@firehuntfish great post above.
I think the problem with many bowhunters going to Africa is lack of empathy and understanding for the outfitter. You can ask for anything you want and select a PH that will get you that, but it comes at a price.
If you want to hunt a lot of animals in a very short safari of 7-10 days, of course you're hunting RSA and of course you're hunting over water holes or blinds. If this is not what you're looking for and you demand wilderness spot and stalk hunting with no fences, no problem, you can go to Zimbabwe and many other locations. However, if you want spot-and-stalk in a country other than RSA that means the PH/Operator does not own the animals. They are not going to buy the quota and let you galavant across the countryside for 14-21 days doing spot and stalk without you paying a serious premium because they have to pay for the quota YOU DO NOT SHOOT. Further, they have to pay for bowhunting licenses that are quite expensive in most countries. Lastly, they have to endure a sizable minority of the bowhunting dangerous game hunter population that demands they kill the dangerous game with an arrow or they have a hissy fit because it can't be entered in the record book. Obviously, this creates peril for the PH/Operator both in hazard pay and in dealing with clients that get pouty because they put a bad shot on an animal and then are getting surly at camp because the PH killed it in a charge or to end animal suffering.
PHs and operators are good people on the whole. Same for bowhunters. But you have to understand the economics of what you demand along with the practicalities thereof. No PH even in RSA is going to offer you a hunt at very low daily rates for spot and stalk because the odds are few trophies will be taken and they will have wasted a lot and time and money on a client that was on a virtually free walkabout.
@rookhawk ,
You have made some excellent and accurate points about bowhunting Africa in general. What you have asserted is true for the vast majority of outfitters with a couple of exceptions.
You are correct that most outfitters are not going to generate the same income from a bowhunting client who is willing to sit in hides at water holes with a typical wish list of 5-7 animals compared to a client who wants to exclusively stalk 1 or 2 species over a 7 day safari. With that said, if you represent yourself as a "bowhunting outfitter" you have to be both willing and able to accommodate both types of clients. In my experiences, there are only a handful of outfitters in RSA that are able to offer this. However, with some due diligence and research these outfitters do exist and a rewarding spot & stalk experience can be found in RSA.
These outfitters all share the same characteristics in that they own big portions of their own hunting land which gives them control over the game management and the clientele. This affords them to be able to offer "shoulder season" hunting opportunities when the bush is still thick in early season and the animals are not yet coming to water anyway. Spot & stalk for most species is the only method that will likely be successful. I would also emphasize that these outfitter/PHs must also be experienced bowhunters themselves. First-hand knowledge and experience is necessary for their bowhunting clients to be successful. If the PH is not familiar with the property, the game, and how to properly stalk with a bow, success will be extremely limited.
Since most RSA outfitters do not own the majority of their own hunting properties, it may be difficult, if not impossible for them to accommodate spot & stalk hunters for that reason and the logistical challenges that go along with it. Then, as you alluded to likely due to those logistical limitations, or simple economics, many outfitters are not interested in committing the time and space in camp to clients who are not going to generate the same potential income.
Interestingly, I found Limcroma as one of those clients who had hunted previously with a couple of different "bowhunting" outfitters. My wife and I had taken most if not all of our "trophy animals" (most of which were taken over water/minerals from hides) on previous safaris and we were looking for an outfitter who was willing to accommodate our wishes to not only to spot & stalk, but to hunt non-trophy animals. We had been recommended to Hannes Els and Limcroma from some hunting friends who raved about their experiences at Limcroma as the best bowhunting outfitter they had ever hunted with. After some thorough communications with Hannes expressing our goals and desires, he was more than happy to accommodate us. We were blown away by our experience and our expectations were exceeded by every measure. Suffice to say, 5 trips and 13 years later with trip #6 coming up in August, I have been representing Hannes and Limcroma as a consultant, and long-time client. In my opinion as a hunter and client, Limcroma offers one of the finest bowhunting experiences in Africa for all the reasons above and more.
Because we have the land, the logistics, and the experienced staff in place, we are more than happy to do our absolute best to accommodate all types of clients with all sorts of goals regardless of what they plan to spend. We are more than willing to offer spot & stalk exclusively to our bowhunting clients if that is their desire. All we ask is that they are willing to accept the challenges and limits of success in doing so. And, we will work with them to have them here at the most opportune times of the season and at the best value we can offer!
