Free Range Namibia?

[Duke1966]

I'm leaning towards Namibia over South Africa basically because it just sounds like it suits my style of hunting a little better. South Africa seems to have a lot more fenced areas and they seem more like game farms. I'm sure the critters are very wild and spooky (it's just their nature) but still, I really prefer not to hunt any farm bred animals. I know it probably doesn't mean much to most but I just prefer not to.
I found this place through a internet search but surprisingly can't find any discussion here on the forum about them

www.kanambohunting.com

Is anyone familiar with this outfit?
Also, it seems most outfitters keep their prices pretty close but I occasionally see something that seems significantly different. One example is Kudu trophy fees listed as $2000 at https://namibianhuntingsafaris.com/namibia-hunting/
But $3500 with Schalk Pienaar...(my favorite so far)

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[IvW]

You need to do more homework if you are under the impression that South Africa only offers "farm bred animals"......I truely do not understand where that notion comes from....

 

[Duke1966]

You need to do more homework if you are under the impression that South Africa only offers "farm bred animals"......I truely do not understand where that notion comes from....

Ugh...It figures that would be the first response. I didn't say only. I honestly don't have a clue and this is exactly what I am doing "my homework". The only information I have really is this forum and it has been pointed out on numerous occasions by numerous members that it is one thing that is common in RSA. No offense but your response certainly didn't steer me back towards South Africa.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Hi Duke, I have never hunted Namibia, but I am sure it is fantastic. I will be going there to hunt a gemsbok one day because the red sand semi-desert is their domain. I have hunted South Africa and whilst it may have some smaller concessions it also has some very large truly free ranging ones too. It is very diverse, from the hills and valleys of the Eastern Cape and it's kudu through the karoo with it's low scrub for springbok to the lowveld baobab country of Limpopo. Whatever you do, it will be enjoyable, everywhere offers something different.

 

[BTB Joe]

Shona Hunting Adventures and Khomas Highland Hunting both offer free range Namibian hunting opportunities. They are AH sponsors I believe. I’ve hunted with both several times and they were great. If you search this site, you’ll see trip reports on each of them. I’ve hunted SA and Namibia. I prefer Namibia for all the species that call the place home. Beautiful scenery, nice people. Good luck!

 

[IvW]

Have you googled Kalkfeld conservancy?
First link you are hunting a fenced cattle ranch......

 

[IvW]

You wanna sit on a plank while driving around?

You think he can get out?

Good thing you are doing homework and research...many here will give you some good pointers and recommendations....be careful of making a decision based on price....

 

[Duke1966]

Hi Kevin P
Thanks for the friendly response. Something you said touched on exactly what I was getting at ...So many of these outfitters advertise so many different species to hunt that I realized that they all can't be native to every part of Africa. Am I not right? I'd prefer to hunt in an area that is free ranging and native.

 

[Duke1966]

View attachment 519474
You wanna sit on a plank while driving around?

View attachment 519475

You think he can get out?

Good thing you are doing homework and research...many here will give you some good pointers and recommendations....be careful of making a decision based on price....

Yeah you're doing your best to talk me out of going at all

 

[375Fox]

Something to consider with Namibia. Nearly all outfitters will have access to a lot of low fence cattle country surrounding their high fenced farm. The outfitter you suggested may be great but I’d expand your search. Just because they don’t advertise it doesn’t mean it’s not available, most have access to more low than high fence. Focus on native species there such as kudu, eland, springbok, warthog, gemsbok, hartebeest. Hartmann zebra, steenbok, duiker. Kudu, warthog, steenbok, duiker will occur in nearly all low fence areas. Namibia farms are huge and there is a lot of space in country. It has very good PHs as well.

 

[Duke1966]

I don't want to make a decision based on price alone but it is a factor and what I was asking is why such a big discrepancy? That's almost twice as much for the same animal in the same region.

 

[Duke1966]

Something to consider with Namibia. Nearly all outfitters will have access to a lot of low fence cattle country surrounding their high fenced farm. The outfitter you suggested may be great but I’d expand your search. Just because they don’t advertise it doesn’t mean it’s not available, most have access to more low than high fence. Focus on native species there such as kudu, eland, springbok, warthog, gemsbok, hartebeest. Hartmann zebra, steenbok, duiker. Kudu, warthog, steenbok, duiker will occur in nearly all low fence areas. Namibia farms are huge and there is a lot of space in country. It has very good PHs as well.

Which one that I suggested are you referring?

 

[375Fox]

Which one that I suggested are you referring?

I thought you only suggesting kanambo, but really either. Lots of good outfitters with a lot of low fence property available in Namibia.

 

[BTB Joe]

Below are a couple links to posts we made on Shona and Khomas. Others have posted too. I love Namibia. There’s a wide variety of foliage and terrain depending on where you go we found that gemsbok, mountain zebra, springbok and eland were great hunting experiences there. Will be there again in March.
Shona post
Khomas post

 

[375Fox]

Yeah you're doing your best to talk me out of going at all

Don’t let him talk you out of it. You can YouTube springbok jumping and note that there is no client sitting on that board in photo. It’s for the tracker. There are very few bad reports on Namibia for a reason just keep doing your research on what you want and don’t want.

 

[375Fox]

I don't want to make a decision based on price alone but it is a factor and what I was asking is why such a big discrepancy? That's almost twice as much for the same animal in the same region.

A lot drives price, really no different in North America. An outfitter can be trying to attract a certain clientele. They can work on volume of hunts or a few higher dollar hunts. They can have access to better areas. It might be discounted as part of a package deal. It might be marked high to allow agent commission but client given discount when booked direct. Different quality of lodging and quality of vehicles. Long established and solid reputation or just starting out. Huge amount of variables in price. If it’s worth the difference or not is up to person going.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

On my trips to Africa on safari I always tried to hunt species that were indigenous to the area of the hunt. In Namibia this was greater kudu, gemsbok, warthog and others but not royal sable. Royal sable, because it was not indigenous, became very expensive, I could hunt it but not at that price in 2013. I did hunt one in 2018 in an area where they were indigenous. Royal sable are indigenous to the eastern part of southern africa, namely Mozambique, but I wasn't therein 2013. As for high fence/low fence, yes different species react differently. I have witnessed greater kudu clearing over 8' high fences. Don't give up on Namibia, enjoy hunt, enjoy the experience.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

Ugh...It figures that would be the first response. I didn't say only. I honestly don't have a clue and this is exactly what I am doing "my homework". The only information I have really is this forum and it has been pointed out on numerous occasions by numerous members that it is one thing that is common in RSA. No offense but your response certainly didn't steer me back towards South Africa.

Hi Duke. Yes, Namibia does have more free-range hunting opportunities than South Africa overall. That said, free-range does exist in South Africa but I've found that they're not advertised nearly as much as the game farms in the country. Meaning that you will unfortunately have to do a lot more digging and it can be a little daunting. I was once under the impression that free-range hunting didn't exist in South Africa until I came upon a handful of outfitters by pure luck.

I haven't hunted with any of them, but these are the ones that I'd recommend:

African Hunting, Eastern Cape South Africa - Company Name

Trophy Hunt the Eastern Cape of South Africa with an experienced guide and leading Outfitter, tour packages also available. Let the adventure begin….

www.lalapasafaris.co.za

(They have access to hundreds of thousands of hectares of low-fence, farmland hunting for plainsgame.)

Home - Coenraad Vermaak Safaris

www.cvsafaris.com

(!Khambab Kalahari Reserve is their flagship destination, being a 240k continous acre game reserve with only a game fence around the perimeter. They have a wild, self-sustaining population of all species of the Big 5 and innumerable plainsgame. There are many others that they operate in the country of similar quality but I wouldn't be able to mention them all.)

McDonald Hunting Safaris

The very best African hunting outfitters. From vast hunting areas to the diversity of abundant African game, McDonald Safaris has secured hunting rights to some of the finest Prime hunting areas available today. McDonald Safaris provide the best hunting guides, state of the art hunting...

www.mcdonaldsafaris.com

(Vast majority of their hunting in RSA occurs on their concession in the APNR, adjoining Kruger National Park. As well as a concession on top of the Soutpansberg Mountain Range.)

Chapungu-Kambako Safaris | Hunting Safari Operator in Africa

Chapungu-Kambako Safaris is one of the largest hunting operators in Africa with concessions spanning five countries where we offer big and plains game safaris.

chapungu-kambako.com

(Kalahari Oryx Private Game Reserve is very similar to !Khambab, spanning over 212k countinous acres with a wild, self-sustaining population of four species of the Big 5. The terrain is much more hilly than !Khambab, with sand dunes dominating the area. It also has a game fence around the perimeter.)

Wintershoek Safaris

www.wintershoeksafaris.com

(Their areas in the Northern Cape are fairly similar to the game ranches that you might associate with RSA, making up for it with their very large size. The animals are still self-sustaining and you won't see animals eating from feed plots, only maybe drinking from boreholes and licking salt placed for them as much of the Northern Cape is very dry and harsh terrain. Wintershoek's biggest area, Karreekloof, spans over 112k continuous acres.)

Those are just a few that I could mention in one comment so I hope that helps.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

View attachment 519474
You wanna sit on a plank while driving around?

View attachment 519475

You think he can get out?

Good thing you are doing homework and research...many here will give you some good pointers and recommendations....be careful of making a decision based on price....

I understand you're talking passionately but the anger is misplaced.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

@Duke1966: Don't let anyone talk you out of your safari and don't get closed minded on fences or the whole free-range concept for South Africa and Namibia. And by all means, take any negativity with a block of salt. If you are with a good outfitter/PH, there is nothing negative about hunting in South Africa or Namibia.

I have hunted South Africa with 4 different outfitters and Namibia twice with the same 2 outfitters. In South Africa, I have hunted two properties that had what I would call a real barrier fence of the same level you see on high fence ranches in Texas. One was over 12,000 acres and the other was 56,000 acres. The rest of them had good stock fences at best and I saw game jump it or slide under it without so much as a pause. The two places I have hunted in Namibia had fences that would not hold most of the cattle we had when I was a kid in Texas. Santa Gertrudis can jump like kudu and eland. The exception being one side of one ranch that borders Erindi Reserve. These two ranches are 26,000 and 44,000 acres. That is a lot of land when you are walking and tracking.

Find you a good outfitter (many are on here) and go on safari!

Safe hunting