Navigating Free Range, High Fence, Low Fence, etc...

[JamesA]

First and foremost hello to all, new member here. I recently got this crazy idea to start planning a trip to Africa and came across this forum. Thanks for the add!

Secondly, I realize I'm posting about a controversial topic that people have strong feelings about. Please understand, these are very honest questions that are coming from a place of ignorance. And since I know its coming, yes I have used the search bar. Yes I have tried to research this online, and honestly I've just become more confused. I'm hoping some previous clients and maybe some outfitters on here are willing to shed some light on this for me. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to read my ramblings.

Being a classic ignorant American, I naively thought all hunting in the continent of Africa would take place on vast, wild, untouched pieces of wilderness. I was quickly surprised to learn that is often not the case. It has become my understanding that in South Africa, for example, most if not all of the hunting takes place behind some kind of fence. It seems that the farther north you go, say to Tanzania, you can get into some more "wilderness" style hunts, but that comes with a higher price tag and longer travel times. Admittedly, I was disappointed at first to read this about South Africa. If I pull this trip off, it will most likely be with my wife and kids. SA seemed to be the most attainable option in terms of travel and cost. Furthermore, I'll probably be looking for a bit more of a luxury hunting lodge experience with lots of non hunting activities for my family while I'm out hunting. SA seemed to fit this description well. Not willing to write off SA immediately, I kept doing research. It seemed that there are indeed put and take high fence operations in SA, and I'm obviously not interested in that. Other outfitters seem to advertise "low fence" properties and ethical, fair chase hunts. Ultimately, here are my questions:

- Does all hunting in SA take place behind some kind of fence? If so, are there outfitters that offer hunts on low fence properties for animals that are native to the area, naturally reproducing and self sustaining?
- For those of you who have hunted behind a high fence, what was your experience like? Was the property so large that you felt like it was still a challenging fair chase hunt?
- Any recommendations for SA outfitters that offer what I'm looking for? From doing research, I've come across JohnX, Waterval, and KMG. I'm very open to hearing opinions from anyone who has hunted with them or recommendations for other outfitters.
- Will I have a better chance of finding what I'm looking for in another country? Any recommendations?

Again, I realize that any time someone mentions "fair chase" or "high fence" emotions tend to run high and I'm hoping that doesn't happen here. Having never hunted in Africa myself, I wanted to discuss these questions with people who have been there before I made assumptions. Any information would be extremely appreciated.

To any outfitters that read this post, this trip will probably not happen for at least 2 years, and a 3-5 year timeline is probably more realistic. With that said, I'm more than happy to start a conversation about a possible future trip.

 

[mark-hunter]

Why are you so focused to South Africa?

Best available is those outfitters that have no fence towards Kruger national park with river in between.
There is a law, game and theft act that requires that commercial hunting is done in the fence in south africa.

This significantly reduces the chance for what you are looking for.
There could be exemptions but I am not aware of those.

Focus on central Namibia.
Consider low fence is equal to no fence, is equal to free range. In mamibia you have free range, low fence and high fence. Low fence is cattle fence, wild animals jump over it.
All you have to do is ask Namibian outfiteer to give you options for hunt without the fence. Which animals are available.

If going in that direction, you will have a reduced list of species to hunt.
I would suggest following species in Namibia, in free range or low fence: kudu, red hartebeest, oryx, warthog, baboon, jackal, mountain zebra, duiker, steenbok, damara dik dik.

Consider few more additional days for free range hunting, as opposed to high fence. Maybe 2 days per animal.

 

[JamesA]

Why are you so focused to South Africa?

Best available is those outfitters that have no fence towards Kruger national park with river in between.
There is a law, game and theft act that requires that commercial hunting is done in the fence in south africa.

This significantly reduces the chance for what you are looking for.
There could be exemptions but I am not aware of those.

Focus on central Namibia.
Consider low fence is equal to no fence, is equal to free range. In mamibia you have free range, low fence and high fence. Low fence is cattle fence, wild animals jump over it.
All you have to do is ask Namibian outfiteer to give you options for hunt without the fence. Which animals are available.

If going in that direction, you will have a reduced list of species to hunt.
I would suggest following species in Namibia, in free range or low fence: kudu, red hartebeest, oryx, warthog, baboon, jackal, mountain zebra, duiker, steenbok, damara dik dik.

Consider few more additional days for free range hunting, as opposed to high fence. Maybe 2 days per animal.

Thanks for the info. I wouldn't say that I'm so focused on SA, but it seemed to be the easiest to get to and from, the most cost effective, and had the most to offer the family outside of hunting. Again, never actually been, so I could be wrong about all of that.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Large enough property a fence does not come into it. Small enclosure, certainly. Make sure to ask the questions of every Outfitter and every property.

A fenced property in the Eastern Cape with the hills and canyons. The hike will kill you, don't worry about the fence.

There are fences across Southern Africa. Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, etc.

There are low fence hunts for certain species in RSA that will have to be hunted during the open season. Unlike a fenced property.

Enjoy your research and planning.

 

[Doug3006]

questions:

- Does all hunting in SA take place behind some kind of fence? If so, are there outfitters that offer hunts on low fence properties for animals that are native to the area, naturally reproducing and self sustaining? No there are a few free range options. Crusader Safaris for example.

- For those of you who have hunted behind a high fence, what was your experience like? Was the property so large that you felt like it was still a challenging fair chase hunt? Some properties are truly huge. Also, some topographies hunt “bigger” than the acreage would indicate.
- Any recommendations for SA outfitters that offer what I'm looking for? From doing research, I've come across JohnX, Waterval, and KMG. I'm very open to hearing opinions from anyone who has hunted with them or recommendations for other outfitters. There are lots of quality options. You’ve named a few that I think would deliver what you’re looking for.
- Will I have a better chance of finding what I'm looking for in another country? Any recommendations? Yes, Central Namibia.

 

[uplander01]

There is a lot of wilderness is Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and prices there don’t seem as high as Tanzania, Zambia, or Botswana

 

[Muskox]

I would look at a Tuli Block hunt like Lotsane in Botswana, a Kalahari Hunt in Botswana like Jaco or some of the other plains game outfits. Or I would look in Namibia.

If you can swing it Zambia would be a better choice.

 

[mark-hunter]

Thanks for the info. I wouldn't say that I'm so focused on SA, but it seemed to be the easiest to get to and from, the most cost effective, and had the most to offer the family outside of hunting. Again, never actually been, so I could be wrong about all of that.

Namibia is similar in pricimg. Moreover some species are cheaper in Namibia, like oryx.
In south africa kudu is often priced per inch of horn. Namibia does not price like that. In Namibia is lumpsum pricing.

Namibia has simple gun iport procedures.l, just as south africa
Look there, Namibia.

Having said that, i hunted, free range, low fence, large high fence and wilderness
I can say this:
Large high fence area with selfsustained animal herds has no difference from free range area.
If you will follow that premise choose south africa or namibia. Same.

If you want exclusivly free range, go to Namibia.

 

[Green Chile]

The hike will kill you, don't worry about the fence.

My vote for quote of the week.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I have said this previously...

I have hunted RSA twice, for the reasons you articulated: easy to get to, cost effective.

The outfit I hunted with (Game4Africa - a sponsor here) was tremendous. Their properties are high fenced but large enough (10s of thousands of acres) that I never noticed or felt like they were factor at all.

Best of wishes on your searches.