The ongoing thread about the prices for birds has prompted this query. How many of you have hunted birds while on safari for big game? I shoot a shotgun around 100 days out of the year at clays and hunting. I would love to shoot birds in Africa, but it appears that it could be more trouble than it is worth. Obviously, it would largely depend on where you were, and how much time you had, etc., but is it worth considering?

I haven't brought a shotgun to africa before, but regreted not having one with me when I was in Namibia and Zimabwe last time. Thus, I am bringing a shotgun with me to Zim this summer. I'm even wondering if it would be possible to have a Guinea fowl or 2 mounted.

I love bird hunting of all kinds, and the sight of francolin, guineas and other feathered game really made me wish I had packed a shotgun. The PH seemed very perplexed at the thought of shooting little birds while big game was available. I cajoled him into loaning me a shotgun - which turned out to be an old H&R single barrel with a full choke - and into picking up some shells in town - which turned out to be # 4 magnum (Mirage brand for about $9.00 a box!). Not my thoughts of an ideal load or gun for upland bird hunting...

He played good sport for a while - but after only one covey of francolin were located, he could hardly refrain from commenting about such foolish ventures!!

Next time, I'll bring my own gun & shells and block out some time to enjoy the abundant bird shooting available.

I always take my drilling along. It has 16ga double and 9.3X72R not a good rifle for long shots or the bigger game but will do for smaller game close by. It is a nice break to spend a late morn or early afternoon chasing some winged targets.

I've got a pair of beretta o/u rifles with an extra shotgun barrel that i usually take. Don't really go out a do much bird shooting, but whenever some grouse or guineas come around camp they manage to get themselves on the table. other than that I don't think I really ever had the extra time for birding

Would you go down especially to hunt birds? Maybe combined with a bit of fishing?

Frans

quote:

Originally posted by Frans Diepstraten:
Would you go down especially to hunt birds? Maybe combined with a bit of fishing?

Frans

I would not be going for the sole purpose of hunting birds. I plan on going for 18+ days of Leopard, Buff, Sable, etc, and thought that somewhere in there a bird hunt could work its way into the schedule.

Has anyone taken their own shotgun for the purpose of shooting a few birds? A shotgun would be my third gun, which could be a problem. Although, I am certainly amenable to something like the multi-barrel sets from Beretta or a Browning Continental, or even a drilling for that matter (I never have enough guns) if the opportunity for birds would warrant.

CWW, bird hunting while on safari is a great way to have fun and break up the daily grind of hunting. We have excellent bird hunting in our Masailand areas in tanzania for sand grouse, franklin, doves and fowl. It is always nice to take a morning or afternoon here and there while on safari and enjoy some bird shooting.

The bonus that we offer to our big game hunters is that there is no need to worry about taking any shotguns with them as we provide and have two company shotguns in each camp for the use of our clients. The client will just pay the cost of the shells that are used.

I shot guinea fowl with a .22LR on my last South Africa safari and it was great fun. The tracker was running around flushing the birds and I blasted away. It is also a good way to keep your shooting on target if you are shooting a big bore the rest of the time. You may not know the recipe for cooking guinea fowl. Place the birds and a brick in a pot of water and let boil for an hour. Throw out the birds and eat the brick.

I have been on two DG/Plainsgame hunts in the Chewore area of Zimbabwe. Both times, I did quite a bit of bird shooting.

Basically, after I shot my buffalo, I make sure that we bring along the camp shotgun (Beretta O/U) and keep it in the cab of the landcruiser. I also took it along when we were hunting out of the boat on the Zambezi river. We basically shoot birds as we spot them and if we are not focused on tracking/stalking big game at that time.

I have shot a bunch of:

Guinea Fowl
Francolin
Sand Grouse
Knob Nose Duck
Egyptian Geese
Spurwing Goose (damn hard to put down)

On both safaris, I packed two boxes of shells from home (#4 lead for ducks/geese and #6 lead for Guinea/francolin/grouse).

My PH thinks it is funny that I like to shoot birds so much.

I have a few photos at home that I will try to post later.

Tim

CWW,

Almost any hunting area in Africa will have some viable game bird shooting. Even if you can't bring your own shotgun it should be easy enough to arrange for a gun and shells to be in camp for you with some advanced notice. As Adam said it is a great way to just break up the grind for a morning or just take the shotgun along daily and take the birds as targets of opportunity. It is great fun and guineas ARE good to eat.

Regards,

Mark

I have hunted fowl of one sort or another on each of my 4 previous hunts in Africa. I have taken a shotgun on two trips and borrowed guns on the other two. For the limited amount of time you will spend bird hunting during a big game safari, I would sooner arrange to borrow a gun than lug one from home. However, make certain you arrange a shotgun as you will have a day or two of some wonderful shooting. One of my favorite hunts was shooting Rockies in the Orange Free State. It was some of the most challenging wing shooting I have ever done and if the airfare wasn't so expensive I could easily go for just the wing shooting.

Perry

Daily rates in Africa tend to be a little high for bird hunting trips. Argentina has better hunting at lower costs. I would inquire if the outfitter keeps a shotgun in camp on the odd chance that you have some spare time.

I leave early May for hunting with Rod Cockerill of Mukiwa Safaris. This is my first time to Africa and already know how my excitement is growing. I specifically requested bird shooting at least one half a day to begin with in order to get some shots under my belt and hopefully reduce the "newbie to Africa" jitters.

Rod was very accomodating and I will be using his shotgun for the wing shooting. I also asked about some fishing just so I could say, "I fished in Africa" but Rod doesn't think the fishing in the area we are hunting is worth the time (Limpopo area). I am not terribly disappointed about this. I probably don't want to waist the time when I could be hunting anyway. It is a 7 days plains game hunt.

It seems to me that bird hunting gets especially expensive in Africa when one is paying big game daily rates for it. To be honest, even hunting plains game while on a "big five" safari seems like a waste unless one is hanging leopard baits. Obviously, if one is lucky enough to tag out early on their last buffalo or elephant, that is a different scenario.
The logical solution is to book big game and bird shooting/fishing safaris separately. Say a buffalo safari at the standard rates for X days and then bird shooting/fishing at the much lower rates after that for X days.

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

What would you expect to pay for bird hunting in RSA or Zim? The rates I've seen [$500per day] were more than the PG daily rates by a good bit!

I suppose just taking the camp shotgun along, with no dog or guide, would be much cheaper though?

Les

quote:

Originally posted by LHowell:
What would you expect to pay for bird hunting in RSA or Zim?

I cant imagine paying $500 per day for birds. I know one can fish for around $200 per day in Chewore. Much more than that for bird shooting would make me lose interest pretty quickly. My guy here in Egypt, for example, is charging me $150 per day for Ducks, Doves, and Sand Grouse including shotgun rental and I am paying about another $50 per day for food and my hotel. He has a package deal for Europeans that he brings in (including RT airfare from Europe, food, and lodging) for 4 hunting days I believe that is still not $500 per day.

Best,

JohnTheGreek

I have shot Guineafowl and Francolin everytime I get a chance in Zim. My absolutely favorite dish there is Guineafowl cassarole/pot pie. They use wonderful spices and it is absolutely top notch. I have carried a set of 12ga barrels for my Valmet 9.3x74r a couple of times and have used the PH's riot gun Leopard backup several times. I have considered going just for the Guinea shooting. I also like to hunt Francolin but Guinea is my all time favorite. JUst get good ammo when you get there as some of the Zim loads literally just push the bird sideways. Dove are more than plentiful, but not for me as I don't like to eat them and mainly cause I can't hit them.

I was hunting buffalo from one of the Massailand camps Adam has now. My PH told me to bring some 12 gauge shells and my wife and I could use his shotgun. What a blast! The best eating and most fun shooting were the sand grouse. The human bird dogs also had a great time retrieving! There was no extra charge. It was just for our pleasure and a great diversion. Definetly take time to hunt birds while on safari.

After kicking myself twice for not bringing a shotgun, this summer I am bringing one.

When I was in rsa, sEPTEMBER, 2001, ON A TEN DAY HUNT, i GOT MOST OF WHAT i WANTED IN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS. i BROUGHT AN 870, 12 BORE FOR JUST IN CASE. i ASKED MY ph ABOUT A BIRD HUNT AND HE MADE ARRANGEMENTS, AT THE LAST MINUTE!!! hE PROCURED A CASE OF LEAD, 12 BORE, 2.75 INCH, NUMBER 4 SHOT, 1.5 OUNCE, MAGNUM SHELLS FOR A DOVE HUNT!!! i WAS KILLING BIRDS AT 60 YARDS AND HAD A GREAT TIME!!! nEXT TIME i GO, i WILL SET ASIDE TIME TO SHOOT ALOT MORE BIRDS! asK YOUR ph, TAKE A SHOTGUN, AND HAVE FUN!!!
jEFF IN tEXAS

Son in Namibia with birddog and Guinea. No charge for birds. PH supplied gun and ammo.