How many of you combine abit of birdshooting with your African big game safari? Favourite African gamebird, size of bag?

I have done it before. We shot doves, francolin guinea & ducks. We were supposed to shoot spur wing but they weren't around due to low water.

We either shot ducks or francolin over dogs in the morning. Doves in the afternoon.

I seem to recall shooting 12-15 francolin and/or ducks in the AM and 80-150 doves in the afternoon. We shot the odd guinea here and there.

We went with Grasslands Safaris. I think the guys name was Carl Cutter. H&H has their shoots there. It was a hell of a lot of fun.

I managed to kill a spurwing goose in RSA as well as a duck or two. It was not highly organized but was a last minute, last afternoon add on to a PG hunt. Also shot some gunieas and francolin along the way on a couple of different hunts.

No doves or sandgrouse (yet), but I think either or both of those would be my preferred wing shooting due to my love of dove shooting.

lal,

My first trip to Zim in 1999 we did am evening of dove shooting. Back then, Zim still had
great farms with large maize fields. All the shooter were spaced out under trees on giant termite mounds.
We each were assigned a bird boy with a gunny sack, he would pick up the birds as we shot them.
We must have shot well over 200 doves & about 4-5 green woodpigeons. It really was a lot of
fun, especially seeing the manicured entryways & lawns of the Zim farm (tobacco & maize).
On other trips I've shot geese & Francolin, we usually do the bird hunting when we've
finished our regular big game hunting, sort of an afterthought.

I would love to do the Rovos Rail bird hunt. I'm not even sure if they offer that anymore?

JB

Done them all but in Bots, the best was sand grouse. If you have a chance do this.

I had my PH arrange for a loaner shotgun and a flat of shells for my Botswana Elephant hunt a couple of years ago. After filling on my Elephant, we kept the shotgun close while looking for Kudu and Impala. Got a few Guina, lots of Franklin and had some real exciting late afternoon Dove hunts. The shotgun was a Hugla 12 Ga that doubled if you fired the bottom first, and would only fire once if you went top barrel first - a single shot for practical purposes.

Shells were very heavy load 7 1/2s that were easily the hardest kicking small shot size loads I have ever used. After the first box or two on Doves every evening I insisted Lee start taking his turns... Great fun, and the only thing I would change would be to try finding a 20 Gauge. As I only took one rifle, I could have taken one of my 20s but did not think that through. Also didn't ask about availability of 20 ga shells but will next time. I highly recommend you try working in birds on any trip.

Regards,
Emory

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I have done it before. We shot doves, francolin guinea & ducks. We were supposed to shoot spur wing but they weren't around due to low water.

We either shot ducks or francolin over dogs in the morning. Doves in the afternoon.

I seem to recall shooting 12-15 francolin and/or ducks in the AM and 80-150 doves in the afternoon. We shot the odd guinea here and there.

We went with Grasslands Safaris. I think the guys name was Carl Cutter. H&H has their shoots there. It was a hell of a lot of fun.

While reading the first part of your posting I thought: "It's just like here by me." Then Later I realized that "12 to 15" is actually 2 to 5 over the Free State bag limit, so it could not be in the Free State! You may remember the PH's name correctly, but the owner of Grasslands Safaris is Carel Coetzer. [Anyone want to contact Grasslands, just send me a PM.]

Grassland Safaris operate from near Brandfort just about 12 miles from where I am. This whole area is seasonally excellent for doves, very good for guinea fowl, fair for francolin, sometimes very good or poor for ducks and geese. In good rain years they abound, but when water level in the natural pans is low in poor rain seasons they migrate.

If you have a group of guns then the bag composition can change significantly: You can then have success in surrounding a whole flock of guinea fowl, and slowly decrease the size of the surrounding circle of guns until the trapped birds start flying out. A successful surround like this - called a Natal Surround, as in the hunting method was developed in that Province - is more than just a load of fun! It's literally the most exciting hunting I can think of - and I've hunted a few buffalo!

Jason McKinney and John Wintters - the winner of the Andrew McLaren Safaris 2010 Free Hunt and his buddy - have planned their safari to join a group of such hunters. It will no doubt be a highlight in their safari. I always recommend to all my plains game hunters that, if they are also keen shotgunners – to plan their hunts to be able to join a group of guinea fowl hunters. Everyone who has done it, without a single exception so far, said at the end of the safari those few days of guinea fowl hunting was the greatest they have ever had.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

i have a spare set of shotty gun barrels for my pair of berettas so i usually take a box of shells along. i'd take more if it wouldn't be for the weight limits. francolins, geese, ducks, guineas, doves, sand grouse. they are all fun to shoot. and such things as guinea snacks, bacon wrapped dove breasts etc. while sitting around the fire in the evening with a sundowner is one sweet memory indeed.

I was for th first time to a guineafowlshoot last year with local South Africans. It was one of my most enjoyable social hunts of all times.

I was a client at Andrew McLaren Safaris, but as my grassveldhunt "collapsed" with his annual Fowlshoot, I was invited as a guest..not as a client. What an honor!!. Being with south Africans for the whole program, braai,etc and lots of guntalk over the fireplace..I was in heaven.( or very close to it).
I didn`t know anything about it, as Andrew did mention it before I came down to SA. I relied on his word as a true gentleman, and I can only say, I have never regretted it!. I hope to make it this year too with my new Rigby.
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