Free Range Buffalo Hunt in South Africa

[alexm]

Good day fellow hunters

McDonald Safaris have Free Range Buffalo available to hunt in South Africa's top free range concessions.
Open to South Africa's most famous National Park, our areas are part of the APNR and form part of the "Greater Kruger" reserves. Over the past 3 years of hunting these concessions, we have had a 100% success rate on all our big game safaris.

All buffalo hunts are conducted on a 7 day basis and Include the following:
-1x Buffalo bull
-Fully catered accommodations and meals for 7 days
-Fully equipped Profession Hunters, Trackers, Skinners, Camp Staff
-Trophy field preparation

Excluded:
- Transport of trophies to local taxidermy of choice
- Rifle hire
- Additional game hunted

PRICE
*Dagga Boy up to 37" - $17,500
*Classic up to 38" Buffalo - $21,500
*Unrestricted Buffalo - $27,500

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards
Alex McDonald

…..

 

[alexm]

 

[flatwater bill]

Hi Alex, thanks for the post and the offer. Just to clarify--is this 7 full days of hunting, or one day of pick up and one departure day with 5 days of hunting? Is pick up and drop off at JNB included? What would be the cost of additional days or days for an observer? I am trying to learn the pros and cons of buffalo hunting in RSA, Moz, and Zambia, to compare and then decide. There is a lot of variability as to length of hunt, cost of hunt, extra costs, etc. It is difficult to compare and contrast for us here in the States. Again, thanks for posting the offer...............................FW..................Bill

 

[alexm]

Thank you for the reply Bill

The hunts are 7 days of hunting on the concessions. You will then have a day before and a day after your safari for arrival and departure.

Most of our clients fly from JNB to EastGate airport in Hoedspruit which is 30 minutes from the concessions. If requested we can fetch you at JNB apron arrival and drive to the concession (5 hours) for a round trip fee of $500

For non hunting partners/observers McDonald Safaris charge a fee of $300 per person per day.

SAFARI PACKAGES INCLUDE
· Fully serviced accommodation and lodging including camp staff, hot running water, laundry and linen daily.
· Freshly catered meals compliments of our safari chefs, bottled waters, soft drinks, beer and wine throughout the duration of the safari.
· Licensed Professional Hunter and team including trackers, skinners, and a fully equipped 4x4-hunting vehicle.
· Collection and transport to the hunting camp from East-Gate Airport
· Government hunting licenses and concession fees
· Field preparation of your trophies and forwarding to the exporting taxidermist.

SAFARI PACKAGES EXCLUDE
· Packing, dipping and shipping of trophies.
· Hunting licenses for CITES game.
· Airfare costs, both international and domestic.
· Transfer from Johannesburg to camp and return, $500
· Outsourced accommodation and additional activities or tours
· Hunting alternative game on other concessions. Please inquire.
· Rifle hire and ammunition, $100 per day.
· Additional alcohol other than beer and wine.
· Gratuities

I hope these details will be of good help. Let me know of any questions you may have.

best Regards
Alex McDonald
McDonald Safaris

 

[alexm]

Here are some prime examples of the type of bulls one can expect from our areas.

 

[Christina Nyczepir]

Alex....what is your recommendation for the best place to hunt buff overall? Even outside of SA?

 

[RickP]

I like all of these offers but I will *never ever* hunt with a group that puts a different price on the various animal sizes. If I happen to find/hunt a bigger trophy during a hunt than someone else, I don't expect to pay more. Maybe I worked harder for it, or spent more time in the field for it, or made a better stalk for it. I don't play the game of bigger costs more. That's just B.S. Makes me feel like I'm hunting on one of the stupid deer properties here in TX where you pay for antler size. I will *never* friggin' do that. I feel that outfitters/guides that pull this are crooks.

 

[alexm]

WALKINGPREY2
The three top places in my mind to hunt buffalo for both experience and quality of game would be APNR reserves next to Kruger in RSA, any of the reserves bordering Kruger on the Mozambique side, and several of the concessions in Masailand. All are fantastic free range areas with unsurpassed trophy quality and game quantity.

 

[alexm]

I like all of these offers but I will *never ever* hunt with a group that puts a different price on the various animal sizes. If I happen to find/hunt a bigger trophy during a hunt than someone else, I don't expect to pay more. Maybe I worked harder for it, or spent more time in the field for it, or made a better stalk for it. I don't play the game of bigger costs more. That's just B.S. Makes me feel like I'm hunting on one of the stupid deer properties here in TX where you pay for antler size. I will *never* friggin' do that. I feel that outfitters/guides that pull this are crooks.

RickP,
I respect your thoughts, and honestly appreciate your stance in that we hunt for the experience of the hunt. The trophy at the end of the day is ultimately an added appreciation to a good hunt. I for one am not the type who would hunt small, high fenced properties and pay extra because my deers antler was an inch larger than id hoped for.
I must however inform you that these type of hunts are not completely what one may think of the "GAME of bigger costs more".
The reserves in these areas are all large, unfenced and free range concessions open to large national parks and hunted under fair chase conditions. All of the reserves have scientifically allocated quotas of certain sized old buffalo bulls in order to- 1. create funds for the reserves maintenance and anti poaching and 2. manage the and maintain the fantastic quality of game these areas all have.
Note that there are "unrestricted bulls" to hunt which will allow the hunter to shoot a mature buffalo of any size he wishes be it 34" or 44".
The "Dagga bulls & Classic bulls" are not to be discredited, but play an important part in managing the trophy quality in the reserves as they are more affordable to those who wish just to hunt for a mature bull and enjoy the experience of a great buffalo hunt. These hunts also ensure that the reserves do not "over shoot" all the top genetic bulls and maintain great quality for the future. I fully support these management policies and stand by it firmly.

At the end of the day sir, it is every hunter to themselves. I will guide a hunter with pleasure who books to hunt a "Dagga Bull" with me, be it because he/she finds it more financially attractive, or is just wanting to experience the thrill of a buffalo hunt.

Again, I fully respect your approach to a hunt and appreciate it. If you are one who would like to hunt a free range buffalo without "restrictions" then I would like to invite you to come to one of my other concession which is in Mozambique bordering the same national park. My buffalo here are going for $25,000 all in, and you are welcome to hunt any bull, be it 34" or 44".

Best regards
Alex

 

[alexm]

Alex....what is your recommendation for the best place to hunt buff overall? Even outside of SA?

WALKINGPREY2
The three top places in my mind to hunt buffalo for both experience and quality of game would be any of the APNR reserves next to Kruger in RSA, any of the reserves bordering Kruger on the Mozambique side, and several of the concessions in Masailand of Tanzania. All are fantastic free range areas with unsurpassed trophy quality and game quantity.
I am sure there numerous other fantastic areas out there, but of the many that I know, the above mentioned are by far my top choice.

 

[jeff]

Alex I appreciate your explanation on varying trophy size and costs, it is different than high fence areas where they charge for kudu , impala and warthog by size. On these areas they charge because the market will bear it and big kudu etc.. are in demand. The decision there is not management oriented but financial.

 

[alexm]

Alex I appreciate your explanation on varying trophy size and costs, it is different than high fence areas where they charge for kudu , impala and warthog by size. On these areas they charge because the market will bear it and big kudu etc.. are in demand. The decision there is not management oriented but financial.

Jeff,
You are most welcome sir. I must however add that these hunts are financial driven to a degree- to create money enough to manage these reserves high running costs of anti poaching and maintenance. The prices are not incremented to take advantage or crook the client. These large free range reserves offer top quality buffalo hunts with equally great experiences which are attractive to all.

 

[flatwater bill]

Rickp.............don't candy coat it Rick, tell 'em how you REALLY feel about this pricing method.................just kidding.........It IS difficult for us in the USA...................we're always trying to get a bigger better deer or elk, and then we travel to another country, and have a big disincentive toward hunting hard. Here in Idaho we are not used to "management " hunts, but that's what these are. And it sounds like they're necessary. Most red stag hunts in NZ fall into this category. I understand Alex's comments, and the need to hunt various different sized buffalo bulls, but I could also see some disagreement in measuring the very close ones. Some of the photos on this website show some very large buff put on the ground on some very inexpensive hunts. It shows the trophy was great, but doesnt necessarily portrait the chase.
I have been looking for a buffalo hunt now for nearly a year. I am still not sure what separates the inexpensive hunts ($8900 to $12000) from the mid range($14500 to 17500) from the higher end ($20K - $27K plus) hunts. I would be very interested to hear Alex' take on this difference........................thanks to all..................FW Bill

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

WALKINGPREY2, Nyamazana Safaris Zimbabwe.
Witold

 

[jand]

Good offer Alex. The APNR is an awesome Buffalo hunting destination , not only offering true free range wild Buffalo , but an absolute abundance of them with very low quotas making for low hunting pressure.
I don't mean to hijack your post but this size thing and the reaction thereto warrants me to tell of an observation I made at SCI this year. An outfitter was selling his buffalo hunts hard to a prospective hunter. I heard him say " with us you can shoot as big as you can find , none of that limiting stuff that they have in Greater Kruger "
2 days later I had a chat with the outfitter , asking him about his area and how big his Buffalo are and what to honestly expect .
" Typically " , he said , " 34 to 38 inches " I saw the pictures , not too many hard bossed buffalo amongst them.....

Good luck selling them Bwana.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I like all of these offers but I will *never ever* hunt with a group that puts a different price on the various animal sizes. If I happen to find/hunt a bigger trophy during a hunt than someone else, I don't expect to pay more. Maybe I worked harder for it, or spent more time in the field for it, or made a better stalk for it. I don't play the game of bigger costs more. That's just B.S. Makes me feel like I'm hunting on one of the stupid deer properties here in TX where you pay for antler size. I will *never* friggin' do that. I feel that outfitters/guides that pull this are crooks.

RickP calling a guy a crook that has a great longstanding reputation.... really??

These are not sliding scale BOMA hunts where you select the animal with a bar code.
Don't confuse them with your Texas nightmare.
The APNR are large open reserves.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

Awesome place to hunt - hunted in the Umubat (free range next to Kruger) in 2014. Here is a pic of our buff:

 

[HuntingGold]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer the questions. I will retire in a few short years and your outfit has made my short list of those to consider for a Cape Buffalo hunt.
Thanks for your patience and professionalism.

 

[Scott Slough]

RickP,

While I agree that I am not interested in hunting with someone who charges differentially for different animals, I would NEVER call someone a crook who honestly shares their price structure.

 

[Scott Slough]

Alex,

Appreciate a positive, educative response!