Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa African hunt broker/consultant

Who would you recommend? I know of a couple, like Atcheson and Manasse, but am curious what people would say for a plains game hunt. No real specific requirements. First-timer. Want relatively low hassle, nice(r) accommodations, etc.

I've never used one. Not sure where you're from, but I would recommend going to DSC, or even SCI and meet various outfitters face to face. I'll get things started off right by recommending Namibia over South Africa by a long shot. Specifically Kowas Hunting Safaris and their 80% return hunter rate.

No specific names to suggest. Don't rush but keep looking and see who comes recommended the most. Using an agent will not cost anything additional and will actually save a small amount over dealing direct with a PH/Outfiter because the agent will handle the foreign funds transfers. Also, travelling into or even transferring through SA with a large wad of cash on you is definitely a thing to avoid if possible. And who wants to worry about 10 or 15K laying around camp while you are out hunting. With an agent, they will hold the funds that you have deposited with them and transfer the balance due at the conclusion of the hunt - a very pain free way of doing business with much less stress. I would agree with JG on the Namibia comment and if you go that route try and fly direct into Windhoek while skipping SA, even avoiding the transfer through Joberg. There are lots of hunting outfits in Southern Africa and if you take your time you will find something that will work for you. Keep asking questions in public forums and you will find who is reputable and who to avoid. Have you picked out the species that you want to hunt? That will point you in a geographic area to start narrowing your search.
Cheers
Brian

There are some good guys who post here on the 'Fire you might inquire about.
Another source for info on PH's and brokers is the Africa Hunting Forums;

LINK

Best wishes in your search!

Ed

Save yourself a bunch of trouble and just book with our own JJ Hack. He is the moderator on this forum. Many from the "fire " have hunted with him and had good hunts. I've hunted with Jim twice and both were great hunts.

I'll give you one piece of advise. (two)

One; Be extremely cautious of outfitters/booking agents whom poach internet forums for clientele. That alone should tell you something.

Two; When someone limits their hunt booking/outfitting choices to those whom they see on internet forums, you are limiting your hunting universe exponentially. For every outfitter/booking agent whom uses forums, there is an untold number of those who don't. That said, there are many good people whom post/advertise on this forum and others. Just be careful in limiting your hunting to only those. I also feel using these outfitters id far too public. There was a guy over on AR who made a mistake on a buffalo. He was roundly laughed at by not only other forum members but the PH as well. Very unprofessional.

Steve

Sent you a PM

I would give Wade Derby of Crosshair Consulting a call. I have used him a fair bit and am typing this in a Houston airport returning from a great twelve days I'm Zimbabwe that he recommended. He is a straight shooter.

fremont,

First, I would not automatically go to Namibia over South Africa. No doubt the majority of first safaris take place in South Africa within a relatively short drive of Johannesburg, because that's where most multi-species, game-fenced hunts take place, and one reason they're such a bargain. The PH can pick you up in Joburg and take you to the ranch, which cuts some costs off the top.

But too many hunters who've been to South Africa a couple of times think that small-fenced properties are all that's there. That is far from true. There are also vast areas of free-range hunting, but (like Namibia) the number of species will often be more limited than on small fenced ranches where they "offer" a longer list of animals, many of which may be trucked in just to be shot. Essentially, there are two kinds of South African hunting, and too many hunters who've been once or twice assume there's only one. Namibia is great, but so are parts of South Africa outside of the small, fenced shooting operations.

I would trust Atchesons or JJ Hack over going to a show.

Atchesons has never steered me wrong, one of the last of a dying breed of straight shooters.. I never did business with JJ Hack but he is well recommended by many besides MD.
A little time spent talking to either one would be well worthwhile.. .

Spot on.

Honestly, you can start here with JJHACK, I know Jim personally. I've also corresponded with Marius enough to say I look forward to sharing a cold one with him on my next trip to RSA.

+1 for Wade Derby--- Crosshair Consulting

JJ Hack or Wade Derby. No need to look further as both are straight shooters and will set you on the right path.

Atcheson is good and I have used him but fairly expensive...One of the best outlets is your local or nearest Safari Club..You can meet others who have been and get their advice.....You also need to find out if hunts are free range or fenced and if they are ,,how large is area..I would not use a big sporting store for booking....Tried that, bad deal,lol..We are going with Khomas- Highland next year in Namibia...Getting stuff home can be xpensive so after a couple trips we are doing a meat(cull) hunt...Good luck~

Yeah, you gotta know what questions to ask for sure. That's the rookie mistake I made before my first African trip, which I wound up in SA in the NW Province. To some SA outfitters, "free range" does not mean low fence,. You need to know what "put and take" is as well. We booked a certain place in SA, and wound up hunting a different property, a smaller one. What are you gonna do....go home? I like the shows because you can look someone in the eye and talk to them, getting a good read on the person.

Also, if I could, I'd avoid J'burg at all costs completely.

If you want low hassle and nice accommodations. Look here:

http://www.magicsafarilodges.com/

I stayed at Kalahari Rangers in RSA. Nice accommodations, 24k continuous acres, plus he has access to 2 of his next door neighbors properties for another 100k+ acres. It's in the Northern Cape and as remote as you can get. One fence is the RSA/Botswana border. The border crossing is on the property. You fly into Sishen and a 2 hour drive from there. Everything once you land at Sishen everything is handled for you. Don't expect to get a packaged deal here it's daily fee plus the animals you want. Two prices on trophy fees: (1) trophy - SCI bronze and above on his 24k acres property, and (2) non-trophy. It is usually only one hunting party at a time, sometimes two. If you use their guns, you will hunt with a Blaser topped with a Leica Magnus scope. I found the trophy fees very reasonable and it's a NOT put and take operation every animal you hunt was born there. There were no feeders that I saw, except at the horse and donkey stable, there were artificial water holes.

Just got back from a hunting trip (plus work) and got through all of these responses--many thanks. Lots to think about and names to pursue.

+1 for Wade Derby, a friend and I had great hunt through him in SA last year, our first African hunt.

My wife and I used Wade Derby of Crosshair Consulting for our 2014 trip to the Eastern Cape

We highly recomend him.

Add in Steve Turner of Travel With Guns and your trip will be great !!!

Also.....if you have a layover or want help with your guns and ammo....Look no further then African Sky Guesthouse