Crusader Safaris

johnnyblues

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Hi everyone, anyone here have any personal experience hunting with Crusader Safaris in SA. I am planning to submit a deposit with them just wondered if anyone here has hunted with them.
 
Sorry, meant to delete that last post. Crusader Safari has a excellent reputation.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's actually Crusader Safaris.
 
It was a long day, I made a mistake.
I looked at your outfitters website, the truth might be stretched a little on unfenced land and free range. Prices are above normal, but hey you pay for quality...and that is a good thing. Nice trophies on the webpage...excellent animals. If you feel comfortable, go for it.
 
Can you elaborate a little more on unfenced and free range? Do you think there are fences? I looked at several other outfits in SA it seemed like there prices were in line. Since Africa is new to me could you possibly recommend another PH with free range hunting and the trophies I am looking for? Anyone who could help I would appreciate it. I have not sent in my deposit yet so I am open to suggestions from you gentleman and of course any ladies.
 
The reason no one is responding, because South Africa is covered in fences. Yes, the hunting is free range within the fences. Most of the properties are high fenced. The landowner owns the game and most of them are not going to allow a kudu to wonder onto their neighbors land....ain't gonna happen. The landowner would have every right to shoot that animal. There are some pretty big properties that have just cattle fencing seperating land segments. Getting past the fence issue is problem for some people. Some of the animals are really confined by any fence, where other ones....no fence is going to stop them from getting from point A to point B. Pricing usually reflects how big the property is compared to others. The small properties have a lot better prices, but you are going to notice the fence...just my two cents. If you want truly wild experience go to parts Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and parts of Namibia. Namibia as a whole is lot more rural! There are other countries but it's pricey.

There are some PH's on here that could give a pretty good idea about how big of properties your outfitter is using. Marius or Chris Troskie could give you a pretty good idea.
 
Thanks...Seems though traveling to Namibia or Zimbabwe for plains game is going to get pricey. Don't know if it's worth all that. I am not 100% comfortable with fences but then again if it is very large....Don't know.. I do want a great experience with the chance at nice trophy's.
 
There is a post on here describing fencing and its really interesting. Just mention to your outfitter what your preference is? I can tell you 5000 acres is small, 15,000 to 20,000 is big and anything over that is huge. I do like the East Cape for the animals you are after. And there are some huge properties down there...there are also small ones too. And warthogs, impala, kudu, eland...etc. don't respect fences much. I got a super 52+ kudu last time in Africa in the East Cape because he fell in love with a neighboring kudu cow...big mistake!
 
Give Chris Troskie of CT-safaris a call. I have hunted 2x with him with an emphasis on low fence (cattle/sheep fence) hunting. This option is only available for indigenous species but there is plenty of country out there that is fenced the same as every cattle pasture here at home. Many of my African trophies are true wild free ranging animals taken on local sheep ranches and such. My other trophies taken with him come from very large high fence operations where fences are certainly not a big limiting factor for game movement/escape.

For a great free range hunt I recommend either the eastern cape for Kudu, Mountain reedbuck, Cape Springbok, Steinbok, Duiker and Vaal Rhebok or KZN for Nyala, Kudu, Bushbuck, Impala, Blue Wildebeest, Warthog (small tusks here), Duiker.

I have done both with Chris and loved every minute.

African Hunting Outfitter of distinction offering safaris in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique - www.ct-safaris.com
 
Johnny, I don't know anything about Crusader. They may be a very good firm. I also don't know how much research you have done or how much time you have for research. If it was me, a starting point would be to look at the advertisers on this website. Look at the photo's of their trophies. Do you want an animal like that? Look at their price list. PM them and find out how big their hunting area is and if it is high fenced and what the terrain is like. Realize at some point a high fenced hunting area is basically free range. But you have to decide what that number is. Few would think 1 million acres as not being free range(Bubye, Save), is it 100,000 Acres, 10,000 Acres, 1,000 Acres. You also have to consider what area you are hunting in. 1,000 Acres of heavy bushvield may give animals plenty of room to hide and move around you. 10,000 Acres of wide open highvield, from 3 high points you might be able to glass 80% of the animals on the entire property and see the fence all around you. Ask for references and visit with them. Do the references feel they are hunting a free range place or a high fenced pen? I would also look at the PH's that post here and visit their websites. You can learn a lot about PH's that post. Humor, disposition, character, etc. If you have a chance to go to a local hunting show you should go. If the opportunity to go to SCI or DSC or one of the big regional shows comes up that would be great to. Best of luck in your decision and make sure and give us a report when you get back.
 
Thanks for the advise. Everyone here has tried to be so helpful I really appreciate that. It can also get a little confusing. Somehow I am hopeful to make the right decision. I have called several references from Crusader safaris today I am waiting for a call back. Your comments about seeing a fence is exactly what I don't want. This is my first trip to Africa and it very well be my only. I want to have a great experience I want it to "feel right". Hunting on 50,000 acres of high fence may be fine if I don't see a fence. I am hoping to gather enough info here from everyone to help me make a decision.
 
I have hunted with Crusader.

Most of their land is cattle/sheep farms. You'll be crossing low fences and going through gates a LOT. In the Umkomas area, the brush is so thick a three strand barb wire fence really isn't an issue. The game probably slip through a fence without even noticing it!

A lot of driving, a lot of glassing. I've hunted in true wilderness areas and this wasn't it. We hunted in citrus groves, around farm fields and even next to a new commercial chicken house!

Anything else, PM me.
 
There is no doubt that fences can be well, distracting. They are a fact of life in much of RSA hunting. Knowing when I went to RSA that I would encounter fences, I just made up my mind to not shoot anything that was right near a fence or appeared hemmed in by a fence. As long as the game is in the woods, brush, bush whatever I can live with it. In Namibia at Eden camp the whole property is surrounded by a tall fence, but internally there is only a few remnants if any at all of old fencing and the property was huge, over 60000 acres if memory serves. Others here have hunted Eden as well. Pricers were quite reasonable. Saw lots of fences in Zim last time too in 2011. Private land hunt in the south. Never saw any fences in Botswana or Tanzania, but those hunts were some time ago and a lot price-ier now. Just depends on what the individual can live with. Highlands post reminded me of my RSA hunt. A real nice bushbuck was spotted near a ranch house, occupied by caretakers sitting on the veranda. When I refused to go after it while in sight of the house, the poor tracker nearly went apoplectic!! He nearly turned blue with disbelief. We drove on down the hill and found another buck in the thickets and took him, tracker all better now. Just remember its your hunt. You dont have to do anything you dont want to do.
 
Andrew at Crusader is a great guy and a personal friend, we have done business together for several years and it has been nothing but a pleasure, he is GTG all the way. His areas are low fenced cattle areas and the game is free range, we have had clients take some great trophies with him the last few years.
 
Hello, if it were not for one pretty bad reference I received by private message here I would be definitely booking with him. But I with good conscience could not bring myself to commit booking with him. I sent Andrew a copy of the "bad reference" and asked him to comment, but as of today i have not heard from him.
 
You can't go wrong hunting with Andrew. I have previously hunted with him twice and in September going back fro my third trip. I don't know what bad info you heard but I'd be interested to know. I have hunted at all three of his camps and the only fence I have seen is cattle fence. I don't see how you can go wrong.
 
johnnyblues

Certainly not meant to be argumentative, I have sent probably 100 clients to Andrew and we have not had any complaints. if Andrew does not address this please let me know. If you would like to run the hunt through me I would certainly welcome that. We would hold your money in escrow pending your return and satisfaction, then pay Andrew. I don't feel he would have an issue with that.
 
I sent Andrew a copy of the "bad reference" and asked him to comment, but as of today i have not heard from him.

Johnny, If you ask for references and a member doesn't feel comfortable posting it on the thread but is willing to send you a pm he is trusting you to be confidential with that information. (The specifics may easily identify him to the outfitter) If you want references in the future, including bad ones people will think twice about sending it to you. Best of luck on your decision
 
I agree with Wheels, I've heard the complaint already. The guy had a valid point. It's not going to be a problem with some outfitters but others...well lets just say plans change or people lie, TIA.
Johnny could go with the outfitter with the understanding there would be no sales pitch during the hunt, but I can totally understand why he didn't. I HATE SALES PITCHES WHEN HUNTING. It has to be my number 1, pet peeve.
 
You can't go wrong hunting with Andrew. I have previously hunted with him twice and in September going back fro my third trip. I don't know what bad info you heard but I'd be interested to know. I have hunted at all three of his camps and the only fence I have seen is cattle fence. I don't see how you can go wrong.

The bad reference was given to me in private so I am not at liberty to discuss it. I did inform Andrew and have given him the opportunity to respond. I have not heard from him yet as I'am sure he has clients right now. I realize you will not please everyone but since this is my first African safari I want to hear nothing but good things from clients
 

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