How many countries offer the truly wild African hunting experience

[mark-hunter]

What are the game species in free roaming, over low fences, on cattle ranches in Namibia? I have seen few but would like to get full overview of options.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Gosh kurpfalzjager, this sounds a bit over the top. Of course all hunting in Africa is commercial, and the vast majority of people who pay want comfort. But read all the posts above, there is a complete range of offerings, some only want a short ride from ORT and a five star experience, some want unfenced wilds. All are there in abundance, and I assure you the wild places are wild. The world is what it is but we can do our bit for what we love by hunting, that protects the animals and helps communities. I have lived in Africa all my life, i have never been robbed and even the poor people laugh a lot.

 

[grand veneur]

In part you agree with me. The people are offered a dream come true , is not a bad thing , but I don't like to take dreams for realities.

I hunted in some countries in Africa and also several times in Zimbabwe in the areas of Charara, Hurungwe, Hwange and Chiredzi. These areas didn't seem so wild to me , but it always depends on what you mean by wild. I have only experienced more or less real open wild areas in Eritrea , Northern Ethiopia , Somalia , but nevertheless caravans are constantly moving through there , and also in northern Uganda on the border of southern Sudan and Kenya. That was also a lot of years ago and I don't know what it looks like now.

 

[BenKK]

Another thing to consider: You can choose to hike and hunt for miles on your legs in South Africa on a large but fenced property; and you can choose to quickly jump-out of the vehicle, sneak less than a hundred yards, and shoot a proper free-range animal in Zimbabwe, etc, and give yourself a high five for being in a wild place. I’ve seen too many videos of shooting very close to the car in free-range areas. Wherever you are, you have to set the expectations for the memories you want.

 

[WAB]

You can get tags and do self-guided hunts for Kodiak in Alaska as a non-resident?

No, as a resident.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

The difference between game ranches and let's say the wild areas is that at game ranches the PH knows exactly where the shootable animals are (as they are managed)

Huh?

I must be doing it wrong.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Another thing to consider: You can choose to hike and hunt for miles on your legs in South Africa on a large but fenced property; and you can choose to quickly jump-out of the vehicle, sneak less than a hundred yards, and shoot a proper free-range animal in Zimbabwe, etc, and give yourself a high five for being in a wild place. I’ve seen too many videos of shooting very close to the car in free-range areas. Wherever you are, you have to set the expectations for the memories you want.

^^^This^^^

 

[Red Leg]

I have no problems with RSA game ranches. I think they get people into African hunting, kind of a gateway drug .

The difference between game ranches and let's say the wild areas is that at game ranches the PH knows exactly where the shootable animals are (as they are managed), and in the true wild areas it takes a bit more planning on the PHs part and some luck for sure and maybe even more time to get the animal one wants.

If I want a cape buffalo at 47+ inches all I have to do is cut a check in RSA. In Tanzania that would take some time and luck. People looking at the trophies won't know the difference, but I would.

Now, in regards to captive bred lions, that is another story. I think if the lions are bred without human contact then I have no problem with them being released somewhere and hunted. But the other day I was at an RSA outfitters web site and looking at their promotional videos. I couldn't believe what I saw. They shot a female and later a male lion. In both cases the lions saw them, one of them was even on the dirt road. Both of them were sauntering towards the hunters, obviously not threatened and maybe were even expecting food. That's killing, not hunting.

I wouldn’t paint all of South Africa with too broad a brush. On a small put & shoot game farm it is certainly possible to drive to a particular waterhole (or feeder) and shoot a particular animal. There are other operations that do indeed offer specific Cape buffalo bulls - I suspect some have names. On the other hand, there are many extremely large properties that are far larger than the natural range of the animals being hunted. Looking for a big kudu that was seen the previous week in a particular area is no different than hunting any wilderness area where a great kudu was seen the previous week. The PH hardly knows where to find every animal.

 

[Ryan]

No, as a resident.

@WAB, are you starting up an outfitting business??

I've had to educate a few friends on the costs of just transportation up here and the replies to those numbers have been um....colorful. The $2K fly out I did in 2012 for caribou has doubled.

 

[Tanks]

No, as a resident.

lo, that's a different game for a non-resident. I stand by my comment in regards a Kodiak hunt being more expensive than a cape buff/tuskless hunt in Africa. Heck, my scheduled cape buff/ leopard/PG hunt for 17 days is cheaper than the week long $35K Kodiak hunt mentioned above.

I wouldn’t paint all of South Africa with too broad a brush.

... Looking for a big kudu that was seen the previous week in a particular area is no different than hunting any wilderness area where a great kudu was seen the previous week. The PH hardly knows where to find every animal.

True, though I'd submit that what I stated is more the norm than the exception. I have seen ads for properties smaller than my family farm offering all kinds of game (which I said is fine as it lowers the entry price of hunting). One thing also is that I doubt the Kudu in a fenced property have to worry about a pride of lions etc. etc..

 

[MMAL]

I am not saying one way is better than the other but I will tell you in my experience, a large game fenced property is harder to hunt than a low fence/wild location. In my experience the animals in the game fenced area know they are being hunted and run when you are detected. The animals in the wild areas I have been,did not run if they detected you. They changed direction and tried to walk off. Giving you an opportunity to shoot or catch up. Granted in the game fence area you know you can get back on them, In the wild that is not always the case. Just stirring the pot with my two cents

 

[mark-hunter]

Another way to ask same or similar question would be: in which African countries foreign hunter can make DIY self guided hunt?
I know for Gabon and Cameroon.

Could there be more?
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/chasse-libre-en-afrique-self-guided-hunt-in-africa.14946/

 

[Nyati]

Again.....

 

[rafaellinne]

I’ve hunted in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. In both countries you can find wild hunts. I mean the places are unfenced and the game can go anywhere. But you have a lot of confortable, too. I like that. If you want real wild places, just a tent and a rifle, bad food, rain, being miserable for 10-14 days, but a wonderful landscape and trully wild experience, then go to Alaska. That was my wildest and one of my best hunts ever.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I am aware that a lot of African places are perimeter wired and I don`t care for them personally no matter whether they are 50,000 acres or more. I am only asking re 'truly wild African action'
Old style hunting on foot with trackers etc and plain Jane tented accommodation without the million dollar camp and pool to come back too.
Who around offers this style of completely wild hunting for the big boys of Africa?

Hi, We do your style of hunting, tents (although they are nice with attached shower/toilet. No fences which means the game comes in and goes OUT to the adjoining national park. Our prices are as reasonable as we can make them. We will very soon be offering some unbeatable buffalo prices, but they will not be in our regular hunting area.

We are going to try and make this hunt for the hunter who wants the most for the least amount of $$! Two hunters should be able to go home with a hard boss buff for about the price one! Hunting will be in the West Nicholson, Zimbabwe

 

[PeteG]

I am aware that a lot of African places are perimeter wired and I don`t care for them personally no matter whether they are 50,000 acres or more. I am only asking re 'truly wild African action'
Old style hunting on foot with trackers etc and plain Jane tented accommodation without the million dollar camp and pool to come back too.
Who around offers this style of completely wild hunting for the big boys of Africa?

There are areas that fit this in most countries, if not all in Southern Africa.
I may be interpreting your message wrong, when you talk of tracking on foot, do you mean walking the hunting area looking to cut tracks then follow them or do you mean driving the area until tracks are found then following on foot?
If it’s the former, I don’t think you will find any place that will do that unless it’s a specific request. I also think it will be discouraged.
If it is the latter, then you will find that all over Zambia and others.
Often times tracking an animal may last several hours. Other times it may be a 5 minute affair.
Some plains game are not overly skittish and a short stalk is easy enough. Most DG will require patience, skill and compromise.

For perspective, I hunted luangwa last year and we covered a large number of km driving around looking to cut tracks of buff, I can’t see being able to walk and cover enough ground on a daily basis for the PH to give you the best opportunity at a trophy you may like.
Also bear in mind that not every trophy will appeal to you, especially when it’s $$$ DG, you may have a preference to a buff horn shape and that may mean walking away from a one horned 15yr old dagga boy in search of the trophy you prefer.

 

[CBH Australia]

Yes to DG as mentioned above "for the big boys of Africa"

I wouldn’t paint all of South Africa with too broad a brush. Looking for a big kudu that was seen the previous week in a particular area is no different than hunting any wilderness area where a great kudu was seen the previous week. The PH hardly knows where to find every animal.

Only one aAfrican Safari under my belt but we set eyes on a big Kudu with a broken horn. Being a cull hunt I thought it would add some challenge to the hunt, we saw it a couple of days but I never got that one. I got. Nice Kudu but there was a challenge in looking for th broken horned one there
Maybe the Cape Buffalo were too close to the lodge but I expect they would be pushed out when there are Buff on the hunters list.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Maybe the Cape Buffalo were too close to the lodge but I expect they would be pushed out when there are Buff on the hunters list.

Maybe they are not there to be hunted?

 

[Sika98k]

What are the game species in free roaming, over low fences, on cattle ranches in Namibia? I have seen few but would like to get full overview of options.

On the farms I’ve hunted we have seen oryx (plenty), Hartebeest, mountain zebra, warthog, caracal, kudu, blue Wildebeest, leopard (only on the trail camera),

] found hyena and elephant tracks and dung.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Sika98k

Thanks for reply!
I saw free game, out of fence, and jumping over low fences in Namibia, or crossing the roads: Numerous - Kudu, red hartebeest, oryx, warthog, baboon, jackal, only one - brown hyena (he was lurking around camp, and trying to get to red lechwe fence..), leopard (tracks only), two.

Just out of curiosity, I see you have hunted in Croatia! Where did you hunt, what species? I am just being curious. Thanks!