Good Morning Gents

We are going to be repeating our Free Range Spiral horn offer from 2016 this year.
It worked well and 3 AR members took home excellent Nyala Bulls from the Umkomaas Valley.

Hunting reports from Frank and Dale are available on the site.


Hunting will take place from my main base on the banks of the Umkomazi River in Southern KZN

You will be hunting the hunting grounds that my family has hunted for the past 100 years.
All the listed prices are marked down from the standard prices.

This hunt is 100% free range and in some of the most spectacular bush you will get to see.

How the deal works.
Booking Dates:
Day Rate: 50% paid upon booking; 50% payable 10 days before arrival or in cash on arrival

Trophy Fees

If you wish to secure the reduced rate as listed below then 100% of the reduced trophy fee is payable upon booking the hunt or within 30 days of booking
Should you not take any of your "prepaid" species you will receive 100% of the trophy fee back on completion of your hunt
All animals not paid in advance that are taken on the hunt are payable at 100% of the 2017 price list price on completion of the hunt.

These reduced rates are only available due to an early payment option we have negotiated on behalf of the hunter with the land owner which requires full payment no later than the 30th November. As such this deal will expire on the 30th November 2016.

Reduced Trophy Fees

Nyala - $1850 (reduced from $2500)
Bushbuck - $750 (reduced from $950)
Kudu - $1850 (Reduced from $2500)

Day Rate/hunter $350
Observers pay $120
Return Transfer King Shaka Airport (Durban) $500/vehicle (max 3 hunters)
Arrival and departure day charged at 50% of the day rate
All trophy fees are payable in full before departure either in cash or confirmed EFT. We also offer credit card facilities but these attract a 5% additional charge on the value of the hunt.
100% of the trophy fee is payable on animals wounded or lost, if you draw blood you bought it.

We suggest 7-10 hunting days.

Fly in to Durban and drive 1 hour to the hunting grounds.
We can arrange deep sea fishing and hunting bushpig over hounds too if you would like to.
Day trips for the family are available and the lodge is very family friendly.

Daily Rate Includes:
All meals and accommodation.
Services of licensed Hunting Outfitter and PH’s.
Services of both camp and field staff.
Hunt transport in fully equipped well maintained 4x4s.
Field preparation of trophies, (caping, salting, tagging and cleaning of skulls, shipping to Taxidermist)
Hunting Licenses

Daily Rate Excludes;
Pre and post hunt transportation.
Air or road transfers.
Trophy fees.
Taxidermy costs.
Alcohol and tobacco.
Gratuities to staff.

I look forward to discussing this hunt with you. Here are some pictures of game taken and scenery by AR members this year.





















Ian Blakeway
Owner
Venture South Outfitting
South Africa and Canada
+27 83 414 2446
ian@venturesouthoutfitting.com
www.venturesouthoutfitting.com
https://www.facebook.com/venturesouth

I did not post a hunt report after my hunt in April with Ian, so I will do a short one here to provide a little more information for anyone interested in hunting with Ian. You can see the 3 animals I took in the pictures in Ian's post above.

My friend Chris and I decided to book a hunt with Ian after seeing a hunt offering here about a year ago. This was my 3rd trip to Africa (I also hunted in Zimbabwe and Namibia) and the second trip for Chris (he hunted with me in Namibia). Chris was also interested in getting an impala and I wanted a bushbuck and eland. Hunting was fairly hard in some ways because it was cool and rainy most of the time we were there. I only saw two bushbuck rams for a few seconds each the entire trip. Ian said they like warm, sunny weather.

Chris got a nice nyala bull the second day. He tried for a really big bull the first evening but ran out of light. The third day I got a nice ram that you can see me holding in the photo (well, you can see my hands) in front of the skinning shed. He measured 28 inches. Ian said from the growth rings he was at least 10 years old. I hit him just above the heart through the lungs on a broadside shot from about 100 yards. He ran about 25-30 yards and was dead in the bottom of a 10-12 foot deep gully. It was a fair amount of work getting him out. We saw lots of nice nyala bulls every day. The next day Chris made several stalks on impala and got a nice ram. The grass was really tall so the impala were hard to hunt.

We drove north one day to hunt on another ranch with one of Ian's friends. We found a group of 9 eland bulls about noon, but they gave us the slip. The area had lots of canyons with steep slopes and thick vegetation in the bottom. It was also cold, windy, and rainy. We even had a little sleet. We were at about 5,000 feet elevation in the foothills of the Drakenberg Mountains. Late in the afternoon we were still looking for the eland and trying to push them out, when they suddenly appeared across the canyon at about 200 yards. They had come from the opposite direction we expected. Ian said my first shot was right in the should where it should be (he was broadside), but he moved a few yards up the slope. My second shot hit about the back of the ribs headed toward the chest, and he moved a few more yards and was broadside again. I shot a third time in the shoulder and he rolled down the hill about 40 yards and was dead. His horns were worn down to 28 inches and he had a really dark face. They said he had worn at least 6 inches off his horns and was probably 12-14 years old.

We still did not have any luck with bushbuck around Ian's place, so the 9th day we went back north to his friend's place again. I got a nice waterbuck just before dark. He had horns 27-1/2 inch long and 10 inch circumference at the bases. The only shot I had was with him almost facing me at about 150 yards, so I put the bullet just inside his right shoulder in the chest. It angled through and was under the skin at the front edge of the left leg, for about 4 feet of penetration.

Chris used a Win. M70 in .338 Win. with 200 gr. Nosler accubonds. I used a Ruger #1 in 9.3x62 with 250 gr. Barnes TTS bullets with a muzzle velocity of 2250 fps. The one bullet I recovered was from the waterbuck, and looked just like the bullet in their ads and like the other Barnes bullets I have recovered.

Ian's wife Felicity fed us very well, and lodge was very comfortable. It is also in a beautiful location right on a river. We did not get a chance to eat eland, but the nyala and waterbuck were excellent. I had heard waterbuck can be good if you take care to avoid getting oil from the skin on the meat, and it is true.

I would definitely recommend this hunt for anyone wanting a quality nyala. We also saw lots of kudu, but Chris and I had both taken kudu in Namibia so we were looking for other critters. I feel I was lucky to get 3 old, mature, big animals and am extremely happy. The bushbuck is a good reason for another trip to Africa.

Chris had lined up a visit to Dundee to see some Zulu War and Boer War battlefield sites, so Ian dropped us off to pick up a rental car. After that, we met Chris's wife in Johannesburg and went on to Victoria Falls for a few days and then to the Okovango Delta in Botswana. We were gone a total of 4 weeks and had a great trip.

Please feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.

Thanks Dale

It was a real pleasure having both yourself and Chris in camp.
Dales shooting was superb and I Dare say his luck is up there with the best of them.
When those Eland bulls came out from the opposite direction to which we expected and then gave us a super shot at 200m.
It is a picture I will not soon forget, seeing all those bulls broadside on the hill.

We hiked that bull out down through a valley, 6 strong Zulus and 3 PH's managed to get him out and loaded in 3 hours. It was quite a day getting 800kgs of Eland down the sheer sided valley.

We left that evening cold, tired and in the dark. But it was one of my favourite days of the season.

Thanks Dale.

That's my unicorn pictured. If you request it, Ian will get you one also.

Dale, I'm not Norwegian.

Frank:

For some reason, I confused you with one of the Norwegian gentlemen who post on here. I hope I did not offend either you or the Norwegians.

Your bushbuck hunt made a great story. Mine are pretty boring compared to that.

Dale

quote:

Originally posted by Dale:
Frank:

For some reason, I confused you with one of the Norwegian gentlemen who post on here. I hope I did not offend either you or the Norwegians.

Your bushbuck hunt made a great story. Mine are pretty boring compared to that.

Dale

Ian and I laughed about that during my hunt. I was never offended but I can't speak for the Norwegians.

We did have a good laugh indeed.
Frank became the Norwegian Samuraai...

You guys would share a campfire I imagine. And Im sure we would have many a good laugh.
If you ever get a chance to cross paths, do it.

Good Morning Gents

For those of you looking at doing this hunt in 2017 in our Free Range Concession, please keep in mind that this offer closes on the 30th November but the best dates for certain species etc are actively being booked up.

For those of you looking to go after Kudu some early season dates in April are still open.
The rains have just started here which points to a "Normal" season.
Most likely with the first frost coming at the end of March.
With good rains we expect the Kudu cows to drop on time and have the rut running in April and May.

If you have dates in mind, let us know and lets start working out what will be best for you.

For those of you wanting to bring your family along you cant find a better place than KZN and our lodge is very family friendly.

I imagine if more people knew what all was on offer they would extend their stays and enjoy the province with their families. It really is one of Natures gems.
Some suggestions and pictures of the province and all it has to offer.

Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve
False Bay Nature Reserve
St. Lucia Nature Reserve
Lesotho the Mountain Kingdom
Shark Cage Diving
Scuba Diving
Game Fishing
Deep Sea Fishing

Amazing pics!
Cal

Thanks Cal

We really are very lucky with the beautiful place we live in.
That said, your neck of the woods is also quite amazing and far less populated.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Amazing pics!
Cal

Ian is too modest, he was/is a professional photographer and videographer.

G'day Ian, do you have any more nyala and bushbuck pics from the area?

Cheers,
Mark.

Hi Mark
I am currently 5 days up the West Coast of Namibia fishing for sharks. I will only be back in the office around the end of the year.
There are more pictures on the website www.venturesouthoutfitting.com but I cant help with any that I can put up on AR right now.

I will check my Photo bucket as soon as I have good signal, there may be a few there that I can post.
Let me know if you would like to chat some time during the week, I am back in relatively good internet signal in the evenings.
Thanks
Ian
+264 81 700 7301

That picture with the valley with the river and cliffs is fantastic. Is that located on your concession?

Overland
That valley is the route up to Lesotho know as Sani Pass. Great day trip from my concession. Roughly 3 hours drive each way and you get to have a beer at the highest pub in SA.

This valley is on my concession, while not as grand, its a beautiful spot to look for Bushbuck.

As beautiful as that other valley is, this is the one you want to be at on Ian's hunting property:




We saw a monster old nyala here that had me climbing that hillside in 97 degree heat one day and sitting up there in 50 degree rain and 20 MPH winds the next day.

quote:

Originally posted by Venture South:
Overland
That valley is the route up to Lesotho know as Sani Pass. Great day trip from my concession. Roughly 3 hours drive each way and you get to have a beer at the highest pub in SA.

Thank you for the reply and information. Both that valley, and yours, look like truly wonderful places to spend some time.

Cry, the Beloved Country (1948)

There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya, one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu, on its journey from the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand.

Alan Paton - Cry the Beloved Country

Stunning bit of country. Awesome photographs.

IAN,

I am very interested in this for Nyala next year.

I see you advertised it as, "The hunt is 100% free range."

Can you please explain that for me and more importantly for others on AR like Larry Shores and Scott Powell who seem to have no concept of such.

Thank you.


"Politicians, attorney's, and shooters of wildlife behind high fences. Take em all down to south Texas, put em inside a high fenced escape proof enclosure without their guns and let the rattlesnakes cull em out."

Thanks Andrew
It is a bit of paradise that nature held on to just long enough.
All of the areas around "The Valley", are heavily farmed.

I must come up to your neck of the woods one day. You still live in a magical spot.

Echoanne

Thanks for contacting me.
I dont know Scott, but Larry is a gentleman and does a lot for conservation in Africa. I imagine that if you got to know him you would probably share a lot in common.

With regards to Free range. I believe that a population that breeds and moves without interference or constraint are free ranging.

In this case the area we hunt is a series of derelict cattle farms that have gradually merged back into wilderness.
The remaining fences that are along district roads and the odd farm boundary do not hinder the game movement in any fashion.

Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, Blue Duiker, Common Duiker, Oribi, Common Reedbuck, Zebra, Giraffe, Baboons, Monkeys, Warthog, Bushpig and a variety of other birds and mammals now call these valleys home.
Brahman cattle are the large herbivore in this system and are used in the place of Buffalo to maintain the balance in the grasslands.
Buffalo once roamed here, but in order to bring them back in we would then have to put up a fence. Catch 22.

My family has hunted these areas since they settled in East Griqualand in the late 1860's.
At the time the area was referred to as "No Mans Land"

Families used to trek with wagons to visit each other and would hunt and fish for weeks at a time before moving on to the next area to hunt and fish again.
Many of the family trees clearly show the family linkages where sons and daughters of age would invariably meet up on these family trips and later get married.

It was an era that provided for an extraordinary life.

Ian,

Thank you. I appreciate you explaining that free range means ". . . a population that breeds and moves without interference or constraint are free ranging."

quote:

a population that breeds and moves without interference or constraint are free ranging."

Just to be clear. That does not exclude fences. Many species dont care what fence is there or not and many species have such small home ranges that they may never move outside of a 10ha camp.

I prefer hunting low or no fenced areas of at least 10 000ha or more, but that said some species like Wildebeest or Big 5 must be fenced due to legal reasons.

My feeling on the matter is that you should do what works for you and let others do the same.
Just make sure that your expectations have been passed on to the outfitter before the booking happens and that you are realistic in your expectations.
An open an honest relationship from both sides is the key to a good safari.

All the best
Ian

quote:

Originally posted by Venture South:
Thanks Andrew
It is a bit of paradise that nature held on to just long enough.
All of the areas around "The Valley", are heavily farmed.

I must come up to your neck of the woods one day. You still live in a magical spot.

Anytime mate.

quote:

Originally posted by Venture South:

My feeling on the matter is that you should do what works for you and let others do the same.

Sound advice.

Nice offer Ian. I hope you find a client to fill this spot who is as level headed and non judgmental as you are mate.

Good luck and good hunting.

quote:

Sound advice.

Nice offer Ian. I hope you find a client to fill this spot who is as level headed and non judgmental as you are mate.

Good luck and good hunting.

Thanks Ty. I wasn't always. But I do try.

We are in the process of trying to secure more "ex farmland" to increase the size of the concessions.
Our goal is to get 100 000ha under conservation based management in conjunction with the communities that now own the land.

Its a tall order, but one that is reliant on hunters being willing to travel to South Africa.

If people are alienated and shat on every time the dare talk about their hunting experiences, it wont be long before we all look like a bunch of snobs.
To my mind, anyone that is spending a conservation dollar is a friend and is vital to the survival of the wild.
If a conservation model is sustainable then it has already passed any test it needs to. We just need loyal hunters to help us make it a reality.

All the best
Ian

Just a reminder, this offer ends 30th November
Thanks
Ian