South Africa animals not contained by high fence

[375Fox]

If one hasn't hunted game in a South African 10,000 acre fenced or greater farm, it might be easy to think they are not "fair chase". Any of the farms, ranches, outfitters that are supporters of this site that are not fair chase would get ripped apart by members!

Africa is much, much more populated than it was 100 years ago. Large tracts of habitat and migration routes have been turned into farms and ranches. Desirable properties along waterways now have settlements with substance farms. Where will the wildlife go and not get killed for snacking on a garden that lies on what was their habitat? Then those unfortunate animals become "crop raiders" with a bounty on them!

True unfenced areas in Africa other than conservatories such as the Save in Zimbabwe would not have much wildlife due to poaching. Large "fenced" properties use the fences to not only manage their game but also to keep out poachers!

Fences used properly can be a very good thing, but I think too many people associate 10,000 acres and the absence of put and take practices. Outfitters offering exceptional trophies exclusively on their land raise a lot of suspicion and that includes sponsors. No one, including me, bashes a sponsors offers here. The definition of fair chase seems to be wide ranging and also seems flexible depending on price. There are lots of quality free range areas, low fence areas, and well managed high fence areas but research needs to be done.

 

[Cam300]

Full throttle is correct word!
Looking at them, I always had a feeling gemsbok is lazy.
I am sure they can jump over low fence, and yet, they choose to push through! Like being too lazy to jump!

Yes! The funniest part is the landowner had put 1-2 foot gaps every 100 yards or so in the fence for wildlife to pass through. The gemsbok ran through that fence about 10 feet from a gap… they’re awesome animals.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Fences used properly can be a very good thing, but I think too many people associate 10,000 acres and the absence of put and take practices. Outfitters offering exceptional trophies exclusively on their land raise a lot of suspicion and that includes sponsors. No one, including me, bashes a sponsors offers here. The definition of fair chase seems to be wide ranging and also seems flexible depending on price. There are lots of quality free range areas, low fence areas, and well managed high fence areas but research needs to be done.

I think it depends on the Outfitter's business model. From 2019, we decided to make a conscious effort on age over score. This, paired with the 1 year off during Covid, did wonders for the quality of animals in our area. Much better than I could ever have imagined.
We hunt a lot of low fenced/free range areas, and we will always concentrate on old animals, not matter what the score. This has paid off big time. My PH's know not return to camp with an animal with white/flakey bases.
This is why I find the notion of hunting everything on a single tract of land unsustainable. The Eastern Cape just has too many biomes.
I can't beat many of the competitors on prices, so the only way is to beat them on the quality. There is certainly a niche out there for people wanting to hunt mature animals.

 

[375Fox]

I think it depends on the Outfitter's business model. From 2019, we decided to make a conscious effort on age over score. This, paired with the 1 year off during Covid, did wonders for the quality of animals in our area. Much better than I could ever have imagined.
We hunt a lot of low fenced/free range areas, and we will always concentrate on old animals, not matter what the score. This has paid off big time. My PH's know not return to camp with an animal with white/flakey bases.
This is why I find the notion of hunting everything on a single tract of land unsustainable. The Eastern Cape just has too many biomes.
I can't beat many of the competitors on prices, so the only way is to beat them on the quality. There is certainly a niche out there for people wanting to hunt mature animals.

I think hunting with you there’d be no difference hunting high fenced or free range. I’m really glad that is how you run your business.

 

[zip4644]

I think it depends on the Outfitter's business model. From 2019, we decided to make a conscious effort on age over score. This, paired with the 1 year off during Covid, did wonders for the quality of animals in our area. Much better than I could ever have imagined.
We hunt a lot of low fenced/free range areas, and we will always concentrate on old animals, not matter what the score. This has paid off big time. My PH's know not return to camp with an animal with white/flakey bases.
This is why I find the notion of hunting everything on a single tract of land unsustainable. The Eastern Cape just has too many biomes.
I can't beat many of the competitors on prices, so the only way is to beat them on the quality. There is certainly a niche out there for people wanting to hunt mature animals.

this.......all day......

 

[CoElkHunter]

I personally really appreciate the existence of the game ranches in Africa. I was very fortunate this past June to experience my first PG hunt in the Eastern Cape on a 75k acre ranch. Mostly high fenced which I only saw coming into or leaving the ranch. Mountainous with a lot of heavy brush. Reminded me of elk hunting here. It was everything I had dreamed of and more. The people I met with like mindedness of our hunting pastime, the plethora of different game and non game species, the geography and flora, sunrises and sunsets viewed in a foreign country, etc., etc. Like myself, many hunters with limited hunting budgets, dream/have dreamed of hunting in Africa. I believe without the existence of reputable game ranches in Africa, hunting there would remain an unattainable dream for many/most of us.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

If one hasn't hunted game in a South African 10,000 acre fenced or greater farm, it might be easy to think they are not "fair chase". Any of the farms, ranches, outfitters that are supporters of this site that are not fair chase would get ripped apart by members!

Africa is much, much more populated than it was 100 years ago. Large tracts of habitat and migration routes have been turned into farms and ranches. Desirable properties along waterways now have settlements with substance farms. Where will the wildlife go and not get killed for snacking on a garden that lies on what was their habitat? Then those unfortunate animals become "crop raiders" with a bounty on them!

True unfenced areas in Africa other than conservatories such as the Save in Zimbabwe would not have much wildlife due to poaching. Large "fenced" properties use the fences to not only manage their game but also to keep out poachers!

Sorry, but you are a bit wrong about Zimbabwe. Example have you ever heard of Matetsi?

 

[uplander01]

I've hunted 75k acre high fenced ranches, it's necessary and a great experience that most people hunting in africa should enjoy. I also believe they are of paramount importance for game management, breeding, etc. insuring game animal species for the future. That being said, once I went on some true wilderness hunts in Zim and Moz, I'll never go back to a ranch hunt. I just prefer to take my chances, and I don't really care about shooting a whole bunch of stuff, the harder it is the better, and that may mean not pulling the trigger even when you're walking 10-15 miles a day.

 

[BSO Dave]

Like myself, many hunters with limited hunting budgets, dream/have dreamed of hunting in Africa. I believe without the existence of reputable game ranches in Africa, hunting there would remain an unattainable dream for many/most of us.

Exactly! This is true for the vast majority of hunters who travel to Africa.

 

[Flewis]

I've hunted 75k acre high fenced ranches, it's necessary and a great experience that most people hunting in africa should enjoy. I also believe they are of paramount importance for game management, breeding, etc. insuring game animal species for the future. That being said, once I went on some true wilderness hunts in Zim and Moz, I'll never go back to a ranch hunt. I just prefer to take my chances, and I don't really care about shooting a whole bunch of stuff, the harder it is the better, and that may mean not pulling the trigger even when you're walking 10-15 miles a day.

I hunted Zambia and sa. The hunting in sa on a game ranch was far more difficult.

 

[Safari Dave]

I wouldn't want to pay to hunt any "high-fenced" ranch in the USA, that I have ever seen.

South Africa, was, to me a completely different situation.



We hunted huge ranches, where the hunting was completely "fair chase" - thousand and thousands of acres for the animals to escape, live, breed and die of natural causes.

Many of these "game ranches" were very much much larger and open than any Wildlife Management Area or National Wildlife Refuge in the eastern USA.

I saw a Gemsbok, run through a "high-fence" like it wasn't even there.



Find an outfitter with a large ranch and don't give it a second thought. You will not be hunting pets.

 

[Safari Dave]

I would not pay to hunt on a South African game ranch where you had to pay more for a better quality trophy.


IMO, that ranch is managed like a cattle farm too much and every decent trophy probably has a name, and has a tag in it's ear at some point.

 

[PeteG]

I hunted Zambia and sa. The hunting in sa on a game ranch was far more difficult.

Interesting. Why do you say that?

 

[Flewis]

The animals were much more alert in sa. In Zambia getting close was very easy.

 

[Tanks]

The animals were much more alert in sa. In Zambia getting close was very easy.

If animals are that much more alert in an RSA game farm how can they can offer 7 specific species of animals in 5 days of hunting etc, etc..?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Got back from Mozambique about two months ago. Animals are way more relaxed compared to RSA.

 

[375Fox]

Comparing South Africa as a whole and saying animals are more alert than a wild concession area in a different country is a ridiculous comparison. A concession area is maybe 100k acres, it has the same species throughout, and generally consistent use pressure (human activity, hunting, poaching, fishing, etc) throughout the concession. The same 100k acres in South Africa would be at least 10 high fenced farms, maybe 20 with some different species on each and a different level of use (farming, hunting, etc) on each farm. The wildlife on each farm has the ability to be very different from the adjacent farm. Some farms I’ve seen in South Africa have been very wild hunting and others not so much. South Africa is also a very big country and intense game farming more prevalent in certain areas than others.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Comparing South Africa as a whole and saying animals are more alert than a wild concession area in a different country is a ridiculous comparison. A concession area is maybe 100k acres, it has the same species throughout, and generally consistent use pressure (human activity, hunting, poaching, fishing, etc) throughout the concession. The same 100k acres in South Africa would be at least 10 high fenced farms, maybe 20 with some different species on each and a different level of use (farming, hunting, etc) on each farm. The wildlife on each farm has the ability to be very different from the adjacent farm. Some farms I’ve seen in South Africa have been very wild hunting and others not so much. South Africa is also a very big country and intense game farming more prevalent in certain areas than others.

Who mentioned the entire South Africa?
@Flewis obviously had an experience in a certain part of South Africa where he experienced tough hunting, and I speak on behalf of my areas. You are obviously referring to either Flewis or me. We're the only ones that has mentioned this.
Where animals know that they get hunted, animals react different to where they have not seen much threat.
You just need to decide if you want to hunt an animal that knows of danger, or shoot one that looks at you because it has never seen a person before.

 

[zip4644]

Who mentioned the entire South Africa?
@Flewis obviously had an experience in a certain part of South Africa where he experienced tough hunting, and I speak on behalf of my areas. You are obviously referring to either Flewis or me. We're the only ones that has mentioned this.
Where animals know that they get hunted, animals react different to where they have not seen much threat.
You just need to decide if you want to hunt an animal that knows of danger, or shoot one that looks at you because it has never seen a person before.

this I can attest to as well, still have ptsd from chasing that black wildebeest.....1.5 days.....he most assuredly knew I was after him.....

 

[375Fox]

Who mentioned the entire South Africa?
@Flewis obviously had an experience in a certain part of South Africa where he experienced tough hunting, and I speak on behalf of my areas. You are obviously referring to either Flewis or me. We're the only ones that has mentioned this.
Where animals know that they get hunted, animals react different to where they have not seen much threat.
You just need to decide if you want to hunt an animal that knows of danger, or shoot one that looks at you because it has never seen a person before.

There is quite a bit in between an animal knowing it’s being hunting and never seeing a person before. My point stands there can be a significant difference from one farm to the next hunting in South Africa. You didn’t specifically say all of South Africa but you also didn’t specifically say your hunting areas.