Why you should consider hunting dangerous game in South Africa

[johnnyblues]

Paw Print Safaris - that's the one.
With my apology to them, I could not remember their name when typing my previous response (getting senile I guess).

Cabela's hunting trips are sort of a mixed bag, from my point of view.
A few years later, I thoroughly did my homework on a particular Hunting Guide in Montana (Babsie Bishop) because they were offering a guaranteed antelope tag (Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, near Malta, Montana) and 3 days of grouse hunting, over professionally trained English pointers.

And, I ended up booking the above deal - it was perfect and I would happily book with Babsie again.
He was tip-top, and the "buck & bird" hunting was excellent as well (pronghorn skull shown in my "Photos" category of this Forum is mine from that hunt).
But again, Cabela's is not one to just blindly book a hunt with (neither is any booking agency IMO).
Let the buyer beware, as the saying goes.

Very right sir . Speaking to outfitters I know Cabelas tries to buy all their tags and pay them up front then sell the hunts at "their price". I have zero respect for them.

 

[johnnyblues]

View attachment 48731 Another great bull we took in one of our SA hunting areas. This bull had a spread of 46.5" with bosses of 16".

What does a bull like that sell for? If I may ask

 

[CAustin]

Cabela's screwed up one hunt on me years ago I would never use them or recommend them. I know Charlie hunted with Pieter of Paw print Safaris who get's outstanding reviews on the forum. I was planning to hunt with Pieter in 2017 for buffalo but now I don't know I may retry leopard in Namibia if the permit becomes available with the person I m planning to hunt with.

Johnny I know old spots is on your mind. You took some great trophies on your recent hunt. If you hunt buffalo with Pieter you will not be sorry. I think the next fever I get will be for spots!

 

[HeinrichH]

What does a bull like that sell for? If I may ask

Hello Johnny

These bulls are not that easy to find anymore, and also don't have a fixed trophy fee. If a bull like this one is found in a area, management together with the outfit operating in that area meet to discuss the value on such a bull, and what would make it worth while to have such a bull hunted, instead of leaving it in the area to hopefully pass on those genes.

We have some great buffalo and genetics in our areas, but only have one 'such' bull taken a year, and have been booked in advance for 2 seasons ahead. I do however know that friend of mine, Pieter Erasmus @Paw Print Safaris might still have one or two of those type of bulls av available.

 

[HeinrichH]

All valid points above, as mentioned. Research your outfit well, use the AH forum as a support base for the info obtained. Such a way disappointment can be avoided. There are thousands of outfits out there these days, and new ones coming into our industry every day. I strongly believe that there is a only a hand full of real good, well experienced and professional Outfitters in Africa and South Africa, with really good areas & concessions, and proud to be associated with most of them!

 

[HeinrichH]

Nice bulls I saw yesterday

 

[UKHunter]

View attachment 49090 Nice bulls I saw yesterday

It would be the bull on the right for me!

 

[HeinrichH]

It would be the bull on the right for me!

Personally I'd also take the one on the right. But for the hunter looking for that wider spread, the one on the left is a great bull.

Here's some big eli's I also found yesterday. Found a herd of eli bulls of over 50...

 

[johnnyblues]

Johnny I know old spots is on your mind. You took some great trophies on your recent hunt. If you hunt buffalo with Pieter you will not be sorry. I think the next fever I get will be for spots!

Hi Charlie, your so right I have the leopard in the front of my mind. I feel we were so close having fresh spoor and hearing them all around us. I really was hoping to be successful so I could move on to my next safari. But we all know how hunting can go. I'll make my decision in January of 2017 after speaking to my PH and see if he gets a permit for leopard. Congrats once again on your hunt.

 

[johnnyblues]

Hello Johnny

These bulls are not that easy to find anymore, and also don't have a fixed trophy fee. If a bull like this one is found in a area, management together with the outfit operating in that area meet to discuss the value on such a bull, and what would make it worth while to have such a bull hunted, instead of leaving it in the area to hopefully pass on those genes.

We have some great buffalo and genetics in our areas, but only have one 'such' bull taken a year, and have been booked in advance for 2 seasons ahead. I do however know that friend of mine, Pieter Erasmus @Paw Print Safaris might still have one or two of those type of bulls av available.

I m aware of Pieter and plan on hunting buffalo with him in 2017 if I don't retry another leopard hunt.

 

[CAustin]

Personally I'd also take the one on the right. But for the hunter looking for that wider spread, the one on the left is a great bull.

Here's some big eli's I also found yesterday. Found a herd of eli bulls of over 50...View attachment 49091

Heinrich were the 50 elephant bulls where I hunted? The one on the right is a big boy!

 

[HeinrichH]

Charlie they where about 25 miles from there, all unfenced from where you hunted off course..

 

[siml]

Hello Heinrich, how do you explain un fenched? I don't know any elephant in SA that are un fenched. But always willing to learn.

 

[CAustin]

Heinrich They were great looking bulls anyone would be proud to have! Keep sharing the pictures sir.

 

[HeinrichH]

Hello Heinrich, how do you explain un fenched? I don't know any elephant in SA that are un fenched. But always willing to learn.

Hi TMS,

Isn't your name Simon?

I would gladly elaborate. An unfenced hunting area in SA, are areas adjoining KNP, without any fences seperating these areas from the park. These areas are still privately owned and form part of the Association of privately owned nature reserves. All is un spoiled Africa. Just this area that we hunt in ranges all together over 200 000ha. There are more areas up nort in SA as well like this.

Outside of this you will only find fenced reserves and farms.

Hope I could answer your question? But you know SA well as I recall!?

 

[siml]

Thats a nice bull on the right.

 

[Royal27]

An unfenced hunting area in SA, are areas adjoining KNP, without any fences seperating these areas from the park

So I will admit that I've never totally understood this. I get that there is no fence between Kruger and the private reserve, but isn't the outside of the private reserve fenced, effectively making a fence (albeit with a big buffer and comprising a large area) around Kruger? Or, are there areas that are true "free range" with no outside border fence with the intention, successful or not, of keeping animals in?

I thought that between these outside fences and natural barriers (rivers) that Kruger was "fenced."

 

[Royal27]

Personally I'd also take the one on the right. But for the hunter looking for that wider spread, the one on the left is a great bull.

Totally with you, my preference would be the one on the right. If I saw them both in the bush though, I'd shoot the one that gave me the shot first though. I'm just not that picky!

 

[enysse]

The bull on the right does look nice, hard to see from the back side what the one on the left looks like.

 

[siml]

Heindrich, looking at your pics, some areas not many trees left, is this the natural type of vegetation or being caused by the over population of elephant?