Help me pick an outfitter

Hi guys, so I’m going around in circles a little bit here and was wondering if you can help me from experience.

So what I want to hunt is, large areas, can be high fence. Must be spot and stalk. With a rifle.

I’ve seen videos from people on here who are site regulars where,(mainly for bow hunting), there’s feed laid out for warthogs or a blind made next to an aritficial pond or water trough and for me it’s just not a hunt. I’m not knocking it for anyone else and I’ll happily sit and wait for a deer for the table but as a one-off I don’t want it to be predictable or easy.

I don’t really want to go to 6 different properties to hunt 6 different animals. Is there somewhere with just one or two massive areas? Is it possible to see at least some of the big five,(buffalo aside)?

I’ve got a list of plains game which is all I’m really after. I’m not too worried if it’s fractionally bigger limpopo or EC ect. I just want somewhere that is fair chase, difficult stalks, good reviews and most importantly, doesn’t feel artificial?

I feel like whenever I get near a choice, someone will give an honest opinion,(mostly by PM) which contradicts everything you read in the various write ups.


My anxiety is purely because this will financially be a one off trip,(for at least 10, 20 years) and it’s not a case of “I’ll book somewhere else next time”. I don’t really want to have a look at a trophy and see “there’s my kudu from block 1, my nyala from block 2, and my springbok from block 3”. I’d rather go to one massive conservancy and be able to do most of the hunt in one place.


Reviews and recommendations much needed. I’ve been desperate to do an African hunt since a kid but I’ve almost gone the other extreme and booked a NZ hunt instead to guarantee an experience.


Thanks!

No one can answer this until you tell us what are those species you are after that must be on the same place.

Really looking at kudu, nyala, springbok and impala, maybe gemsbok.

Even if it was over two big areas that’s great. Just don’t want to go to a ranch for each individual species if that makes sense

Thanks for the reply!

I hunted with Westfalen Safaris in 2016, they ticked all your boxes. They advertise on this site. I don't know if they have nyala, but they have other animals such as Hartmans zebra.
When I was there we were very close to elephants and a leapord not to mention a host of other game.

Those four to five are often on the same place in South Africa so I'm sure you'll get some good replies. I hunted with KMG Safaris last year and Marius did a fine job. I know I saw kudu, nyala, springbok and impala on the same property. Possibly gemsbok too, plus a few others you don't mention. I did go to another property all of 10-20 minutes away to hunt duiker one day and there was good kudu there too. I believe he has properties that could cover your requirements. Anyway, drop him a message. There are others I'm certain could fill the bill well but I've never used them so can't vouch for.

I would also suggest Marius @KMG Hunting Safaris

If you haven't already seen it , several of us AH Members are doing a group hunt with him next year. You should book and come along with us!

Is this a bow or rifle hunt?

Red Leg said:

Is this a bow or rifle hunt?

Click to expand...

4th sentence says “with a rifle”.

Even though you are in the UK, I don't see why a consultant here in US couldn't help you out. There really is no extra cost in using one as they operate just as a travel agent does. The only thing different would be comm via intl phone calls, however the net and email takes up a lot of that slack. If you want a large area for multiple PG species I can think of several areas both in RSA and equally easy to access areas in other Southern Africa countries. Of course a hunting consultant would also have that info and much more. I'll PM a little later and provide a couple of suggestions.

wildfowler.250 said:

Really looking at kudu, nyala, springbok and impala, maybe gemsbok.

Even if it was over two big areas that’s great. Just don’t want to go to a ranch for each individual species if that makes sense

Thanks for the reply!

Click to expand...

I believe @JKO Hunting Safaris could meet your requirements. JKO has a few different areas in RSA it hunts. The first area is in the Free State with some 40,000 acres. You will see buffalo there.

There are also other choices in Limpopo that are large properties. If you would like a quote, please let me know how many days you'd like to hunt and I can get that quote to you.

Private property rights in RSA and hunting laws require a CAE in order to be able to hunt under "extended" hunting seasons. If it is an open farm, hunting is restricted to actual hunting seasons that are specified, very similar to the UK.

A CAE is a Certificate of Adequate Enclosure. Guess what that means?
High fencing that has the ability to keep the game inside.
Certain species of course can come and go as they wish. Warthog, Leopard, Jackal


All of those geometric shapes you see on the following maps are FARM BOUNDARIES!
"Farm 19", "Farm Dirleen", "Farm Rooidam 13"
Do you see a pattern here?
This does not mean that every property line has a fence. But,....

Limpopo RSA



Central Namibia


Eastern Cape RSA






Kudu, Nyala and Impala are browsers
Gemsbok and Springbok are grazers.
Different habits different terrain, until they get introduced onto properties.

This series of maps shows the distribution of plains game species within South Africa.
You will immediately note that many species of plains game have been translocated into every last province of South Africa.


Look at the first image in this thread to see the HUGE difference in geography, flora and geology across South Africa. The terrain changes from thick coastal bush to desert.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/distribution-maps-for-mammals-in-south-africa.30059/





Kudu


Nyala


Impala



Gemsbok


Springbok

wildfowler.250 said:

Really looking at kudu, nyala, springbok and impala, maybe gemsbok.
...........

Click to expand...

Low fence (random picture) near Middelburg EC



High Fence out near Thabazimbi/Botswana border.


Google Earth is your friend.


Some folks will say they don't get a straight answers. When in fact they have
I have stated very directly the size of the RESERVE (main property) where I will be hunting next year.
It encompasses several farms, is high fenced and has terrain that will rival NZ if you'd like climbing hills and risking breaking your neck.
Will it have every species on it that everyone wants. Hell no.
Blue Duiker and Oribi are in very limited areas truthfully.
There are specialists that hunt Caracal all the time and they go where the cats go.
Vaalies, you will be heading to the mountains.

Nyala, Impala and Kudu can ALL certainly be hunted on ONE property where I am headed next year.
You'd have to travel to get the Springbok and the Gemsbok. I would want to hunt those species in a more typical environment anyway.


Use all the tools available and you will figure it out.
Good luck with your search.

tarbe said:

4th sentence says “with a rifle”.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much. That is very helpful. The blinds and feeding station thing confused me.

@wildfowler.250 you should seriously consider peiter delport (Eintracht jagd safaris) very large free roaming area with kudu, gemsbok, springbok unfenced. Also has access to high fenced impala and nyala in another area. There has been some really good reports posted here lately and it was very hard for me too find better pricing! Be a good place to look into for a “one off” trip. Im headed back to africa with him in 2020! Hes got some amazing warthogs coming outta the same free ranged unfenced area as the gemsboks kudu and springboks, with really good red heartbeast too.

Huntershill owns 60,000 acres and has exclusive rights to the adjacent block of 60.000 acres, that's 180 square miles. That should give you the terrain your looking for. They also have a half dozen extra parcels within an hour or so.

KMG safaris. Hunted with them quite satisfied. You'll just need to practice not stepping on leaves and twigs.

Don't limit your search to just RSA. Also consider Namibia. I've hunted both and preferred Namibia. HOWEVER, mine is a small sample 2x Namibia and 1x RSA. Do your homework and by all means check references.

Read this thread in the Hunting Africa section of this forum: BETTER QUESTIONS to ask when looking for a hunt…

For some people, booking a safari is a bit like planning a trip to the beach for a long weekend. By that I mean, cost is not a consideration, nor is time.

It sounds like for you this hunt will be more like buying a house (or having a sex change operation??? ). You want to get it right. You can't learn too much before booking and before arriving for your safari.

fourfive8 said:

Even though you are in the UK, I don't see why a consultant here in US couldn't help you out. There really is no extra cost in using one as they operate just as a travel agent does. The only thing different would be comm via intl phone calls, however the net and email takes up a lot of that slack.

Click to expand...

Skype eliminates the cost factor for international calls.

@Limpopo Big Game Safaris can help you. I’d bet Bossie will put something together right up your alley.
Andri Fox (Andri Fox Safaris), Beans at Tootabi Valley Safaris ( the valley is important, Tootabi Safaris is a different guy with a Crappy reputation but well deserved), and Justin Cawood of Arc Africa Safaris (Justin is a bow hunter himself) are all good choices too.