Grab a cold drink and sit back as this will be a long post. I want to include as much info as possible up front.

As the current news from the Bots Govt doesn't seem be even hinting at opening the boarders this month, it looks like hunting in Bots for 2020 is going to be pretty much a bust. Technically, the "official" hunting season runs from 1 Apr to 30 Sep but, planes game hunting on private land can be "open" year a round. Even though Gerhard Koch's place, Sass Post, is private land, he follows the "official" season dates.

On a positive side, Gerhard and his friend Jaco Visser, did win two separate concessions for elephant (15) south of Maun near the Okavango Delta and a few cape buffalo and two leopard this (2020) year and 3 additional elephant in a concession at the north end of the Tuli Block N. of Gaborne. The govt did allow their concession rights and quotas to be rolled over into 2021. As those are govt concessions, those hunts can't be until after Apr 1, 2021.

I've already set aside three plains game hunt dates centered over the dark of the moon for Jun, Jul and Aug 2021 with Gerhard for his place, Sass Post, at the south end of the Tuli Block along the Limpopo river, for some small group hunts again. All three dates will be for 10 FULL hunting days with travel to and back added on each end.

I had three similar trips this year (2020) scheduled but the WuFlu hit. The small groups are limited to 4-5 total hunters/observers. Closed camp, meaning our group are the ONLY ones on the entire property (250k acres) for the duration of the hunt.

2-17 Jun 2021 - we'll depart the US on 2 Jun. We'll arrive at Sass Post on 4 Jun and hunt 10 FULL days from 5-14 Jun. Travel back will be the 15th and home on the 17th. I already have two people on this so room for 2-3 more. I'll be one of the hunters on this one.

3-18 Jul 2021 - depart the US on 3 Jul. Arrive Sass Post on 5 Jul and hunt 10 FULL days from 6-15 Jul. Travel home will start on the 16th and home the 18th. All four-five spots for this one are currently open. I would prefer not to travel with this group unless there are first time African hunters /observers that can't make the other trip dates.

31-Jul to 15 Aug 2021 - we'll depart on 31 Jul. Arrive at Sass Post on 2 Aug and hunt 10 FULL days from 3-12 Aug. Travel home will start on 13 Aug and home on the 15th. All four spots are currently spoken for. I'll be on this hunt for sure and the other three spots are the same ones who were on this Aug's CNX'd hunt. Would consider taking a 5th if needed.

Several important things:

1. NO MONEY IS REQUIRED at this point. Only thing required, for now, is a public commitment to one of the spots or as an "alternate" for a spot. If there is an alternate (5th) for a group, you will go. I've already reserved the dates to hold them as the full dark moon is the prime time for PG hunting.

2. Once the boarders get open and the airline routes get sorted out then we can start actually locking in commitments. I'm thinking that things will be back and mostly on track early in 2021. By "locking in commitments", I mean you'll have to put down a deposit directly with Gerhard. The deposit is the customary 50% minimum of the daily rates and projected trophy fees or 50% of the "package" price if you opt for one of those. At this point I think it would be reasonable to anticipate that being no later than 120-days from the date we are scheduled to arrive with the balance paid in cash or by credit card before we leave Sass Post. This 120-day window will also be after the normal DSC/SCI expos. At this point, Gerhard and Jaco are still planning to attend the Houston Safari Club Expo 26-28 Feb 2021.

3. You are also always welcome to book a hunt directly with Gerhard if you can't make one of the three small group trips. Either way, I'll still help you coordinate your travel and any overnight lodging you might need along the way as well as your rifle import permits into Bots and any other questions you may have.

4. As I’ve mentioned before – I don’t get a “cut” or a “commission”. If I go, I pay my own way. I do this just because I honestly love going and also helping others who may have always wanted to go but don’t have anyone else interested or thought it was too difficult to do on their own. So, here are the four “usual” packages Gerhard has. You can also contact him directly and inquire about other options you’d like. His email address is: gmkochbotyahoo.com and if you have the smart phone app called Whatsapp you can text him at: +267 75 414 214.

5. Below is his price list - same prices as offered this year (2020). The listed package hunts are just the most popular ones he offers. You have a choice of one of these or a straight daily rate and individual trophy/cull fee per head or you can contact him directly and tell him what you want for a "package" in the terms of number of days, species, number of heads of each and trophy or culls and have him give a your customized hunt. As long as you can do the same date windows I've got above, you're more than welcome to join one of the trips.

Note: All of the below "packages" are for less than the 10 full hunting days I've booked so, you'll have to add a couple of extra daily rate fees to the package you choose to make the full 10-day trip. Again, these are just examples and can be modified to fit your desires. For example, on the Aug trip, I'm doing pkg #4 and exchanging trophies for more culls of each species and the wart hogs for other culls and doing it with just two other shooters.

2021 PACKAGES: (All prices are in U.S. Dollars)

PACKAGE # 1 – 6 Trophy Animals – 1x impala, 1x warthog, 1x blue w/b, 1x kudu, 1x gemsbok, 1x waterbuck. Includes 7 nights, 6 full hunting days all inclusive. Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 1x1 (each hunter will have own PH) $7800.00 per client.

PACKAGE # 2 – 10 Trophy Animals – 2x impala, 2x warthog, 2x blue w/b, 1x zebra, 1x kudu, 1x gemsbok, 1x waterbuck. Includes 8 nights, 7 full hunting days all inclusive. Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 1x1 (each hunter will have own PH) $8900.00 per client.

PACKAGE # 3 – 20 Cull Animals – 10x cull impala, 10x blue w/b. split between 2 hunters. Includes 7 nights, 6 full hunting days all inclusive, Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 2x1 (2 hunters and one PH) $3000.00 per client. Up to two of each species can be taken as trophies at no extra charge.

PACKAGE #4 – 24 Trophies and 60 Culls – Must be a minimum group of 4 hunters. 40x impala ( 1x trophy & 9x culls each hunter), 12x warthog (1x trophy & 2x culls each hunter), 20x blue w/b (1x trophy & 4x culls each hunter), 4x trophy zebra (1x trophy each hunter), 4x trophy kudu (1x trophy each hunter), 4x trophy eland (1x trophy each hunter). . Includes 8 nights, 7 full hunting days all inclusive. Each hunter will hunt 1x1 with own PH, tracker and truck. The trophy kudu and trophy eland can be exchanged for any other trophy or cull animals at the same prices listed below. $6375.00 per client.

Notes – extra shooters can be added to the group at the same rate.
Extra cull animals can be added at: Impala - $100.00 ea., blue w/b $200.00 ea., zebra $350.00 ea., and giraffe $1000.00 ea.
Extra days can be added to above packages at a cost of $350.00 p/p/p/d 1x1 or $250.00 p/p/p/d 2x1. Non-hunting observers $150.00 p/p/p/d. In addition to the above all inclusive packages we will custom tailor a package to your specifications and requirements.

2020 STAND ALONE AND ADD ON TROPHY FEES:

Trophy animals can be added to any of the above packages on an al a carte fee basis at the following prices per animal.
Giraffe $2500.00 Eland $1600.00 Impala $400.00
Kudu $1500.00 Gemsbok $1000.00 Warthog $350.00
Bushbuck $1000.00 Blue b/b $600.00 Red h/b $1000.00
Waterbuck $1400.00 Steenbok $200.00 Duiker $200.00
Baboon $50.00 Vervet Monkey $20.00 Jackal FREE
**Other species may be available on request

DG Hunts:

NG49 - South of Maun in the Okavango Delta region 700,000 acres. You'd fly into Maun
10-day elephant hunt $65.000.00. General expectation is 50-60lbs with larger possible.
10-day Cape Buffalo hunt $27,500.00.
10-day Leopard hunt over bait $32,500.00 with $7,800.00 trophy fee refunded if no shot opportunity provided.
10-day elephant and buffalo combo hunt $82,500.00
10-day elephant and leopard combo hunt $87,500.00 with same leopard TF refund for no shot opportunity

CT27 - North end of the Tuli Block (eastern Bots) region, 2,000,000 acres. You'd fly into Gaborone.
10-day elephant hunt $27,500.00. General expectation is 30-40lbs

All hunts (PG and DG) include road transfers from the airport to "camp". Rifle import permits, all meals, daily laundry service, daily maid service, locally available beer and hard liqueur (within reason). Initial trophy prep and transport to local taxidermist for export etc. Not included are airfare to/from home to either Maun or Gaborone or any meals or lodging desired/required before being met at the respective airport or after being returned to the airport for your return home.

Had messages and photos from Gerhard yesterday. The rains have started in the south end of the Tuli and have filled all the pans in the area in just a few hours and the Limpopo river in his area is flowing strong.

The good rains and limited game take off this season should make for excellent hunting in 2021.

Just need the boarders to open by Apr.

Sorry for not posting in a bit. Been extra busy lately. So.....

Good news is that Botswana is open again for international travel, tourism and hunters. Current airlines offering flights in/out are Air Botswana from Johannesburg to Gaborone and Maun, Ethiopian Airlines into Maun and Gabby and Qatar Air via J'berg and partnered with Air Bots. All are on very limited schedules of just a couple of flights a week while waiting for demand to build.

Similar Covid 19 requirements such as having a clean Covid test cert within 72 hrs of arrival in country etc. Things in general are still sorting themselves out kind of like waking up from a long hard sleep. I feel pretty confident that by the time the formal hunting season opens on 1 Apr, things will be mostly sorted out and running more or less smoothly as can be expected.

Also a little more good news. Gerhard finally has his website back up and online.
Kochsafaris.com

Was pretty much a complete "do over" and all fresh and new.

He also links to I guess it's his Youtube channel from the his website where he plans on updating videos. He's just got two video clips up there now and hope a few more will subscribe and give him a bit of boost.

As always, if anyone has any questions on Bots, Gerhard and Maggie's ops and either of the two small group trips, always feel free to contact me or Gerhard.