Just wondering what you all thought about where you think a first-timer should go to hunt for PG.

Pros/Cons of either place?

I have very limited ( 1 trip ) experience but I sure enjoyed my first trip to South Africa and have no regrets. I think the available species are more numerous in SA, and some species that I wanted are indiginous ( spelling?) to there and not Namibia. But, I do plan on making Namibia also. My report is posted in the hunting report forum.

John
The usual suspects are Namibia and RSA but I suggest that you first define the type of experience that you want, than see which country and outfitter can supply it. For instance; do you want to sleep in tents or in a lodge, do you mind if you hunt on fenced property, in Africa the fences can be far enough apart that you never see them, or in the true bush, do you want to be hunting as soon as you leave camp, or do you care if you have to drive a ways to the property that you are hunting, do you want a riverine, mopane forest,desert, or scrub land envirnment, the list is as long as you make it. Then ask yourself which animals do I want to hunt. If you want lechewe and eland for example, you will have to move between camps as the don't inhabit the same terrain. Kudu and eland, on the other hand, work fine together. Then check out the web sites of outfitters who post here or are in the hunting reports.
It's a lot of data but as you sift through it it will lead you in a particular direction. Also consider joining Safari Club International, or the Dallas Safari Club, and attend their annual convention, that is where you can talk to outfitters and PH's face to face.

TerryR

What TerryR said.

You should also consider Botswana Tuli Block. It's wilder than either of the two countries you mention and will offer at least as wide a choice of animals and camps etc......

But with the ever increasing cost of safari and air travel, you might also like to consider a combined hunt for pg and buffalo for your first visit . Once you hunt Africa once, you'll want to come back, so why not save yourself one set of air fares and go for a buff or two on your first visit. It'll cost you a little extra on the cost of the hunt but it'll save you costs elsewhere.

If You want to hunt Buffalo on your first hunt then I would suggest you change countries to Zim. where you can hunt Buffalo at a reasonable price and have a good selection of PG. You could go to Tanz but the price will be much greater than the south Africian countries. If you don't layover in RSA you just don't have the hassel with firearms to Namibia, but I do believe the selection of game is less in Namibia, if you are looking for things like Nyala, Bontebok, Bushbuck and most of the pygmy antelope then RSA would be my choice.

What Shakari said, too.

Either country can offer a great safari experience. Namibia is pretty much limited to the dry country species (Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Hartebeast, Warthog etc), in addition to these parts of South Africa (East and North East) offer species found in wetter climate as well (Waterbuck, Nyala, etc). Either country offer fenced as well as unfenced hunting, although fenced is probably a tad more common in SA. Both offer mountainous hunting, both offer desert type or brush type hunting. It really is a "Ford vs. Chevy" type choice...

Whichever you choose, look for a good outfitter that has the terrain and species you are interested in, then take it from there. There are tons of good choices in either country.

- mike

P.S. Parts of Namibia also has dangerous game (buffalo, ele etc).

I agree with TerryR as well. Decide what your priorities are. Do you want to shoot a lot of different heads or just concentrate on a couple species? Do you want to do some sight-seeing before or after the hunt? How long do you want to hunt? What animals are you most interested in? What sort of country do you want to hunt? Do you want to hunt in different pats of the same country?
I hunted RSA on my first trip and Namibia last September. They were very different sorts of hunts, the former being out of a very nice guest house and the hunting on high-fenced private property, the latter mostly on a communal conservancy with no fences of any sort out of a tented camp. I picked the hunt I did in Namibia (with Vaughan Fulton) primarily because it was in wild country out of a tented camp on the edge of the Namib Desert.
Where to hunt really depends on what sort of experience you are looking for, and of course your budget. Read a lot and talk to as many people as you can before you start putting up any money.

Either country has great options but I would also take a good look at Botswana around the Kalahari for huge kudu, eland, etc. with the Bushmen trackers or Zimbabwe has some great options as well like around the Lemco area.

I recommend that you contact a good booking agent and there are several here on the forums that offer multiple options and locations to choose from. I would also take a look through the Africa hunt reports section on this forum. That is probably the most valuable source of info on this forum. You might also consider a subscription to the Hunt Report. You can find that online as well.

Another excellent resource that I cannot recommend highly enough is the Safari Guide 2007-2008 from Safari Press which is also online. It will answer many of your questions and some you haven't even thought to ask yet.

Both destinations are very good and very price worthy. The differences in hunting conditions between the two have been mentioned.

An important thing to remember is that some species are available in both places;however, one of the two countries has better quality animals than the other.

You should learn which country has the best quality animals of a particular species, and limit you hunting to the best each country has to offer. You'll be happy you did this in the long run, because you will be back and most probably to the one you don't go to on your first hunt.

My first three hunts were RSA, Zim and Namibia. I would not hunt Zim at this time because of the potential problems of exporting your trophies. Kudude

I recommend that people go to either South Africa or Namibia first, and concentrate on the local species, before hunting other countries.

If they hunt Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana or Mozambique first they won't fully appreciate the hunting in RSA or Namibia when they eventually go there to pick up species found no where else.

Bill Quimby

I went to BOTH countries on my first trip over, which was for plains game. I waited until I had enough vacation time and $ to do that as the LONG flight makes staying more than a few days worth while.

Each country is unique and offers different experiences and neither will diappoint you. I was very glad I did it the way I went, thoug I realiaze not everyone can do such an option.

Base your hunt on what species you want to concentrate on. If there is any small advice I could offer it would be this: You won't be in camp much to worry if you are sleeping in a tent or a lodge, you will just be happy for a bed. Make the lodging your least concern and the hunting experience your first concern.

I work with some very good outfits when you are close to looking for a venue.

Thanks, guys. I'm going to start doing what you suggest and do more research.

Thank the spirits for the internet!

Depends on what your primary animals would be and what is important to you.

Also ask yourself if true free range is important or not. I personally don' t have a problem with PG either direction as long as the area is big enough.

How much are you wanting to spend?

Is the number of animals you take primary or how what type of terrian and how you hunt them primary?

Again, FIRST, decide what animals are most important and if trophy size really matters to you.

Example : Do you care if you take a Cape Kudu vs. Greater Kudu? Does horn size of the Kudu matter to you or is any representive trophy what you are after? (In this example I use Kudu as a high priority animal)

Know the answer to these questions and you can narrow your search to the right area and outfit dramatically.

If you would like post the answers and you will get better info.

quote:

Example : Do you care if you take a Cape Kudu vs. Greater Kudu

SAME ANIMAL!!! There are regional variations in size/colour ect as happen with most widey distributed species. All this is simple creation by record book hunters to create 'new' animals so they create new awards....yes, those in the Cape are often smaller than those in say Limpopo but they are all Greater Kudu.

So a Kudu is a Kudu and Bushbuck is a Bushbuck and Sititunga is a Sititunga etc.?

Did I say that? Don't conflate the issue of Cape being different from Greater (they are both Greater Kudu any way you cut it) with other species, its illogical and you are stretching the issue out of proportion....

What I said was...the they are both Greater Kudu (T. strepsiceros) and to make them out as different kudu both within SA is falible as the difference is slight, unlike the animals you mentioned that show marked physilogical difference over their BROAD ranges. Yes, bushbuck are famous for different colours even within the same areas but other than chromatic variation what other variation is there within the same areas? This what you would need to determine for them to split into subspecies. Obviosuly Sitatunga, bushbuck etc over thousand of kilometers do differ, especially in fractured distributions and non-contiguous populations...thats a no-brainer.

Taxonomy and made SCI animals are very different.
The kudu in the Cape are typically smaller and lighter than their more northern cousins but not always. Their horns are typically shorter and thinner.....SO, hunters needing the book entry that were hunting in that area found they were not consistently 'competing' with the southern populations of greter kudu frrm other areas so decided that there needs to be a strict deliniation of cape kudu so they could 'compete'.

If I shoot a kudu in Harding, KZN, close to the E Cape border...what type of kudu is it??

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:

quote:

Example : Do you care if you take a Cape Kudu vs. Greater Kudu

SAME ANIMAL!!! There are regional variations in size/colour ect as happen with most widey distributed species. All this is simple creation by record book hunters to create 'new' animals so they create new awards....yes, those in the Cape are often smaller than those in say Limpopo but they are all Greater Kudu.

Let's not hi-jack the thread showing how smart you are... Still point is in the record book they are different, just as grizzly and brown bear are seperated.

Point is, if a big Kudu is a primary animal for the gentlemen, he might find better average "horn" success in Namibia.

Again this was just a example, poor as it might be. But thank you for your correction.

One thing I have noticed is that if I do Namibia, unless I want to pay almost twice as much for airfare, I'm looking at a 37 hour total flight time (including layovers) as opposed to 22 for RSA. ACK!

Windhoek is only 1 flight from Johannesburg. Just like my advice to use a booking agent for the hunt, you should use a booking agent for the flight that specializes in African travel. There are 2 that are used here quite often...Kathy Klimes and Gracy Travel.

There are also great opportunities in Mozambique for plains game hunts on unfenced country. Sable, Lichenstein's hartebeest, huge kudu, bushbuck, oribi, reedbuck, tremendous warthogs, impala and possibly nyala, red duiker and suni could be expected in a ten day hunt there.

Mark

Animals I am interested in:

Kudu

Impala

Warthog

Baboon

Zebra

Oryx/Gemsbok


Someone cursed me by throwing Botswana into the mix now - ack!

Well, this may not be the place to list specific outfitters, but I was in your shoes 2 yrs. ago. after much searching, reading, and phone calls, this is who we are going with for our first safari, next July.

www.cruisersafaris.com/

Mad Dog

Namibia was my choice for my first African safari (and second as well). The air travel was a little longer and slightly more expensive but not near what you have quoted here. A few hours and maybe a few hundred dollars more. I suggest you contact a travel agent familiar with Africa and hunters. I would recommend Shawn at Gracy Travel.

I went to Namibia for my first hunt, and I'm going to RSA and Zim on my second this Aug.

The RSA portion was based on having wife and stepdaughter along, but after I had the deposit paid wife decided that she couldn't handle the flight.

My first hunt was in Namibia with Jan Olefse @ Mt. Etjo Safaris and was a great hunt for all the animals mentioned. The whole program was wonderful and would be a grand experience for your wife if so inclined. My second and third safaris were with Huntley Ferreira safaris in the Limpopo province of South Africa and all the same things can be said about them. I would lean a bit toward the limpopo because it is bushveldt (bush country) and the shots tend to be shorter 80 yds.? If you should go to S. Africa be sure and add bushbuck to your list . It is a great hunt and the little buggers develop an attitude upon being poorly shot. MY 9th hunt in Africa isbooked for May and I have hunted 5 of the Southern African countries and If you do your homework it's really difficult to have a bad trip, have a great time!

If you go to Namibia, spend a couple of days touring before you hunt, because about half the time your guns will not arrive with you. Arrival in SA seems a little more reliable.

Be sure to take Hartebeest and Oryx...they are very cheap in Namibia. Steenbok and Duiker are also cheap. Warthog and Impala, on the other hand, are quite expensive. Kudu and BWB about the same as RSA.

Properties are larger in Namibia but species more limited and game (in general) sparse.

RSA is quite diverse...Limpopo Valley is very different than E Cape and again vs Zululand. So you could do 3 hunts in RSA and not get bored. But properties are smaller and the place is in general more developed and much more populated.

You might consider doing a double hunt in RSA if you have the time and money.

You can also hunt ranch-style in Botswana, just across the border from RSA (Tuli)or up north near Ghanzi. For some reason BWB can be quite cheap in the Ghanzi area. Day rates are usually a little higher.

If you have plenty of money, then Okavango Delta area is a special place. These are true concessions.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnCrighton:
Animals I am interested in:

Kudu
Impala
Warthog
Baboon
Zebra
Oryx/Gemsbok

Your species would suit a dry area hunt pretty well. The only animal you might have problems finding (outside a fenced area) is the Impala. If you substituted a Springbok, that would make your list just about perfect for Namibia or the drier parts of SA. In Namibia, your Zebra would likely be a Hartman's, but they are about as pretty as they come in any event.

If you choose to go to the wetter parts of SA (e.g. Limpopo area), you would have to live with the Gemsbok being non-indigenous. The other species would be possible.

- mike

Thanks, guys. So, if my rifle arrives later, does it just sit in a police lockup until I arrive to claim it? I was considering doing about 4-6 days of touring before the actual hunt.

I think you should concentrate on one, maybe two, species when you plan a hunt and go to an area that has good trophies in that or those species. The other animals will just be as the opportunities present themselves. Don't try to do it all in one hunt, at least not in a single area.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
You should also consider Botswana Tuli Block. It's wilder than either of the two countries you mention and will offer at least as wide a choice of animals and camps etc.....

How do the costs in Tuli compare to Namibia?

I think Russ may be oversimplifying firearms transit to Namibia. Your guns may show up late if you fly via SA, but I don't think you will have any problems if you fly Air Namibia via Frankfurt