A Win for South African Hunters!

[Red Leg]

Can you please share the name of the outfitter you went with for the Limpopo buff hunt?

Sure - Philip Bronkhorst. This is the report.

SOUTH AFRICA: Up Close In The Limpopo - Hunting Cape Buffalo With Phillip Bronkhorst

The morning started like many buffalo hunts anywhere with the fresh tracks of a small herd crossing a dirt trace cut through the bush. Phillip Bronkhorst, Pieter Taylor (one of Phillip's PHs), our tracker Josias, Rickey (a young videographer in training), and your faithful correspondent bailed...

www.africahunting.com

The story is also in the January-March 2019 issue of "African Hunting Gazette."

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

You’ve brought up this example several times. I’m certain it’s equivalent to free range hunting in Namibia or Botswana, maybe better due to presence of big 5. It will draw a certain clientele willing to pay a premium. I’ve never seen anyone deny these areas exist in South Africa. However, it’s hard to look past the thousands of small properties in between that don’t operate that way.
Why don’t you bring up self-sustaining reserves managed on quotas between say 20,000 and 80,000 acres? They don’t get nearly the attention this 200,000 acre concession gets. Who do they compete with? A 200,000 acre big 5 concession managed on a sustainable quota or the 10,000 acre Limpopo ranch that claims to be self sustaining but also seems to have an endless supply of trophy sable, trophy buffalo, 12-13 foot crocs that have found their way into stock ponds, and different antelope color variants (and commercial breeding operations very visible not far down the road). These outfitters advertise the same experience and claim self sustaining animals too except at a significant discounted price to properties that really are self sustaining. If you care that much about South Africa’s reputation, I don’t understand why you don’t speak out against it. That’s really the difference I see between Namibia and South Africa. The professional hunters association in Namibia holds their members to a set of ethics where South Africa does not.
What is self sustaining in South Africa? I’ll use buffalo as an example. A property with only bull buffalo that don’t need fed (but obviously can’t breed)? A property where the bull to cow ratio is 5 to 1 with additional young bulls added yearly from a breeding operation? A property where the herd continues to grow without any human interference? The definition of self-sustaining seems to be a flexible definition as outfitters flight for clients.

Waterberg Wilderness is a self sustaining area of 78,000 acres in Limpopo with the entire dangerous 7 self sustained, this had Quotas are calculated by the ecologist each year.
Some years we have quota on Elle, wild managed Lion and Rhino other years we don’t.
Self sustainable areas are a reality in SA and so is a quality legitimate hunt.
As an operator that runs Waterberg wilderness as well as 721,000 acres in the Niassa special reserve as well as Makuya conservancy bordering Kruger I will state the following clearly.
Any hunter that claims that there are no self sustainable hunts and or legitimate honest hunting experiences in SA has done zero research or made his/her SA decisions based on the cheapest possible option he/she could initially have.

While SA can not deliver what Tanzania, or Niassa special reserve does (the latter being better than most Tanzania areas)
It still has quality safaris to offer to the discerning hunter, you just need to pay your due diligence.

I truly hope that SA landowners start focusing on conservancy’s thereby expanding continuous tracts of land, the diversity the country has to offer is in many ways so much more than some of its neighbors. Extensive, expansive is the way to go, say no to intensive breeding, put and take.
My best always.

 

[375Fox]

Waterberg Wilderness is a self sustaining area of 78,000 acres in Limpopo with the entire dangerous 7 self sustained, this had Quotas are calculated by the ecologist each year.
Some years we have quota on Elle, wild managed Lion and Rhino other years we don’t.
Self sustainable areas are a reality in SA and so is a quality legitimate hunt.
As an operator that runs Waterberg wilderness as well as 721,000 acres in the Niassa special reserve as well as Makuya conservancy bordering Kruger I will state the following clearly.
Any hunter that claims that there are no self sustainable hunts and or legitimate honest hunting experiences in SA has done zero research or made his/her SA decisions based on the cheapest possible option he/she could initially have.

While SA can not deliver what Tanzania, or Niassa special reserve does (the latter being better than most Tanzania areas)
It still has quality safaris to offer to the discerning hunter, you just need to pay your due diligence.

I truly hope that SA landowners start focusing on conservancy’s thereby expanding continuous tracts of land, the diversity the country has to offer is in many ways so much more than some of its neighbors. Extensive, expansive is the way to go, say no to intensive breeding, put and take.
My best always.

Everything you wrote and I’ve read about your Waterberg Wilderness area is the way it should be. I think it’s unfortunate properties like yours and others similar have to compete against operations advertising what they are not. I hope other hunters make better decisions on the hunts they choose from these discussions.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Everything you wrote and I’ve read about your Waterberg Wilderness area is the way it should be. I think it’s unfortunate properties like yours and others similar have to compete against operations advertising what they are not. I hope other hunters make better decisions on the hunts they choose from these discussions.

I truly hope that some wisdom prevails and operators make better decisions.
I do not wish to keep anyone from making a living, but we (as outfitters thought out Africa) need to realize that our decisions and what we do influence the image of hunting out there.
We are battling as it is to keep this passion alive and for us to put out a message of enhancement and conservation we will have to all start doing our part.
My best always.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

You’ve brought up this example several times. I’m certain it’s equivalent to free range hunting in Namibia or Botswana, maybe better due to presence of big 5. It will draw a certain clientele willing to pay a premium. I’ve never seen anyone deny these areas exist in South Africa. However, it’s hard to look past the thousands of small properties in between that don’t operate that way.
Why don’t you bring up self-sustaining reserves managed on quotas between say 20,000 and 80,000 acres? They don’t get nearly the attention this 200,000 acre concession gets. Who do they compete with? A 200,000 acre big 5 concession managed on a sustainable quota or the 10,000 acre Limpopo ranch that claims to be self sustaining but also seems to have an endless supply of trophy sable, trophy buffalo, 12-13 foot crocs that have found their way into stock ponds, and different antelope color variants (and commercial breeding operations very visible not far down the road). These outfitters advertise the same experience and claim self sustaining animals too except at a significant discounted price to properties that really are self sustaining. If you care that much about South Africa’s reputation, I don’t understand why you don’t speak out against it. That’s really the difference I see between Namibia and South Africa. The professional hunters association in Namibia holds their members to a set of ethics where South Africa does not.
What is self sustaining in South Africa? I’ll use buffalo as an example. A property with only bull buffalo that don’t need fed (but obviously can’t breed)? A property where the bull to cow ratio is 5 to 1 with additional young bulls added yearly from a breeding operation? A property where the herd continues to grow without any human interference? The definition of self-sustaining seems to be a flexible definition as outfitters flight for clients.

In addition to what you have stated. You can hunt black wildebeest in Botswana on a 100 000 acre property and even the Lambrechts in Namibia to name but one has Nyala and or Blesbuck…. These are most definitely or should I say guaranteed not native to Nam, I do not mean to single out an operation as there are several High flyers in country operating on the same level.
If we are to remain objective we should acknowledge as such. This is deeper than just S.A. It might be more prevalent in one country but we simply can not discard the others I would deem that to be convenient at best.
My best as always
Jaco

 

[Red Leg]

In addition to what you have stated. You can hunt black wildebeest in Botswana on a 100 000 acre property and even the Lambrechts in Namibia to name but one has Nyala and or Blesbuck…. These are most definitely or should I say guaranteed not native to Nam, I do not mean to single out an operation as there are several High flyers in country operating on the same level.
If we are to remain objective we should acknowledge as such. This is deeper than just S.A. It might be more prevalent in one country but we simply can not discard the others I would deem that to be convenient at best.
My best as always
Jaco

Great input as always Jaco. I think where these discussions get off the rails is when we, by that I mean the paying customer, allow the personal preferences and prejudices that govern where we make our investment decisions with respect to hunting influence general observations about location or environment - preferences and prejudices that may not be at all relevant to someone else.

For instance, with respect to non-indigenous species, whether Namibia, South Africa or Central Texas, that is purely a personal issue that is not intended to reflect on the quality of a given ranch or conservancy wherever it might be. I simply have no interest in hunting such animals behind a fence in either Namibia or South Africa any more than I do hunting one outside Kerrville, Texas. But that does not mean that such an animal can't provide a great hunting experience on the right ranch for a hunter for whom that is unimportant. As I noted above, it took me two safaris to take a sable and many years to take truly large one. Two or three days in the Limpopo would make far more sense to many people. Created animals, such as a full color palette of springbok, are also of no interest to me. But good on those ranches that have bred them and found hunters willing to invest dollars to hunt them.

And because I am on my personal quirks, let me add a couple of others. I really struggle with the opportunity advertisements to come shoot a particular animal. Whether it is the no longer breeding 47" sable or grumpy old cape buffalo bull. But that is a personal quirk and has nothing to do with how someone else values that opportunity.

And what will be my last personal point of order, is the ever growing practice of paying by the inch or size category. If I am interested in that, I'll go to Europe or New Zealand. I can certainly understand why the model would be appealing to anyone with a captive population of game animals. But the practice underscores what I think is the single largest difference between hunting truly free range environments and a game ranch. In the former, the relationship with the PH is built around finding the best quality animal for the client that time and circumstance allow. That is a very different relationship when a centimeter can mean a $5K - 10K difference in the cost of a kudu. That said, I get it that paying a premium for a 58" kudu may be a logical use of resources for another hunter.

Fortunately there are many first class operators in both South Africa and Namibia that provide wonderful opportunities for an international hunter. As I mentioned above, such ranches are almost always the best choice for initial exposure to Africa or if traveling with a spouse - particularly a non-hunting observer. Many are content to return again and again without venturing to the deeper end of the African pool. Good on the owner operator who can create that sort of client loyalty.

What I hate to see, are put and take operations sold as something else. Whether it is the lone old cape buffalo freezing on the barren slope of an Eastern Cape thousand acre fenced pasture, or the hippo in the stock tank, or the "problem lion" that serendipitously crosses over from Botswana (far less common now for a host of reasons), or the high volume operation pushing through dozens of clients that make a mockery of self-sustainment.

I hope you and your colleagues continue to keep up the good fight and continue to participate in these dialogues. Conversations (rather than arguments) like this are so important as hunters begin to plan their first hunts in Africa and assemble the sort of questions that are important to them in selecting an outfitter and destination.

 

[Doug3006]

SA, being the most affordable option, makes it the country that most people visit for their first safari. It’s affordable because operators are numerous. Supply and demand after all. A lot of good outfits….but also some bad ones. The bad ones range from the well-intended, who really don’t have a clue what a true safari is about, to the unscrupulous who are in it for a fast buck.

I cringe every time I read a post from someone who won a safari with some outfit no one has heard of at their local Critterchasers auction. Invariably the person just joined AH and their post says….”hey, has anyone here heard of Acme Outfitters? I think they hunt in EC, or maybe Limpopo…not sure.” A recipe for disaster and possibly a SA-hater in the making.

I think the folks who contribute to this forum provide an essential service. Between the lot of us, we know a bit about Safari in Africa today. I also think we need to provide balanced opinions about the various Safari options out there. Very few first timers are going to be able to swing a Safari in Tanzania or Zambia. If we tell them that anything less than a true “wilderness safari” or in a high fence area is somehow inauthentic, we risk discouraging them. Seems to me we need to be recruiting members to our shrinking fraternity. Once they experience a great SA or Namibia Safari, they are likely to figure out how to afford a more extravagant hunt.

My 2 cents.

 

[Flewis]

Wow Doug3006 you said it way better than me.

 

[375Fox]

In addition to what you have stated. You can hunt black wildebeest in Botswana on a 100 000 acre property and even the Lambrechts in Namibia to name but one has Nyala and or Blesbuck…. These are most definitely or should I say guaranteed not native to Nam, I do not mean to single out an operation as there are several High flyers in country operating on the same level.
If we are to remain objective we should acknowledge as such. This is deeper than just S.A. It might be more prevalent in one country but we simply can not discard the others I would deem that to be convenient at best.
My best as always
Jaco

I’ve hunted in 5 African countries so far. I can say something positive and negative about each country. You are right about non-native species in Namibia. They are probably equally as wide spread there as on South African game ranches. However, I’ve never seen the scale of commercial game ranching as I have in South Africa, particularly in Limpopo. I’d like to see the demand there shift from the standard game farm to properties like you advertise with waterberg wilderness that are managed to recreate natural ecosystems.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Wow, does anyone know the origin of this legislation? Why would they move to undo what is working so well?

I almost put this in the politics section LOL

 

[C.W. Richter]

Seems odd, given the crucial role SA played in saving safari hunting and the miraculous surge in wildlife populations there. So, to the SA haters, bring it. Let’s hear your opinions.

Much like Texas South Africa has helped repopulate other areas with wildlife as a result of their practices. There are some absolutely amazingly beautiful huge concessions to hunt in South Africa! I was of course thinking about the Lions. However hunting then hitting a vineyard and the Indian Ocean would not be a bad day. How anti- anything works is the opposing politicians at the whim of their votership move the mountain in a negative way taking one stone away at a time. This of course representing just one of those stones...