From the African Indaba Newsletter:


5,363 international hunters visited Namibia according to the statistics published by the Ministry of Environment & Tourism during the 2004 trophy hunting season, from 1st February to 30th November.

They hunted a variety of species and harvested a total of 22,462 animals – 18.7% up from the figures of 2003 (18,916 animals). The trends reported in the MET statistics are based on summarized data from the annual returns as submitted by the registered hunting professionals.

There are a total of 505 registered hunting professionals in Namibia. This country distinguishes between three categories: guides (131), master guides (211) and professional hunters (163).

Hunting guides may only conduct hunts on their own farm(s), duly registered as a hunting farm(s); master hunting guides may only conduct hunts on their own farm(s) duly registered, plus two additional duly registered hunting farms. Professional hunters (PH) may conduct hunts on all farms, provided they have written permission from the owner of the property independent of whether the farm is registered or not. Only professional hunters with a big game license may conduct hunts with guests for elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo and lion. All hunting professionals must be in possession of a valid bow hunting license to guide bow hunters. Hunting by visiting tourists must be conducted exclusively in company of a registered hunting guide, master hunting guide or professional hunter.

The hunting professional must obtained a valid hunting permit trophy hunting permit) from Nature Conservation prior to the start of the hunt. For cheetah and leopard an additional hunting permit has to be issued prior to the start of the hunt. A hunting guest may only take two animals of a kind each year, irrespective if the trophies are exported or not. All trophies must attain the minimum points of trophy quality.

The Namibian Professional Hunters’ Association (NAPHA) http://www.natron.net/napha/ is the national organization which represents professional hunting in the country; NAPHA works closely together with the Ministry of environment and Tourism (MET) to resolve issues regarding hunting legislation and the auctioning of the new Government concessions.


In 2004, the 5,363 visiting hunters (1994: 1,918 hunters) came in their grand majority from Western Europe (3,564 = 66.5%). Germany’s hunters are represented with 1,852 (34.5%) and are the largest group. Hunters from the United States of America are quickly catching up, however. In 2004, 1,123 American hunters
(20.9%) visited Namibia – very significantly up from just 73 Americans who hunted in Namibia in 1994. This acceptance of Namibia as a first class hunting destination by hunters from the United States is indeed significant for the hunting professionals in Namibia, especially when looking at the trend over the past five
years or so. Whereas the total number of German hunters declined from the peak in 2001 (2,213 German hunters) and only stabilized in 2004, American hunters seem to have discovered the new hunting Eden in Namibia. Their numbers almost doubled from 590 (2001) to reach 1,123 (2004). The most significant growth rate was from 2003 to 2004 with almost 30%.

Some of the background information I have gathered from a number of hunter internet forums points towards a preference of Namibia over South Africa by a growing number of American hunters. This preference has however little to do with the quality of the experience of the safari – but is rather to be traced back to the new gun import regulations of South Africa and the growing frustration of visiting hunters with an ever increasing trail of red tape.

The positive growth from the American market is expected to continue unabatedly with the growing experience of Namibian hunting professionals with American clients and continued expansion of the Namibian marketing efforts at the major hunting conventions in the United States.

More details and a chart of the number of animals hunted at this pdf document African Indaba Newsletter.

I'm pleased to have been able to add to their statistics this past year. I know several hunters planning their first safari and Namibia has the lead as their destination. Easy to enter with firearms, good selection of animals, good prices, lots of reasons to go there.

JD

quote:

Some of the background information I have gathered from a number of hunter internet forums points towards a preference of Namibia over South Africa by a growing number of American hunters. This preference has however little to do with the quality of the experience of the safari – but is rather to be traced back to the new gun import regulations of South Africa and the growing frustration of visiting hunters with an ever increasing trail of red tape.

The red tape in RSA certainly has something to do with it, but I think there are other issues. The quality of the hunting seems to differ in Namibia v. RSA. Namibia seems to be less commercial and more "wild" than RSA. RSA has significantly increased its prices over the last few years, you can hunt in wide open ranches in Namibia where RSA seems to generally have smaller high-fenced operations. There doesn't seem to as much put-and-take style hunting in Namibia. I would suggest that the statement "This preference has however little to do with the quality of the experience of the safari" is actually incorrect. The quality of the safari experience is probably a significant reason many people pick Namibia over RSA.

When I went on my first safari in 1998 to RSA, Namibia wasn't even on the radar screen. You hardly ever heard of Namibia and very few Americans had hunted there.

Regards,

Terry

There are some very fine hunting outfits in RSA. What draws a hunter like myself to opt for Namibia rather than RSA is not really that complexed. The daily rates as a rule are less,trophy fees are generally much less accomadations are on par with RSA, firearm regs are MUCH easier, and though some fenced hunting is seen in Namibia the practice of hunting unfenced game/conservancies is more the norm with the NAPHA wishing to keep it as such by not promoting the planting of animals whom were naturally found there.
I am not aware of caged lion hunts taking place in Namibia for any fee. Though I'm certain if a reader knows of them we'll soon be told about lion hunts behind fence for $50K +.

Good point Terry, part of what drew me to Namibia was hunting in the Communal Conservancies. Despite the fact that it cost a little more to do so, it was well worth it.

JD

quote:

Originally posted by AKJD:
part of what drew me to Namibia was hunting in the Communal Conservancies. Despite the fact that it cost a little more to do so, it was well worth it.

JD

I agree, I'm going on my first safari in May and had planned on going to RSA, but after doing research here on AR, I decided Namibia was more what I was looking for in an African Safari.

Terry,

Good info........good post.

I am also of the opinon many of the US booking agents didn't push Namibia until the last few yrs, they hung on to relations with RSA outfits and etc. Based on the fact many get a percentage of daily rate and the rate higher in RSA explains itself. Good hunts to be had in either.

I also think some of the droughts in RSA has effected some of the hunting too along with the gun red tape.

My next hunt will more than likely be Nimib.

Hunting in Namibia is like hunting mule deer and pronghorn on a ranch in Wyoming. Hunting in much of South Africa is similar to the Texas hill country.

Namibia is a perfect 1st safari or 100th.

I first hunted South West Africa in 1980 so when I went back in 2005 (for the 4th time) there were several reasons ... In the area I hunt in there is lots of free ranging game ... Being that it is fairly thick bush in many places it is not a slam dunk .. You have to hunt !!! I love the people .. it appears to be much much safer than many parts of South Africa .. I sleep in a tent in the isolated bush for 6 weeks at a time .. (compare that to walking in down town Johannesburg after dark .. Ha! ) and of course the horrendous mess at the airport in Johannesburg getting the gun permits squared away .. I will be back in late July again to Namibia .. somehow I rather doubt that I shall ever visit South Africa again ... (Probably both my loss and theirs ...)

quote:

Originally posted by AKJD:
I'm pleased to have been able to add to their statistics this past year. I know several hunters planning their first safari and Namibia has the lead as their destination. Easy to enter with firearms, good selection of animals, good prices, lots of reasons to go there.

JD

Myself as well and I've already decided to return. My 11 yo son accompanied me and when I asked what African country he wanted to visit next he said, "Namibia again, of course."

Like others here, when I started planning what was to be my first safari, I assumed I was headed to RSA. Then I found I could hunt a conservancy in Namibia for very few dollars more. Haven't given RSA a thought since, even though I'm now starting initial planning for my 3rd trip to Africa. It really did come down to quality of experience. I want a hunting trip, not a stay at a luxury resort with some shooting thrown in.

I know hunting on many fenced farms in RSA is difficult, but that is only part of the reason I'm travelling half way around the world to spend a pile of cash. More important than a long game list and a better chance at a few extra inches of horn is the chance to be part of a far off wild place for a while. That means truly wild game on their natural ground. I want to come in tired and dusty to a luke warm shower and a barely cool beer. I want to hear the noises of African bush while sitting by a fire, not CNN by the bar. Even if I never saw the game fence, I'd know it was there and it would pen me in like a concession boundary or 3 strand barbed wire fence never will. It's the entire package that makes the trip worth the thousands of dollars, not just the game in the skinning shed. A lot of hunting operations just don't seem to understand the differences between a shooting trip and a safari. I know what I want can be found in RSA, but it was so much easier to find it in Namibia that it wasn't worth the time to try to duplicate it in RSA.

All the best,
Dean

Editted for spelling etc. The holidays haven't helped my spelling or typing any it seems.

I was lucky to be able to hunt both this year -and I enjoyed both. My Namibian hunt was on the Kalahari fringe which was beautiful -for a few days and then got a bit boring. The general feel of the hunt was better in SA even if the smallest concession was around 2000 hectares.

Namibia should be experienced but I won´t be returning any time soon -rather see more of SA and maybe find the means to gp to Mozambique or Tanzania.

IMO!

quote:

Originally posted by cewe:
.... My Namibian hunt was on the Kalahari fringe which was beautiful -for a few days and then got a bit boring......

IMO!

How could anyone get bored ANYWHERE in South Africa?