I am planning a hunt in Namibia and would like to have some input on the differences between a ranch hunt and a hunt in Damaraland or similar type country.

This will be my first trip to Africa.

Thank you for the help.

Hi Paul,

Do you mean the difference between a fenced game ranch and a tented communal conservancy hunt?

There are as many different combinations as you can imagine that range from a small fenced ranch hunt in a nice lodge to a 2 million acre conservancy hunt with megar accommodations in a tent.

There are guys in Namibia who hunt large unfenced properties from a nice safari lodge. These are un-fenced ranches, very similar to communal conservancies.

If an un-fenced safari in a large area is what you are looking for, it can be done and it does not have to be done on a communal conservancy.

Some species will not be available in the wild, but a lot of guys do not mind addind a few days to hunt these on a ranch, as long as they get the experience of hunting free range animals.

Paul,

I think generally speaking you'll see far more animals and a greater variety of species on a fenced ranch hunt. Unfenced open country will have only the indigenous species and only what animals the naturally occurring feed and water will support.

I prefer the unfenced properties unless the fenced properety is huge as they can be in Botswana where fencing for a game ranch is mandatory.

Mark

Agree Paul,

It is far more fan hunting on unfenced open country, adding the real African expirience "flavour".
Good hunt and welcome to Africa.
Roberto

I agree with other posters on the fenced, unfenced hunting. In Namibia many ranch hunts are on tracts of 50 to 100 thousand acres, with only cattle fences that game freely moves through.
When I hunted Namibia a few years ago, a few of the ranches that I hunted were immediately adjacent to Damaraland. In fact when we were tracking the mountain zebra, that i later shot, Mateus, our skinner, leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "If you miss this one, we will never see it again." That was because we were within a hundred yards of the Damaraland border.
The one difference I noticed between the two properties, was that the ranch land had a lot of browse and cover. The Damaraland in that areas was very heavily overgrazed and barren. You could clearly see the border when you looked from a nearby kopje. I notices similar overbrowsing on other communal lands that I visited. I would hope that hunting areas on these lands are managed better now.
Bfly