Gemsbok - free state? (And possibly lechwe)

[wildfowler.250]

Hi folks,


Had a lot of interesting replies recently about what game folk like to hunt and a lot seemed to be what is endemic to an area - completely fair!

Jumping along, I think the free state has gemsbok. Probably introduced I know but I don’t think the free state is a million miles away from where I’ll be. Has anyone hunted gemsbok there? Or an opinion on it? I think it’s a fairly open, dry area? So may be more close to their natural surroundings?

I think the free state,( having never been) also has lechwe. Obviously not native to there. I think they do quite well in these areas too though?

Are both a fair chase/reasonable hunt in these areas? I don’t mind hunting something introduced a long time back but I want them to be ‘wild’. IE , move too quick, safety too loud and they’re off.

I can go hunt common reedbuck or blue wildebeest instead. I may still do the reedbuck but gemsbok and lechwe are two animals I’m definitely interested in provided they’re a proper hunt. Cites now has me slightly leaning more to the gemsbok but that’s a separate issue.


Cheers!

 

[K-man]

If you are locked in on the free state, I understand. If I wanted Gemsbok and Lechwe, I would travel to Namibia and go up into what used to be called the Caprivi Strip. Kowas and Ndumo are both quality outfits there. Good luck with your hunt!

 

[dchum]

I would not hunt a lechwe there. Gemsbok is probably in the $1500 range and I believe that is too expensive.

Hunt reedbuck and wildebeest

A big reedbuck in SA is on my list done day. Very cool animals

 

[wildfowler.250]

If you are locked in on the free state, I understand. If I wanted Gemsbok and Lechwe, I would travel to Namibia and go up into what used to be called the Caprivi Strip. Kowas and Ndumo are both quality outfits there. Good luck with your hunt!

Thanks! Yes it’ll be free state or not at all. I may get back out in 10-15 years, may not. Who knows what import situations will be then.

I’m just not sure what level of a hunt to expect. Same as Namibia , it’s just that they were released..pass.. 50 years ago? I just don’t want to hunt something that was reared but otherwise it may be the best chance I’ll ever get

 

[wildfowler.250]

I would not hunt a lechwe there. Gemsbok is probably in the $1500 range and I Belive that is to expensive.

Hunt reedbuck and wildebeest

Thanks bud. Why not? Likely reared or just don’t like the idea of them being there?

Hartebeest is a maybe. I’ll probably go for a black wildebeest

 

[375Fox]

I think once you go once you won’t be able to get thought of going back out of your head. Save a gemsbok for Namibia.

Here is a report last year where they were dying of ticks in free state. Some animals do very well outside their native range others need more management.

J

Thread 'SOUTH AFRICA: Kuche Safaris - Free State - August 2024'

Aug 27, 2024

On forum members advice- copied here from another forum:

It all started with a phone call to my wife last July about this absurdly cheap African safari hunt that was about to sell at a Ducks Unlimited banquet. I did some quick math in my head and a surface level Google search about the outfitter. I learned quickly that Kuche is a high volume outfit with multiple camps across the country, hundreds of clients, and thousands of harvested animals per year. There were mixed reviews online from previous clients, mostly positive, but the negative opinions were there. Someone even referred to...

• jt13
• Replies: 131
• Forum: Hunting reports Africa

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[375Fox]

I’ll probably go for a black wildebeest

Definitely take a black wildebeest. They are a really unique animal and a cool hunt.

 

[Nyati]

From the Free State 2016

 

[spike.t]

Which lechwe?....kafue..Black.. or red..?.....

 

[375Fox]

Which lechwe?....kafue..Black.. or red..?.....

Is there an opportunity to choose in South Africa? Looking at photos they appear to be mostly kafue from black markings on legs but I always assumed that was mixed with red as well? Can all 3 interbreed?

 

[spike.t]

Is there an opportunity to choose in South Africa? Looking at photos they appear to be mostly kafue from black markings on legs but I always assumed that was mixed with red as well? Can all 3 interbreed?

Think kafue and red there.....in SA.....bit of a shame kafue ones there...but just about everything is in SA....

 

[wildfowler.250]

From the Free State 2016

View attachment 681451

View attachment 681452

Very nice!

Is there an opportunity to choose in South Africa? Looking at photos they appear to be mostly kafue from black markings on legs but I always assumed that was mixed with red as well? Can all 3 interbreed?

Will have a look at the tick report. Certainly don’t want struggling, sickly animals

Think kafue and red there.....in SA.....bit of a shame kafue ones there...but just about everything is in SA....

Are the kafue the same Latin name? Last thing I need is import permit issues at the home airport. Outfitter has them down as red but they do seem to have black shoulder areas.

 

[spike.t]

 

[Hunt anything]

Reedbuck are one of my favorite hunts no matter the species.

 

[HookMeUpII]

If you're in Free State, from what I understand, the two endemic species that you'd want to hunt there would be black wildebeest and springbok. There are also blue wildebeest endemic there too.

There are gemsbok there but they've been introduced. I'd personally feel better about hunting them there than other, thicker areas.

 

[AZDAVE]

In 2018 hunted in the free state for a couple days. Saw some very nice red lechwe. But there weren't any gemsbok on the farm we were on. The terrain reminded me of NE Wyoming.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Reedbuck are one of my favorite hunts no matter the species.

If you're in Free State, from what I understand, the two endemic species that you'd want to hunt there would be black wildebeest and springbok. There are also blue wildebeest endemic there too.

There are gemsbok there but they've been introduced. I'd personally feel better about hunting them there than other, thicker areas.

In 2018 hunted in the free state for a couple days. Saw some very nice red lechwe. But there weren't any gemsbok on the farm we were on. The terrain reminded me of NE Wyoming.

Thanks folks. I may well get to other areas in RSA as well. I was tempted to go for one of the above 2 , have been for a long time. But sounds like going for a waterbuck or something else makes more sense.

Zero chance I’ll be back hunting in Botswana though. Although one can always hope!

 

[DieJager]

If you're in Free State, from what I understand, the two endemic species that you'd want to hunt there would be black wildebeest and springbok. There are also blue wildebeest endemic there too.

There are gemsbok there but they've been introduced. I'd personally feel better about hunting them there than other, thicker areas.

What I've read is that at least steenbok, duiker, zebra, warthog are also endemic to the the freestate. Of course jackal and baboon. You can definitely have a great hunt just hunting the endemic species. There are more but this is just what I remember.

It is a lofty goal to only hunt endemic species but sometimes you compromise. If you want to take a nice lechwe, why not. Last trip my wife told me to get an Impala. Not endemic to the region where I was hunting but like I said. Compromises, happy wife... Etc

 

[HookMeUpII]

What I've read is that at least steenbok, duiker, zebra, warthog are also endemic to the the freestate. Of course jackal and baboon. You can definitely have a great hunt just hunting the endemic species. There are more but this is just what I remember.

It is a lofty goal to only hunt endemic species but sometimes you compromise. If you want to take a nice lechwe, why not. Last trip my wife told me to get an Impala. Not endemic to the region where I was hunting but like I said. Compromises, happy wife... Etc

Yup. Agreed. I was just pointing out the endemics with a slightly smaller range. It's funny, I thought black wildebeest were all over Africa based on what I saw as a kid. Not the case. Found that out a couple years ago. Same with springbok.

Zebra would also be a very cool hunt in Free State. If I had to pick a top 3 list it would be:

- Black wildebeest
- Zebra
- Springbok

 

[DieJager]

Yup. Agreed. I was just pointing out the endemics with a slightly smaller range. It's funny, I thought black wildebeest were all over Africa based on what I saw as a kid. Not the case. Found that out a couple years ago. Same with springbok.

Zebra would also be a very cool hunt in Free State. If I had to pick a top 3 list it would be:

- Black wildebeest
- Zebra
- Springbok

Yeah I feel you. The Black wildebeest historical range is rather small. I only discovered this recently. I took one a couple of years in the upper north of the NWP in SA. Historically the weren't even there according to multiple sources.

Historical range black wildebeest