I am beginning to research an archery only hunt for plains game. I have hunted in Canada but Africa is a new experience. Is it true that most of Africa is now high fenced? We'd prefer a large low fenced operation but maybe this doesn't exist anymore.

I am looking at these outfitters… are there any others I should be considering?

Dries Visser Safaris
Ken Moody Hunting Enterprises
Tshepe
Sumsare Bowhunting Safaris


On our wish list is:

Eland, Kudu, Blesbok, Gemsbok, Springbok, Black Wildebeest, Impala, and Warthog

Thanks for the help!

Ryan

Ryan.miller@rsmiller.net

Ryan,

I can't help with the bow hunting part of your post, but I can say it's easy to find a low/no fenced operation in southern Africa with the animals you are after on offer. The exceptions might be eland and (especially)blesbok, though I expect some one will jump in and correct me on that (for which I will be grateful).

Dean

Ryan: if you are planning on a bowhunt I'm certain you know it will most likely be a sitting by a waterhole affair. Though some places offer bait hunting as well. Try Namibia for good day rates and lower trophy rates than RSA. Visser is well know, I wouldn't have Moody on my short list. May I suggest you contact Neil Summers at Bowhunting Safari consultants.
Also low fence conservancys are really not that unusual. Though most archery hunting is done on high fenced game farms.

Ditto on Neil Summers.

I gun hunted in Namibia, but my PH Francois is an avid bowhunter, and is interested in guiding bowhunters. Saw large numbers of all of the animals you're interested in.

Ryan,

cats is quite right, you will in all probability be sitting in a hide next to a waterhole, so how far from the fence and how high the fence is, is of little concern.

cable68,

You saw blesbok and Black Wildebeest in Namibia? These are endemic to the southern parts of South AFrica. Any of these found in Namibia have been artificially introduced. You may as well hunt these in Texas - where they were also artificially introduced!

Some of the Outfitters on your short list are well known, some I don't know [Not claiming to know all the good ones] My advice would be to make sure that your chosen Hunting Outfitter specialyses in bow hunting. [Sales pitch I became a member of the South African Bowhunting and Game Conservation Association in 1996 with a membership grade "Professional Bowhunter. So I can claim to have been doing it for some time!]

Enjoy the planning of your safari - it is part of the whole experience. Feel free to go and look at the advice on planning a safari on my web page.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

In addition to Namibia & RSA you could also look at Tuli Block Botswana.

My last trip which was with bow, I had opportunities at all but the Black Wildebeest. I hunted in the Kalahari.

Cats: What have you got against Ken Moody?

You should check out Antonie Louw at Maakalan safaris. Antonie is a bowhunter himself and does an outstanding job. There are numerous references to him on this site. He is in Namibia about 5 hrs drive from Windhoek.

Sorry, I mispelled Makalaan. This is a large fenced property but I never saw a fence except entering and leaving. Definitely fair chase.

See the post on Kudu... Cawston is high fensed but you should only see it on the way in.

Shangaan hunters in the Save have ll the unfensed bowhunting you want but not for some of the species you list.

In Nambibia, my Friend Dirk De Bot has some superb bow hunting in free range areas.

quote:

Cats: What have you got against Ken Moody?

I take it you've never met the man or you wouldn't ask..IMHO he'd have been better off staying at Clark Range doing the piggy/ram hunts behind fence.

Ryan, I hunted with Ken Moody about two years ago and he runs a first class bow hunting operation. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of bow hunting. At his operation you will either hunt in a blind or a tree stand, your choice. As for the fence the only time you will ever see it is when you first drive in. Bow hunting is plenty challenging with or without a fence. Reguardless of who you choose pick an operation that caters to bow hunters or only allows bow hunters. Hope this helps.

Ryan don't let high fence stop you in South Africa. The fences don't stop the animals from coming and going. I saw a kudu jump a 8' fence with ease. things go under too. You need to go to a bow hunt specialty place.I have been to a place Ingogo Safari in Alldays So. Africa specializes in bow hunting. Contact Butch Mielinger at 610-863-5678 he is the US rep for Ingogo. they have a DVD of Ingogo hunts bow hunts and rifle hunts, Ask about the DVD.these are good people.

Thanks for the comments fellas. They are all very helpful.

Hunting over water holes is fine; I was expecting this on an archery hunt. I wouldn’t mind having the option to also spot and stalk to break up the trip. I know this is has a much much lower success but I am interested in having the opportunity to hunt using both methods.

I would not be interested in hunting over bait. Fair chase is important to me. So I am not interested in a put and take operation, if I wanted that I would save on air fare and hunt in Texas.

I am leery of a high fenced operation there is something that seems less wild about that…. But maybe that is because I have not been to Africa yet and I have never been behind a 100,000 acre enclosure.

It is good to know that some of the species are not feasible in the same area. The Wildebeest is lower on the list and could certainly be replaced by another species… and I would rather do that then hunt a put / take operation.

Are the concessions in Nambia generally larger and low fenced? I get the impression that south Africa had a lot of “smaller†high fenced operations and the further north you go the larger the concessions. Is this correct?

Ryan you are somewhat correct in your assumtion of RSA smaller high fenced operations, BUT keep in mind,even a smaller operation is a big area in Africa. Going north to Namibia doesn't mean no high fences, Namibia has plenty of those as well. Also bear in mind that there are 640 acres in a sq.mile
Low fence that you'll see references to are just like our low fence 2 or 3 strand barbed wire here in the USA.
Game can an does travel over and under the 8' high fences. And Put 'N Take operations really aren't that in Africa....a rancher would quickly go broke doing that. Rather breeding stock is purchased at auctions then released into the high fence hunting area to breed naturally until the herd reaches a point of huntable numbers. DO NOT judge these type of ranches by the USA "wild boar" preserves or elk preserves of 100-300 acres in size. That would be like comparing quality Port Oxford Cedar shafts to the $.39 kiddie shafts they sell at Walmart.

Can't speak for all of the operations in Namibia, only the ones I was on. There may be high fences around the outer edges of the ranch, but these were about 50,000 hectares. Inside were smaller cattle fences which did nothing to keep the game subdivided.

They may technically "high fenced", but they really do nothing to make the hunt easier. As for the "transplanted" species in Namibia, blesbok and black wildebeest have been there so long, the government regards them the same way they do native species; much like pheasant in the US.

Ryan,
I highly reccommend Ron Oliver of Zimbabwe Wildlife Safaris. He has been specializing in bowhunting for many years. Chuck Adams and Pete Shepley book with him exculsivley, among others.

Ryan, look into Greater Kuduland Safaries, they OWN several properties totaling well over 100,000 acres. They have lots of ground blinds and treestands and do spot and stalk as well. They are bowhunting oriented and the blinds are all setup that way. I saw there, duiker, steenbok, impala, monkey, baboon, leopard, rhino, elephant, blue wildebeest, gemsbok, warthog, jackal, bushpig, kuku, eland, burchell's zebra, bushbuck, ostrich, sable, roan, caracal, springbok, giraffe and thats just off the top of my head.

Ron Oliver is the booking agent for Greater Kududland safaris, they have two 40,000 acres properties set up for bowhunting.

cats is right, you can't compare the 15,000 to 25,000 acre "fenced" farms in Namibia to the few hundred acre "preserves" in the States. Just try finding the animal you spotted from a hilltop in the middle of 25,000 acres. The kudu jump the fences, warthogs go under them and up where I hunted there were cases of the elephants just walking right through them. I saw several bowhunters in the airport in Windhoek, but don't know specifically where they were headed.

Ryan:
You can not go wrong with Tshepe Safaris. This is a first class operation. I have personally hunted with Cobus Mouton and a better archery safari is not to be had in S.A. IMHO!!!

Paul K.

Paul -

I looked at some of the videos on Tshepe's website and it looked like they used bait. Does the hunter have the option of not hunting over bait?

From your experience was most of the hunting over bait or only for species that don't water regularly?

Thanks.

Ryan:
Cobus will will hunt any way you want! From a hide over water , sneak hunt ,(stalk) wich I think He prefers personally.I have his home number,I think you should talk to him personally. A better man you will not meet . PM me any time or call me at 330-378-2188

Paul R. Kawczk

Hello Ryan /

You should also consider contacting Rassie Erasmus as he has some very good opportunities within South Africa for you, or other Southern Africa destinations if as necessary.

I (dont know Rassie personally) but he has hunted on our Dendro Park Ranch in Zambia with (his personal USA clients) whom specifically wanted cape buffalo in particular.

I have seen one of his bowhunting DVD', they were all very good viewing

In any event, if you wish to contact Rassie direct please let me know, he will also have some local USA contacts as referances


Regards, Peter

Ryan- A good percentage of the bow outfits in RSA use lucerne(alphafa more or less) as bait at the hides. Some use other food sources as attractants. As far as I know, the places Neil Summers books do NOT use this technique. He has been at the archery thing in Africa a long time as has Ron Oliver. You should talk to both of these gentlemen before making a decision.

Ryan,

You could come to the Dallas safari club convention and speak first hand to the Ph's there...And get first hand information...

Mike

Ryan,

Jerry huffaker linked me with Ron Oliver. Grand destination in Zim.
Ron Oliver

Neil Summers is offering nice destinations too

Neil Summers

Thanks fellas. I have been in contact with Neil's outfit. They have offered some good advice. Who is Ron Oliver associated with??

As for the bait... is baiting a South African method or will you find it used in Nambia and other places. I'd really prefer not to hunt using bait.

Try Zak Grobler at Sahu Safaris, he's really good!

Hi Ryan,

I have been booking bowhunts into Africa for the past 13 years. You might want to visit my website @ http://www.zwsafaris.com for some current information along with photos of returning clients for this year and 2004. One of my clients has just returned from Zambia and kill two lions, leopard and crocodile along with many other species. I will have those photos up next week. This client kill 3 leopard this year with me, all with bow. And the two lions.

If I can be of assistance to you please contact me.

Ron Oliver, Zimbabwe Wildlife Safaris.

Ryan

I have had some dealings with Ron Olver- Zim Wildlife Safaris over the years and have been very impressed. I am no bow hunter but I'll give Ron a good for the way he looks after his clients and who he books them with.

Ryan:
I vote Namibia. I hunted both RSA and Namibia last year. The high fences I saw in RSA were 12 feet tall and electrified. The animals do not go over or under them.
However, 80,000 acres under a high fence doesn't bother me. I saw no high fences in Namibia, except for a small pen with eland, which the farmer was going to release when they were accustomed to the area.
We hunted with Hentie Van Heerden. He does not have a web site or use any outfitters.
He is a bowhunter. I think he used a Mitchell. He will hunt any way you want to.
His email is vhsaf@mweb.com.na
His prices are very competitive. I'm not an outfitter and won't make a dime from this recommendation. I had a lot of fun and would hunt with him again.
We shot 4 animals which made Rowland Ward, if you are interested in that sort of thing.