African Advice

Bowie

Bowie

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Where the Wild Rose blooms.
I am starting to plan for my first African trip. I am looking for an outfitter who provides good service and is reasonable, but also family friendly as far as security and accommodations go, as my wife and sons will likely accompany me. I would be looking primarily for Zebra, Kudu, Gemsbuck, Warthog, etc.

Any suggestions?
 
I was very happy with the outfitter for my hunt in May. You can find my story down a couple of pages. They are Tarentaalrand Safari lodge near Kimberley South Africa. They don`t seem to have any packages that include Zebra, but you could do something like what I did in booking a package and adding extra animals. They have chalets that can sleep 5 and do welcome family groups. They only take one booking at a time., so it would be just your family and the owners.

I don`t know if you plan for your wife and children to hunt as well, so you would have to talk to them about specifics. The daily rate for observers is $140 with the packages and $150 with a standard hunt.

You may want to bounce some ideas off them, Their web site is www.tarentaalrandsafari.co.za . Their e-mail is info(at)tarentaalrandsafari.co.za . My keyboard won`t let me do the "at" symbol.

I booked through D&D Safaris from Smith Falls, so he may be able to help you as well. His contact info is: www.ddsafaris.com , and e-mail doug(at)ddsafaris.com phone: 613-219-3900.
 
Thanks for the info, their website is down, but I will check out their facebook page when I get home.

My wife wouldn't hunt, although my boys would if I let them. My little guy (7) raided his piggybank yesterday to see if he had enough for a baboon lol.

It's nice to hear the firsthand accounts.
 
huntersgame.co.za

Nihan engelbrecht is the PH, his brother is a Doctor in Calgary. We had a great time in 2007, near Kimberly, he picked us up in Jburg, we fished one day, we went and saw some sights another day including the jewellry store at "The Big Hole"

Nihan is a great guy, we killed all the things you want except warthog, but could have.
 
AAA Serapa Safaris is very family friendly and even have a chalet especially for families. They aren't cheap but the level of service is unreal and lots of other activities for the family besides hunting. They offer great trophies and their professional hunters and trackers are the best. Just a nice family atmosphere with great hunting too.
 
I was very satisfied with the hunt my brother and I did with Lalapa Safaris in the Eastern Cape last February. Excellent service and accommodations, good family setting, and wonderful hunting for all the species you are interested in. The owner was our PH. Send me a PM if you like more info.
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My PH from my 2007 safari in RSA started his own company a couple of years after I hunted with him and I haven't had a chance to go back and hunt with him yet, despite him being after me to go for a hunt. Les is a great guy and took great care of us when we were over in '07 and I wouldn't hesitate to take my wife there. .stsafaris.co.za/
 
I hunted with Kowas Safaris this past spring. They are located about 1 1/2 hours south east of Windhoek, Namibia. There was seven of us that went. Three couples and me. The girlfriend decided she didn't want to go. Her loss!
Anyways it was an awesome time! As a group there is not one bad thing we can say about Kowas. They took care of the hunters, and they did an awesome job of looking after the girls. Everything about Kowas is first class.

The trip was so good that we have re-booked for April 2015.

If you have any question feel free to PM me.

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Your ears will ring with all the recommendations, but from your criteria I would definitely focus on South Africa. Safe, easily reached travel wise, and lowest cost generally for plains game.

We had good success with Spiral Horn Safaris, also owner / operators, Louis is the main PH / owner and a really good guy. They have some of the best Kudu I've seen, able to produce true 60" bulls, and all the other usuals were superb as well. Seem to specialize in Gemsbok, Warthog, Kudu, Giraffe, and Nyala.
 
are you going just for an hunting trip or are you planning on a tourist trip plus excuse for hunting a week?

im more lean on the Namibia especially if you have a direct flight from your place to Frankfurt then Windhoek ....a night stay in Frankfurt wont be bad if you plan ahead with the firearms papers.

do you mind high fences, changing property depending where and what you want to hunt?

if you find good deals like discounted due to late cancellation price shouldn't the problem on the safety side of course Namibia is more safer but if you avoid some areas in SA I don't think that will be a great problem but still to keep in mind.

Me with a family it will be Namibia no doubt and this is where we re heading again soon or late ... my souvenirs there are more strong than in SA but each one is different.
 
There are 3 African shows in Canada in Jan-Feb before the SCI convention, Toronto, Calgary and now Edmonton. Check them out they are small, and you can get to spend some time with the outfitters. For Namibia Shona Safaries is family friendly, Johhan is a very nice guy. For RSA wintershoek/Johny Vivier should be good for the Kimberly area. I took my wife and son to RSA and we used Hunters Rock Safaries, they where very good to us, and have everything you want on their farm. They are in Limpopo, they lady that owns it is a friend so I would hunt with them again.
 
Bowie said:
How does Namibia compare with SA, safety and cost wise?
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Bigger ranches, real free range dangerous game in the Caprivi, second lowest population density in the world (behind Mongolia), safer than RSA...there's really no downside to Namibia. If I was doing another hunt I'd be on the phone to Jofie Lamprecht and arranging to head up to the Caprivi for a big bossed buffalo or one of those stocky elephants with the thick ivory.

I need some alone time...again.
 
samdunc said:
i have been diligently been saving for two years now and am looking for something in 2014. I want cape buff though.
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Check out Jofie Lamprecht Safaris. I met Jofie in Zimbabwe in 2010 and he is a very good guy. Tell him that you want to go to the Caprivi. You won't be sorry.
 
Not all that true!...Namibia has bigger ranches, yes, but RSA have larger variety species to hunt...On the crime, Namibia only has 1 big city - Windhoek, where SA has many and i suppose the crime wil lbe more...then yet again, we don't hunt out of cities but in the bush...

Depending on your 'wish list' to be hunted, South Africa can offer your roughly 42 species from the smallest blue duiker to the Largest Elephant.

Joffie Lamprecht is an excellent PH and Outfit. Highly recommended.


BigUglyMan said:
Bigger ranches, real free range dangerous game in the Caprivi, second lowest population density in the world (behind Mongolia), safer than RSA...there's really no downside to Namibia. If I was doing another hunt I'd be on the phone to Jofie Lamprecht and arranging to head up to the Caprivi for a big bossed buffalo or one of those stocky elephants with the thick ivory.

I need some alone time...again.
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Bowie said:
I am starting to plan for my first African trip. #I am looking for an outfitter who provides good service and is reasonable, but also family friendly as far as security and accommodations go, as my wife and sons will likely accompany me. #I would be looking primarily for Zebra, Kudu, Gemsbuck, Warthog, etc.

Any suggestions?
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South Africa, like many other places in the world - consists of various habitats and terrains - you have to decide what type of hunting you want to do.

The Limpopo district for example is predominantly Bushveldt - here you will find the larger trophies if hunting Kudu, Blou wildebeest and rooibok (impala) vlakvark (warthog) - bushveldt Zebra are very different to mountain zebra - again you must choose what trophy you want. Pietersburg (Polokwane) is good place to start - but my recommendation is always to look around Phalaborwa / Tzaneen area as its not only a great place to visit but the scenery is fantastic.

A little South of that you have the Waterburg area and Thabazimbi is again another good place to start looking for hunting opportunities, your still in the Bushveldt and you would expect to see big trophies.

Moving to the East you would want to head towards Kwa Zulu Natal and the home of the ever elusive Nyala and the rolling grass lands where you will hunt Black wildebeest in its natural habitat.

If heading into the Karoo, which is semi desert you will taunt somewhere around Kimberly, Kurmaman, Upington or even a little further South in Graafreinett, here the land is flat, hot and dry - the natural habitat of the Springbuck and the further West you travel towards Namibia the greater the habitat of the Gemsbok.

That's the big picture - you do of course have places like the Kalahari out on the Western border that holds an amassing array of animals - In the Eastern Cape around Cradock and Jansenville there are tons of Kudu, Blou wildebeest, rooibok and the biggest bush buck you will ever see - just they don't grow as big as they do in the Bushveldt - but the hunting is fantastic.

The Sothern Cape is not recognized as a hunting destination since the game is very sparse, but the deep sea fishing more than makes up for it.

So you need to really think about what you want to do, if you are after Nyati (Cape Buffalo) then Limpopo province is the place to look for them if you only want to hunt SA - I would rather get after them in Botswana or Zambia personally!

Did I mention that I lived for 45 years of my life in South Africa where I grew up on a game Ranch?

Once you have figured out exactly what you want to hunt, and where you want to hunt - let me know who you have chosen to hunt with and I will add my 5 cents via pm.

Happy Internet hunting
 
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Kudu,

Botswana AND Zambia are stopping / stopped hunting (except for high fenced ranches). Botswana doesn't offer Buff for the last 4 years. Zimbabwe and Mozambique would be your answer.


"...Did I mention that I lived for 45 years of my life in South Africa where I grew up on a game Ranch?..." This must be bad!! Damn, i would die NOT staying in the bush...
 
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It is my understanding that Botswana has closed it's borders to ALL hunters, period. Also not a destination one would recommend someone for a first African safari even if it was open. I had not heard Zambia was closing anything, in fact they have been ramping up over the last 10 years, expensive place to hunt and again not a place I would recommend for a first time hunter. Stick to Namibia or South Africa and by all means go to the hunting show this winter and plan to spend 2 days. Sit down and talk to the operators and see which one offers what and get a feel for yourself. Remember these guys are there to sell hunts and you are in the drivers seat given the economy the past few years.
Both SA and Namibia are very well represented at these shows and you will see many who offer the animals you want and possibly some animals you didn't even know you wanted till you see them. Don't put down any deposits until you have spoken to all the guys and then narrow it down to 2 or 3 that strike you the right way. Then get in and negotiate with these 2 or 3 for the best deal, watch out for extraneous charges, transport to and from an airport, preparing crating and dipping trophies, changing camps possibly, make certain that you understand and are aware of ALL the costs. Anyone who is shifty about superfluous expenses, get up and walk away !! Very specifically ask if there are any other costs which may be incurred, some operators charge for booze and soft drinks, others only for hard liquor. Side excursions for you and the family may or may not be included in your daily rate, I got a rude surprise one trip where wife and son took a day trip into Kimberley, never thought to ask if there was a cost for this as we were only 5 miles or so from the city, assumed it was part of the VERY expensive hunt and observer rates I was already paying............WRONG.....cough up another $500 US.......there was a very heated discussion about this as I HAD asked in the beginning if there were any other costs and was told no. Of course the side trip to Kimberley was not specifically discussed so they tried to gouge me for it. IIRC after our heated discussion there ended up being no charge or something like 50 bucks for fuel (I can be quite convincing when angry)..............point being you must be vigilant and make certain you know ALL the costs up front, be very assertive and remember you are in the drivers seat, they are vying for your hard earned disposable income, make them work for it and negotiate the best value for dollar you can. WATCH OUT FOR CANNED HUNTS !! Anyone offers you a hunt that seems too good to be true or guarantees you animals.............get up and walk away immediately!!!!! Also watch out for hunts that seem too cheap, find 3 like I said that are offering the animals you want and are all approx. the same cost then start the negotiations.
Hope this is some help and saves you some of the less favorable experiences I have had.

Douglas
 
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