My father and I went on our 1st African safari last July. It was an amzing trip. We booked through Associated Hunting Consultants with Ingwe Safaris in Douglas SA. The hunt was a bargain price, but I was prepared to accept representative animals without expectations of record books etc. I was just anxious to make my first trip to Africa.

We had some excitement with the luggage when they misplaced all our bags and guns for about 2 hours in the Joberg airport, but they found them in time and we made out connecting flight.

Other than that, the trip exceeded my expectations in every way. The food, the people, the game were all wonderful. Each day, we would see numerous game animals and experience a county that is beyond description.

The first animal we took was an impala. He was a big bodied male that was walking alone in the distance. He obviously had the horns that were parallel. He was at 300+ yards. Leib, our excellent guide, told me to shoot just over his back. I was shooting my Browning A-Bolt in 300 WSM with Nosler Partitions. He dropped in his tracks. He measured 22 inches, but I was most impressed by his size. He was a much bigger animal than I had expected. The guide and trackers really take the time to set up the pictures. What a start!



The next day, after several failed attempts to get close to an eland herd, we spotted a huge herd of gemsbok. My father and I wanted to take a male and a female to show the differences in horn. With this herd, there were several excellent females. When they saw us, the split in 2 directions. Leib and I stalked over a hill to try to get a shot at one nice female in particular. When we came over the hill, she was standing broadside at 90 yards. Using the sticks (glad I had listened to you guys and made some to practice with) I place the bullet a little forward, but she dropped. She would measure 43.5 inches. This was well beyond my expectations. She was amazing and I had my first Rowland Ward trophy.



I'm not sure anyone wants to hear the story of every animal, but this was basically how the whole trip went. Day after day, we saw massive herds of game, ate great food, laughed with some excellent good hearted people, and lived my dream. I will return to Africa often in the years to come.

Here are some of the other trophys we took.

Eland - 36 inches, One shot. Broke a leaf spring on the truck getting it out of the rocks where it ran. One awesome animal. It had it all. Great dew lap, nice horns, and great dark skull cap.





Kudu - 43 inches - tough hunting- Since we were hunting the Cape Kudu, this was around what Leib had told me I could expect. The Kudu is an amazing animal and I treasure mine regardless of inches.



Bleu Wildebeest 28 inches What a beautiful skin. My next hunt, I may take a female for a flat skin.



Springbok- 13.5 inches that turn BACKWARD- very cool. Do these things ever stop running?



Dad's trophys:









Africa is heaven for hunters.

Huntingbuddy
I am glad you had such a wonderful experience.As a resident of paradise I have experienced more than 30 years of serious hunting and am very thankfull and proud to be part of this set up.

Enjoy your Father's company while you can!

African hunter greetings

Huntingbuddy

I don't care if this was a cheap hunt or not. You guys did very well. Goog show.

Regards,

Mark

Welcome to the African Hunting Fraternity. I can tell the Africa is now in your blood. It seems like you and your father had a great trip.

Congratulations on a great hunt! Those are very fine trophies indeed. You must have had a blast! And if one can avoid paying overprize, you`re in for another bonus.

We felt great about the whole experience. My expectations were high going in from reading posts on AR, but I never imagined how truly remarkable Africa really is.

I feel that your “cheap hunt’s†are still way to expensive, I know for a fact that South African hunting farms charge you in $ what they charge us in R. Example; I live in South Africa and we did a Blesbok hunt in May 2004…. Paid R450 per animal, roughly $73. You only need a PH when you hunt dangerous animals like Lion, Elephant etc. Why the hell would you need a professional hunter to shoot a Blesbok? Other prizes to south Africans; Impala $105, Kudu $410, Gemsbok $570, Eland $750. You can do the comparisons yourself and see they are ripping you off. They do carry some risk but I think they are after your $$$, so in future negotiate the prizes, anything is possible in South Africa.

Hannesk,

I hope you'll excuse me for pointing out that you are very mistaken indeed in your post.

An overseas hunter is required to produce a large amount of paperwork before being allowed to import a firearm into RSA which includes details of the licenced hunting outfitter's name address and licence number and the name and licence number of the Professional Hunter who will be accompanying the client. without these he will not be allowed to import the firearms. If he is refused permission to import said firearm(s) he then has a choice of leaving the country within 24 hours or of having his firearm & ammunition confiscated and destroyed.

Secondly all overseas hunters ARE required to have a Professional Hunter at all times they are hunting in the bush (no matter what species they're hunting). To hunt without a PH OR without the relevant licences and permits will put the client in contravention of numerous aspects of the various game ordinances. If caught, not only will the overseas hunter face heavy fines and possible jail time but so will the landowner who allowed him to hunt without a PH etc......also any and all equipment used during the hunt can be confiscated......that includes vehicles etc. To hunt Dangerous Game in SA the PH must have an additional DG qualification.

Also the Game Conservancies/Parks Boards will not issue any export licences whatsoever unless they have been sent copies of the PH's hunting register which they then cross check against the outfitters permit and all licences and permits that have been issued. If something doesn't tie up - they simply refuse to issue the export licences. This rule applies to ALL trophies and not just those under CITES restrictions. If the GD/PBs have reason to believe an overseas visitor has hunted here without a correctly licenced PH and/or without the corect permits and licences they can investigate and then if the visitor returns to RSA he may face prosecution.

with regard to prices. Overseas hunters do obviously pay considerably more than local hunters.....but you're comparing apples to oranges. Overseas hunters have to have (by law) a considerably wider range of services such as full catering, considerably more paperwork and a million and one other things. They also have to have a Professional Hunter etc.

Local hunter usually supply their own food and drink, only hunt the cull animals as most are hunting for meat and outfitters are not required by law to supply local hunters with camps of a minimum standard.

Advising overseas hunters incorrectly can cause this country a great deal of damage to it's reputation - but more importantly it could cost some poor unfortunate overseas visitor his liberty.

hannesk:
You have just opened a can of worms!
I brought this subject up last year and was beat about the head and shoulders rather severely by our local outfitters. Your stepping in their rice bowl.
My Son and I hunted in RSA and Namibia last year. We had a friend near Nelspruit who set up a hog, meat hunt for us. It was with a rather well known Company. They gave him the price, then when he told them we were from Alaska, they wanted to raise the price by %500. He held firm and we hunted two days with a PH, and each shot a meat hog for my friend. The total cost was $375US.
The local Outfitters here, told us we were going to go to hell, or at best, spend time in a RSA jail. Neither happened.
We hunted with a licensed PH, and our weapons were legally in the country. We did not export any part of the animals.
The key was, after the deal was struck, and they found out we were from USA, the price raised by 500%. We required no services normally provided for non resident hunters, such as, transport from airport,accomodations, liquor etc.
I've attached the final days bill.



I agree, nonresident hunters are being ripped off. I have no problem with paying for services rendered, but a 500% increase because I'm nonresident is wrong.
Hang on to your butt, reprecussions will follow.

This hunt was initailly priced at $4700 US and included airfare from Atlanta and 5 animals (Cape Kudu, blesbok, sprinbuck, impala, and gemsbuck) From the trohy pictures, you can tell I left a lot more of my money in RSA than that, but compared to the other prices we were seeing, this was a great deal. We locked in the price 2 years ahead of time and he has since gone up on his rates, but given our experience I would o it agian in a heartbeat. Look at the animals we brought back, and with the exception of the bank vault I owe the taxidermist the hunt was cheaper than an elk hunt in Colorado. I get several African magazines and have seen the prices advertised in there, but I still cannot believe how great our experience was for the money. Shooting some meat pigs is not exactly the same thing. Plus the guide provided a whole experience. Unlike some other trips I have taken (ie deer hunt to s. Carolina and bear hunt in canada) this guide took personal responsibility for all aspects of the hunt. He took the time to make sure the pictures were right,the food was perfect, the laundry was done, etc. He even hunted with us everyday while coming down the lyme disease or tick fever from a hunt up north the previous week. We felt so ripped off that we gladly gave him $1000 US as a tip and would have given him more if we could.

I guess it is all relative and we felt very happy with the price.

Steve,
Just drop it; it's like barking at a wall.
Cheers!

Do you have a Point of Contact or website for the outfitter and/or the safari company?

Is a nonresident hunter required to have a license and a PH on "Game Proof Fenced or P3-exempted Farms?
I believe that part of the regs says, "No license or any other document is required to hunt." Am I wrong?

Overseas hunters are required to have a PH and relevant licences and permits (at all times) before he hunts anywhere in RSA.....All "Exempted Farm" means is that the area is fully fenced and therefore hunting can be allowed throughout the year instead of just in the hunting season......as almost all hunting areas in RSA are fenced then almost all farms are exempted farms.

So in answer to your second question.....yes you are wrong.

In fairness some overseas hunters do obviously hunt without PHs etc - but nevertheless, they are breaking the law.....and in the current political climate and the current condition of SA jails, and the cost of hunting equipment and vehicles it's a really dumb risk to take....isn't it?

The game ordinances are not there to help make money out of overseas hunters.......they're there to protect them.

Steve,

Is it still the case where an overseas visitor can hunt with out a PH if they a non paying guest of the person who holds the shooting rights?

Even if that still holds true, with the recent changes to firearms laws, I don't see a legal way for them to import a rifle and once done, I bet there would be no way to get the trophies out either.

TJ,

I think hannesk last sentence is the important one: "In future negotiate the prizes, anything is possible in South Africa"

To me that does not mean hunt illegally or bend the rules, simply be prepared to drive a bargin...

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

Even if no money changes hands it's still illegal for an overseas hunter to hunt without a PH who is properly licenced in that province.

The cops will not allow a firearm to be imported unless thy have full details full details of where it will be used....this must include a letter of invitation from the outfitter/landowner stating which species may be hunted and also the outfitters licence number and name of PH etc......

Everyone in the industry is unhappy about the new requirements but in some ways they are a good idea. The intention is for the firearms laws to work in conjunction with the game ordinances and game depts to stamp out the crooks, amateurs and fly by nights who are so rife in the industry now.....and as far as I'm concerned it's not before time! I for one am heartily sick of these people screwing up the industry. It's hard enough to earn a living and offer a high quality service without these people hanging around like a bunch of hyena's.

To give you some idea of how strict the cops are now. An overseas hunter came into RSA late last year with a .454 Casull.....the new act states a maximum hunting handgun calibre of .45 .......this guy was put in jail for 12 hours and then charged with trying to import an illegal firearm. Then they offered him the choice of staying in SA & facing the charges & having his firearm confiscated & destroyed or flying home that evening and losing his hunt. Needless to say he went home........Had he used a good safari company in the first place he would have been advised of what he could and could not bring into the country.

As you say, it's a good idea to try to negotiate a little on SA hunts at the moment as the strong Rand has resulted in a slow season here......

Steve,

I was told of that "loophole", obviously incorrectly, by a local, but that was many years ago..To be fair he might have been reffering to where he lived at the time, what was the then Orange Free State, which probably dates things a bit!

Also in fairness the guy was just trying to do me a favour & get me to share a meat hunt with him as a guest/fellow hunter...no trophy's or costs for me just a chance to go out a couple of days with him and a mate...

I didn't get to go for other reasons, but I am sure his intentions were good...I do know it involved the famous words "We must make plan..."

With regards the news laws I have heard similar tales. There is a thread on one of the other forums about the new law stipulating you must have proof of permission to export from the country of origin. Air2000 and perhaps PHASA are saying for a Brit, your FAC covers you (as well as proof of ownership) but I have to wonder how long will it be before some cop/customs officer decides to interpret things to the letter and demand a seperate document?? Kind of like the serial number on the barrel, action and frame saga that happened....

Regards,

Pete

Here's a direct quote from Andrew McClarens excellent site.
"The hunting of such exempted species of game or protected game on that area is legal at anytime of year, and NO LICENSES or any other DOCUMENTATIONS, other than the written permission of the landowner is required to hunt." (My Caps.)
Is that quote incorrect? If so, please list your source of info.
I won't debate the imported rifle Regs. Just use one of the farmers.
I also, will not debate the exportation of parts of the animals. I wasn't interested.
Thanks.
T.J.

Redlander

We booked through Associated Hunting Consultants and Scott Steinkruger in particular. They are really more known for their hunts in North America but have been booking in Africa for a a few years now. Their website is www.hunts.net. It is nothing fancy for sure, but they will send you a pretty nice catalog of hunts if you want one. Scott is a really great guy to work with and is really willing to answer all your questions. This was inportant for me since it was my first trip to Africa.

Pete,

The cops here seem to change their requirements regularly. We have a Brit client coming in next week and both Air 2K & the cops told us we would need either a export permit from the UK (?) or a letter from the relevant Police authority stating he had permission to temporarily export his firearm(s) from the UK for an African hunt.......that's what they want, so that's what they get.

TJ,

I haven't seen Andrew's website and wouldn't comment on it even if I had as it would be unprofessional for me to do so....but you might have made a misintrepretation somewhere. The SA game laws are obscenely complicated. Each province has it's own set of game ordinances and each is slightly different from the rest....but a quick general overview is that all South African game is listed under various catagories. For example, open, protected, specially protected etc. The male of some species may fall into one catagory and the female another.....sometimes this may even change dependant on time of year. "Exempted species" means that as the farm is fenced and therefore exempted from the hunting season restrictions at some times of year some species classifications may change....Easy so far huh?

A hunting permit means the hunter is permitted to hunt or the animal is permitted to be hunted. A licence licences the hunter to do so......now dependant on catagory and time of year some species may require both permits and licences, some one or other and some neither...Another factor is that the landowner and sometimes his family don't need these permits & licences etc......but other people probably will. The game laws are an absolute nightmare and that's another good reason to make sure that you have a properly licenced (for that province) PH with you and an outfitter doing all the paperwork. On a normal hunt the outfitter will take care of all these headaches for the client and the client won't even be aware of it.

If a farmer is caught just lending a firearm to an overseas hunter etc the cops can & probably will confiscate all his firearms and declare him unfit to posess a firearm.....that means they confiscate and destroy them. At the end of the day the intention of the new firearms act is to restrict firearm ownership as much as possible and it is designed in part to operate in conjunction with the game ordinances etc.

I'm sure a few people will continue to hunt like this this - but they should be aware of the situation if they get caught.....and if they do they shouldn't expect any leniency.......because they sure as hell won't get it.

Steve:
Thanks for the response. I'm not trying to raise hell here, just want to get it straight in my mind.
I've read the part about the "categories" of the different animals. I had the Regulations at one time, now I can't find them.
A PH can load/rent me a rifle but a farmer can't?
I'll keep looking for my copy of the regs.
T.J.

Anyone can loan you a rifle but it has to be under the owners direct control......hence if the landowner lends you a rifle and then sends you out hunting it is no longer under his direct control. Therefore you are both in breach of the law.

If you hunt without a properly licenced PH then both you and the landowner are in breach of the law.

There is a rumour that the game laws will change at some time in the nearish future and I personally hope they do. If it happens, I personally hope it will result in a national set of laws rather than the seperate provincial laws now in existance.

I understand you're not just stirring the s**t and I hope you realise that my motives are honourable......but I get so sick of the fly by nights in the (esp SA) hunting industry who are just out to make a quick buck at the expense of those of us who try so hard to deliver a quality product......if these people are allowed to continue the way they do now we will one day wake up to find there is no hunting industry and no hunting left...............

Seems like I touched a sensitive point here… My intentions are not to promote “illegal†hunts in South Africa, and I know that the local farms must make a living and provide a decent service. I now also know the reason for the PH, but hey if you don’t ask (or try to make a point) you will never knowïŠ.
What I was aiming at… negotiate the prizes of animals only. The law is the law and consulting at Correctional services for 10 years, you would not want to end up in a SA jail, period!
If my statements were misleading in any way…. I apologize. To render an excellent service and to obey the SA laws is the main (or at least should be) objective of South African hunting farms.
If you visit, feel free to drop me a mail and I might have time to show you some of our country’s most beautiful features. (You don’t need a PH for that! the_kings@mail.com