Eastern Cape safari wish list

Fire652

Fire652

AH veteran
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
170
Reaction score
159
Location
Zanesville, oh
Media
30
Hunting reports
Africa
3
USA/Canada
1
Mex/S.Amer
1
Member of
P&y, nwtf
Well I just got back from my first safari and the wife let’s me know that she wants to go to Africa. We are going to go to the eastern cape and spend a week at the beach then go hunting for a week. I have made a preliminary list and will hunt again with limcroma safari. What time of year would be best to be able to enjoy the beach and still have good hunting in the eastern cape. Would you add or subtract any species from my current wish list. I completed the spiral horn slam so an exceptional animal if it presents itself would be hard to pass up, but not looking to hunt the spirals this go around. Except the bushbuck. I will always hunt this special antelope. Thanks for any of the advice offered

Black wildebeest

Bushbuck

Common reedbuck

Red lechwe

Mountain reedbuck

Common springbuck

Tsessebe

Warthog

Cape mountain zebra
 
Waterbuck is on my list, and based on what i saw last week i am also thinking a blue and black wildebeast, and then the steenbok, and another Kudu and..and..and..
 
Fire652 said:
............ We are going to go to the eastern cape and spend a week at the beach then go hunting for a week. ............
Click to expand...

That beach portion will be the limiting factor. Winter is not the time for sunbathing.
 
If you can’t tell by my profile picture, I have a particular affinity for the blue wildebeest. The poor man’s buffalo is at the top of my hit list!
 
I would go for the Sable while they are still cheap. I as well will take a good Bushbuck if seen. Enjoy your trip .
 
Going to be tough combining beach bumming and hunting.

Trying to make that compromise work might end up making for poor beach bumming and poor hunting?
 
I would say early april might be ok for both and or later in sept.

I have found the warthog to be smaller down there but plenty around to hunt. I would just make sure you can get paperwork done for the zebra a lot of money for that zebra and the laws just changed on them.

They get some big steenbuck down there and then you also have blue duiker and vallies to chase. Carcal with dogs and bushpigs. Also seems to be some good deals down there on colored springbucks now.

Good luck on the planning
 
Follow pics from an East Cape PH who books mostly Scandinavian clients and he always has reports from Feb that look pretty darn successful.

Beach in PE and some hunting about that time for someone in the North East/ Mid West US sounds pretty good to me.

Last year and this, SAA had flights to J'berg from JFK round trip for $599 (!) add $200 for PE leg; I was pondering options, but had work to finish up.

I can hunt in the cold at home, be damned I do it on vacation.
 
Being based and grown up in EC, and also having locally fished the ocean from our own boats for 30 years now: Sept to end March is the best time for Beach/Hunt Safari Combo. Hunting in the heat yes is always more challenging but you get more daylight hours than during winter, so earlier start, later finish with a longer siesta period in the middle at the swimming pool or in air-conditioned room, BUT / PLUS on the other hand you have best weather to enjoy the beaches and ocean temperature should be ok for tanning on the beach & swimming too!
 
@Fire652 if you want to be on the beach in the Eastern Cape I’d say March would be as “late” as advisable for you.
If you want to further up the coast to Natal and towards the Moz border it will possibly give you a later chance.

Each year we have great weather in the Eastern Cape with temperatures up in the high 70s and even mid 80, sometimes for a couple of weeks, but the water is cold with the counter current from the Cape. Up in Natal the Agulhas current comes much closer to the beach and gives that extra few degrees of warm water that also makes it nicer in the winter.
For the summer it may be “too” hot for some up there and the Eastern Cape beaches are more comfortable.
The last few years the “best” weather for us has been February-March. Less tourists, less rain than in Dec-Jan, warm, but not excruciating, less wind. You can still have great hunting in March. (You can have great hunting any time of the year).
Which ever time you choose the beach-hunt combo is hard to beat... :)
Good luck!

//Gus
 
You guys seemed focused on the weather aspect of making the combo hunt work?

That is not the concern I had in mind. For me anyway - I cannot imagine going to anywhere on Africa to hunt and then take that much time to sit on a beach.

Guess I am the oddball. I won’t even travel to Florida for a beach!

I’d go hunting, then come home and take my wife to a beach!


Just ignore me! :)
 
Red Lechwe, it’s a dream of mine. Isn’t the Eastern Cape the only place to hunt them cause they don’t let you hunt them in Botswana anymore?
 
billc said:
I would say early april might be ok for both and or later in sept.

I have found the warthog to be smaller down there but plenty around to hunt. I would just make sure you can get paperwork done for the zebra a lot of money for that zebra and the laws just changed on them.

They get some big steenbuck down there and then you also have blue duiker and vallies to chase. Carcal with dogs and bushpigs. Also seems to be some good deals down there on colored springbucks now.

Good luck on the planning
Click to expand...

What changed with regards to zebra?
 
I’m too late to Edit, but wanted to add the word “winter” in the post above... We have sometimes warm weather in the winter for up to two weeks, but you never know when.
//Gus
 
tarbe said:
You guys seemed focused on the weather aspect of making the combo hunt work?

That is not the concern I had in mind. For me anyway - I cannot imagine going to anywhere on Africa to hunt and then take that much time to sit on a beach.

Guess I am the oddball. I won’t even travel to Florida for a beach!

I’d go hunting, then come home and take my wife to a beach!


Just ignore me! :)
Click to expand...
I’m actually with you but this is the only way to get back to Africa sooner rather then later
 
Here's my two bits worth.... I was lucky enough to hunt the Eastern Cape end of September 2016 and took some great animals(13) most of which are on your list. Great place to hunt. My wife and I then spent a few days in Jeffreys Bay on the ocean, the weather was great. Took a tour down the garden route as well. As they say "happy wife happy life".
 
TXhunter65 said:
What changed with regards to zebra?
Click to expand...


They can be hunted but I do believe they are on the cities list for bringing back. Just make sure so you don't get a surprise after shooting a 2000.00 plus zebra about bringing it back. I can not remember the whole post on them just know something changed on them in this last year.
 
You can't hunt the Eastern Cape without hunting Vaal Rhebuck! Some great free-range nyala and waterbuck down there as well. Bushbuck of course and yes the Cape Mountain Zebra is a unique new opportunity on the Eastern Cape. Blue Duiker is another one worth looking at and caracal with hounds is a blast. We just came back from the Eastern Cape and there was frost every morning!
 
Take a close look at the Vahl Rheebuck. Interesting animal that can be very tough to hunt. Fur and not hair. Exceptional eyesight. Blue Duiker is another one that could take a little luck. Some on here have had trouble getting one......
I love the Lechwe I got there a few years ago. Like you said Bushbuck are great animals to hunt. Have a great trip.
Bruce
 
After hunting the EC last year I would add in a nice dark cape bushbuck and a few nights hunting bushpig both are a blast
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

... and 1088 more.
Total: 15,355 (members: 1,138, guests: 14,217)

Forum statistics

Threads
53,941
Messages
1,141,083
Members
93,264
Latest member
Marplot
 

 

 

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
Because of some clients having to move their dates I have 2 prime time slots open if anyone is interested to do a hunt
5-15 May
or 5-15 June is open!
shoot me a message for a good deal!
•••
D
dogcat1 wrote on skydiver386's profile.
I would be interested in it if you pass. Please send me the info on the gun shop if you do not buy it. I have the needed ammo and brass.
Thanks,
Ross
•••
HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
Jackal hunt on triggercam,

•••
HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS
Jackal hunt on triggercam,

•••
F
Francois R wrote on Lance Hopper's profile.
Hi Lance hope you well. The 10.75 x 68 did you purchase it in the end ? if so are you prepared to part with it ? rgs Francois
•••

Share this page

 
Top