Affordable plains game countries

JPbowhunter

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Just curious, RSA and Namibia are the first to come to mind and into conversation when talking about affordable to the average joe. Are there any other comparable countries or does it jump significantly from those two to any others for PG hunts? Stressing the non DG hunts part as these are out of my budget.

I'm still not at the point of booking anything but I am trying to get more knowledgeable for when I am at that point.
 
In regard to typical plains game species; RSA is probably the most developed market followed by Namibia and then Botswana. That is where game farming and private ownership are prevailing. The more developed (saturated) the market the more opportunities and options tend to be offered.

Zimbabwe started developing some incredible properties many years ago and then had the entire industry turned on its ear. Confiscation is still an issue. There are some good opportunities, just need to search a bit more.

Zambia is also in the mix, although different species are available.
 
That's probably it, with Namibia being the most affordable and and stable country..
 
Thanks fellas, i kinda thought that may have been the case. Never thought of zambia though.

I guess the thing that's keeping me in the early stages of Africa is the type of hunt. I have a species I'd love to hunt but it's more about the hunt. I'm not too much into game farm high fenced stuff staying in luxurious places and being doted on. Not because i have anything against it, it's just not the hunting i do normally and i like many enjoy my way. I love the remote nature of hunting, backpacking in miles, sleeping under stars, burning lots of boot leather and i guess just earning it (in my view). Most of these hunts seem to be in expensive countries running at or above my annual salary.
 
Namibia, sounds as country for you. There is still a lot unfenced areas - drawback is less game species in unfenced parts
Although, if you get on large properties in RSA you probably will never see a fence.

Mind, that if hunting in unfenced areas, the number of species to hunt is smaller.

I was so far hunting in Namibia, twice: Kalahari and central highlands. Planning more hunts, agw...
When driving few hours in the north direction from Windhoek airport, animals seen continously on the road, or near the road (which to me, means - true free ranging animals), are:
baboon, warthog, oryx, hartbeest, kudu, jackal.

Probably there is more. But this is starting info, to focus your interest, once you get to farm land of central Namibia, and I think those would be easiest to plan for hunt, although there is probably more.

You will have to clear this point with outfitter when you will be booking the hunt.
 
Namibia, sounds as country for you. There is still a lot unfenced areas - drawback is less game species in unfenced parts
Although, if you get on large properties in RSA you probably will never see a fence.

Mind, that if hunting in unfenced areas, the number of species to hunt is smaller.

I was so far hunting in Namibia, twice: Kalahari and central highlands. Planning more hunts, agw...
When driving few hours in the north direction from Windhoek airport, animals seen continously on the road, or near the road (which to me, means - true free ranging animals), are:
baboon, warthog, oryx, hartbeest, kudu, jackal.

Probably there is more. But this is starting info, to focus your interest, once you get to farm land of central Namibia, and I think those would be easiest to plan for hunt, although there is probably more.

You will have to clear this point with outfitter when you will be booking the hunt.
Thanks for the informative answer,

Numbers of game is subjective i guess, my favourite deer to hunt is hog deer. In the week i set aside each april for them two or three deer seen in that whole period is considered good. It's also a part of unfenced hunting too which I'm fine with.
 
If you hunt hog deer in a country where you live, then the basic difference is time.
Back at home you have all the free time (per year) that you can afford.
In africa, you are limited to 7 or 10 days usually.

The question is how many trophies in Africa you will hunt? In a true free range - free roaming hunting, smaller number of game can be expected.

So, this is one of the question to clarify with outfitter in advance, for defined free roaming species, how many species, how many days would be reccomnded to plan for safari?

For average plains game safari, most common species, Craig Boddington wrote somwhere to plan approximately 1.5 day per one species, average. For 5 trophies, about 7 hunting days. This comes roughly inline with my experience, but for exclusive unfenced hunt, this point has to be cleared with outfitter to know home many days to book.
 
If you hunt hog deer in a country where you live, then the basic difference is time.
Back at home you have all the free time (per year) that you can afford.
In africa, you are limited to 7 or 10 days usually.

The question is how many trophies in Africa you will hunt? In a true free range - free roaming hunting, smaller number of game can be expected.

So, this is one of the question to clarify with outfitter in advance, for defined free roaming species, how many species, how many days would be reccomnded to plan for safari?

For average plains game safari, most common species, Craig Boddington wrote somwhere to plan approximately 1.5 day per one species, average. For 5 trophies, about 7 hunting days. This comes roughly inline with my experience, but for exclusive unfenced hunt, this point has to be cleared with outfitter to know home many days to book.
Hog deer is actually a 30 day season and i can only ever get 1 week holiday from work to hunt them as it's a long way from home. But i do get your point.

I have a couple of species I'd like to hunt, other than that not really set on anything. Have a couple I've no interest in hunting also.

I'd prefer a sensational tough hunt for a couple of good animals than five or six, jump out of a ute and go a few hundred metres to shoot type things. Again no malice towards people who view things differently. I'm not from a game rich part of our country so hunting is always hard work.
 
Find an outfitter/PH who only bowhunt on foot or insist on close shots with a rifle for your hunt and no matter whether hunting high fence, low fence, or no fence you are going to work for it.
 
Brickburn is dead accurate on the shipping cost!!!
 
Is there any reasonable explanation for higher shipping costs ex Botswana?
 
I just searched back through my emails and was staggered by the cost my mate and I paid to get our animals back to Australia from Botswana! It really hurt! I must’ve blanked it out from my memory.
 
Zimbabwe

There are some excellent areas with indigenous species at very competitive plains game rates in some of the most picturesque land I have had the privilege to hunt!

The rates are on par with South Africa with some being even lower and you are not surrounded by a fence. Wild animals free to come and go!

Dip and Pack charges are more than reasonable, half of what the crooks in the Eastern Cape charge. No surprises as it’s a flat rate per hunt.

Shipping the trophies will cost a few hundred more. In the end, it turns out the cost to dip & pack and ship to US is equivalent to a hunt in the Eastern Cape, I have done both.

Wayne Van den Bergh of @Nyamazana Safaris can take care of you, he recently posted an excellent offer for plains game:

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/free-range-plainsgame-hunt-in-zimbabwe-2019.47084/#post-503204

Here are two recent hunts I did in the area Wayne mentions above:

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/free-range-plainsgame-hunt-in-zimbabwe-2019.47084/#post-503204

and I went back a few months later to hunt Dangerous game in the same area:

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...alo-plains-game-with-nyamazana-safaris.47141/

It is no more expensive to fly to Bulawayo from JNB than an internal flight within South Africa. Entering Zim with a rifle was pain free.
 

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