Hunting Forum

My son and I are planning our first safari to either South Africa or Namibia. We are looking at the different outfitters from magazines, SCI newsletter (I am a member), and the professional hunters associations in both countries. Does anyone have any experience and/or recommendations on PH's, outfitters, or USA based consortiums? We want to do it as economically as possible or we would just book with the TV show outfitters from the Outdoor Channel, etc...lol. But please, I am open to suggestions. We are thinking of 7-10 days, with about 5-7 animals each, 2x1. Kudu, gemsbuck, wildebeast, impala, warthog, and maybe another small antelope or two. And we are rifle hunting.Thank you in advance!

If it was me, I'd probably look into Namibia. For the most part, Namibia has better Kudu and Gemsbok than RSA. On thing to note also is that Gemsbok in Namibia are native game while is RSA they are transplanted. Don't know if that is important to you or not, but it would be for me. Namibia is desert country and has a lot of intersting things of a Germanic style. RSA for the most part is British, Namibia was settled by Germans so it is a different type of culture.

Nambia doesn't have the sheer numbers of species that RSA has, but it would be good for a first safari. It wouldn't be too hard to set up a trip for kudu, gemsbok, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, impala and warthog. It also is the only place you can get Hartman's Mountain Zebra and Damara Dik-Dik. They also have Klipspringer, Steenbok, Duiker, Giraffe, Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo. But for the Big 5, other than Leopard there are cheaper places to go.

For an excellent source of information on African hunting try http://www.accuratereloading.com/  A large number of outfitters, booking agents, and hunters post there.  If you make your inquiry on their African Big Game Hunting Forum, you will get some excellent feedback.

While I have never hunted NAM, I don't disagree with anything Flags said. I killed everything NAM has to offer in RSA (or elsewhere) except Dik-Dik (DG excluded). Well, I do have a Dik Dik that is the same except for SCI....The RSA Kalahari has excellent native Gemsbok. I just somehow never got there (NAM) probably because Black Wildebeeste and Nyala and some tiny ones available in RSA only were on my priority list.
You might consider checking with reputable Booking Agents like weshixon@weshixon.com or Atchesons
The recommendation Ramhunter made is also very good.

BTW, you can get Mountain-Hartmanns-Zebra in RSA....and NAM does not have Cape Bushbuck, Cape Kudu, Oribi, Val Rhebok, Red Duiker, Blue Duiker, Sunni, etc that are all indigenous to RSA

My wife and I went through Cruisers Safaris http://www.cruisersafaris.com/ For our first safari in 2009. We had a great time and got almost all of our animals. One was missed due to a broken scope. Great rooms, we went with the wedding suite for the larger room and hot tub bath. Check out my review on Accurate reloading by searching Cruisers.

I would go to Namibia because South Africa is a pain to get through. You should also look into hunting sable antelope. They are beautiful animals.

If you hunt Sable in RSA or NAM thay are likely transplants with possible exception of NE RSA.
You can't get to NAM without going thru RSA and RSA is way less of a pain than a foreign hunter coming to good ol USA.

You may be able to get to Windhoek without an overnight in RSA.....overnight requires permitting in RSA....no big deal if you use a service like for example Gracy Travel which will handle everything for you for a nominal fee.