Top rated plains game hunting outfitters in the eastern cape

[tay50]

Hormese,
I can only give you one name Marius from KMG Safaris, as I have only hunted one time in Africa, and my hunt was perfect from start to finish. Everything I was promised happened plus more, Marius and the other PH's were always sharing information with each other to help you get your animals. Give him a call if you are looking for a great hunt and time.

 

[gizmo]

Beans @Tootabi Valley Safaris is a sure bet. I've met him and really can't say enough good things about him. I hunted with Andri Fox of Andri Fox safaris who is another excellent ph in the EC. Coincidentally he and Beans grew up together and live about 10 min away from each other. Both I would highly recommend. Both also have access to over a million acres each through out Africa and have excellent accommodations at all of their camps. Just my 2c.

 

[gizmo]

Not sure if Beans is home right now. We had dinner a couple of weeks ago and he was leaving for Moz the next day.

 

[adgunner]

Hormese, as stated above check out the hunt report section, lots of good info there and itwon't take long for the good names to pop out. I have hunted the EC three times with Marius at KMG, so i am a little biased And the EC is a great place to hunt!

 

[Antanas]

I have hunted two times the EC with Marius at KMG and will never look better .Marius is extremely close to best. My friends who hunted with him also want to come back .Since 1986 I do similar job at home and know-- wish to come back to the same area best indicator of present and surely for future success of outfitter or PH.

 

[Royal27]

My priorities are as listed below :-

1.Quality of service provided by PH & Outfitter
2.Access to free range and game density
3.Quality of lodging & boarding

Thanks in advance

So here is what I'd tell you. Your list, especially one and three are very subjective based on personal wants. That isn't a bad thing at all. It is just that what might be important to me can be completely different than what is important to you. And even on number two it depends upon the animals you want. If I tell you the game density was such that you could jump from back to back of the Kudu it doesn't help you if you are looking for bushbuck.

That being said, here is what I would suggest. First, as full disclosure I'm the friend that billc mentions who had a less than great experience and I will let the other threads speak for themselves and won't rehash here.

Read every hunt report that you can. You'll find several outfitter's that people repeatedly have great things to say about and that have a bunch of great reports (look how often KMG is mentioned here in this thread as a perfect example. His reports are always stellar and you will find a lot of them!). What you should be looking for is a trend. Several great reports = good. More than one report with negative remarks, or accusations of rule/law breaking = bad. Where there is smoke there is usually fire. Maybe you will have a great time and maybe you won't , so why chance it?

Check outfitter references, but take them with a grain of salt. An outfitter probably isn't going to put a person down as a reference if the outfitter and client had issues! You have to learn to read between the lines when talking to references. Be direct and ask for an example of something that didn't go perfect and how the outfitter reacted to it. There are almost always examples of things that could have gone better.

Finally, get to know several of the outfitter's that are on your short list by "spending time" with them.

1. How quickly do they return e-mail or phone calls?
2. Do they come across as passionate about hunting?
3. Do your personalities seem to fit, or do they clash?
4. How long have they been in business and what other industry experience do they have if they are new to outfitting (this is very important IMO)?
5. Do they seem detail oriented, or do you have to ask them more than once to answer a question, or get back to you on something? Are the answers specific, or vague?
6. Are they a full time outfitter or do they have other business interests as well that will distract them from you both before and during your stay?
7. Will the outfitter be the PH, or do you need to do some of the same discovery for the PH?

The above certainly isn't an exhaustive list of questions, but should get you started thinking. I know this isn't the "top 5" list you wanted, but there are many good outfitter's and very few people have hunted with five or more as others have stated. Hunting for an outfitter isn't any different than hunting for a trophy. The more time and effort you put into it the "luckier" you are liable to get.

Hope this helps!

 

[KVS]

A whole lot off too.

Have a look at @Kingsview_safaris,Joni is new in the trade but has done enough homework and has a spectacular lodge with the best of both worlds.

Marius @KMG Hunting Safaris also delivers year after year.

Beans @Tootabi Valley Safaris is a old hand in the EC and knows the ins and outs pretty well too.

I personally hunt with Swaershoek Safaris each year and am happy to do so again next year,but I do work for them so I am not neutral there.

Many other good Outfitts in the EC but I have not hunted with them.

BlaauKranz safaris is also a solid bet.

Here we go

@hunthardsafaris Thank you for the kind words.

@Hormese Wish you all the best with your search. The Eastern Cape is home to some fantastic Outfitters. Good luck and enjoy the planning.

Take care
Jono

 

[gordon-kruger]

I talked to a ph named schalk from there and he was honest and friendly. Told him How i felt about the pricing of the springbucks going up and how i felt when he told me why. He listed and thought I made some good points. So that kept him on my list because he did hear my side and said he would do what he could to make it right. It will be if I have time to hunt the cape after my trip with pieter next year. doing a few areas again with him so plans are not set yet.

Ha..ha I guess that chap was simply polite and listen.... you know allot of things Billyc from the shows in U.S ... (joke).

Seriously, there are many good and honest people down in EC, one of them is Gary Phillips, he also guarantee SCI record entry, I know the guy for 20 years and he is one of the best. www.gamehuntingsa.com
and no I don't get commission to recommend anyone...

Gordon

 

[gizmo]

Royal gave some very solid advice and one thing that stuck out was making sure your personalities fit. That's extremely important in any hunt you go on. You could have the best operation out there but if you and the ph don't klick then it will be a less than desirable hunt. Pick the right one that you get a long with and its the best experience of you life.

 

[billc]

Ha..ha I guess that chap was simply polite and listen.... you know allot of things Billyc from the shows in U.S ... (joke).

Seriously, there are many good and honest people down in EC, one of them is Gary Phillips, he also guarantee SCI record entry, I know the guy for 20 years and he is one of the best. www.gamehuntingsa.com
and no I don't get commission to recommend anyone...

Gordon

No gordon I know alot because I use common sense nothing to do with the shows. If he would have blown me off and not wanted to hear my side of it then I would not have kept him on my list. I for one dont think I am better then any other guy looking for a good hunt. some may call it luck some may call it being smart on who I hunted with. 4 safaris and 40 days so far and nothing but good things. Took anything that might have came up on my trips and just rolled with it.

 

[JGRaider]

I've done enough research to know that if the EC is in my plans, my first and final contact would be Marius at KMG.

 

[KVS]

Finally, get to know several of the outfitter's that are on your short list by "spending time" with them.

1. How quickly do they return e-mail or phone calls?
2. Do they come across as passionate about hunting?
3. Do your personalities seem to fit, or do they clash?
4. How long have they been in business and what other industry experience do they have if they are new to outfitting (this is very important IMO)?
5. Do they seem detail oriented, or do you have to ask them more than once to answer a question, or get back to you on something? Are the answers specific, or vague?
6. Are they a full time outfitter or do they have other business interests as well that will distract them from you both before and during your stay?
7. Will the outfitter be the PH, or do you need to do some of the same discovery for the PH?

@Royal27 Feedback and suggestions like this are invaluable and very much appreciated. As an Outfitter it's information like this that we use to ensure we are always improving and moving in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[Redruff]

Royal gave some very solid advice and one thing that stuck out was making sure your personalities fit. That's extremely important in any hunt you go on. You could have the best operation out there but if you and the ph don't klick then it will be a less than desirable hunt. Pick the right one that you get a long with and its the best experience of you life.

That's an emphasis your personalities matching with the PH you will be paying to spend your time with and maybe even who is responsible for saving your life on a DG hunt.

There should be little emphasis on the booking agent if you're using one.

Kind of like if you are buying a new car. It's the sales department that you date but the service department you marry.


R.

 

[greyfox]

I searched and searched and chose Marius at KMG for my first safari, I will hunt with him again, anywhere, anytime!
In fact, I'm planning a Namibia trip in the near future with KMG....

 

[ActionBob]

Kind of like if you are buying a new car. It's the sales department that you date but the service department you marry.

Now there is some wisdom! I buy a lot of machinery and have had salesmen look like whipped puppies when I explain this to them. The truly good ones fully understand it.

As for outfitters and PH's, I have two experiences to share from the EC. Plus I met Marius from KMG in the airport... He was hard to miss as he was enthusiastically filling his hunter in on what to expect in the days ahead. His enthusiasm was second to non and you could clearly see the passion he has for what he does... I had to bud in and introduce myself. Glad I did and apologies to the German Hunter I intruded upon.

We visited Tootabi Hunting Safaris and had a good experience.... Hunting was not the primary reason for visiting but it was rather more of a side trip.. Loodt took us to some great large properties and presented me with good hunting opportunities fro the 3 days we had. He did right by me and helped me out with my main mission to be in the EC last April. On the other hand Royal is a good friend and he felt wronged.... Billc summed that up already.

Our first hunt was with Crusader Safaris, Andrew Pringle is the owner/outfitter and our PH was Mark, another PH in camp was Tyson... Both young and healthy guys but old enough to have all the experience and maturity needed to be top notch guys all around. Crusader has built their whole marketing plan and reputation on being all free range hunting. They have very large conservancies, lots of animals that are well managed populations... They would not let my wife take a zebra on the conservancy we started on because they were giving them a break and rebuilding numbers. But they had other large areas where the hunting was hard but top quality and she got a great zebra.... Speaking of which, the tannery lost the skin.. devastating to my wife. Andrew had recommended the taxidermist and so he has offered another zebra hunt for free to help make it up... With no time line, he told me even if years in the future. Andrew has a large operation with top PH's and lots of camps, options. All free range but it is the East Cape and you will see low cattle and goat fences. He is not the cheapest but not the highest priced... I would say a very good deal and honest outfitter. Andrew has years of experience and yet is still young and ambitious with plans to be around for the future.

I do suggest trying to schedule a few days in the Karroo area. First off the Gemsbok and Springbuck hunting is spectacular fun, as well as opportunities on other species like the beests and kudu.... We found the hosts in the Karroo to be especially gracious with outstanding old colonial style lodging and meals. That was with both Tootabi Hunting Safaris and Crusader.. Different ranches and hosts but similar experiences. Great folks!

The EC is a great place to hunt in general, especially as a first African trip for PG. It would not be my choice for DG.

 

[Bushman10]

Why only Eastern Cape. Why not Western Cape as well and then have a sideline trip to sample some of the west wines in the Napa Valley of South Africa.

 

[Hormese]

Thanks a million guys. Really appreciate your responses

 

[buchnerl]

@Hormese now that is a great question!

There is a handful if not two of really great outfitters in the Eastern Cape and would be hard and at the same time unfair to rank and compare them as they all vary so much in what they offer and how they market their services. In the end they all offer the same animal/specie but they way in how they offer it, market it and most of all price it is of relevance.

Through your post you requested a ranking and I will give you the names of the ones I feel does their job over and over again and which serves as mentors to me in the industry;

1. John X Safaris - www.johnxsafaris.co.za
2. Blaauwkrantz Safaris - www.blaauwkrantz.com
3. Huntershill Safaris - www.huntershillsafaris.co.za
4. Sun Africa Safaris - www.sun-africa.co.za
5. Ezulu Hunting - www.ezulugamereserve.com/areas

KMG Hunting Safaris is also a well known name in the industry and very well respected, so for Andri Fox Safaris that are 10 minutes away from our property and Frontier/Burchell Safaris that is a stone's throw from both of us.

I truly hope that this list can be of value to you and would broaden your view on hunting in the Eastern Cape. If you have any further questions you are welcome to PM me, or ask it over on this thread.

All the best in your planning sir.

Kind regards.

Loodt

 

[Beans]

Hi Everyone
This is an interesting thread!

The Eastern Cape is truely a jewel when it comes to hunting because of its diversity.

Here are lots of great people and they are a breed of their own.

Talk to as much people as you can that has hunted here.

There are lots of hunting areas where different outfitters have hunting rights on.

There are fences everywhere. Around properties and internal stockfences. The EC was build around stock farming. Discuss it with your outfitter.
We do need these to keep animals and to get a CAE( certificate of adequate enclosure) to be able to hunt all year round.

An intersting point people ask me ( and other Outfitters) is how big our areas/properties area.

Talking out of an oufitter point of view and as a freelance ph. Some outfitters have thousands of acres. When doing a hunt there, you as ph are forced to hunt animals only on their property.

Now that outfit needs lets say 50 blesbuck per year for example. What are you going to get by the time you get there?

If you go to a smaller outfit, you might get taken to a cattle ranch to hunt a blesbuck where only a couple gets taken every year. Where do you think will you find the better trophy?

Ask the Outfitter who you ph are going to be.

Is the Outfitter a member of PHASA? There are outfitters that only use a ph if he is a member of PHASA.

This is your hunt that you pay for with hard earned money.

Ask enough questions.

It has been mentioned that the respond time plays a role.

I do everything myself and guide as many of my clients self. Try to give each client the best treatment I can. It is difficult to respond quickly sometimes.

Keep all that in mind.

All mentioned above Outfitters are reputable, your personality will fit in better with one than the other. The client must do his homework to find where he will enjoy it most. Invite an outfitter when he is doing his marketing to come and visit you. See if he is a match for your expectations.

It is the same as @gizmo that found an instant liking in Andri at the show. You will know if it's the right guy to go with.

In the end he will be your friend in Africa that you can trust and on next Safaris give you advice. I have lots of friends that has shot all the animals we can offer in the EC but they insist me to join then on hunts elsewhere in Africa. When hunting somewhere else and a ph tells him to shoot they look over at you to see if you give the approval.

That gentleman is what you should look for in your Outfitter. A friend you can trust with your life!

 

[gizmo]

Hey Beans, excellent write up and well said!