Free Range Namibia?

[Firebird]

-the benefit this site offers you is the amount of information you can read from people who have been there. Read through “hunting reports” and there are many Namibia reports as well as companies that are sponsors on here already.
In the “deals” section there are several Namibian sponsors offering packages right now.

We can speculate on kudu prices but your part of the homework is to e mail them direct and ask why their prices are what they are!

I’m with Ivw-there is tons of both good AND awful in both Namibia and S Africa. You must do the research and find what you want and discard the rest.
Reading over a decades worth of hunt reports will help you make these decisions

 

[Philip Glass]

I'm leaning towards Namibia over South Africa basically because it just sounds like it suits my style of hunting a little better. South Africa seems to have a lot more fenced areas and they seem more like game farms. I'm sure the critters are very wild and spooky (it's just their nature) but still, I really prefer not to hunt any farm bred animals. I know it probably doesn't mean much to most but I just prefer not to.
I found this place through a internet search but surprisingly can't find any discussion here on the forum about them

www.kanambohunting.com

Is anyone familiar with this outfit?
Also, it seems most outfitters keep their prices pretty close but I occasionally see something that seems significantly different. One example is Kudu trophy fees listed as $2000 at https://namibianhuntingsafaris.com/namibia-hunting/
But $3500 with Schalk Pienaar...(my favorite so far)

​

The fence means nothing if it is large acreage with self sustaining herds.
I know Schalk and he is here at SCI. Kudu are in high demand and Namibia at times suffers from rabies that kills many of them. I've seen some at $4500 in Namibia.

 

[revturbo9967]

You need to do more homework if you are under the impression that South Africa only offers "farm bred animals"......I truely do not understand where that notion comes from....

Because animals like in the picture attached are being bred on farms and advertised as such. Then released on to properties. These types of animals are advertised on this very website. Things like this are easily found all over the web

 

[Doug3006]

Hi Duke. There are outfits in both countries that offer unfenced options. Youre right about Namibia offering more. One South Africa option you might consider is Crusader Safaris. They offer free range hunts in the Eastern Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal.

Regarding prices, you’re right that the outfits charge very similar prices. Ain’t competition a great thing! Where there’s a significant difference it’s often because of the difference in accommodation. These can range from basic to palatial. I tend to toss out the highest and lowest cost options.

You may consider reviewing trip reports here on AH.com to find options. We have a number of sponsors in both countries that many members have hunted.

 

[Sourdough]

From my time hunting Namibia until now, a lot of "game farm" species have been introduced so Namibia can be more competitive as a hunting destination. For instance, the following animals now found throughout Namibia are either "game farm" introductions or descendants of "game farm" introductions (there are a few exceptions but only if you are hunting up north in Etosha or the Caprivi strip).

• Sable
• Roan
• Waterbuck
• Black Wildebeest
• Tsessebe
• Bontebok
• Blesbok

There might be others as well. Namibia is maybe what, three quarters the size of South Africa with only one thirtieth of the population. It is a fantastic place to visit and to hunt.

South Africa is strikingly beautiful and probably the most important country for the sport of hunting and preservation of wildlife. In the 1960's South Africa had killed off most of its wild animals, so much so that during the second "golden era" of safaris South Africa was not considered a destination.

Fast forward and because of private game farms and their owners South Africa now has the greatest variety of species to hunt, and has sizable herds of species that either are or nearly extinct in their original home range.

South Africa's model is the future of wildlife and hunting around the world, with the possible exception of Alaska. The insane growth rate of the human population assures this.

Every hunter world wide needs to thank South Africa for showing us the way, and embrace South Africa hunting whether it's your style or not.

Trophy fee differences between outfitters vary mostly due to the "trophy size" of the animal and if their was a cost associated with populating that species on the ranch, daily rate differences generally have to do with accommodations and level of services.

Book either country, you'll have an equally fantastic time.

 

[mark-hunter]

Also, it seems most outfitters keep their prices pretty close but I occasionally see something that seems significantly different.

Namibia has typically two price ranges.
One is central farmland pricing, where the prices are pretty much leveled. The other is northern Namibia - Caprivi strip (other name Zambezi region).
In Caprivi, as total free range, where big five roam, prices will be much higher. Caprivi is premier hunting destination.

In farm lands, there is no fence, low fence for cattle, and high fence areas.
There is not much difference in free range hunting between no fence, or low fence.

Speaking from experience, neither is much difference with hunting in high fence, in case it is large enough.
All you need to do is following.

Choose outfitters, and drop them an email.
Tell them you want hunting out of fence, and ask what species would they recommend. Then ask, how many days, for that many animals would they recommend.
Then go.

You want more wild?
Go to Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The risk of hunting wild unfenced areas can be getting to area ravaged by poaching, and with not many game around, or getting there in wrong season, when animals migrate somewhere else.
Could be also less species available, or more days required. Day rates will be much higher.

So, follow recommendations on the forums in choosing the outfit, and then follow outfitters advice of when and what, and you will not make mistake

I have been hunting in Namibia three times, my future destinations are South Africa and Zimbabwe, whatever comes first. I dont have prejudice against any country to hunt, or high fences.

 

[Mountaineer]

I have been hunting in both South Africa and Namibia. Both places offered a great experience. My last two trips and my next trip in August will be with Phillip at Khomas Highlands Safari. Great low fence ranch. Phillip and his staff are awesome. He is certainly worth giving a call. Good luck.

 

[WY ME]

I don't have the experience like many on this site do but I have hunted in Namibia twice and SA once and worked in some other African countries a few times. I really like Namibia a lot. It's safe, clean and not crowded with people. The game is just now recovering from a severe drought and the rabies epidemic that hit the kudu pretty hard awhile back. I'll be going back to Namibia again but my next trip is likely to be in Mozambique in 2024. I understand your feeling on high fences, I'm the same way.
Have fun!

 

[outwestidaho]

We hunted Namibia 10 years ago. All low fence. Was a great time. Limited on species because they are all native to the land. It was more of a culture experience than the hunts we have done in South Africa. We hunted with Westfalen Safaris.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

Because animals like in the picture attached are being bred on farms and advertised as such. Then released on to properties. These types of animals are advertised on this very website. Things like this are easily found all over the web

The term 'only' is key here...

 

[FlyGuy]

Hunts on low fence cattle or sheep ranches for free ranging game such as kudu, oryx, springbok, impala, waterbuck, eland, warthog etc. are available in SA, Namibia, Botswana and Zim, but they are becoming more and more scarce as time goes by.

Complete open area hunting areas are few and far between in today's world.
If you think about it, Kruger National Park is completely fenced. It's a huge area, but it's still fenced.

Time spent researching everything about your hunting areas, outfitters etc. is never time wasted.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

If you think about it, Kruger National Park is completely fenced.

No, it's only fenced on the western side. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is in the process of being formed and once completed, will encompass over 35k square kilometres.

Hunts on low fence cattle or sheep ranches for free ranging game such as kudu, oryx, springbok, impala, waterbuck, eland, warthog etc. are available in SA, Namibia, Botswana and Zim, but they are becoming more and more scarce as time goes by.

I strongly disagree. 10-15 years ago you'd be hard-pressed to find low-fenced hunts in South Africa (assuming you weren't a knowledgeable local hunter who knew where all the best places were) but now more and more are being advertised as outfitters in the country have realized just how sought-after those kinds of areas are.

As for Namibia and Botswana... I'm not sure why you think their free-range and low-fenced hunting areas are disappearing. Both countries have tiny human populations and Namibia has an extremely robust community conservation process. If anything, their free-range hunting areas are increasing.

 

[FlyGuy]

now more and more are being advertised as outfitters in the country have realized just how sought-after those kinds of areas are.

Don't I know it.... Quite a few of the low fence properties I used to hunt are no longer available for local hunters. Our hunting spots have become like our favourite fishing spots, you tell nobody about them.

As for Namibia and Botswana... I'm not sure why you think their free-range and low-fenced hunting areas are disappearing. Both countries have tiny human populations and Namibia has an extremely robust community conservation process. If anything, their free-range hunting areas are increasing.

I've hunted Namibia for the last 44 years. Back in the late 70's and 80's we used to see Springbok herds that often numbered more than 100k. As more and more fences went up, these herds started disappearing and we've seen nothing that comes close to those herds for well over 20 years.
Same with the massive herds of Red hartebeest and zebra that used to migrate from North to South and back.

Many of the low fenced areas have now become high fenced.

True open area hunting can still be found in Namibia and Botswana, but it ain't Alaska!

 

[Sika98k]

Because animals like in the picture attached are being bred on farms and advertised as such. Then released on to properties. These types of animals are advertised on this very website. Things like this are easily found all over the web View attachment 519613

Ghastly looking animal.

 

[BRICKBURN]

............... fenced areas and they seem more like game farms...........
I found this place through a internet search but surprisingly can't find any discussion here on the forum about them

www.kanambohunting.com

FYI, Several of the species on this list will most certainly be inside an enclosure. Roan and Sable are not running free near Otjiwarongo / Kakfeld. Nyala are not endemic to the area either.

Perhaps, they may be catering more to Europeans and thus less discussion found here on AH.

I love Namibia. I've hunted Cattle ranches and huge high fence properties.

Have a look on Google Earth. There are a lot of fence lines.

Keep researching and asking questions.

 

[meigsbucks]

As several have stated, there is a lot of non fenced areas in RSA.
Namibia is a great hunting country. Numerous good outfitters hunt “wild” areas. I only hunted Namibia once and that was with Jamy Traut. He has three areas he hunts that fit your desires.