South Africa Gamebird Populations?

18 September 2017, 21:34

Andrew McLaren

Simply unbelievable!

During the 2016 hunting season I restricted my guinea fowl hunting very much, guiding only two groups over two weekends. This was my effort to reduce the total number of birds taken off during the very severe early season drought.

Hunting was very difficult - mostly due to lack of cover for the birds to hide in. Very little rains results in very low grass growth = no cover for birds to hide in, and then be pointed out by trained ointing gundogs. The birds saw them being surrounded and all flew up en masse at the same time, thus restricting shooting oportunities very much!

Nevertheless the hunting grous were largely satisfied with my guiding as they [B]saw]/B] a lot of birds, thanks in part for the low grass cover. Over a very large hunting area only 142 guineas were picked up, of which only one single bird was a young bird! This surely tells one that the breeding success was extremmely low.

But now the good news! Although the 2015/2016 rain season was initially very dry with way below average rain, the season improved very much in about February 2016. Then for three months it rained and rained! That resulted in very good season's harvest of maize and other corps in my hunting area.

This season every single group shot record numbers of birds! And most of the bag consisted of young birds!

I really hope that the rain season of 2017/2018 goes well for guinea fowl breedng again! Then my clients can look forward to some very exciting hunting in 2018!

Andrew McLaren
Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter since 1974.

http://www.mclarensafaris.com The home page to go to for custom planning of ethical and affordable hunting of plains game in South Africa!
Enquire about any South African hunting directly from andrew@mclarensafaris.com

After a few years of participation on forums, I have learned that:

One can cure:

Lack of knowledge – by instruction. Lack of skills – by practice. Lack of experience – by time doing it.

One cannot cure:

Stupidity – nothing helps! Anti hunting sentiments – nothing helps! Put-‘n-Take Outfitters – money rules!

My very long ago ancestors needed and loved to eat meat. Today I still hunt!

18 September 2017, 21:56

Andrew McLaren

quote:
Originally posted by Andrew McLaren:
Sorry, I do not know much about bird numbers so far north.

But here in the western Free State the "upland" game birds populations are simply unbelievable!

During the 2016 hunting season I restricted my guinea fowl hunting very much, guiding only two groups over two weekends. This was my effort to reduce the total number of birds taken off during the very severe early season drought.

Hunting was very difficult - mostly due to lack of cover for the birds to hide in. Very little rains results in very low grass growth = no cover for birds to hide in, and then be pointed out by trained ointing gundogs. The birds saw them being surrounded and all flew up en masse at the same time, thus restricting shooting oportunities very much!

Nevertheless the hunting grous were largely satisfied with my guiding as they [B]saw]/B] a lot of birds, thanks in part for the low grass cover. Over a very large hunting area only 142 guineas were picked up, of which only one single bird was a young bird! This surely tells one that the breeding success was extremmely low.

But now the good news! Although the 2015/2016 rain season was initially very dry with way below average rain, the season improved very much in about February 2016. Then for three months it rained and rained! That resulted in very good season's harvest of maize and other corps in my hunting area.

This season every single group shot record numbers of birds! And most of the bag consisted of young birds!

I really hope that the rain season of 2017/2018 goes well for guinea fowl breedng again! Then my clients can look forward to some very exciting hunting in 2018!

20 September 2017, 09:19

Gerhard.Delport

In the Thabazimbi/ Dwaalboom areas there are good populations of gamebird species such as Helmeted Guineafowl, Swainson's Spurfowl, Crested Francolin and Speckeld pigeons.

I just relocated to the Escarpment of Mpumalanga and will be focusing on guiding upland bird hunters on Helmeted Guineafowl, Swainson's Spurfowl, Redwing and Shelley's Francolin.

27 September 2017, 19:36

Fallow Buck

Gerhard,

How far are you from Nelspruit?

I think we shot a few Natal Francolin there a few years ago.

The free state has been a great season with big dove/pigeon numbers right to the end of the season. Ducks were late into our areas this year but were in huge numbers which bodes well, and upland birds were excellent with good breeding success and good cover to flush from.

Overall I think on the guineas, the drought didn't affect them hugely but made them difficult to hunt so they bred well given they live mostly on or around irrigated fields.

K

28 September 2017, 16:25

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
Gerhard,

How far are you from Nelspruit?

I think we shot a few Natal Francolin there a few years ago.

The free state has been a great season with big dove/pigeon numbers right to the end of the season. Ducks were late into our areas this year but were in huge numbers which bodes well, and upland birds were excellent with good breeding success and good cover to flush from.

Overall I think on the guineas, the drought didn't affect them hugely but made them difficult to hunt so they bred well given they live mostly on or around irrigated fields.

K

K,

I am roughly 90min drive from Nelspruit.

I am on the escarpment just before you start dropping down to Nelspruit.

We dont have a huge number of ducks as the open waters here are generally deep( fly fishing for trout) compared to shallow water ducks prefer.

I have seen only one covey of Natal Spurfowl up here but they are numerous in the lowveld.

Due to farms not being used for maise like they were when I grew up here the size of the guinefowl flocks has also dropped.

28 September 2017, 19:54

Russ Gould

Andrew you have a PM

29 September 2017, 19:51

umzingele

The rain did wonders for gamebird populations!

I run 4 guineafowl shoots in the Bela Bela are - best shooting in 15 years. At the first shoot - 20th May had 3 different ages of youngsters - Some with brown stripes on their heads, slightly older with no noticble crest, and then a third with the beginnings of a crest. Lots of francolin also in the Free State.

Had some excellent waterbird shooting - some guys complaining too much water available and therefore the birds are spread out.

Hopefully another good summer with enough rain!

30 September 2017, 02:10

jdollar

When I was there in May, we found lots of everything in the springbok flats area around Settlers. We then moved and again found lots of everything around Anniston near Cape Agullas. The waterfowl shooting was as good as the upland birds.

30 September 2017, 22:15

Russ Gould

OK so I have a question about bird hunting licenses. A buddy and I will be hunting birds in two different locations both in Limpopo province. The PH is saying we need to get separate licenses for each "farm". That does not sound correct. Not talking plains game here, just birds.

01 October 2017, 00:51

jdollar

I hunted 2 different area in Limpopo and 2 areas in the Cape- I never saw a license, although I suppose the PH may have had 1 for me somewhere.

01 October 2017, 19:07

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by Russ Gould:
OK so I have a question about bird hunting licenses. A buddy and I will be hunting birds in two different locations both in Limpopo province. The PH is saying we need to get separate licenses for each "farm". That does not sound correct. Not talking plains game here, just birds.

Russ,

All birds are protected in the Limpopo Province except Game Birds that is classified as Ordinary Game.

For Game Birds you would need a license/ permit depending on the area you hunt in Limpopo and what game birds are open in the district during the hunting season.

You will need a valid permit / license and permission to hunt from the land owner.

All this will be the responsibility to arrange by the Hunting Outfitter, not the PH or the client.

03 October 2017, 00:43

Russ Gould

Makes no sense. Typically when we hunt birds we hunt several farms in the area. I can't believe we need a hunting licence for each farm. Yes, I know we need written permission for each farm. But that is something very different from a separate provincial hunting license for each farm. I am a South African citizen so there is no PH or outfitter restriction in my case.

03 October 2017, 09:35

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Makes no sense. Typically when we hunt birds we hunt several farms in the area. I can't believe we need a hunting licence for each farm. Yes, I know we need written permission for each farm. But that is something very different from a separate provincial hunting license for each farm. I am a South African citizen so there is no PH or outfitter restriction in my case.

Russ,

You will need a provincial hunting license for Limpopo for Ordinary Game.

The 2017 hunting proclamation is as follows

http://sahunters.co.za/images/...ons%20for%202017.pdf

I am sure this will answer your questions.

Please look at Annexure 1 that will identify the districts and farms that has been closed for the season.