Has anyone hunted buffalo in the "Greater Kruger Area". Experiences and recommendations

[Foxi]

Hi Fellows,
I've heared that there is free roaming for the animals.They can change the area into the park and back.
Fences are said, to have been dismantled decades ago.
Who has already hunted there and was really satisfied.
Greetings+Thanks
Foxi

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

There are fences around the area but the area is open on the side of the kruger park So the animals can pass into the kruger park and back again

 

[TakeMeLord]

APNR

Timbavati

Klaserie

Balule

Etc

 

[Spear Safaris]

To clarify a little bit better.
Greater Kruger is a extremely large area that borders Kruger, without a fence separating the two areas
The greater Kruger area also consists of multiple large reserves, that border one another without fences separating them
Where you will find a fence is where these areas border settlements, and other private land. Ie mainly to the south west and partly the north. Some of the preserves within the greater Kruger had no or very little boundary fence on one side mainly

 

[WAB]

I have hunted Klaserie. The number, age class and quality of the bulls is the best I have seen. The bull in my avatar was taken on that hunt.

The area is more developed than I would prefer. There are many lodges and the road system is extensive. If anything, the hunting is less challenging than say a hunt in the Luangwa or Zambezi valleys. Plains game was not available. I don’t know if this is a rule or just my specific hunt.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Hunted Klaserie with @Spear Safaris (Ernest Dyason) a couple of years ago. Was a wonderful hunt. Stayed at Ernest and Marita’s private lodge at Thornybush right down the road. The hunt was for a management bull less than 36” or so. It was easy to find buffalo, although it rained hard for two or three days. It was NOT easy to find the bull we were looking for. Was very nice seeing elephant and daytime leopard, lion etc. while hunting. Picked up a couple of impala for camp meat as well, although that was in Thornybush. Ernest is able to apply for a permit or two per year I think.

It’s not like hunting Mozambique or the big safari areas in Zim. It IS a wonderful hunt that your wife or girlfriend will enjoy as well.

 

[jeffpg]

I had a great hunt with Spear Safaris on a concession bordering Kruger, but I don't believe it was the Greater Kruger or Klaserie. This is new and interesting information for me.

 

[DE KLERK SAFARIS]

Ernest of Spear safaris run a good show.
He is in the Greater Kruger area so you cannot go wrong with him.

Sincerely
Hans de Klerk

 

[WAB]

I have hunted Klaserie. The number, age class and quality of the bulls is the best I have seen. The bull in my avatar was taken on that hunt.

The area is more developed than I would prefer. There are many lodges and the road system is extensive. If anything, the hunting is less challenging than say a hunt in the Luangwa or Zambezi valleys. Plains game was not available. I don’t know if this is a rule or just my specific hunt.

This is the Appie with the bull I took in Klaserie. The bosses on these bulls are incredible. This bull is 42” wide for perspective on the bosses.

 

[Doubleplay]

View attachment 628749

This is the Appie with the bull I took in Klaserie. The bosses on these bulls are incredible. This bull is 42” wide for perspective on the bosses.

Incredible animal. Well done.

 

[375Fox]

I hunted a huge reserve further north from APNR reserves that’s no longer open to hunting. I took my largest buffalo I ever expect to take there. It was Fenced on the western boundary and open on the eastern boundary with Kruger. The age class of buffalo and genetics from kruger is really impressive. If getting a really old buffalo or your biggest buffalo and having a comfortable hunt is the goal I’d do that hunt again. If the goal is a more pure wilderness experience and hard hunting I’d look elsewhere.

 

[sureshot375]

Probably the best buffalo hunting in the world. It’s hard to comprehend the number of Dugga boys running around that place.

The hunts are maybe different than other places in that the terrain allows for spot and stalk. There are a certain level of politics involved. Permits are issued based on size.

There are a number of nice lodges so you don’t have to rough it.

I went for an elephant hunt. When I saw the buffalo there was no way I was turning down an opportunity to hunt buff there.

 

[WAB]

Probably the best buffalo hunting in the world. It’s hard to comprehend the number of Dugga boys running around that place.

The hunts are maybe different than other places in that the terrain allows for spot and stalk. There are a certain level of politics involved. Permits are issued based on size.

There are a number of nice lodges so you don’t have to rough it.

I went for an elephant hunt. When I saw the buffalo there was no way I was turning down an opportunity to hunt buff there.

It really depends on what you are looking for in a hunt. Certainly the best genetics, numbers and age class I have seen. If you want the best trophy possible, this may very well be the place. If you’re looking for a tracking hunt in a remote, undeveloped area, this is not it.

 

[sureshot375]

It really depends on what you are looking for in a hunt. Certainly the best genetics, numbers and age class I have seen. If you want the best trophy possible, this may very well be the place. If you’re looking for a tracking hunt in a remote, undeveloped area, this is not it.

Agreed. I was trying to imply that in my post but didn’t do a good job.

Nowhere else will you have the opportunity to look over that many mature buffalo. There are all of the big five running around. There were Hyena and leopard coming through camp. In a way, it’s wild. It’s just you can take a nice paved road to get there.

Hunting open areas like that is a very unique opportunity. Take a place like Zim. Nice open areas are reserved for photo safaris. The hunting areas are thick, Rocky, and otherwise less desirable.

It terms of the terrain and the behavior of the animals it’s probably the closest thing that exist to hunting Africa 200 years ago.

In terms of your chance for getting your animal it’s almost a slam dunk. That being said I think buff have a pretty high success rate everywhere. That’s good or bad depending on how you look at it.

I can’t say which is better between the two. I have also hunted buff in Zambia and Zimbabwe. My last hunt was 18days in Zim. We tracked buff everyday in thick stuff only to get busted time and time again. Conditions were nearly impossible. The ground was noisy with dried leaves and the wind swirled non-stop. That being said, I was just as happy to lace up my boots on day 18 as I was on day 1. Never had anything close to a shot opportunity.

I would like to hunt buff in the greater Kruger again and take my time looking for a scrum cap. I’m not sure I will. I think with Covid over prices are back up to a level I’m not going to pay.

 

[WAB]

Agreed. I was trying to imply that in my post but didn’t do a good job.

Nowhere else will you have the opportunity to look over that many mature buffalo. There are all of the big five running around. There were Hyena and leopard coming through camp. In a way, it’s wild. It’s just you can take a nice paved road to get there.

Hunting open areas like that is a very unique opportunity. Take a place like Zim. Nice open areas are reserved for photo safaris. The hunting areas are thick, Rocky, and otherwise less desirable.

It terms of the terrain and the behavior of the animals it’s probably the closest thing that exist to hunting Africa 200 years ago.

In terms of your chance for getting your animal it’s almost a slam dunk. That being said I think buff have a pretty high success rate everywhere. That’s good or bad depending on how you look at it.

I can’t say which is better between the two. I have also hunted buff in Zambia and Zimbabwe. My last hunt was 18days in Zim. We tracked buff everyday in thick stuff only to get busted time and time again. Conditions were nearly impossible. The ground was noisy with dried leaves and the wind swirled non-stop. That being said, I was just as happy to lace up my boots on day 18 as I was on day 1. Never had anything close to a shot opportunity.

I would like to hunt buff in the greater Kruger again and take my time looking for a scrum cap. I’m not sure I will. I think with Covid over prices are back up to a level I’m not going to pay.

Agreed. I paid $16 for an unlimited hunt in Klaserie. I doubt that that is possible now.

 

[375Fox]

Agreed. I paid $16 for an unlimited hunt in Klaserie. I doubt that that is possible now.

I had an unlimited permit as well where I hunted. If I returned it would be for the management size looking for age. I saw old worn down dagga boys there I haven’t seen elsewhere.

 

[Mopani]

That’s were I want to hunt buffalo asap. Have been living next to Kruger for a couple of years, I’m a nature guide, guiding at Kruger for many years. I have seen plenty of big old bulls, I wouldn’t hesitate booking with one of the excellent outfitters there

Have hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe twice, both hunts I’m trying to forget…

 

[C.W. Richter]

That's the typical, old (proven) conservation plan (utilized by TR & Co. to form the first big Nat Parks in the US prior in the late 1800s). Big Park (Refuge for animals to be a sort of safe space breeding grounds with protected hunting concessions surrounding.) I think you'll find many great hunting reserves around the adjoining or nearby NPs in each RSA, Zim and Moz. I prefer SE Zim for Buffalo in that area (along all the rivers.) It's better than RSA but Moz probably even better for BIG specimens! 'Have hunted Zim 2x for buff and got 2 BIG ones (one old, huge gnarly boss and the other younger but 42"!) I've seen bigger in Moz (also more challenging travel and costly.) You could easily see the 3 big parks in ea country as they're so close together (although 2.5 hr border waits could occur without just the right "chaperone$!")

 

[Foxi]

Thank you for your comments.
I can now form a better opinion.

 

[Osama Mahdi]

That’s were I want to hunt buffalo asap. Have been living next to Kruger for a couple of years, I’m a nature guide, guiding at Kruger for many years. I have seen plenty of big old bulls, I wouldn’t hesitate booking with one of the excellent outfitters there

Have hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe twice, both hunts I’m trying to forget…

What happened in Zimbabwe?