Massive African hunting thread...

[yzguy87]

^^^
I am *assuming* that was taken at a zoo?!!!

 

[H&Hhunter]

^^^^

Probably a breeding pen on a high fenced game farm in the country of South Africa.

 

[yzguy87]

I didn't know breeding wild animals was such a big business till I saw show on the outdoor chanel about a whitetail deer farm. I never heard of such thing. I wondered, who would buy those animals? Lol!

 

[Andrew Leigh]

I think that few people actually understand the hunting business and its role in nature conservation. Every bunny hugger seems to think that we are removing our animals through merciless slaughter.

Here in South Africa most, if not all hunting, is done in sustainable environments. Farmers buy stock from breeders and or breed their own through the purchase of prime breeding stock that can be used to populate farms with the correct balance. Most farms are fenced, be they large or small, and constitute most hunting. Farmers spend considerable amounts of money procuring breeding stock that will produce fine trophy animals which is where the money is. Hunting Farm management is a science as is grain farming or pig farming. Not only do you need to manage grazing and water but livestock, then you need to slaughter, cape or skin the animal, have decent accommodation and food for clients but then you have to socialise with them around the fire in the evening. The game farmer has a very long day but provides welcome revenue to the country not to mention much needed employment for non skilled people.

So never feel guilty about coming to South Africa and decimating animal populations. These for the most part are well managed as a game farmer with no game is bankrupt, not clever business.

As with all industries there are the chancers and hunting is not immune to these. Canned hunting would be one, the problem is that demand creates a niche. Some are happy to be driven to an animal, shoot it, pose and take the trophy away with them for bragging rights. I believe that this represents the vast minority of hunters.

So keep coming boys, just a pity that the prices have been aimed specifically at strong currency markets, and are too high in my opinion.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Andrew,

Thank you for posting that. Right on the money my friend.

 

[Grumulkin]

^^^
I am *assuming* that was taken at a zoo?!!!

It depends on what you call a zoo.

In the U.S.A., game animals for the most part are considered to belong to the State. In South Africa, where the photo was taken, as long as the landowner has the area fenced in, the animals within the enclosure are his. Some game farms or reserves are fairly small, small being 4,000 to 5,000 acres and some are large, i.e., 85,000 acres or more. And yes, they do put fences around the 85,000 acre ones.

The photo was taken on a smaller game far; maybe 8,000 acres as I recall. Though the guy is petting it, make no mistake, they are dangerous and I would never have wanted to be around them on foot without a gun. The ones aclimatized to human contact are actually more dangerous than the wild ones. I was told that not long before this photo was taken, one of the trackers was chased around the bakkie by one but escaped unscathed.

If I were ever to hunt Cape Buffalo, I probably wouldn't hunt one on a game farm in South Africa. I would prefer mine wild.

There are some species that can be hunted free range in South Africa. I hunted Cape Grysbuck in some unfenced vinyards in South Africa. Also some species like Baboon, Bushpig, Jackal, Warthog, Caracal, etc. go pretty much where they like so even with a high fence, hunting them is essentially free range. Also other species even where there are no fences don't migrate a lot so if on a large game farm, hunting them is essentially free range.

 

[tahoe2]

Africa

Is my Dream also; I actually know a guy from South Africa who says he can hook me up in a heartbeat, with a guide service; he grew up and went to school with one
of the family members and would go along for fun. He has been here in the states for 10 years and longs to go back for a visit. All I need is money and I'm there !!!

 

[atek3]

Hey, y'all. Very nice pictures!

I'm headed to South Africa for my first hunt in July.

It'll be all plains game.

I plan to bring my Tikka T3 in 7RM as my primary rifle.

Still considering picking up a 243 to use as my secondary rifle.

If you had to share your "biggest lesson learned," what would it be?

atek3

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Where will you be hunting as this is an important consideration for a secondary calibre. Additionally plains game stretches from generally Springbok through to Eland. If you are planning on Eland then your secondary calibre may well be different.

You already have a rifle capable of flat long range shots so a .243 may not be the right thing.

It is the middle of our winter and although nothing like the US it can get very cold as we don't generally have central heating etc. But if I know where you are going I can give some advice on that as well.

 

[atek3]

I'll be hunting fairly close to Kimberley in late July. I was told to dress warmly.

I was thinking about 243 so that I could take Duiker and other small antelope w/o too much damage. 7RM might be a bit much for a 10 kg antelope.

thanks

 

[Grumulkin]

Definitely have the option for dressing warmly. It can be chilly in the back of a bakkie in the morning or evening.

I've taken Duiker, Klipspringer, Vaal Rhebok and Grysbok all with a 460 S&W magnum. What you use isn't as important as bullet construction. I also took an African Wildcat and a Black Back Jackal with a 375 H&H Magnum with minimal hide damage because I was using 300 grain FMJ bullets.

So, your 243 Winchester would be fine for the smaller animals. If you wished to use your 7mm Remington Magnum on the small animals, I'd go with a heavier bullet and one that wouldn't expand much (solids if you can find them or failing that a BTHP match bullet).

 

[H&Hhunter]

I'll be hunting fairly close to Kimberley in late July. I was told to dress warmly.

I was thinking about 243 so that I could take Duiker and other small antelope w/o too much damage. 7RM might be a bit much for a 10 kg antelope.

thanks

A .243 will do every bit as much hide and meat damage on dik dik as will a 7MM. I shoot the small stuff with a .375 or even a .470 with solids. Any expanding high velocity round will pulverize the little antelope.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

I'll be hunting fairly close to Kimberley in late July. I was told to dress warmly.

I was thinking about 243 so that I could take Duiker and other small antelope w/o too much damage. 7RM might be a bit much for a 10 kg antelope.

thanks

For that time of year 37 to 65 F with a mean of 50F. Normally flat as hell so not many trees to provide any form of windbreak. The wind can get up and the chill factor can get a little tense ...... for us locals at least.

I am with H&H, the .243 will give just as much meat damage. Take heavy loads for the smaller game and slow them down. Or get a .243 and load it down to say a 6X45mm.

I would get a 6.5X55mm with nice and easy 140gr. load.

 

[Grumulkin]

Not an African animal but just for some perspective; the exit wound on a coyote I shot with a 243 Winchester.

 

[eastbank]

double post,sorry. eastbank.

 

[eastbank]

i have hunted in africa and botswana two times and an going back this june, i went on what i call a canned hunt once,. it was a quick three day in south africa, we got there at 4:00 am and went to a large ranch the raised all kinds of aminals. at daylight i was driven out to a very large fenced in area that was very flat, the animals had no ware to hide or get away. i shot a black wildabeast and a brown bleysbuck in about a hours time and had planned to shoot a red heartabeast and a eland but it just was not what i wanted in a hunt and cancelled the rest of the hunt and left that afternoon, i didn,t ask for a refund for the other days.i f i wanted to hunt like that (fish in a barrel) i would stay home and pay to shoot a farmers cow, cheaper and i get to keep the meat. that being said the other hunts i went on in botswana and south africa were top shelve and more than i ever wanted, good hunting and animals with exellent staff. i have hunted and shot blue-black wildabeast, male-female kudu, warthog,zebra,waterbuck, different impala spieces and male-female gemsbuck, all fair chase except for the black wildabeast and brown bleysbuck. if it means anything i fell in love with africa and its people. eastbank.