Bud – If I remember correctly, you and I started going to Jan’s about the same time, 2007/2008. You’ve made five trips there, and I’ve been going there every year, some years two and three trips, taking first timers as well as experienced African hunters. The only year I didn’t make at least one trip was 2018 when we went to Australia for a month sightseeing and a week of culling water buffalo in the NWT and of course this past year (2020).

Our first three trips there, the grass was waist tall and thick, even up in the hillsides. It was so tall and thick you couldn’t see the warthogs. All you could see is the grass moving aside as they ran thru it. The fourth/fifth year is when rabies hit the kudu populations all over Namibia but NW region seemed to get hit the worst. It was heartbreaking to drive and see literally 25-30 kudu bull carcasses laying about the property that were well in the mid to high 50’s range. The cows were unaffected and young bulls (under maybe 5-6yrs) weren’t affected. Seemed to hit them when they got to that mid 50” range.

On any normal day, you’d see dozens of steenbok and duiker. Literally dozens of small family group/herds of mountain zebra. HUNDREDS of gemsbok, dozens of kudu and low/mid 50’s bulls. We’d see a mid 50’s bull and we pass it up because Jan knew there were better ones to be found. This one’s for you Bud because I know you know the area, the dry riverbed between Jan’s and his father’s farmstead, in Aug 2009, we had taken over a military buddy and his wife. In a gap between the mountains, north of Jan’s father’s house, the five of us sat (pinned down) between some large boulders while a single herd of several hundred gemsbok crossed the dry river bed between the mountains. We literally sat there for nearly an hour while they passed by. The papyrus reeds were so tall along the river banks, you couldn’t see over them while standing in the back of the Unimog.

The drought started about 5-years ago and effected most all of Namibia but has been arguably the worst in the NW. That region of Namibia normally gets about 400mm (15in) of rain during the entire rainy season. The last few years he’s only recorded half to a quarter of that. The first year, it didn’t really have any effect on the free range or high fence game populations. Drinking water for both is provided, for the most part, via bore holes (wells). There was enough residual forage for the game. The second year of the drought started to have some impact. You could see the overall numbers start to fall a bit. Fourth year of the drought, I wanted to get there during the “rainy season” and went early for a couple of weeks to clear roads and help them get set up for the upcoming season. They hadn’t had any appreciable rate yet. The game was visibly stressed. Gemsbok were thin, hair was very course, zebra were thin and could see rib and backbones. Kudu were still in good shape as there were still adequate amounts of forbs (various acacia and mopane trees) for them to eat. His beef cows were down to skin and bones – literally. The end of the first week there, rains started and went on in varying intensity for a week. The normally dry Hoab river was running full force as well as all the dry creek beds on the property feeding the Hoab. Also by the end of the week the grasses had started sprouting and the entire place had this bright green velvety fuzz appearance. The game and the cattle started feeding absolutely non-stop 24/7. In two weeks the grass had grown to nearly a little over ankle high. The cattle and game hides became glossy and smooth. I was surprised at how quickly the cattle put on weight (even for a farm boy growing up on a beef farm). They did get a bit more rain that year but, still well below average.

When we were there in 2017, we spend a few nights in a blind (for you Bud – Ganadawater). We were after jackals and hyena. Lots of game coming all night. We stopped counting when zebra and gemsbok passed 100 each 30+ kudu and dozens of warthog by around 11pm. We could tell the daytime numbers were down from previous years. Presumably because they were well dispersed during the day foraging and coming to water at night. The night counts were still pretty good. As I said, in 2018 we went to Australia instead and like you we went back in Aug 2019. Again, we could tell the game numbers were down from 2017. Spent two nights a Ganadawater again, and the game count was very low. I will attribute at least some of it that year to a pack of hyena that had moved into a neighboring valley/mountain side that was also wrecking havoc on the game in a very large area. Bud, since you and I have been going there for about the same period of time, can you honestly say you have not seen a decline in the overall game populations since the drought started about 5-years ago?

The primary reason I recommend this more for someone who’s hunted Africa before is “expectations”. What I mean by that is the only point of reference a first time safari hunter likely has are from watching paid sponsorship hunting shows or NatGeo shows and clips of the Sarangette and the great blue wildebeest migrations and the 1000 head herds of impala etc., or maybe Busch Gardens. If they decide to spend their hard earned money on maybe a once in a lifetime trip and decide go to any operation in NW Namibia, not just Jan’s, with those kind of NatGeo type expectations right now, they could be disappointed.

To Jan’s great credit, his entire life on the property, he has had an absolutely outstanding management program. Even though all the game on his property is free range, all game tends to stay in a home range area referenced/anchored to a permanent water supply, as long forage also exists. Jan’s management/culling program has ended up up with absolutely superior trophy gemsbok. I’ve never seen straighter more uniform horn formation anywhere. Since he books only 6-10 or so clients a year, the game has very, very low hunting pressure. The result of that is he always has several gemsbok bulls around that will go well above 40”, even now, same with kudu. They are there, but you’re really going to have to work for them and that means lots of time on the back of the bakkie riding the two-tack and a lot of time on foot back up in the mountains and kopjies.

The other reason I recommend this to someone who wants those specific species that are endemic/native to the region, like: eland, gemsbok, kudu, steenbok, springbok, duiker, klipspringer, dik-dik etc., is they have been less effected by the drought than those species that were bought/brought into the high fence areas like: sable, blue and black w/b, hartebeest, impala and waterbuck etc. Those few high fence areas where seriously hurt. Not only by the drought, but the Covid lockdown really killed them. No income from hunting. They couldn't even get permits from the govt to cull for meat sales because the farmer will flooding the market with cattle and the game meat would drive the beef "give away" prices even lower. So, no income to buy game food for those few species that would even eat it. No income to replace the dead or released game and very little live game for sale to replace it even if they had money to buy back while still having the same lack of forage for them to eat.

There are two species that have been doing well – leopard and hyena. The reduced level of game has made both MUCH more willing to come to baits. That’s why I posted photos last year of the two really nice toms that Jan had hitting baits. The leopard hunter that was there in Sept (2020) right after the county opened back up, actually had two shot opportunities on two separate cats and decided not to pull the trigger. IF anyone is interested in either of these, I would say absolutely go without any hesitation or reservations!! Not only are your chances of connecting with both very, very good, Jan’s pricing on them is some of the best/fairest on offer anywhere.

As I said in my OP, I think of Jan & Mariesje as extended family. They run a terrific operation. The area is some of the most picturesque in the entire country and we’ve traveled all over Namibia. As I, have stated, I don’t take a fee or a commission or a kick back for posting adds or helping anyone get there or even going with them if they ask me to travel with them – I pay my own way, all the way. That way I can give an honest assessment. By all means, if you’re a first timer or a seasoned safari hunter give Jan a shot. Call or email him directly. His mobile phone is: +264 81 325 2372. If you have Whatsapp, you can message or call him directly via that app or you can email him directly at: sebra264gmail.com.

Tell him what species your interested in and your expectations (sizes) and he will tell you straight up what species are available on his or adjacent free range and high fence properties. More importantly, what is not. He'll also tell you if your expectations are realistic or not. He’ll give you a straight answer, even if it may not be what you want to hear. Like me, he’s not going to promise you your pick of 60+” kudu or 45+” gemsbok or hot and cold running sprinkbok everywhere just to get you there. I’m just saying, have realistic expectations on the game available, both in quantity and more importantly the QUALITY. If someone goes with the idea of targeting several specific native PG species to the region and/or leopard and hyena, and are willing to work for them, it could be a very and rewarding trip.