Prior to heading into Mozambique to our camp this last month, I spent a few days in SA checking out other opportunities including Afican Waterfowl. Hunting ducks and geese is one of my favorites. Willie Vermaak one of the few guys that guides bird hunts in SA invited me to join him in the field..I couldn't resist. Is Africa the new Argentina for waterfowl?


Yellowbill


Red Bill Teal


Fulvous


Shoveler


Egyptian Goose


Spur Wing Goose

The country reminds me of the prairie pot holes chock full of exotic ducks and geese. If you like to hunt waterfowl, Africa should be given major consideration.

From what I understand very few species could sustain commercial levels of harvesting. Egyptian geese might be the exception.

Thats true for terrestrial birds there as well, the Greywing being the exception, to a certain extent. Most of SA is very dry and simply doesnt support anywhere near the waterfowl populations that the prairie potholes do. In my experience I couldn't think of the single place or instance in SA where one could see water fowl like we do in Alberta and Saskatchewan, not even a fraction.

To be honest I am not sure how filopatrick most SA fowl are but if you combined some level of filopatry, small localized populations and consistent shooting through the season with hunters bagging limits you may have the makings of a classic depensation and ultimately drastic reductions.

SA Wingshooters, Dr. Slang Viljoen et al will be able to answer you, I am sure.

Way cool......never thought of SA as a fowling destination......I think I'd opt for that instead of guinea hens on an off day......and I'm guessing that not many have a red-billed teal on their wall stateside (although collector may ).

@ kayaker
You almost had me there. I believe the term you refer to is philopatric.
Being an outfitter offering both Greywing Partridge and Waterfowl shoots in SA, I have to agree that our Waterfowl are not philopatric in the true sense of the word. Like everything else in Africa, they actively seek something to eat. They will gather in great numbers where the food is most, usually in irrigated grain and pasture areas. We only shoot where there are (in our terms) large groups of waterfowl. Sometimes exceeding 1000 birds coming onto the lands, not just circling out of reach and above you all morning long. Our waterfowl just do not have to move across a continent because unlike you, we do not have as extreme and adverse weather conditions in Africa. (i.e. We do not daily have to freeze our asses of in blinds in order to have a good time shooting). When a group of 4 shooters get off 500+ shells per 2 day shoot, that is a good shoot in my book , especially taking into account that we are gentlemen shooting doubles, not semi-auto's.
In terms of how sustainable our shooting is, please bear in mind that we do not have a million water fowlers trying to bag out as often as possible. Here in Africa wingshooting is still a gentlemen's sport, afforded the privilege to enjoy by only a relative few. And yes, Egyptian geese is our main quarry, but you can surely imagine the honored feeling when holding a gigantic 20 lb Spurwing goose, a nimble Red billed teal or the marvelous African Black Duck in your hands.
For photos, you can have a look at my website: www.karoowingshooting.co.za or on facebook http://www.facebook.com/KarooWingshooting.

That sounds VERY attractive Greywing....

But might I ask if you are implying that "gentlemen" only shoot doubles, or put another way that those shooting semi's aren't gentlemen?

@Norton
I am sorry if I have offended you, but the devil in me just had to poke at semi's.

But I still fail to understand why some people like to shoot Semi's so much. Maybe you could enlighten me on that subject.

My last trip to South Africa we did some bird shooting. Driven Guinea fowl was fun and some Waterfowling, mostly pas shooting Egyptians and Spurwings over winter wheat. It was incredible good fun. I am having one Egyptian and one Spurwing shipped back with my other trophies.

I did use a semi auto though...........


.

Waterfowling in South Africa is first class! Where I usually shoot Egyptian Geese these birds congregate in their thousands. Although I only own a double I think a semi auto is best for use in the confined space of a hide.

quote:

Originally posted by Greywing:
@Norton
I am sorry if I have offended you, but the devil in me just had to poke at semi's.

But I still fail to understand why some people like to shoot Semi's so much. Maybe you could enlighten me on that subject.

No offense taken.....I sometimes use my stainless double, but since we hunt salt marshes so often, a non-stainless double rusts before one's eyes (just ask KG ) .....also I really like having that 3rd shot with a semi for ducks.....and finally, who wouldn't want to shoot an SBEII?

@Norton
Sorry had been away for a few days and this one almost slipped under my radar. Red-billed Teal (in some texts it is referred as Red-billed PINTAIL). It is actually a teal and not a Pintail. Had an argument with a biologist about it once...he back off real quick...he had read way too many books and had not done as much field work with a shotgun



They have the most beautiful speculums.



@HuntLogic
To answer your question. Is Africa the new Argentina for waterfowl?

The answer is two folds.

FOR COLLECTION: Yes, absolutely, Africa offers a wide species option for the waterfowler who wants to shoot different kinds of species. A great destination both for ducks and geese.

FOR VOLUME SHOOTING: A big NO. There just are not enough birds in Africa to match the volume of Argentina. The only good volume shooting is for Egyptian Geese (usually you see a few Spurwing Geese). For ducks it would be Yellow-billed duck in good numbers and maybe a few teal. Comparing volume shooting of Argentina to Africa is not fair. There just aren't that many birds in Africa when compared to Argentina.

For waterfowl (and other species for that matter) you need to be careful to consider the time of year and also if there has been plenty of rain - if they have dry season, then the birds will be off looking for water elsewhere!

Collector, when I posed the question what I really had in mind was species and not volume. For the traveling wing shooter that is looking for a new adventure and variety of species I think Africa is a destination that will quickly steal some of the "shine" of Argentina. Almost the same time in a plane and you can shoot plains game between hunts at lunch!
Nice mounts!!

quote:

Originally posted by collector:
@Norton
Sorry had been away for a few days and this one almost slipped under my radar. Red-billed Teal (in some texts it is referred as Red-billed PINTAIL). It is actually a teal and not a Pintail. Had an argument with a biologist about it once...he back off real quick...he had read way too many books and had not done as much field work with a shotgun



They have the most beautiful speculums.



@HuntLogic
To answer your question. Is Africa the new Argentina for waterfowl?

The answer is two folds.

FOR COLLECTION: Yes, absolutely, Africa offers a wide species option for the waterfowler who wants to shoot different kinds of species. A great destination both for ducks and geese.

FOR VOLUME SHOOTING: A big NO. There just are not enough birds in Africa to match the volume of Argentina. The only good volume shooting is for Egyptian Geese (usually you see a few Spurwing Geese). For ducks it would be Yellow-billed duck in good numbers and maybe a few teal. Comparing volume shooting of Argentina to Africa is not fair. There just aren't that many birds in Africa when compared to Argentina.

@Hunt Logic
Yes, then Africa would be awesome. The variety of waterfowl species is as large as Argentina and it would be a great destination. Add in a day for driven Guineafowl shooting, one or two days extra to collect a few francolin species and you have a great bird safari. Totally agree 100%.

I've been working on African wingshoots for the last 4-5 years and the last two of those I think we have got the recipe just right.

We took 18 species in 10 days this year and 15 species in 5 days last year so for either the collector or the volume shooter (3500 head last time round). I think RSA has a heap to offer the visiting gun.

Argentina is a great destination but I don't think the two hunts are comparable in type beyond the numbers in the bag.

Kiri

@Greywing,

I am actually from SA. My concern with philopatry (excuse the typo earlier) was the risk of shooting-out localized populations. SA might not have many shooters now but the idea of try to host more shooters who expect large bags concerns me. There might be good waterfowl in areas but certainly nothing like we see here in terms of numbers.

You mention Black duck - I feel that would be a species that would be easy to shoot-out locally if they were pushed hard. I guess Gyppos might be able to able to handle sustained pressure?

I am no expert but I haver never experienced truly large numbers of water fowl in SA.

I used to think the same way about autos and pumps - not any more. My pump cost me way less than a double and allows me go out and learn and hunt fowl without feeling contrained by not owning a fine double to satisfy someone elses silly sense of elitism. A higher end gun might be fine in field shoot but I would not take a nice double into half the places we shoot ducks! Frozen mud, slop, wet, sleet etc. Due to non-tox shot requirements shooting older doubles here also means you either damage the gun with steel or are on the hook for tungsten matrix/bismuth/heavishot classic doubles ammo with is hellishly expensive. Newer doubles of course are fine but a $300-$500 pump means I can afford to hunt, buy dekes, waders etc and still have some bucks to donate to DU. Its got nothing to do with sportmenship.

As far I am concerned gentlemen-like hunting behaviour is a function of what is between your ears, not what gun you managed to afford...

I enjoyed the pics on yuor website BTW.

Greywing: E-mail sent. You have a lovely operation!