Alltlk4

I saw the thread about the safari and it looks like a advertisment for this outfitter more than anything. But I have always wondered. How difficult are these? I see them drive around and then get out and walk up a road and then they have a kill. Has anyone ever been on one? How did you feel about the difficulty. The country looks beautiful and maybe some day I would like to go but I would hate for it to be more like killing than hunting. Not trying to say I am some big purist hunter but think the fact that it is challenging makes it part of the fun.

iamyourhuckleberry

Alltlk4,

I've had the pleasure to hunt on 5 of the 6 huntable continents. Africa (and elsewhere) is no different than hunting in the United States. The hunt is entirely what you make it...

Do guys ride around in trucks here? Do they sit in treestands? Use bows?

That's the cool thing about hunting...You get to pick the degree of difficulty which suits you.

Africa is an amazing place. If you do get the chance to hunt there, take it!

CarbonElement

I agree, I went two years ago, and like huckleberry said its what you make it. I did ride around in a truck but we were covering a bunch of land, we would get to a good area, then we would walk on foot, and stalk what ever game we would come across! Its an amazing place you should go if you ever have a chance!

Firehuntfish

Dear Forkhorn,

I don't know if you were referring specifically to my post about my hunting trip with Limcroma, but if it sounds like an advertisement, I'm glad for the Outfitter. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many guided hunt/fishing trip both here in the US and abroad. I have had my share of sub-par outfitters, so when I find an excellent one, I want to pass it along. That's how I heard about Limcroma in the first place...By referral from a forum member.

As far as the challenge factor in Hunting South Africa, I tend to agree with the other two replies, in that it is what you make it..
If it looks easier, than hunting other locations, it's due in large part to the incredible quantity & quality of game in SA. That's the main reason hunters go there..You can literally hunt 30-40 different species every time you step into the bush. I can personally guarantee you that the animals I have encounteresd are just as wary and wild as anyplace else. I personally mostly bowhunt while in SA, which is inherintly more challenging in and of itself. If you are are rifle hunter, you will obviously have less of a challenge. It's all relative.

There are plenty of times I could have stepped out of my truck driving around my own lease and easily shot an animal standing by the roadside.... That doesn't mean hunting my property isn't challenging...See what I mean?

You also have to remember, a good outfitter will fit the challenge level to the hunter. You can't expect an elderly man or woman to scale mountains to take a shot....An outfitter's job is to provide the best opportunity for their clients whatever that method may be..

I promise you, Once you go to Africa, you wil understand the attraction. You will be making plans to return before your trip is even over...

Kind regards...

Alltlk4

Yes I was referring to your post. You see new forum members with 1 or 2 post and they are talking about this place or that and this product you should try, often times they are on here for the purpose of pushing products. If those are not your intentions please accept my apologies and welcome to the forum. I just see the shows on TV and wonder what it is like because I have nothing to compare it to. I see a guy deer, elk or turkey hunting, I know how hard it is. I am going to have to save some spare cash to make it happen but I would love to go there someday.

Firehuntfish

Dear ForkHorn,

Yes it is true that I am new to this particular forum, and I only have a post or two....Mostly I read and enjoy the commentary. I don't make posts unless I feel I have something positve to contribute....Anyway, your appology is appreciated, but certainly not necessary. I understand how you might see it that way...

South Africa sometimes gets a bad rap with high fences, etc.... Ironically it is the comments mostly from hunters who have never been there. They comment on what they assume its like.... Here's my thing... I am not a trophy hunter by any means. I could care less what an animal scores as long a I took it legally, and had fun doing it. I love to shoot arrows at lots of different creatures...That's just what does it for me. Africa is paradise for a hunter with that mindset. Now, if you go over there and strickly hunt the most mature, highest scoring animals, you will be challenged regardless of how you hunt, bow, rifle or otherwise...

I honestly would consider retiring to South Africa if their politics weren't such a mess...Yes, worse than ours by far.. Still an incredible place to visit and hunt though..I truly hope you decide to go. You would love it.

gbrownlee

I felt the same way about RSA and Namibia both. I'd love to live in either of those places if the politics weren't a little screwy. Namibia isn't nearly as bad, but the tax ramifications for moving to Namibia are a little harsh.

With regards to the original question, I honestly think it depends on where you're hunting, WHEN you're hunting and what you're after. I've hunted plainsgame in Namibia and South Africa, Buffalo in Zambia and Elephant in Botswana. From the experiences I had, elephant was the toughest to hunt, but others would argue that fact. I hunted early May when the bulls were in Musth (rut), so they were on the move. Some days we spent all day tracking a single bull without ever catching up with him (one day was 32 Km's according the the GPS). That's about 10 hours of walking with a few 10 minute rests here an there. It wasn't easy by any means! We got our bull on day 14 of a 14 day hunt after walking roughly 150 miles. That being said, we've had guys go over there in July and shoot them on day one, 1 kilometer from the cruiser after a short tracking job past a water hole.

It's not just the big game either. I still haven't killed a kudu after 5 safaris, but my brother just shot one on day 3 of his first safari in Namibia. Some of the shows don't show the degree of difficulty it took to get the animals, and others show just how easy it was to shoot the impala over a waterhole in a 500 hectare fenced pasture (A certain Bowhunting TV Duo comes to mind).

Most places in South Africa are fenced, but not all are the "put and take" type of hunting. I've hunted a fenced place, but it was 75,000 acres and the game was re-introduced in the early 80's, so the vast majority of the animals were born on the ranch and not brought it. I can assure you they are very wild and don't let you drive right up to them.