Hunting SA or "Wild" Africa - Which is Better

[ActionBob]

If the price tag wasn't outer limits, I might be inclined to try the tent gig with lions keeping me up at night, villagers wandering through, dodging poachers' snares, etc. I've had my share of tent camp hunting back in the days I had livestock. But I was always alone, not hunting with a guide or merry band. Very hard to top those days.

My first trip to South Africa was a great experience. Four other hunters at the lodge but two of them were gone to remote locations almost the entire time. The other two were father and son. Next two trips I was the ONLY client. Most of those hunts I stayed on family farms away from the lodge. Never thought I would enjoy hunting with anyone but both those two PH's were great. Genuinely nice guys, not patronizing arse kissers. I ate ham & cheese sandwiches for lunch every day (if I ate lunch) and totally fine with it. No tablecloths, wine glasses, cigars (ugh!), etc. Waste of time and staff's energy. I'm there to hunt. Two stalks were so-so but the other 22 animals were challenging very wild animals. That's a pretty good ratio. Too bad I had such a lousy experience with the taxidermist and shipper. That almost wrecked it. So ... why should I spend a lot more money someplace else and risk maybe not having a good time? I'm into the personal family atmosphere and hard hunting, not the pretend romantic scene. But that's just me.

You obviously don't know what you don't know... However you seem very content with what you do know so as long as that makes you happy, by all means stick with it

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

How would someone know which is better if they haven’t done both?

I guess the same way a person would decide that a wild lion hunt is better than a cbl “hunt” without having done either. Does a person have to have driven a Ferrari to know it is “better” than a Camaro? If you apply your logic elsewhere it doesn’t hold up. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but exceptions do not disprove that rule.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I guess the same way a person would decide that a wild lion hunt is better than a cbl “hunt” without having done either. Does a person have to have driven a Ferrari to know it is “better” than a Camaro? If you apply your logic elsewhere it doesn’t hold up. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but exceptions do not disprove that rule.

I don't have to drive a Ferrari to know it's a waste of money to buy one. My 1998 Jimmy gets me to the grocery store and back just fine. Insurance is a helluva lot cheaper too. And it handles the gravel roads of Montana a lot better than a Ferrari. I've owned two sports cars in my life so yes, I am experienced in that brand of foolishness.

 

[Gerry Addison]

I think some have missed my point in this thread. I have never said South Africa is better or worse than other "wild" countries in Africa. I only said there are goods and bads in both types of hunts. When some say go to Zim with a quality outfitter, I did that and every day we drove the same road on the border of a national park looking for buffalo tracks that had wondered out of the park. If we found tracks we then drove further down the road to make sure they didn't circle back into the park. If they didn't went back to the track and started following. In every case as soon as the buffalo figured out they were being tracked they circled back into the park. For twelve days we drove that same stretch of road, morning and evening. There was little to no game on the rest of the concession. Was it wild, yes. Was it a quality hunt, not in my opinion. I had much more enjoyable hunting experience driving all over 50,000 acres of fenced land looking for and glassing for buffalo. Making numerous stalks and finally finding the right buffalo. I also hunted Zambia which is one of the destinations that is considered wild. I hunted with one of the top professional hunters in Zambia. We hunted really hard for 10 days, driving hundreds of miles and seeing tons of animals but no trophy animals. Did I have fun, absolutely. It was a great experience that I'll always remember. First time seeing elephants in the wild. Having hippos in the yard at night. All fun but no trophy animals were ever seen. Is money a concern in these hunts? It certainly is for me. If I could afford Tanzania I would certainly do it. I originally said I'd never hunt fences after my first hunt in SA. Not because I was against it, just thought I'd been there and done that and wanted to try the wild Africa. After doing three trips to wild Africa I decided I'd try SA once again and I'm certainly glad I did. Had a quality experience with great people on a huge area which offered a chance at quality animals. I'm not saying I won't do a "wild" hunt ever again, but I'm also not saying I won't go back to SA. As I said, there are pluses and minuses to both and you have to take them for what they are.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Good to hear from someone who has seen both sides of the coin.

 

[375Fox]

I think some have missed my point in this thread. I have never said South Africa is better or worse than other "wild" countries in Africa. I only said there are goods and bads in both types of hunts. When some say go to Zim with a quality outfitter, I did that and every day we drove the same road on the border of a national park looking for buffalo tracks that had wondered out of the park. If we found tracks we then drove further down the road to make sure they didn't circle back into the park. If they didn't went back to the track and started following. In every case as soon as the buffalo figured out they were being tracked they circled back into the park. For twelve days we drove that same stretch of road, morning and evening. There was little to no game on the rest of the concession. Was it wild, yes. Was it a quality hunt, not in my opinion. I had much more enjoyable hunting experience driving all over 50,000 acres of fenced land looking for and glassing for buffalo. Making numerous stalks and finally finding the right buffalo. I also hunted Zambia which is one of the destinations that is considered wild. I hunted with one of the top professional hunters in Zambia. We hunted really hard for 10 days, driving hundreds of miles and seeing tons of animals but no trophy animals. Did I have fun, absolutely. It was a great experience that I'll always remember. First time seeing elephants in the wild. Having hippos in the yard at night. All fun but no trophy animals were ever seen. Is money a concern in these hunts? It certainly is for me. If I could afford Tanzania I would certainly do it. I originally said I'd never hunt fences after my first hunt in SA. Not because I was against it, just thought I'd been there and done that and wanted to try the wild Africa. After doing three trips to wild Africa I decided I'd try SA once again and I'm certainly glad I did. Had a quality experience with great people on a huge area which offered a chance at quality animals. I'm not saying I won't do a "wild" hunt ever again, but I'm also not saying I won't go back to SA. As I said, there are pluses and minuses to both and you have to take them for what they are.

I think you made a good initial post. I’ve been on 11 safaris. I like seeing new areas and countries each hunt. I will return to South Africa to hunt again, but hunting concession areas in wild Africa has always been a better hunting experience for me. However it really frustrates me when people who have only hunted South Africa try to make a comparison and base that comparison strictly on cost. Some here are making a comparison having only hunted a very small area of South Africa as well. Your South Africa trip looked like a quality trip and the trophy was excellent. The details of your Zambia trip I don’t know, but your Zimbabwe trip report starts with “warning” as do many for that particular outfitter. There is a huge difference between quality outfitters and quality areas in Zimbabwe, so I’m not sure your comparison was quite fair either, but it’s a valid learning experience to better your next trip. If you have to hunt National park boundary exclusively it’s not a quality area.

 

[Flewis]

I guess the same way a person would decide that a wild lion hunt is better than a cbl “hunt” without having done either. Does a person have to have driven a Ferrari to know it is “better” than a Camaro? If you apply your logic elsewhere it doesn’t hold up. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but exceptions do not disprove that rule.

That’s not apples to apples. My post was not for one or the other, l’ve done both.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I don't have to drive a Ferrari to know it's a waste of money to buy one. My 1998 Jimmy gets me to the grocery store and back just fine. Insurance is a helluva lot cheaper too. And it handles the gravel roads of Montana a lot better than a Ferrari. I've owned two sports cars in my life so yes, I am experienced in that brand of foolishness.

You also think a dollar store Chinese made hat is a better choice than a Rand….

 

[WAB]

I believe I have likely weighed in earlier, but at the danger of repeating myself, I have done both, I have been successful at both, I prefer the wild. I have hunted buffalo in Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and RSA.

My preferred hunt, by a wide margin, is a tracking hunt. I do not know if there are ‘tracking’ hunts on SA ranches or not. My experience in RSA was spot and stalk. Personally, I would not fly to Africa for a spot and stalk PG hunt. That doesn’t make it bad, it’s just not how I would choose to spend my money.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

That’s not apples to apples. My post was not for one or the other, l’ve done both.

Comparing wild to high fenced isn’t exactly apples to apples either..

 

[Flewis]

Comparing wild to high fenced isn’t exactly apples to apples either..

Okay.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Okay.

I’ll take that as a concession

 

[Flewis]

Whatever makes you happy.

 

[revturbo9967]

Does it come down to money or not being a priority? If you can afford to hunt South Africa multiple times you will not need to save your whole life to hunt a wild area once IF it’s actually a priority for you.

These two sentences sum up a lot of what I have seen on this forum and in this discussion. If one can afford to go to SA for a plains game hunt twice, then they certainly can afford a wild DG with some plains game thrown in.

I think most using cost as an argument are concerned with guarantees when spending larges amounts of money. In SA one can find a way to fill their entire bag list easily if they want to, but it is not set in stone elsewhere.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You also think a dollar store Chinese made hat is a better choice than a Rand….

Not a dollar store hat. I bought it at a grocery store in Oakhurst, CA. Get your facts straight. I'm not sure what makes a thousand dollar Rand hat "better" than my crushable wool felt one. Keeps the sun off my ears and head warm in winter same as a Rand. I can drive over my hat, dust it off, and put it back on my head. Still looks the same. Try that with a Rand. This one gets plenty of comments from the dollies. They don't know it didn't cost a thousand bucks. Doesn't seem to make any difference to them. I have a very nice Cape buffalo skull on the wall that greets clients who come in the door. Great story behind that hunt even if it didn't happen in the "wild" of Zimabwe and cost five grand more.

 

[Drywaller44]

Does it come down to money or not being a priority? If a person is content to only hunt South Africa that’s fine. I really think the eastern cape gives the best value for the experience for your money in Africa. However money has been used as an excuse here multiple times. There is a Caprivi plains game hunt posted here for $8000 with quality outfitter and a good buffalo hunt in quality area in Zimbabwe is right at $15,000. If you can afford to hunt South Africa multiple times you will not need to save your whole life to hunt a wild area once IF it’s actually a priority for you.

I don’t know the plains game included in the Caprivi hunt so I’ll us the Zimbabwe buffalo hunt as my example. That’s still 5000 to 5500 more than a buffalo hunt in SA and that’s before you factor in extra money for travel. The daily rate would be higher to add extra days to that trip also. From my research it would cost almost twice as much as a hunt with similar animals in the eastern cape. At this point in my life I would rather make more trips over and give myself the best opportunity to be successful.

I’m envious of you guys that have hunted “wild” Africa and maybe one day I’ll decide to save up the extra money to get there but my priorities for now will be getting my family to come to SA with me so they can enjoy a small piece of Africa with me.

 

[Gerry Addison]

I think you made a good initial post. I’ve been on 11 safaris. I like seeing new areas and countries each hunt. I will return to South Africa to hunt again, but hunting concession areas in wild Africa has always been a better hunting experience for me. However it really frustrates me when people who have only hunted South Africa try to make a comparison and base that comparison strictly on cost. Some here are making a comparison having only hunted a very small area of South Africa as well. Your South Africa trip looked like a quality trip and the trophy was excellent. The details of your Zambia trip I don’t know, but your Zimbabwe trip report starts with “warning” as do many for that particular outfitter. There is a huge difference between quality outfitters and quality areas in Zimbabwe, so I’m not sure your comparison was quite fair either, but it’s a valid learning experience to better your next trip. If you have to hunt National park boundary exclusively it’s not a quality area.

The outfitter that took me to Zim was a crook however we hunted with Lloyd who had a great reputation with super references. He got himself into a no win situation and I'll leave it at that. I hunted Zambia with Clinton Stone, booked with Jason Stone. I believe he would be considered a top notch PH in Zambia. Didn't write a report because I didn't want it to seem as though I was mad about the hunt because I wasn't. We hunted as hard as you can hunt and saw tons of animals, just no hard bossed buffalo. Came home without firing a shot. Could have taken a croc or a hippo as there were many of them but had no desire for them. Enjoyed my time in Zambia and would hunt with Clint again but in another area. Cost was very similar to what I paid in SA. So you see, I'm not for or against either type of hunt. A hunt in SA if done correctly can be great as can a "wild" hunt. They are just different and that is the point I've been trying to make.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Not a dollar store hat. I bought it at a grocery store in Oakhurst, CA. Get your facts straight. I'm not sure what makes a thousand dollar Rand hat "better" than my crushable wool felt one. Keeps the sun off my ears and head warm in winter same as a Rand. I can drive over my hat, dust it off, and put it back on my head. Still looks the same. Try that with a Rand. This one gets plenty of comments from the dollies. They don't know it didn't cost a thousand bucks. Doesn't seem to make any difference to them. I have a very nice Cape buffalo skull on the wall that greets clients who come in the door. Great story behind that hunt even if it didn't happen in the "wild" of Zimabwe and cost five grand more.

You’re impossible lol

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

The outfitter that took me to Zim was a crook however we hunted with Lloyd who had a great reputation with super references. He got himself into a no win situation and I'll leave it at that. I hunted Zambia with Clinton Stone, booked with Jason Stone. I believe he would be considered a top notch PH in Zambia. Didn't write a report because I didn't want it to seem as though I was mad about the hunt because I wasn't. We hunted as hard as you can hunt and saw tons of animals, just no hard bossed buffalo. Came home without firing a shot. Could have taken a croc or a hippo as there were many of them but had no desire for them. Enjoyed my time in Zambia and would hunt with Clint again but in another area. Cost was very similar to what I paid in SA. So you see, I'm not for or against either type of hunt. A hunt in SA if done correctly can be great as can a "wild" hunt. They are just different and that is the point I've been trying to make.

Out of curiosity is that the same Jason Stone that was at the heart of some controversy a couple years ago?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You’re impossible lol

Impossible or sensible? [Insert thinking emoji.]