I am busy helping a friend prepare for his first African hunt - a 10 day trip to Namibia. It has been an interesting journey so far - for both of us. He is armed with lots of notions about Africa planted by Ruark, Capstick, Taylor, and Bell along with lots of wisdom planted by Internet experts. He’s attended the SCI show for several years and talked with lots of outfitters, booking agents and PHs. He’s watched all the TV shows and read all the magazines.

He’s chocked full of knowledge, unfortunately, most of it is (was) wrong. He had visions of wide open plains, animals stretching as far as the eye could see, a record trophy around each corner, and 12 species in 7 days was a given. After all, that’s what many outfitters, booking agents and PHs had promised. The amount of misinformation he had been programmed with was staggering. Other than getting the location of the Republic of South Africa and Namibia correct, I had great difficulty recognizing any other “truths” he had gleaned.

As I explained to him, here’s reality:

1. Most of the hunting folks do today is highly managed, farm hunting. The idea of fair chase, open plains hunting is the exception today, not the default and even those places are drying up at a staggering rate.

2. Most of these operations buy farm raised animals each year to “replenish” the game stock - aka, Put & Take Operations. Many animals still have rub marks from their transport crates and a few still wear their horn protectors. That’s why you can now find all sorts of species in one place where none have naturally existed before.

3. The average game farm in KZN RSA is 800 - 1,000 hectare protected by high fence - after all game stock is expensive.

4. Many of the budget operations who promise 12 species in 7 days run multiple hunts at the same time. Forgot to tell you that you were sharing your unique hunting experience with strangers.

5. Even the most exclusive and expensive operations save their biggest trophy animals for their “special” clients who spend the most. And if you are not “special” you will probably get to hunt with an expert hunter who got his PH license last week and this is his first time in the bush... ever. Fun for all.

6. When all the camp staff comes out and sings and dances as you arrive in camp, trust me, they were forced to do it. When they smile and get all happy when you shoot something, it's like stuffing a g-string full of ones - they really don't love you.

7. A 50" Kudu, a 26" Oryx, and an 8" Springbok aren't truly "trophy of a lifetime" animals and won't go Gold no matter how hard you attempt to shrink the measuring tape.

8. And then there is the elusive dangerous game permitting challenge - 'Oh geee, we just ran out of tags yesterday so hows about an exciting Springbok hunt?' Or worse, 'Haven’t we walked in circles around the same lone Bushbuck for the past 4 days?'

I am not saying this is everyone’s experience, however, it is more to the truth than most booking agents and operators will tell you. Even in a farm setting, you can still have a most pleasurable and productive hunt, but it is better to know the truth before you fly across the planet for your Ruark, Capstick, Taylor, and Bell "safari" experience.

Just an observation, you’re mileage may vary...

Opus1,

What you have stated applies mainly to South Africa.

It does not apply to hunting free range animals like in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The misconception are true in both cases though.

AR is first for hunters.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Opus1,

What you have stated applies mainly to South Africa.

It does not apply to hunting free range animals like in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The misconception are true in both cases though.

Saeed, I agree. My point is there's a lot of blurring going on between a true "hunting concession" and a "game farm" when it comes to marketing hunts today.

You will be amazed at the number of offers I get to go and hunt "free range" animals in South Africa!

This despite the fact that those offering me hunts know that I go hunting every year in Tanzania!

I have no problems hunting in South Africa. In fact, I have hunted there twice, and enjoyed it very much both times.

But we all knew what we were getting into.

My PH was honest enough to tell me that some farms I should avoid, as he said "I don't think you will enjoy hunting there".

Basically he meant they were too small.

Wow Opus, this is a broad generalization , not really true for all operations.
Even some South African operations.
Best regards
Dave

Two words.......Due diligence!!

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Two words.......Due diligence!!

Was thinking the same thing.

It really depends who he booked with. Namibia is full of free-range hunting opportunities, especially on the Conservancy hunts but there are also many hunts on cattle ranches, etc. These hunts are real Africa no doubt about it. He may well be walking onto a small fenced farm but he may not be either. There is no way you can make broad generalizations like you are without many more facts.

On our most recent Conservancy hunt, we shared the 650,000 acres with no one and shooting two animals of exceptional trophy quality each day was not unreasonable. The one limitation is that the species list in free-range Namibia is smaller than the fenced ranches but there is still plenty of opportunity.

As said by many due diligence is the key but I'd say your misconceptions about Namibia could be greater than your buddy's.

My 2 PG hunts in Namibia were nothing like what you described.
It was high fenced & I knew that before hand.
It was also somewhere around 56,000 acres, plenty of room for me to consider it fair chase.
We saw many hundreds of animals a day & I was blessed to kill some really fine trophies.
I know there are some really bad outfitters out there, but there are also some very good ones.

I guess the term "unfenced" in South Africa applies to farms with no own fence, they are surounded by the neighbours fences...

It sounds like you had a bad experience. Mine was completely different. On each of my hunts I experienced free range hunting, took good trophies and had experienced PHs. Do your homework.

A 50 + inch Kudu is a trophy of a life time!

I hunted two properties in South Africa that were far small. both were partially fenced, mostly along the main roads in the area. One was Rooiport, west of Kimberly. The other was Venita, in the Alldays area. Both owned by DeBeers. Both were in excess of 100,000 acres each. Both were excellent hunting, I stress hunting. Game was plentiful, but not standing around waiting to be shot. I would go to either area again, there is a lot of area to hunt that I did not see the first time.

I meant far from small.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:

6. ...When they smile and get all happy when you shoot something, it's like stuffing a g-string full of ones - they really don't love you.

That's the funniest line in the post. Bravo!

George

My first safari was 21 days in Tanzania in 1992. In 2000 four couples of us hunted a 79,000 acre farm in Namibia. It was a working cattle ranch just like the one I own in west Texas. I sure did not feel I was shooting something tied to a tree and I did not find any transportation rub marks on the critters I shot. I did see a smooth four wire fence but the Kudu had no problems sliding under the bottom wire and hauling the mail again.
I hunted a farm in RSA in 2002 with my son. We did see one pasture that was high fenced but the rest of the farm was the same fence as on my ranch in west Texas. We did not find any animal tied to a tree there either. There was one very old Kudu cow that hung out at the camp by the water and where she was fed. She died of old age while we were there. Kinda the same as some of my house deer in west Texas.
Like others here, I think it is where you hunt that makes the safari what it is. My PH's have all been experienced and two of them have been the owners of the farm. It would be the same as if I took you to hunt my 8.5 square mile working cattle ranch in west Texas.I know where everything is on the ranch except where in heck the deer are? I know where to start looking.Finding one is the key to it all.
Hopefully your friend had a great safari and now lots of great memories like me. My son and the farm owner in RSA gave me a surprise 64th birthday party in camp and a beautiful engrave whiskey flask that I still have and treasure.
Better tomorrows!

Had I read this and several other recent threads prior to going to Africa, I may have never made the first trip.

Trips to Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe have all been great and what was expected.

Number 5 really made me laugh. I must be a truly special client.

If it has a high fence and it's private property, it's a given that it has imported game regardless what country you're talking about. Just because the property is large doesn't mean that it is a natural habitat. Rooiport is one of the older game farm operations in RSA that supplies a large number of animals for other hunting properties. A great hunting farm to be sure, but a natural animal population not.

One of the larger operations in Namibia (143,000 acres +/-) imports between 800 to 1,100 heads each year for their clients. They truck most in, but some (about 20%) come out of their game farm. They run between 180 - 200 clients through their operation each year and now are busy importing Nyala onto their property because their clients want to hunt them. And a few operations import special trophies specifically for their special clients.

The areas around the Namib and Skeleton Coast are low fenced and more natural because the carrying capacity of the land is 1:20 to 1:25 hectare for large animals (Oryx) and 1:3 to 1:5 hectare for Springbok. But bore hole water and salt licks ensure that the animals hang around. Right now, there is plenty of grasslands for the animals. Two years ago, not so much and food was brought in and the animals congregated.

The point is, there's a lot that happens behind the curtain that the client isn't aware of. Then again, hunting is a business and at times, its a very profitable business...

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:

The areas around the Namib and Skeleton Coast are low fenced

Or not fenced at all............

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
If it has a high fence and it's private property, it's a given that it has imported game regardless what country you're talking about. Just because the property is large doesn't mean that it is a natural habitat. Rooiport is one of the older game farm operations in RSA that supplies a large number of animals for other hunting properties. A great hunting farm to be sure, but a natural animal population not.

One of the larger operations in Namibia (143,000 acres +/-) imports between 800 to 1,100 heads each year for their clients. They truck most in, but some (about 20%) come out of their game farm. They run between 180 - 200 clients through their operation each year and now are busy importing Nyala onto their property because their clients want to hunt them. And a few operations import special trophies specifically for their special clients.

The areas around the Namib and Skeleton Coast are low fenced and more natural because the carrying capacity of the land is 1:20 to 1:25 hectare for large animals (Oryx) and 1:3 to 1:5 hectare for Springbok. But bore hole water and salt licks ensure that the animals hang around. Right now, there is plenty of grasslands for the animals. Two years ago, not so much and food was brought in and the animals congregated.

The point is, there's a lot that happens behind the curtain that the client isn't aware of. Then again, hunting is a business and at times, its a very profitable business...

Lots of great farms in Namibia my friend...Thanks for bringing this to light

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
If it has a high fence and it's private property, it's a given that it has imported game regardless what country you're talking about. Just because the property is large doesn't mean that it is a natural habitat. Rooiport is one of the older game farm operations in RSA that supplies a large number of animals for other hunting properties. A great hunting farm to be sure, but a natural animal population not.

One of the larger operations in Namibia (143,000 acres +/-) imports between 800 to 1,100 heads each year for their clients. They truck most in, but some (about 20%) come out of their game farm. They run between 180 - 200 clients through their operation each year and now are busy importing Nyala onto their property because their clients want to hunt them. And a few operations import special trophies specifically for their special clients.

The areas around the Namib and Skeleton Coast are low fenced and more natural because the carrying capacity of the land is 1:20 to 1:25 hectare for large animals (Oryx) and 1:3 to 1:5 hectare for Springbok. But bore hole water and salt licks ensure that the animals hang around. Right now, there is plenty of grasslands for the animals. Two years ago, not so much and food was brought in and the animals congregated.

The point is, there's a lot that happens behind the curtain that the client isn't aware of. Then again, hunting is a business and at times, its a very profitable business...

I have hunted the Pouros Conservancy in Damaraland; no fences but lots of tourists.

All but one of my other hunts in Namibia were on sheep or cattle farms.........low fences and the animals moved about freely and crossed from farm to farm.

I hunted on one high fenced game farm for waterbuck........a re-introduced species in Namibia.

Enjoyed them all; and as you say hunting is a business and if there is a market for animals such as Nyala in Namibia........well it's not their natural habitat, but if people want them and don't want to travel, as long as they understand what's going on to provide them with the animal......that's fine.

Education, and nothing else, can cure these misconceptions.

And education on these questions can be had nowadays, in many classrooms, including here on AR, thanks to Saeed, our gracious host, free of charge.

No one is so blind, as he who will not see.

I hunted with Jan Olephse in Namibia in 1990, a huge area with a perimeter fence, no cross fencing. We averaged an animal every two days and worked to get them. We hunted Zimbabwe on a farm that was not fenced, it was not a cake walk either. I've never hunted a small area like some in SA,nor do I want to. Quality hunting on enclosed areas exists but the tract of land has to be of a good size.

Generalizing about anything in Africa is a risky proposition. I have hunted Namibia, RSA, and Zimbabwe having wonderful experiences chasing free-range game in all locales. Are there shady characters in all places selling products that differ substantially from what is paid for by the client....of course! Are such activities more common in one country that the others...probably. Would that keep me from hunting there? No. As someone said above..."Due diligence!"

I've enjoyed reading all posts so far, and find myself agreeing with most. Opus1, IMO your perceptions are fairly astute. what wonders me ( as my old order menonnite friends say) is how many hunters, good guys who I know well, return regularly to the same " stocked" ranch and consider it an all-out pristine African experience...Most of these guys go directly from airport-to-farm and never set a boot on unfenced African soil. On the other hand, to each his own, and, as hunters of all legal ilks, we MUST stick together or get picked off one hunting style at a time.

In the day of cell phones, digital everything and instant food, the idea that Africa has stood stock-still, waiting for nostalgic professional small boys of every other continent to experience what the old time adventurers wrote of is -- unlikely. I read Outdoor Life, etc. as a boy in Africa, missing out on the opportunity that some of my missionary friends enjoyed of African fishing and hunting. Did I want to live the dreams held therein? Yes. Did I believe it still exists? No.

Safari hunting is what it is, wherever you find it. I have made three small trips, because of money. Others on this forum can afford the whole magilla, and do so regularly. Their hunting reports tell me what's real, and the old safari books tell me what USED TO BE (real).

Enjoy the experience(s) offered today, but know that just as whitetail hunting has been turned into commercialized agriculture in certain regions, with ear tags and price tags to match, so African hunting will follow according to market dictates. I'm just happy to be allowed to participate...

2 cents there

Barry

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:

I'm just happy to be allowed to participate.

+1

Opus1, IMO you're over stating the negative aspects of hunting game ranches - wherever they may be such as RSA, Namibia, Zimbabwe, etc. The large rances (~30,000 acres or more) have both self sustaining (usually native) species and supplemented species. The latter tend to be quite expensive to hunt, such as roan, sable, buffalo, and specially "off-colored" species.

I've done both the large game ranch and real deal hunts and the game does not behave much differentily. In fact, the game tends to be more wild and difficult to approach on the large game ranches. I haven't hunted the small game ranches and likely never will.

Game ranches are generally a better "buy" in that you get more animals for the same money as on a real deal hunt.

AIU

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
In the day of cell phones, digital everything and instant food, the idea that Africa has stood stock-still, waiting for nostalgic professional small boys of every other continent to experience what the old time adventurers wrote of is -- unlikely.

The Changing Face of the African Safari

Just an observation here, nothing more. Having had no experience in Africa myself, what follows is purely anecdotal from conversations I have had with those that I have hunted with over the years that have hunted Africa.

I have been fortunate enough to share quite a few hunting camps with folks that have made one or several hunts for various species in Africa. All enjoyed their trips over there, but apart from a few base similarities, such as locations and game hunted, all viewed their experiences differently. The ones that seemed to view it as a great experience but basically as just a different type of hunt after different types of game, were those folks that seem to do a lot of hunting.

Others, the ones that were or are occasional hunters seemed to have been caught up more in the romance of the experience and tried drawing similarities between the "Old" Safari's and todays trips.

One concept that I have developed concerning African Safaris and the allure of them to many hunters, is that even in todays world turmoil, Africa is the one place where a hunter can realistically take a "Shopping List" of species to hunt/kill, and depending on the length of hunt and quantity/quality of game in the concession/area/property, can fill their list.

To me, it is reminiscent of the differences between fishing in Salt Water and Fresh Water. Hunting in America has for the most part become a fairly difficult proposition for various reasons.

The thrill and anticipation of going to hunt in the land that has always been the Valhalla of Hunting to nearly everyone that hunts, just stirs up different emotions in everyone and accordingly creates different perceptions in everyone.

Just an observation on my part, nothing more.

Impala#03, I too have been to Venitia. It is a beautiful property and quite large. To call it free-range or truly fair-chase is a bit of stretch. The lion that walks up and down the fence, looking tirelessly for a way out, is all the proof I need that the animals know the fence is there and act as such.

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
In the day of cell phones, digital everything and instant food, the idea that Africa has stood stock-still, waiting for nostalgic professional small boys of every other continent to experience what the old time adventurers wrote of is -- unlikely. I read Outdoor Life, etc. as a boy in Africa, missing out on the opportunity that some of my missionary friends enjoyed of African fishing and hunting. Did I want to live the dreams held therein? Yes. Did I believe it still exists? No.

Safari hunting is what it is, wherever you find it. I have made three small trips, because of money. Others on this forum can afford the whole magilla, and do so regularly. Their hunting reports tell me what's real, and the old safari books tell me what USED TO BE (real).

Enjoy the experience(s) offered today, but know that just as whitetail hunting has been turned into commercialized agriculture in certain regions, with ear tags and price tags to match, so African hunting will follow according to market dictates. I'm just happy to be allowed to participate...

2 cents there

Barry

One has only to look at the hunt reports to find the real deal.

Personally I would love to hunt a Gemsbok in Namibia if just for the location and scenery.

Thorn and thicket gets a bit monotonous after a while.

You mean something like these:


One of about 65 last week just outside of the Namib park. Low fenced area.



Fat and happy...

On our first Namibian trip, part of the hunt included moving daily with a convoy of Land Cruisers, getting stuck, building roads, setting up new camps, sleeping in pup tents and hunting nearly a million acres of no-fence, free-range conservancy......it is out there.

Opus,

If that is your reality, I can't imagine why you would hunt in Africa. I'm sure that is the case with some South African farms and maybe even with some in Namibia. It's not the case elsewhere.

If you don't want to hunt a put and take operation, then don't. I don't. If what you say is true across the board, I'd just quit hunting in Africa.

Look a little harder.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
In the day of cell phones, digital everything and instant food, the idea that Africa has stood stock-still, waiting for nostalgic professional small boys of every other continent to experience what the old time adventurers wrote of is -- unlikely. I read Outdoor Life, etc. as a boy in Africa, missing out on the opportunity that some of my missionary friends enjoyed of African fishing and hunting. Did I want to live the dreams held therein? Yes. Did I believe it still exists? No.

Safari hunting is what it is, wherever you find it. I have made three small trips, because of money. Others on this forum can afford the whole magilla, and do so regularly. Their hunting reports tell me what's real, and the old safari books tell me what USED TO BE (real).

Enjoy the experience(s) offered today, but know that just as whitetail hunting has been turned into commercialized agriculture in certain regions, with ear tags and price tags to match, so African hunting will follow according to market dictates. I'm just happy to be allowed to participate...

2 cents there

Barry

One has only to look at the hunt reports to find the real deal.

Personally I would love to hunt a Gemsbok in Namibia if just for the location and scenery.

Thorn and thicket gets a bit monotonous after a while.

Andrew, if you want to experience something different(i.e.- the real deal), i would suggest a Cameroon, self guided portered foot safari. for absolute certain it will be a WHOLE different safari experience. not a Land Cruiser in sight after you are dropped off at the village jumping off point!

Painting any portion of African hunting with such a broad brush is misleading. After reading the initial post I would never want to hunt RSA. Luckily I've already hunted there and know that there is wonderful hunting there and not all of it is like going to the local pheasant farm for a chicken shoot. To give anyone the impression that all game farms are pure put-and-take is not correct. To say that you will be tripping over other hunters is ridiculous. There may be places where the OP's points apply but there are many where they don't.
Would I rather hunt the Selous? Hell yes! But I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with the right outfitter in RSA either.

If your friend wants a

quote:

Ruark, Capstick, Taylor, and Bell "safari" experience

, then he is being mislead. He needs to go to Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique or Zimbabwe.

On two different trips to RSA, we've hunted both small farms (5000 acres) to large reserves (100,000 acres). If you think 5000 acres is small, get your butt out and start walking/stalking and tell me afterwards that it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Sure the animals have preferred areas just like deer do to a particular feed plot but that doesn't guarantee that you will get within comfortable shooting distance. Besides, you're taking on an animal in it's natural habitat.

Saying this, if you happen across one of the critters that happen to be near a border fence, then there's not much you can do about that. If you feel it's not very sporting then pass on the shot. If you feel that it's still free chase, as certain animals are very territorial and won't leave the area meaning that the border fence really has no play in restricting the animal's movement, then take it with clear conscience. (A buddy had this happen with a mountain reedbuck that wouldn't leave even though it was near a property boundary.)

All told, it's what you feel comfortable with.

I've not felt guilty about anything that I've shot from the ground, the vehicle, various properties large and small, etc. If I did, I'd tell my PH that I don't want to hunt that way and I have confidence that he'd honor my wishes.