Anyone out there who've been hunting both in Namibia and South Africa?

I've been hunting plains game in South Africa, but now I'm thinking about going to Namibia instead. How is Namibia compared to RSA? Is the scenery as stunning and beautiful or dry and flat? Are there the same wide range of Antelope species? If not, which species are "missing"? And at last, are the trophies the same sizes? I'm especially interested in Wildebeest, Eland and Kudu.

Best regards, Ms T.Happy

HI;

Just sent you private mail.

Terry, I have the exact question myself, since I want to take a leopard What do you think?

Terry,

Would you please send me that same e-mail? Thanks!

Namibia and RSA are both great countries to hunt plains game. Namibia has a much smaller human population than South Africa. I think S.A. has a wider variety of antelopes, although many Namibian farms have introduced most of them now, with a few exceptions. I don't know of bush buck, or bontebok, being available in Namibia. On the other hand, Namibia has the Kalahari Springbok, which run considerably larger than the South African sub species. The impala tend to run a bit smaller in Namibia. I've taken my largest Kudus in Namibia, and there are good populations of Gemsbuck, Livingstone Eland, Blue & Black Wildebeest, Blesbok, Girafe, Waterbuck, Steenbuck,Red Hartebeest, Damara Dik Dik and Warthog among others. Warthogs in Namibia tend to run smaller because of the harder soil, but I've seen some real brutes come out of there. I think in general the ranches are larger in Namibia. The terrain has everything you could want or not want, from steep mountains which are home to the Mountain Zebra and exceptional Kudu, to rolling hills, and flat thorn bush plains. I'm sure you'd enjoy Namibia, as much as I did.

[ 06-14-2003, 17:02: Message edited by: mikeh416Rigby ]

I have hunted both and I much prefer where I hunt in RSA, it is just nicer country and more scenic to me...I love the Eastern Cape and the Transvall, or what used to be the Transvall.

If I wanted a Leopard, I would go to Zimbabwe or Tanzania, except for a few spots neither Namibia or RSA is the place for success...

I see to many folks hunting Leopard and coming home empty handed, thats because they didn't do their homework ahead of time.

I would agree with Ray, I went to Nam for specific animials that is the Hartmans Zebra, Kalahaia Springbok and the Damara Dik-Dik. That is not to say the Gemsbok and Kudu there are not as good as RSA and maybe better on average. Nam is a bit more backward it that is the correct term. The facilities are not quite as nice as RSA. The ranches I hunted did have communications but only power from generators.

I would agree that Namibia is not the same as RSA. It is more primitive, most of the hunting is not done behind high fences, and the selection is more limited because the animals can come and go and are not replenished at the local auction every Saturday afternoon.

Not every farm has government power and telephone service. The roads are not always paved, and you can sometimes drive for hours and not see another person.

So what is wrong with that?

It is also a beautiful country with many varied populations and an extremely friendly place to be. Very little racial tension, much better than the USA and quite abit ahead of RSA. You can stay at a hotel downtown and walk back from the restaurant at midnight and be perfectly safe. Try that in a major city here.

The terrain is as varied as anywhere. The limiting factor being water. Etosha Park is a tremendous place. Kruger without any people and no pavement.

I have hunted on one property three times. 1,150,000 Hectares. Unfenced. My party has always been the only hunters on the property. Hunting Gemsbok amongst the highest sand dunes in the world, red as the setting sun.

Hunt Mountain Zebra in the mountains where they should be hunted. At 8,000 feet it is closer to Sheep hunting, not your flat farm raised variety.

Red Hartebeast in herds of 300. Try to put a stalk on that.

I have never been north of Etosha but it is supposed to be spectaclar and I would love to see Caprivi.

Right now we are planning a trip for 2004. We will rent a 4x in Windhoek and drive via the Caprivi, Botswana, Vic Falls to Bulawayo and drop off the rig. Three weeks plus a little hunting along the way. That supposes that Zim is still a place to be then. :rolleyes

My favorite country in Southern Africa.

I agreee with Mickey, Namibia is a fantastic place. You have the Kalahari, Caprivi, numerous game ranches that dwarf a "big" South Africa ranch.

Some of the hunting is done behind fences but a 20,000 acre ranch is a bit on the small side for Namibia.

Not to mention the prices. Goodness, how can you beat some of these Namibian ranch prices.

You have to understand that these are two totally different countries. You must not choose between the two, one must hunt both.

Personally, I prefer Namibia. Eventually, you might have to hunt South Africa because Namibia is a bit limited on their animals. But, if you hunted Zim and Namibia, you can darn near get all the Southern African Species .... well, at least all the important ones!

[ 06-22-2003, 22:23: Message edited by: Wendell Reich ]

Thanks a lot for all of you sharing your experiences! Some think RSA is better and nicer, and some say that Namibia is very good too, and very special. It sounds like I have to visit Namibia too, and give it a shot!

By all means go to Namibia. From my experience the duiker, springbok, wildebeeste, hartebeeste,and gemsbok are bigger.We saw huge numbers of game daily. There is more of a European flair thanks to the German influence. I felt the people were more sincere about hunting for the experience rather than to get your business. After three trips to RSA, which I loved, I needed a change. I really fell in love with Namibia and will definitely return.

Thanks Eric!

That sounds very promising! I think that you and Terry has convinced me. Please e-mail to me with some pictures, stories, tips on where to go etcetera if you've got the time at any point...

Linda

Linda, you have a PM from me.

Linda,

My wife and I did our first African hunt in Namibia, and we both loved it. We are going back in '05 for an "anniversary hunt".

I agree that RSA and Namibia are two very different countries, and both need hunting. You can always hunt both on one trip, which can be fun.

The most fun for us is to hunt the animals in their natural stomping grounds, like the Mrs. Hartman's (mountain) zebra mentioned above and the red hartebeest. There are excellent kudu and gemsbok in Namibia as well. The largest-bodied elephant come from Namibia's north.

jim dodd

I'm interested in Mountain Zebra and Kudu, so this sounds very good...Namibia it will be next time for me and my hunting companions!

A friend of mine is very interested in the big five, and he was told by a PH that the best and cheapest place to go is Tanzania, there you can take four of them, you'll only have to go to another place for the Rhino (?) I think it was...

What about big five in Namibia? Leopard and Elephant - no problem Elephants are big in north according to above. But what about Lions And is it possible to get a Rhino there, and a good buffalo? I know nothing about this...but would like to know more so I can convince my friend to come along with me instead of going to Tanzania...

Oh forgot, if you have tips on "outfitters" in Namibia for the big five, I'd love to have them. I've got your tips Wendell, but you'll never get enough of good recommendations...

Linda,

Namibia is not a "Big 5" place. There are big ele available, and some Cape buff in the North, but cats are not so good as other locations. You are not going to find huntable black rhino anywhere (the original #5 of the Big 5), but you can hunt white rhino in RSA for big bucks (or smaller bucks on a darted rhino hunt). There are many, many more Cape buff in Zim for example.

I don't recommend hunting lion in Namibia. The last year I had numbers there were two male lions shot on license. I am not remembering just what year that was now. There are leopard, but not as many as say Zimbabwe (but more than RSA).

You can go on a mixed bag hunt in Tanazania for lion, Cape buff and leopard and expect good trophys, but ele there usually are small. Costs are not small.

You could consider Zambia -- coming back on-line even as we chat -- and Mozambique as well.

I like to organize a safari around one of the glamor game, and then take pot luck from the local fauna. Some animals don't interest me though, and others I hunt everytime I get the chance.

I book for two outfitters in Namibia, and they have ele and Cape buff available.

jim

Linda,

There ARE lion in West Caprivi in Namibia, and leopard and elephant and buffalo too. The reality is that shooting all four, even a 24-day safari, is going to be difficult regardless of where you go. All hunting, with the exception of leopard, is done via tracking on this particular concession.

Here's a picture of a lion shot in Aug 2001:



Regards,

Bill

Ok, you can hunt Elephant and Buffalo in the north, and probably Leopard. Maybe Lion according to Bill, and certainly not any Rhinos. I think I'm starting to getting a picture.

If you want to, Jim and Bill, I'd love to get some links or contact info for the places you think are possible...

Thanks a lot for the information

Linda,

If you send me an email, I will send you a copy of my journal from our first Namibia hunt.

jim

Thanks Jim, I just did!

Linda - there is contact information for the outfitter I hunted with on the Africa Hunting Reports forum, which you can get to by clicking HERE. There is a link here also to a simple web album I did of our trip.

Please know I have been there just once, and am not a booking agent or other. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about the hunt or area, and feel free to send me an email at bill@wyodata.com. For specific information, your best bet is to contact the outfitter direct.

Regards,

Bill

I can't agree about the lack of Leopard in Namibia. I hunted a ranch just south of Etosha. I was only there for six days and hadn't scheduled Leopard, but there are so many Leopards in the area they had many steel cage traps on the property and I shot some Guinefowl and a Baboon for bait. They bait for them and kill them in the cage with a steel rod. They also bait for Cheetah and they will take game they haven't killed themselves if it is very fresh.

Look guys, cats are strictly a numbers game. You can never have a guaranteed hunt for them except for "canned hunts" -- which is not what people here are about. So if you want to hunt lion or leopard just take a look at the countries that have the most CITES export permits for lion or for leopard. With one country with 75, and another with 500, can you guess where I would recommend you hunt?

jim

I want to be clear, the lion hunting in this relatively small section of Namibia is difficult, and it is done on foot via tracking. The quota is low, so there are not many taken each year. The hunting is different than other countries, and certainly much different than the "canned hunts" Jim makes reference of.

Bill

Ok, I see. I think my friend, if he wants to go with us to Namibia instead of Tanzania, can be interested if there is the possibility for at least three of the big five, and that seems possible - Ele and Buff in north, and then maybe go somewhere else for at least a Leopard. I think it is good enough to convince him to come with the rest of us (a group of friends) thinking of going to Namibia in a year or so

Thanks Bill, Jim and Terry for tips on contacts I can ask further. I think I can manage to get this puzzle together. It's not easy being a "mom" for this guys, my male friends age 40+, each with different demands for next trip. Sho! It's like a daycare center when we meet to discuss things

Greetings,

I just spoke with a good friend who is high up with Nature Conservation and he said about 5 white rhino are taken a year in Namibia on private ranches, so technically they are available. Affordable might be another story for most of us.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

Thanks Joel!

Great site, it's bookmarked for the future