Top 10 Beginner African Plains Game

[revturbo9967]

The problem I have had with 4 elk hunts for the same money as Africa is that you will get one, maybe two Elk. In Africa there is a very good chance you will collect all of your animals. There are way too many US outfitters that walk you around in the mountains for a week and send you home empty handed, been there done that.
For a 20k budget Africa will put 8-10 animals on your wall compared to 1-2 elk hunting in the US.

I was one of those guys. I booked a hunt with a so called expierenced guide in Colorado. The guide himself was expierenced but his guides were not . He had 3 younger guys with zero hunting expierence and minimal horse experience . Hunted 5 days and didn’t even see an elk. 8 total hunters in camp that week , nobody took home an elk. Only 2 shot Opportunities . The following week was the same 8, hunters only a few shot Opportunities , no elk down. I think they took one bull total, for the entire season .
I’m very very cautious no when booking hunts.

 

[postoak]

To me, duiker, and steenbok are advanced animals that can come on later hunts.

I would take:

Nyala
Blue Wildebeest
Black Wildebeest
Red Hartebeest
Greater Kudu
Gemsbok
Waterbuck
Burchell (plains) Zebra
Eland
Warthog
Impala
Blesbok
Springbuck

That's 13 animals and I would make a 14 day hunt (12 actual hunting days) -- and completely forego the taxidermy. That way the total price is: hunt + gratuity + airfare + one night stay in JNB.

Just have a photo of each animal blown up to an 8 x 10 print and framed and placed on your walls.

I forgot one -- bushbuck. You take those 14 animals and everything else is filling in the blanks, so to speak. You could get those 14 in 12 hunting days I think.

 

[postoak]

Oh, as for the meat, ask to have a different species of game served every day. That way you get to try them at least.

 

[postoak]

Oh, and airfare to JNB has gone down -- in real terms -- considerably since my first hunt in 2011. I think I paid $1400 RT then and you can find as low as $850 RT now. I think Qatar and Emirates have put the price squeeze on the other airlines. As for taking those 14 animals I mentioned, you might have trouble finding an area that has all 14 but the Eastern Cape would probably be your best bet. And I think you could get all of them for considerably less than $20,000.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I normally go with two priority animals and just have fun seeing what else may come. If I were to put down the iconic animals they would be much the same as already said with Kudu, Gemsbok, Nyala and bushbuck being at the top.
IMO, hunting isn’t a matter of dollars vs. dollars as in Elk hunt vs PG hunt. If you have to justify the expenditure you should maybe wait until you find that truly once in a lifetime hunting opportunity. I love hunting elk, probably most of all, but I would never pay to hunt one. Well almost never, I might go along if there were a group of guys inviting me on their hunt but I damn sure would never pay 3500+ for an elk hunt short of the spyder bull! I find Africa to be a bargain for the experience itself. The people that you meet, the variety of game and then throw a good 375 and some A-Frames on top of it, most fun you can have with cloths on! Go to Africa and enjoy her, you will quit comparing the two, I promise.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Ridgewalker]

So, don’t come to Colorado to hunt elk. Cold, snow, high altitude, bad outfitters (I guess...never hired one), etc, etc. Having hunted here for over 35 years and only taken 17 elk of which most were cows, it is a whole different hunt than the 2 RSA hunts I have been on. JMO, but Africa is for older gentlemen with aging bodies. Elk hunting at 10-12,000 feet hauling in your camp on your back and hauling it and your animal out on your back with 5-6 and maybe 7 round trips is tough young man brutal! Not that it can’t be done. It’s just not the same as the pampering one gets in Africa.
JMO and experiences!

 

[postoak]

Well, there is elk hunting and elk hunting. It can be made as easy or as tough as you want it to be but the easier it is generally the more expensive it is.

 

[revturbo9967]

So, don’t come to Colorado to hunt elk. Cold, snow, high altitude, bad outfitters (I guess...never hired one), etc, etc. Having hunted here for over 35 years and only taken 17 elk of which most were cows, it is a whole different hunt than the 2 RSA hunts I have been on. JMO, but Africa is for older gentlemen with aging bodies. Elk hunting at 10-12,000 feet hauling in your camp on your back and hauling it and your animal out on your back with 5-6 and maybe 7 round trips is tough young man brutal! Not that it can’t be done. It’s just not the same as the pampering one gets in Africa.
JMO and experiences!

I hunted Colorado for elk 3 times. 2 times self guided and the 3rd with a guide . Still haven’t gotten one. All hunts were fun and hard work but the guided hunt was the most disappointing due to what the guide sold vs what we received. The young guys working for him were getting us lost most of the time. Spent the first few nights turned around in the dark trying to get back to camp. It got so bad that we were actually joking and taking bets when we would get back to camp.

If I hunt Colorado ever again for elk, it will probably be diy again. It’s just easier on the wallet. I like dragging a few hundred pounds of gear out in the middle of nowhere . That’s the fun part of hunting high elevation.

 

[Britt Beck]

Unless you have a ton of preference points, on a general over the counter unit, your best bet is to pack in as far as you can. Then get up and go farther. The farther you get from the crowds, the higher success you will have. I'm going on my first trip to SA this Sept. 4100.00 for 7 days. Kudu, gemsbok, impala and warthog included. Even throwing in airfare, your still a ton cheaper than an average guided elk hunt. I have some friends who are outfitters and they are 6500 to 8500. Which I think is nuts.

 

[seattlesetters]

My order of interest:

1. Nyala
2. Bushbuck
3. Kudu
4. Gemsbok
5. Impala
6. Zebra
7. Springbok
8. Blue Wildebeest
9. Red Hartebeest
10. Black Wildebeest
11. Warthog
12. Steenbok
13. Blesbok
14. Warthog
15. Common Reedbuck

I’d be very happy to take any two of my top four alongside impala, zebra and warthog and any 1-3 more from the list.

Regional suggestions, anyone?

 

[postoak]

It's a good list but you have warthog on your list twice. May I suggest you substitute one of those entries with a waterbuck?

I think you could get all those in the Eastern Cape although the kudu won't be exceptional there.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

It's a good list but you have warthog on your list twice. May I suggest you substitute one of those entries with a waterbuck?

I think you could get all those in the Eastern Cape although the kudu won't be exceptional there.

I have area for exceptional Kudu in the Eastern Cape.

 

[ActionBob]

Drop the Nyala unless you go North far enough. And it is likely most expensive. I would want to hunt Nyala free range or from a very large property with a self sustaing population. Kwazulu Natal or Zimbabwe come to mind.

For the rest, go to the East Cape but hunt at least two and possibly 3 regions within that. Including tbe karoo.

Or if you are are content with fenced properties, shop for a deal in Limpopo. Including Nyala if that is the way you want to go.

 

[seattlesetters]

Fixed:

1. Nyala
2. Bushbuck
3. Kudu
4. Gemsbok
5. Impala
6. Zebra
7. Springbok
8. Blue Wildebeest
9. Red Hartebeest
10. Black Wildebeest
11. Warthog
12. Steenbok
13. Blesbok
14. Mountain Reedbuck
15. Common Reedbuck
16. Grey Rhebok

I’d be very happy to take any two or three of my top four alongside impala, zebra and warthog and any 1-3 more from the list. Around 7-9 total, taking what comes and what the region provides.

Regional suggestions, anyone?

 

[IvW]

Eland
Kudu
Bushbuck
Nyala
Gemsbuck
Waterbuck
Blue Wildebeest
Impala
Warthog
Common duiker

Bushpig-always

If hunting where they occur the following.

Common Reedbuck
Mountain reedbuck
Vaal rhebuck
Klipspringer

 

[postoak]

Nyala can be had in East Cape. When I hunted with Marius on the Fish River, the ridges and hills along the bank had them in pretty abundant numbers and it all seemed totally natural to me. Bushbuck were also in this same area. We could see them from the lodge veranda.

I like your revised list, seattlesetters. Of your top four I would choose Nyala, bushbuck, and kudu. Then add in, as you said, zebra, impala, and warthog. After that, for sure a blue wildebeest. It is one of the iconic animals of Africa and I always get a kick out of seeing them.

For a second trip, say to Namibia, I would reserve gemsbok (very common there), duiker, steenbok, klipspringer, eland, and mountain zebra. These are the animals that seem "natural" to Namibia, to me.

 

[billc]

I would say the northwest area and Limpopo. Paw Print hunts both and we are near the border of both. There is great quality on all the animals you have on your list. There maybe better springbuck areas but we have big Greater kudu, nyala , bushbuck , impala, black and blue wildebeest with good red hartebeest also. Plenty of zebra around to.

Your at the main lodge with in 1 1/2 to 2 hours and if you want to rough it some you could even try out the new tent camp. I feel that area has some of the best overall quality for more animals then I have seen at other areas. I have hunted the Limpopo , east cape, freestate , northern cape , and northwest. I have also hunted Namibia

If you ever think you will do a second trip to Africa and Namibia would be a place you look at. Save the oryx, springbuck for there and focus on the nyala and bushbuck more then kudu if your limited to how many you can take.

 

[Ragman]

If you hunt Namibia, a Red Hartebeest is a must. Very fun hunt and an awesome animal.

 

[Slider]

I would go to Namibia. My number one Plains Game animal would be 2 Hartmann Mountain Zebra. Then Kudu,Black Wildebeest,Gemsbok,Steenbok,Impala.

 

[seattlesetters]

I would go to Namibia. My number one Plains Game animal would be 2 Hartmann Mountain Zebra. Then Kudu,Black Wildebeest,Gemsbok,Steenbok,Impala.

This sounds good!