Shotgunning the dark continent

[Mr. 16 gauge]

As one might expect from my screen name, I'm a bird hunting enthusiast. I understand why hunting Africa is primarily a "big game" deal, but I'm sure that there are bird hunting opportunities out there.
I'm curious as to what species do you hunt, what are considered good "table fare", what birds are the "sportiest", etc.
As far as shotguns go, what do most African hunters prefer? Are pumps/semiautos allowed? What about shotshells......payload, velocity, shot size (would prefer if it were in mm, as it seems every country in the world has their own "system")? Are shells expensive in S.A. or Namibia?
Chokes.....do you use the same for all species, or do you use more open chokes for some, and tighter for others?
Dogs........what are the more popular hunting breeds?

Do you use decoys or calls while waterfowl hunting, or do you do pass shooting, ..........or just wait on a certain pond for them to come in? Do you have to use nontoxic shot for waterfowl?

Just curious...............some day I'd like to do some bird hunting in Africa.

If and when this thread gets going, I'll post some photos of some of my bird hunting exploits.......right now, I've just got done typing a bunch of letters re: the new export rules for U.S. hunters.....my finger tips are kinda sore!

 

[BRICKBURN]

I enjoy shot gunning and bird hunting a lot.

Although I have done very little in Southern Africa as yet.

In Namibia I walked up Guinea Fowl on my own with some assistance from the "hunting" dogs. They pointed the dead birds. My only real bird hunt thus far.
It was a lot of fun to walk them up like we do Pheasant.

I know there are some English Springers in RSA.

Sand Grouse and Doves really look like they could be a lot of fun.

This trip I am going to go after an Egyptian Goose one way or the other. It's a revenge thing now.
Marius has one tied up somewhere in the Eastern Cape.

If I were really doing some serious shooting I would take my own shotgun.
I have zero idea of what ammunition or performance is.

 

[Amon458]

I am interested in this discussion as well. Also does anyone know if there are any dumb laws on ammo like we have here in the states that you cant use lead shot?

 

[BRICKBURN]

I am interested in this discussion as well. Also does anyone know if there are any dumb laws on ammo like we have here in the states that you cant use lead shot?

I used Lead in Namibia. I think that PC policy is a North American manifestation.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

I'm curious as to what species do you hunt, what are considered good "table fare", what birds are the "sportiest", etc.
As far as shotguns go, what do most African hunters prefer? Are pumps/semiautos allowed? !

I can only comment to my are but we do a lot of pigeons over sunflowers, guinea is always fun, they can be difficult to get to. Then we also have Swainson, Crested and Coqui franklin. Most of us use 12Ga either in side by side or over and under.

What about shotshells......payload, velocity, shot size (would prefer if it were in mm, as it seems every country in the world has their own "system")? Are shells expensive in S.A. or Namibia?

We use only lead shells and they are not really expensive. i think nowadays you can get a crate 250 Shells for around $100. For pigeons we normally use 7/7.5 shells in mm i think 2.5 and 2.4mm, for the Franklin number 7 still work fine 2.5mm
Guinea i will say go to a number 4/5 shell 3.25 and 3mm 28grn shells work fine on all of these.

Chokes.....do you use the same for all species, or do you use more open chokes for some, and tighter for others?
Dogs........what are the more popular hunting breeds?

Personally i do not use different chokes, maybe the guys that are into shotgunning a bit more can help us out here, for pigeons any retrieving dog works fine(lab or pointer breeds) on Franklin it is some good fun hunting over pointers. Guineas you just need to out smart and stalk them down, or chase them with a vehicle

Water fowling i haven't done much but in my opinion you go to the ponds you know where they are before it starts getting light and hide out there. when they start flying out for the day you just hope you have hid yourself in their flight path, and the same thing for the afternoons, get out to the ponds before it starts getting dark and wait for them to come in.

just my 2c if i were talking B.S please feel free to correct me.

All the best

 

[Amon458]

Do you know if there are any species of swan that can be hunted in africa as they are my favorite bird to hunt here?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I can't speak for other areas, but species available in our area, are Egyptian Goose, Spurwing, Yellow Bill Duck, Crow, Shelduck among others. That is in a single area.
Great fun. No limitations to what type of ammo you can use. I usually just make sure that my local gun store has in stock of what my hunters' need around the time that they arrive here.
It is now possible to bring semi-auto shotgun into the country. As long as your motivation is sufficient. I might suggest a gun service to make sure it gets done right.

 

[spike.t]

check this http://www.africahunting.com/thread...aris-bird-hunting-packages.21542/#post-175771.

doves aka pigeons in some places......are good over crops . guinea fowl really need to be shot as part of a driven shoot , or you will have to be prepared to run after them looking like a lunatic with little chance of catching them . stalking guinea fowl with a .22 is good fun but they usually win there also...........i prefer min 6 or 5 for doves and 4 for guinea fowl .

 

[peras]

My partner John Weavind was one of the pioneers in opening the South African wingshooting market to overseas hunters. We have a whole section on wingshooting on our website pawprintsafaris.com . You are welcome to mail John at john@pawprintsafaris.co.za he will be able to give detailed answers on all your questions.

 

[blackdog001blackdog001]

I hunted sand grouse over a water trough last year in Namibia. It was a morning after I had filled my big game tag. Used the PH's Leopard gun - sxs 12 ga with 45 Colt in the other barrel. It was sporty but to be honest, not all that challenging. I think I killed the first 8 with one shot each then maybe used another 7 or 8 shells to kill another 5 or 6 birds. Fun way to spend the morning.

 

[billc]

I plan on spending a day or two bird hunting next trip over. Maybe one day flushing birds with Pieter and johns pointers then a day doing duck and geese.

There is some good bird info on the paw print website with some pic's I do believe also.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

My partner John Weavind was one of the pioneers in opening the South African wingshooting market to overseas hunters. We have a whole section on wingshooting on our website pawprintsafaris.com . You are welcome to mail John at john@pawprintsafaris.co.za he will be able to give detailed answers on all your questions.

I plan on spending a day or two bird hunting next trip over. Maybe one day flushing birds with Pieter and johns pointers then a day doing duck and geese.

There is some good bird info on the paw print website with some pic's I do believe also.

I have visited Paw Prints website, and just let me say that they are on my radar (and short list)! My problem is going to be finding someone to go along to bird hunt (in Africa).

Here are some photos from my trip to the U.P. of Michigan last October; the first is my first wild turkey that I bagged. I wish I could say I called it in, but it was more of an ambush.....I saw a flock on the neighboring property and then went back and hid in the woods till they came walking by. The resort owner spooked them, so they started to race off. I gave a few yelps on the call and this one stopped and popped his head up. His mistake!

Dressed, it weighed in at 19lbs.....we brined it and had it for Thanksgiving dinner! Shotgun was a 12 gauge Remington 1100 with modified choke and a handload of 1 1/2 oz of nickle plated #5 shot.

The next is a ruffed grouse that I shot at as it flew across a logging road. I thought I missed and went into that cedar swamp to reflush it.......we didn't find it so I figured it kept on going deeper in the swamp. I few moments later my lab Ziva showed up with it in her mouth!!
Shotgun was a 12 gauge Remingtion SPR310 (O/U) with improved cylinder and modified chokes. Load was a 1 1/8 oz of #7 shot.

Finally, my whitetail doe I took in late Nov. (shotguns aren't just for birds, yah know!) Taken with the 1100 and a slug barrel w/ rifled sights, and a handload using a Lyman slug I cast myself.

On a side note: has anyone used a slingshot to take birds in Africa? Thought about taking a wrist rocket and a handful of steel ball bearings on my next trip. Silent and effective!

 

[billc]

Nice mix of game you got to harvest.
You could use a slingshot to take some birds or even a bow. There is plenty of birds around to chase with a slingshot.

You could still hunt birds on your own. Depending on some guys who are thinking of going with me when I go back I may have room for someone to go with when we go in 2016. I will do a few days bird hunting and then a bunch of plain game. Last trip over the was 5 of us this next trip I hope to have 5 or 6 guys going again.

 

[Royal27]

I can't speak for other areas, but species available in our area, are Egyptian Goose, Spurwing, Yellow Bill Duck, Crow, Shelduck among others. That is in a single area.
Great fun. No limitations to what type of ammo you can use. I usually just make sure that my local gun store has in stock of what my hunters' need around the time that they arrive here.
It is now possible to bring semi-auto shotgun into the country. As long as your motivation is sufficient. I might suggest a gun service to make sure it gets done right.

I can attest to this. I took a semi-auto 12 gauge to Zim and through SA. To be safe they did have me write a letter of motivation. I just stated I wanted to hunt birds and that the semi-auto had sentimental value and I had always wanted to use it in Africa. Maybe I got a little mushy, but I figured it didn't hurt! Sadly, I ended up not shooting it while over there as we ran out of time.

Also, don't forget that the ammo weight restriction is still 11 lbs. So for serious wing shooting the outfitter will need to have shells ready for your use.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

O.K., how about a few waterfowling photos! Here is a pair (brace? couple a?) mallards I shot on our local managed waterfowl area. I'm lucky to live near one of the world's largest freshwater deltas (St. Clair flats)......we get a lot of waterfowl migrating through; sometimes the air is just FILLED with ducks (however, the learn quickly to key in onto the local refuge). I took these two using a Remington model 11 (based on a Browning A5 design) and bismuth shot handloads. Waterfowling in the States requires the use of nontoxic shot;I use steel shot primarily out of my 12 gauges, but for the smaller bores/older guns, bismuth and ITM shot kill better, and don't damage the barrels. However, ITM is not available as a reloading component here in the States, and bismuth is slightly cheaper.

The area I hunt has flooded crop fields (corn), marsh, and big water areas. Here is a photo of my diver spread (well, part of my diver spread) in one of the more open marsh areas. The decoys (mostly bluebills) are attached to a main line. The main line has an anchor at each end (I use large tin cans filled with concrete) and has a loop about every 6' or so; the decoys have a 3' dropper line attached to each one, with a lobster trap snap on the end. The line is spooled out (I made some spools out of scrap 2x2's and plywood) by putting the spools in the oar locks and letting the wind carry you along....as the line is spooled out, you attach a decoy to the loops as the play out. When you reach the end of the line, you attach an anchor and drop it in the water. You then row or motor up to the top of the string and do it all over again. Diver ducks usually try and land at the head of the lines; puddle ducks will tend to try and land in the open areas between the lines.

Finally, a prized duck!!! I shot this canvasback in the marsh area.......only duck I got all day, but everyone at the check station was "oooh"ing and "aaah"ing and wanting to know what area I was hunting.......I just said "the marsh"

Thanks for looking!!!