KMG Hunting Safaris 2025 Season Photos

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

One of the best decisions we ever made as an outfit came in 2019 and that was to start focusing on the age of animals over the score. This was a clear direction that we wanted to take as a collective group of Professional Hunters that represent KMG Hunting Safaris, on your safari. Focus on the age, and the scores will take care of themselves.
The fun part of this decision is seeing more and more of these types of animals popping up across the different species.
This old Blue Wildebeest bull, apart from the teeth being worn down to the gums, has started to lose some of the hair on his face as well.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Always nice to see, no matter how destructive they are.

Do you think this is a male or female?

We hunt some of the wildest places that South Africa has to offer. Speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safari!

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info@huntsafaris.co.za

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Short video clip of the same Leopard posted yesterday. Should give up a few more clues...

Speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

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info@huntsafaris.co.za

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

What an old warrior of a Common Duiker. These are such underrated hunts for one of the Tiny 10 of Africa. One of our Professional Hunters hunted this ram on one of the parcels of land that falls within the free range area during July of this year. We only got access to hunt Common Duiker on this parcel two years ago after much negotiations with the owners, providing information and constant feedback on the strong population that they carry. The population and quality is exceptional, but still needs to be managed in order to be able to utilize this parcel for many years to come.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Rule #1 A big Warthog should always be on the list.
Rule # 2 If not, refer to rule number 1.

Beautiful pig, Frankie!

Speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

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[KMG Hunting Safaris]

This old boy was obviously right handed.

Is Kudu on your list? Speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

We are so blessed to hunt these awesome areas. My opinion is that these areas are some of the top Bushbuck areas, I believe, in Africa. The population is simply incredible. Often, it requires long hours behind the glass, checking little valleys which gives you a good feeling or where you saw a ewe disappear on a previous hunt. There are few plains game animals that gets our heart jumping as a Bushbuck ram does. Seeing that white stripe on his arched back, standing motionless on a cold morning as he suns himself, is a feeling only the Eastern Cape can offer.

If Bushbuck has evaded you on previous trips, speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 safaris!

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info@huntsafaris.co.za

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

This was a hunt that tested patience, trusting the work that you had put in, and wit. Our two hunters booked a safari with us, both wanting a Bushpig. We generally have 8 baits running in season. Every bait had a boar on, as we only allow our hunters to shoot the boars.
The eight baits, all with boars, on soon turned to two, with the other baits getting hit sporadically or at early hours of the morning. Through the events of the evenings, swirling winds, twigs breaking and pretty much everything else one can think of, we had to continuously adjust our approach to the hunt.
What seemed like a slam dunk, soon turned to a chess match, finally outsmarting the first pig of the two on night 4.

If Bushpig is on your list, speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

One of the toughest plains game animals to hunt in the Eastern Cape, the Chacma Baboon. I have hunted them in many parts of Africa, and nowhere have I found them to be as cunning as in the mountains of the Eastern Cape. Eye sight second to none, with intelligence good enough to reason.
Our hunters each booked a safari consisting of a Bushpig, Baboon and a Cape Bushbuck. Each hunt presenting its own challenges. The guys are off to a good start, which needed some out of the box thinking to make it happen.

Many say that they have no desire to hunt a Baboon. What are your thoughts? Send it or nah?

Speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

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info@huntsafaris.co.za

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

While the guys were playing cat and mouse with the second Bushpig, they decided to use the time during the day for a Bushbuck ram. This ram was hit slightly low, and after leaving him for a good amount of time, Professional Hunter and client pursued him into some tall grass where he was last seen.
After a careful approach, the ram jumped up mere feet from them, heading down into the thick valley.
During June/July, our area is known for the local Bushbuck over hounds driven hunts, which has been part of the culture for decades. Bushbuck are pushed by means of hounds, as well as a team of beaters. Only males are target animals, as are Warthog, Bushpig, Common Duiker.
Being "Bushbuck season" the landowner had a pack of hounds ready for the next outing in the following days, and a decision was made to "release the hounds" in the direction of the ram.
They picked him up rather quickly, giving tongue, and bringing the ram around, closer to where hunter and PH were situated, where he disappeared in the tall grass again. As our Professional Hunter approached, the ram came on a full charge, with our PH stopping the ram with his sidearm. If you don't carry a big stick, carry lots of bullets. These rams aren't here for a tickling contest.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

As the games of cat and mouse with Bushpigs continued from the previous night's escapades, the men continued using their time, taking what the bush gave them. Another group hunting Common Duiker in one of our Bushbuck areas, laid eyes on an old Bushbuck ram with one horn. The broken horn had about two inches of base left, polished over time.
With Donnie, still looking for a Bushbuck ram, a ram with such character was music to his ears and asked to see if we could have a glass for this specific ram in the valley where he disappeared.

In the meantime, the other team ran into this guy. No ways to pass up on him.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

The previous night the Bushpigs were better than us again. For every move they made, we made a move and every time they seemed to have an answer. Almost like we had a mole amongst the group slipping them our game plan. Giving up is not an option in our camp. We still have time.
After leaving at first light, hunter and PH made a big loop getting the sun behind their backs. They sat above the valley where the one horned ram was seen for approximately 2 hours before he showed himself. This ram had a massive body, as can be seen by the size of his neck. These one horned rams are known to kill other rams since they can produce so much more pressure onto a single point of impact. An animal with loads of character. One can only wonder what a glimpse of this animal's life looked like.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Finally, after roughly 7 nights of cat and mouse, PH's sleeping on a couch in front of the fireplace in case the pigs come in during the early hours of the morning so that he's close to collect Donnie from his room,countless hours of planning, replanning, changing the approach, our Professional Hunters managed to outsmart this pig. The look on Donnie's face might not look happy, but its a face of never giving up, always ready to leave as soon as the pigs hit the bait, pigs walking away from the bait as soon as he's on the sticks, ups and downs and finally success.
I have never seen a man deserve his Bushpig as much as Donnie, and what a magnificent specimen it was! Simply striking colors on this Bushpig.

If a Bushpig is on your list, speak to us about your 2026 and 2027 Safaris!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Sometimes there is simply nothing that we can do to enhance the photo of an animal taken. This has got to be the most real photo taken in the moment, after success during my short career of almost 20 years.
While our head Professional Hunter was busy hunting for a Common Duiker, he observed a Caracal busy stalking a female duiker below him. We had two hunters looking for Caracal over the week, between two friends. We drew the first go at one. The Caracal lost interest in the Duiker, and disappeared into the undergrowth, which proved to be a huge mistake on his part. With the moisture below the canopy, the scent would stick, and the hounds would have a field day with near perfect conditions.
We made a call to bring our pack of hounds to the location. It wasn't long when they bumped the cat in the undergrowth, with the tom climbing one of the highest trees, being visible above the canopy. We followed the echoes of the hounds baying from below.
Generally when Caracals tree quite high, they are more calm once there is movement below. Its when they are not too high off the ground when they get really nervous with too much movement before deciding to jump. Once they jump, they will either tree again, the hounds will catch up to them or they will cross a dry patch which is enough for the hounds to lose the trail for long enough for the cat to get away.
Our hunter made a perfect shot with the 22 Hornet, with the cat landing in the mud from roughly 75 feet.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Just before we got the call for the Caracal on day 1, we had already observed this Kudu bull in a valley during our morning glassing session. We had actually put the stalk onto him and closed the distance, before he disappeared into some really thick stuck. While we were sitting waiting for him, I could feel the vibration in my pocket.
At this stage, I had already been made aware that the hounds were being taken to where a Caracal was seen, so made sure that I checked that we weren't being summoned to move to the area where the hounds were. It was the hounds-man, and I answered the call without saying anything.
Our final position was still more than 300 yards away. Not a shot that I wanted our huntress to take first up. After getting the call, we made the decision to sneak out of the valley and go after the Caracal. Once we had success on the Caracal, we dropped it off at the skinning shed, and returned to where we lost the Kudu bull earlier. This time, we left the truck even further, and made our way down the winding road. We found some shade, and sat under a tree watching the opposite slope.

I managed to pick up the bull, lying down with only his muzzle showing, with a tip of his horn above some of the bushes. I decided to use this time where he was relaxed to try and close the distance where I felt comfortable for our huntress to take a shot. No more than 10 minutes after we started closing the distance, the bull, obviously not comfortable with his position, got up and started making his way down the valley for a better bedding spot. This aided us, as he he was closing the distance as he was moving lower. Finding a gap through some brush proved to be difficult, but we managed to find a 2 ft gap through a wild Olive tree straight to the bull.
The rifle was settled, and by the time we were on him, he was also onto us. He froze long enough for us to support the rear arm to settle the crosshairs. At the report of the rifle, the bull clearly showed the hit, and disappeared. Only a single shot was needed at 240 yards for this ancient old bull. Notice the huge ivory tip on his left hand horn, paired with the patches of missing hair over his body.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Early the next morning we left camp to try and get some hunting in before the rain set in that was forecasted for the day. We found a herd of Blue Wildebeest feeding in the plains, slowly making their way to the thicker cover as activity started to increase around the area. We managed to get around them, and waited them out from an ambush position as they fed closer. Our huntress made a perfect shot at 140 yards on this great old bull from a prone position.

At this stage we were already getting rained on, but still enough time to catch some photos. Three great animals down in three sessions. We were off to a flyer!

Come and see us at the TTHA show held in Dallas over 9-11 January 2026. We'll be in booth 527!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

After my hunter and I ate tag soup on Black impala during 2024, we came back in 2025 with the vengeance. Same area, but tweaked our game plan a bit. We stopped at the top of the mountain, and glassed from height, looking down into the thorn trees for any sign of Impala.
My tracker radioed me to come closer, informing me that he caught a glimpse of what he was sure was a Black Impala ram among other rams. We sat for about 30 minutes, and found roughly 4 Black rams within this bachelor group.
The previous year, we tried to close the distance on a group of common females that had a Black ram among them when we could not close the deal.
We left the truck at the top, and proceeded to hug the shade side of the mountain, trying to close the distance.
After playing chess with the ever moving group, we found them moving closer to us as they browsed in our direction.
Trying to find a good shooting position on the steep slope proved challenging. After what felt like 10 minutes of search, we found a little rock ledge where our hunter could go prone. A little bit of gardening in front of the muzzle was all that was needed to have a near perfect scenario, only for the rams to start lying down one by one.
After careful consideration, checking the bases of each ram for a "solid" appearance, it was only a matter of time. The photo through the spotting scope was a situation that we found ourselves in and discussed at length, but ultimately decided to pass on. Just this week in camp, I heard that a bullet hitting dirt will always kick left. I cannot confirm or deny this. If this rang true, it would be catastrophic possibly hitting the one at the back in the jaw. Anyone ever heard of this or can confirm?

 

[Tintin]

Thanks Marius. I appreciate the time you take to write up the engaging commentary that accompanies your photos. Always a good read.