This year, I was fortunate enough to find a great new Africa hunting destination, the Tuli Block and Koch Safaris in eastern Botswana. How this all happened….. Earlier this year, a friend/client who’d hunted with me in Namibia two previous years, went to the DSC show in Dallas. Saw a lot and talked a lot, but didn’t book anything. A few months later, he calls me up and says he HAS to go back to Africa hunting but, doesn’t want to go back to Namibia because he’d already taken all the plains game species there, he was interested in. Could I find a new place to go and would I go with him? Told him to give me a few days, I’d run down a few contacts I had and get back to him. I came up with Koch Safaris in Botswana. The website hasn’t been updated in a good while but the basics of it’s location and most things are still applicable.
As some of you may or may not know, about 5-6 years ago, the previous President of Botswana folded to the pressure of the anti-hunting/animal rights groups and closed all big game hunting on government held and private lands BUT, they did NOT close plains game hunting on private land. Good news/bad news situation has been that the “word” that was put out was that ALL hunting was closed in ALL of Botswana. This has been generally bad news for the private land owners who saw bookings fall off to near nothing. The good news is plains game populations that were already at record numbers in the county exploded nationwide. BAD new is so did the elephant populations but that is a different story. Bottom line is that plains game hunting in Botswana on private land has always remained open but had very little pressure due to the misinformation. Anyway……
I contacted Gerhard Koch for pricing for a 8 to 10-day plains game cull and a trophy impala and trophy black w/b for my friend Bob. Also, I might be interested a cull giraffe if available. A few days later he came back with a price of the cull hunting: 12 cull impala each, 8 cull blue w/b each and 2 cull plains zebra each for $5100.00 each and we would each have our own PH (1x1). The add on trophy fee for the impala and blue w/b for Bob was $800 each and a cull giraffe for me was $1000 extra. Since we were going to be on the banks of the Limpopo river, Bob asked if he could add a crocodile. Gerhard said not on the Botswana side, but he had a friend with a place on the South Africa side we could go and add an extra day to our trip. He gave Bob a price for the croc and he agreed. While all this was going on I was doing a little checking on Gerhard’s operation with a few very reputable PH’s/Outfitters and all came back with Gerhard is the real deal and don’t worry for one second! After that and the prices, we booked for mid-June.
Rifles: For me, it was a newly acquired Ruger 77 RSI in 30/06 shooting 180gr Speer Grand Slams and my long time friend Ruger Alaskan in 375 Ruger using 300gr softs and Cutting Edge Bullet brass solids (for the giraffe) For Bob, he took a Savage Hog Hunter in 308 with 150gr TSX and a Ruger 77 Alaskan in 375 Ruger with 270gr TSX. Travel: The capital of Botswana, Gaborone, is not easy to get into (that is changing starting this Oct). At the time we were booking, the best route in seemed to be Delta to Johannesburg with an overnight and Air Botswana in the next morning. I’ve done the J’berg transit a LOT and know the process and the documents required and have everything filled out and correct before we left. I booked us rooms at the City Lodge hotel right in the airport complex where I normally book if having to overnight. Convenient, comfortable and fairly priced. Was my first time on Air Botswana and it was a very, very well run and on-time operation. Was a regional turbo prop size a/c and the flight from J’berg to Gaborone was a little over an hour. The airport terminal in Gaborone is small but VERY nice. By the time we made the short walk from the a/c to the terminal and filled out our immigration form, the luggage and rifle cases were coming out on the conveyor belt. Shor walk over, we each grab a luggage trolley, our luggage and rifle cases, short stop at the immigration counter, stamp our passports with our visa and then a few steps to Customs. Gerhard had our rifle permits and with a quick check of serial numbers and 4457’s we were out the door. Because Bob wanted a croc, instead of going to Gerhard’s place we drove about an hour to the NW of Gaborone, crossed the boarder back into RSA and another 45 min. to the property Bob would hunt his croc on. This property was a 3500-acre high fence place common on the RSA side. The crocs were in the small oxbow ponds/pools formed by the Limpopo river and flooded during the seasonal rains. During this high-water time, crocs from the river would relocate into these oxbows and ponds and stay there after the flood water recedes.
The good part about hunting crocs in these oxbows and ponds is that if your shot is a little off and you don’t absolutely “anchor” the croc on the bank and it gets back into the water, you still have a high probability of being able to recover it. In a flowing river situation, if you don’t absolutely anchor it with your first shot and it gets in the water, it’s gone. The current can wash it downstream; it gets caught in an underwater snag etc. and the trophy fee is STILL due and payable. In Bob’s case, the next morning after breakfast, we checked zero on the rifles and Bob decided to use his 375 Ruger. It was still pretty cool, maybe 45F and we went back to have a little coffee and wait a couple of hours for it to warm up and draw the crocs up on the banks to sun and warm up. We collected up our kit and drove to the first oxbow about 10:30. Checked the first three and no shooters and on the fourth there was a good one just under 12ft sunning on the opposite bank about 75yds, facing away with about ¾’s of his body out – perfect set up. Bob made a good shot and broke his spine at the front shoulders – didn’t kill it but he did anchor it soundly. By the time we got around to the other side, the head and jaws were still “active” and Bob used the PH’s 40 cal pistol to finish it. All collected and back at camp by 1pm. On the drive back we passed a couple of VERY nice Roan and over lunch, Bob and the land owner struck very good deal on a Roan and the afternoon’s hunt was set. Typical hunting, after the deal is made, the quarry vanishes! Finally, late in the day, with just barley enough shooting light left, we find a good Roan bull. Bob makes a very hasty off hand shot and wounds it and the rodeo is on. Try tracking till well past dark and decide to pick it up again in the morning. Long story short, after many hours of tracking the Roan is recovered but, it’s too late in the day to pack and make the drive back across the boarder to Gerhard’s place. So, an unscheduled second night in RSA. Out very early the next morning, cross the boarder at a different location and are at Gerhard’s place well before lunch. The drive from the RSA/BOT boarder crossing and the airport to Gerhard’s concession are both about 2 1/2hrs with most of it all blacktop. The last 30 min was gravel but, it is currently being converted to blacktop and by the end of this year it will literally be black top from gate (airport) to gate (entry to his concession). Here’s a link to the map on their website - Koch Safaris Concession Area
Quick history of the “Tuli Block”. During “Colonial times”, entire southern Africa region was controlled by the British. One of the main “Governors” of the region was Cecil Rhodes who founded Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. The British government gave the Tuli Block to Rhodes for land and resources to build the Cape to Cairo Railroad. Years later, the land was sold/transferred to private ownership and in the early 60’s the bulk of the area (1 million plus acres) ended up with a man named Derek Brink who still owns it and many other large tracts in Botswana (he’s the largest property owner in Botswana) and around the world. Gerhard and his wife Maggie have a long-term exclusive lease on a large portion (250k acres) of the property for the past 16 years as well as access/hunting privileges on all of it. The entire concession is made of “sub-blocks” of anywhere from 30K to 50K acres by high fences. These fences were put in for the most part by previous post-colonial land owners to control cattle. These “sub-blocks are only high fenced three sides with the fourth side bound by the Limpopo river and the game freely transit between the Tuli and South Africa during the dry season when the river is at it’s lowest. They are maintained today, to control the movement of game between the various blocks for disease and population control.
The Tuli pretty much marks the eastern edge of the Kalahari Desert. Despite the drought conditions on the western side of the Kalahari over in Namibia, this side did have adequate rains and still had areas of good grass and forbs. AND THERE IS GAME EVERYWHERE! We drove through the main gate off the main road and within the first few hundred meters there were impala, kudu and giraffe! I’m not talking about 1 or 2 here and there I’m talking herds! The drive down the “two track” from the gate to the main house and butchery is about 15km the drive and from there to the lodging/camp was about another 10k. The bungalows are literally on an oxbow of the Limpopo river with the river proper another 300m beyond. They actually have two “camps”. The one where Bob and I stayed was set up as two private guest buildings with private ensuite bathrooms and queen size beds. Hot showers and 220v power outlets. Power was supplied by solar panels and battery banks or generator as required. We unpacked, met Gerhard’s wife Maggie and his two terrific little girls and a very good lunch. After lunch we again did the obligatory zero checks at the range and off on our first hunt. This trip was to be more of a familiarization of the property and to get a feel for the conditions. These were to be “proper stalk and spot hunts”. No, I don’t have that reversed. Gerhard does NOT shoot from the truck (except jackals) and does not hunt water holes. If you see game from the truck, you will get off and stalk them. Otherwise, you will drive to an area, get off the truck and actually “hunt” the bush and once the game is spotted on foot, you’ll commence the stalk.
With all the game you can see, this is NOT like shooting fish in a barrel. If you see a herd of 100 impala, remember, they have 100 pairs of ears, 100 sets of eyes and 100 noses to yours and your PH’s. They also have the high ground covered by hundreds of giraffes (literally over 350 in the main sub block alone) along with 100’s of birds. To me, this is hunting the way is should be. My PH, Basjan Bakker and I covered between 12-15 miles a day (wrist gps) on foot. Busted many fold more times than I shot even though shooting distances were will under 150yds, it was just the combination of the above and sometimes swirling winds the would give us away. In the end, Bob and I shot our quota and Bob got his trophy impala and blue w/b and added a bookable Limpopo bushbuck too. I did take a very, very old giraffe bull with the 375 and solids. Everything else was just the 30/06 and Speer Grand Slams. Only recovered three of the Grand Slams. They were on impala I shot facing way and hit the spines at the base of the tail. Every other shot on game, including blue w/b and zebra were complete pass through. One w/b was hit in the front of the chest at about 180yds and I the bullet fell out of the guts just in front of the hind legs so, 3-3 ½ feet of penetration?
Bottom line: This was such a good time when I got home, and told my wife, we decided to add 8-days back in Botswana at the end of Aug when we finished our Namibia hunt with Jan I posted above.
Will post another report on that under a new entry.
I’m already looking to put together a few guys who’d like to try Botswana. One of the nicest things about Gerhard, he will customize each client’s hunt within a group that goes. Everyone can have their own dedicated PH and their own “package” of culls and trophies over the course of the groups time there. You can add trophies at the time and you can even settle your account before you leave by credit card.
As always, feel free to PM or ask in open forum any questions you may have.
Big changes coming to Botswana. Above, I posted out the previous President bowing to the animal rights and anti hunting group pressures. To quickly summarize....
About 6 years ago, the ARA and AH groups convinced (paid off) the then President to close all big game hunting and dangerous game hunting throughout Bots. They "promised" him that by doing so, "environmental tourism" will boom and they will bring more money into the country and hire more locals and it will be utopia. He did allow private land owners to continue to offer only plains game hunting.
Flash forward 6-years, new President who was elected in large part due to his intention to reopen dangerous game and plains game hunting on private and government concessions again. After he was elected, he held a series of public meeting around the country. He invited the surrounding citizens as well as all the ARA and AH people and groups to allow them all to give their take on the current situation.
The general take away was NONE of the "promises" of increased tourism, increased revenue, more employment of locals, more money put back into the local communities as schools, clinics or conservation projects or even simply putting down new bore holes (wells) for the communities or in the conservation areas happened. These groups where challenged directly by the President to provide proof that even on dollar was put back as promised. They couldn't. Meanwhile the elephant and other dangerous game populations, which were already increasing before the hunting ban, continued to increase.
Side note for background - Elephant herds will naturally expand at an approximate nominal rate of 5% per year. Prior to the hunting ban taking effect, the estimated elephant population in Bots was around 130,000 to 145,000. In 2017 an aerial survey was done and funded by a big anti-hunting NGO. That surveyed showed there were about 170,000 elephants in Bots. Only trouble is, the entire country only has enough space and forage to sustain approximately 75,000. The elephant are actually eating themselves out of existence. The multi-fold increase in crop raids and killing local villagers and subsistence farmers by elephant had reached several hundred a year. Now, if you take the 5% natural annual population increase, at even 150,000 elephant, that is 7500 and MORE added every year. So, just to MAINTAIN the current elephant populations at the level they are at, 7500 per year would have to be killed - either by culling or trophy hunting.
A few months ago, the President announced that DG and PG hunting would be reinstated through out the country. The ARA an AH groups screamed and he said they were still going to be allowed to maintain their current operations as well. If they didn't like it and since NONE of the promises they had made 6-years ago never happened, if they didn't like it they could pack their crap and leave. Most of these places were owned and run by foreign people or groups anyway. He even revoked the visas of some very prominent ARA and HA groups and individuals.
As of this time, as I understand it, the government had established an initial quota of just 400 elephant to be auctioned off for trophy hunting this year. They are still finalizing the details of the controlling processes and regulations but they intend to make the bidding open to only Bots registered and licensed PH's/Outfitters. Since the herds tend to migrate around the country following the rains and crops, they are seriously looking at issuing permits for only certain areas, certain specific time frames. The intention is to put pressure on the herds to keep them out of the crop lands and moving to other areas.
Similar limits, regulations and restrictions are being reviewed for other DG and cats as the buffalo, hippo, lion and leopard populations are at the point they are causing huge conflicts with the locals as well.
Hope this works out for Botswana. I know we will be back though we have no desire for DG ourselves.
This report has really peaked my interest in hunting Botswana. I do like the idea of a combination / trophy hunt. M3taco-- when are you planning to hunt there again ?
For our general planning purposes, my wife and I are "penciling in" ourselves for next Aug. Nothing locked in or anything like that yet but, because we're going to start exploring the country by car for a couple of weeks too like we've done in Namibia over the last 10-years, I'm just using that as a general target for now. Will work our sightseeing around available hunting dates Gerhard has open.
As I mentioned, one of the nice things is Gerhard is willing to custom tailor your hunt and the species how you'd like it and mix up combinations of culls and trophies. If several guys go in a group, each can have their own so it's not one size fits all and each can change up once there and add trophies or exchange culls on the fly. In June, he offered my one cull eland for a cull zebra and one blue w/b for four impala. Now, that was "at that time" and based on the game numbers of each species he was trying to manage.
As far as going back over with others for a dedicated hunt, I'm willing to go almost at the drop of a hat if someone or a few guys would like to go. More than happy to help anyone who wants to go with the planning and travel stuff and even go along as an extra gun and travel guide. (LOL)
The best months are going to be May thru late Aug and no later than mid Sept. The weather (winter) there is surprisingly cool/cold and the days start getting a bit warm by the end of Aug while the nights/early mornings still require a light jacket.
Your, or anyone on the forum, can PM me your email and I'll send you a few more photos or your phone number. I'm always willing to talk about African hunting.
Very interesting report. Thinking about Botswana next year for plains game cull hunt. Did you fly into Joberg and drive from there with the PH from Koch or take a connecting flight to another airport?
M3T; Great write up, would love to see some pictures. Thanks for the background on things changing in Botswana, where would you suggest one start research on a buffalo hunt in Botswana?
In June, not many options and nothing direct into Gaborone. Bob and I flew into J'berg and overnight at the City Lodge there in the airport. Had to claim luggage and rifles and do the SAPS 520 temp import/transit permits for the rifles. No big deal, I've done the SAPS 520 so many times I can just about to it with my eyes closed.
Next morning we flew Air Botswana direct to Gaborone and Gerhard picked us up there. He does have an option of picking your up in J'berg but, its a 5+ hour drive and the Air Bots flight was less than $300 r/t and got us to his place about the same time.
This October2019, Qatar Air is going to start offering flights into Gaborone 3-days a week "direct" from Doha. The "direct" means they will make a 1 hour fuel and passenger stop in J'berg but you stay on the same plane. It's an overnight flight and you arrive in Gaborone at 5pm. Still time to make the drive in daylight to Gerhard and Maggie's or you can stay overnight in Gaborone and leave early the next morning. Would be "in camp" by 10am, unpack, confirm zero, lunch and be hunting right after.
On our Aug trip, since we were already in Windhoek, we just flew Air Namibia direct Windhoek to Gaborone. Air Namibia screwed us up on the return. Will NEVER book on Air Namibia again unless/until they are taken over or partnered up/subsidiary of one of the three major international carriers they are currently negotiating with.
One other option is Ethiopian Airlines offers service flights 3-days a week from Addis Ababa.
My wife and I will use Qatar next time. They offer direct flights from multiple US cities direct to Doha and then in. Spent a good bit of time in Doha while still on active duty. Airport is spectacular and the country and city is safe, within reason. Trust me, wouldn't go anywhere the put her at risk.
It's my understanding it might be a little bit early on the buffalo. They (Govt) is busy sorting out the elephant thing first as that is the biggest problem/issue in terms of danger to its people and crops and political/ARA BS.
As a side note - there are currently several southern African countries saying that if the ban on elephant ivory and rhino horn LEGAL export is not lifted, they will pull out of CITES completely. They are sick and tired of "foreigners" telling them how to best manage their animals and affairs.
Wish I could find that MEME of a dozen or so "native" Africans sitting around a campfire discussing the best way to regulate American white tail hunting. (LOL)
For the most up to date info on possible buffalo, contact Gerhard. There are no buffalo in the Tuli. They are pretty much relegated to the Okavango Delta on the other side of the country. I know he has hunted buffalo and elephant there in the past. If he can't take you once it does open, I can pretty much promise he'll hook you up with a reputable PH/Outfitter in that area.
Quick update on the reopening of elephant...As I understand it and current as of this weekend, the Govt set an initial annual quota of 400 nation wide. Currently, they are only allocating less than 150. All 150 must be sold to Botswana citizens/permanent residents. All are non-exportable and the hunter must be a Botswana citizen/permanent resident. Hunter/shooter can NOT be a foreigner and again nothing can be exported.
The reason given is the Govt is going to ease back into this and ensure they have proper processes, controls and regulations in place before opening it up to foreign hunters. If and once they feel they have things properly in place then maybe in 2020, they will open quota up for foreign hunters.
They may get buffalo and some limited leopard and lion back open in 2020 as well.
Decided to add a little photo of the only 3 recovered Speer .30cal 180gr Grand Slams that were recovered during both trips to Botswana. None of them used in Namibia on the zebra were recovered - all pass through.
I'm the guy who went with M3TACO to Koch Safaris in June. M3TACO is 100% dead on re how spectacular the area is and how well the hunting trip went. We literally saw several thousand impala, blue wildebeest over the eight days; hundreds of giraffe and zebra. Saw MONSTER kudu and many Eland. The amount and variety of game is unbelievable. Gerard (and his wife Maggie) are terrific in every way. I do expect to return next year. You can't go wrong booking a trip with Gerard and if you don't you are missing out on a chance of a lifetime experience..
He's had a very difficult time finding someone there to make any changes/updates. He's got a web hosting site that is supposed be doing it but they never seem to get it done. That is one of his priorities this off season and have info current before this year's (Jan/Feb 2020) DSC and SCI conventions.
