli Block Botswana where there are game fences but are usually what might be termed porous and is usually a wilder option than that of RSA but not as wild as a true wilderness area.

You also have to bear in mind that despite it's size, an eland can jump like you wouldn't believe and can clear most game fences without any problems at all. - I've often seen them walk up to a 2 metre high fence, settle back on their haunches like a dog and then just sail over without any hassle.

In other words, even in a fenced game farm, an eland can easily be a free range eland if it wants to be.

Originally Posted by shakari

In other words, even in a fenced game farm, an eland can easily be a free range eland if it wants to be.

I'm told Kudu can also effortlessly jump the fence.

Kudu are good jumpers but not in the same class as eland who are generally accepted to be the best of all of them.

Ngarangombe Conservancy = "Free Range" Eland (low fence)

Unfortunately, this does not answer your question about RSA, as the Ngarangombe Conservancy is in Namibia.

With the game owned by the land owner in SA it does not do them any good to allow it to wander onto other peoples property- ergo the high fence. That being said I have hunted on one place 7 miles by 15 miles fenced perimeter that hunted as if it was open range. I have also hunted eland this year in the Kalihari of southern Namibia that is wide open range for 30 miles in any direction. That's as far as we went, could have been 100 miles for all I know.

Originally Posted by shakari

There's a world of difference between a canned hunt and a plains game hunt on a fenced South african game farm.

The former is where an animal such as a lion is captive bred, spends it's life in a pen and is then (usually) transported to a different area that he (or she) doesn't know at all, has no idea of escape routes and terrain etc and is then executed (it's not hunting) a few hours or days later..... often whilst still under the influence of sedating drugs.

The latter is where plains game animals spend their life on what is usually a big to huge area with a fence around the outside. They pretty much always know the terrain, the escape routes and predator dangers etc.

As to are there any properly free range areas in RSA where eland can be hunted?........ very few is probably the best answer you could get but one of the guys that could probably find such an area for you is Jaco Human at Index.

Your other option is to look outside SA and find a true wilderness area but that of course is going to put your prices up dramatically.

If you want to go halfway between the two, you could opt for somewhere like Tuli Block Botswana where there are game fences but are usually what might be termed porous and is usually a wilder option than that of RSA but not as wild as a true wilderness area.

You also have to bear in mind that despite it's size, an eland can jump like you wouldn't believe and can clear most game fences without any problems at all. - I've often seen them walk up to a 2 metre high fence, settle back on their haunches like a dog and then just sail over without any hassle.

In other words, even in a fenced game farm, an eland can easily be a free range eland if it wants to be.

Thanks shakari I agree with your view on plains game animals I have hunted properties from 55000 to over 80,000 acres in size and there is nothing canned about it, and thanks for the link I will check them out. Bob

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Ngarangombe Conservancy = "Free Range" Eland (low fence)

Unfortunately, this does not answer your question about RSA, as the Ngarangombe Conservancy is in Namibia.

Thanks BRICKBURN Namibia is not out of the question I've been thinking of going there as well. Bob

Another option is just over the Limpopo river on the Zim side directly west from bietbridge. I hunted two properties that had no fences at all. We saw lots of Eland. One I remember was name Notting Hill and the other River Ranch. Not SA but close.

I spent 10 days on 25000 acres in 2011 hunting eland and never got a chance at one. I dont believe there were very many there in fact but we did see a herd of cows once and one or two bulls in high gear, gone. As stated above, canned and fenced are not the same at all, unless the area is very small.

Thanks guys for the replies I'm not going to lock myself in to anything until after DSC in Jan. unless of course a deal comes along to good to resist this is whats on my list as of today, Eland, Bushbuck, Caracal and Common Duiker My wife will be going along as an observer and may take a few animals as well Impala, Steenbok, Springbuck and a female warthog because she thinks the males are to ugly all those warts on thier face. hehe

Hunting eland on foot, has to be one of the harder hunts in Southern Africa. Great value for the dollar.

Sounds like you have the right attitude. I chased Eland in RSA for several days on a property that was close to 30 square miles enclosed by a game fence that was close to nine feet tall. Fence did not play one bit of a role in the hunt. Could have been free range for that matter, as the Eland were incredibly smart and all too elusive for my shooting skills.

Saw a nice Kudu bull jump over a game fence along the edge of the highway on our way to Limpopo. I would guess the fence was close to eight feet tall. The Kudu cleared it with ease and my jaw about hit the dash of the Rover. PH made the same comment about Eland being almost twice as big and able to jump significantly better than a Kudu.