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#14397546 12/23/19
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spud06 Offline OP
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Well, the price for my hunting lease here in Idaho doubled for next year. Thinking of changing it up and making an Africa trip next year. I've spent about 2.5 years working on the continent over the last 7 years, but never hunting. Looking for a reasonably priced plains game hunt, DLA's, not trophy. No desire to shoot zebra, giraffe, or any cats. Would like to find a cull hunt someplace. Any ideas out there? Thanks


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My understanding is Namibia has had drought pretty bad for a couple years, may be getting some rain now but will take a couple years to recover.

Take a look at the “Tuli Block - Botswana” threads started by M3Taco. Maybe join us in August?

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Makadi Safaris are good their properties have permanent water holes. Talk to Dieter Metzger at the Safari Club expo if you can make it. They usually go to Las Vegas and Reno but not sure if there are any closer to you. He will not mislead you about the game conditions. He also hunts Botswana too or did.

Jack & Eleanor O'Conner hunted with them a couple of times which was plenty enough of an endorsement for me. Most cull hunts are in South Africa where game farming is more wide spread, but ask Dieter about this.

The Caprivi is a fantastic place and due to the river it is more immune to drought, it is more of a Big Game destination but there are plenty of antelope as well in good variety.


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Bots does sound good, and if you really want to hunt Namibia visit with the Straus' family at Kowas Safaris. They have no peer when it comes to cull/trophy plains game hunting there. They are also some of the nicest people you will ever meet.


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We hunted in Namibia last summer with Kalahari Safari, Janneman Brand is the PH. Really well run outfit with lots of permanent water holes and a large amount of plains game. PM me if you want some more details

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Another vote for Kowas. I also recommend Jamy Traut. He and the Kowas team will be in Dallas in a few weeks for the DSC show. I would also highly recommend Toby Englebrecht. He runs a great operation up North and is good friends with Jamy.


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Spud:

I've been hunting Namibia multiple times a year for the past twelve and hunted most in the NW part of the country, a couple hours south of Etosh NP the western highlands, in a conservancy area that covers a little over 750,000 acres. My wife and I have driven/toured most of the country and love the place, love the people and for a time, even entertained having a second home there. Guessing we've "lived" there for a combined total of just under three years. All that said, I still don't know "everything" about the country, but stay in touch with numerous friends we've made there. Last time we were there was this past Aug (2019).

The entire country has been in a drought of varying degrees for the past 4-5 years with the worst point in the last 135 years, this past year. They (entire country) have lost several hundred thousand head of cattle and untold head of what they call "small stock" (sheep/goats). The issue is not a lack of drinking water for the game and livestock because it is supplied by bore holes (wells), its there is NOTHING for them to eat.

Last year (2018), game ranchers on the high fence properties were cutting the tops out of the acacia trees, grinding them up and mixing in a grass called lucerne and molasses and pressing it into pellets. The hope was to at least get the game a little food to get them thru 2018. Trouble in 2019 was with virtually no appreciable rain again, now there aren't even acacia tree tops left to cut and grind. The guys with the high fence ranches pretty much were left with no option but to cut the fences and open the gates in the hopes the game would be able to find food or be able to "move" and at least survive.

This year, the game ranchers were even having a difficult time getting permits to even cull. Those permits are required to be able to legally resell the cull meat to the local markets. The reason the government was limiting the culling permits was the meat was competing with all the beef being sold before it died and driving those prices down.

On this past trip this Aug, my wife and I spent two nights in a blind overlooking a waterhole hoping to kill a some hyena. Both nights, we only counted a total of six mountain zebra and six gemsbok for the entire night, both nights. I spent a week sitting in that same blind at night in Aug 2018 and counted over 100 zebra and 100 gemsbok, dozens of warthog, duiker, steinbok, jackal etc. every night BEFORE MIDNIGHT and just stopped counting.

I do know they have gotten a little rain this year with the "rainiest" months coming up. The worry now is, the ground is so dry, if the rains come hard and heavy a large amount of it will just run off and not soak in. While it might be enough for the grasses to germinate and sprout, the question will be will there be enough follow-on rains to get to grow more than just ankle high.

I do NOT claim to have upto the minute first hand knowledge of every square kilometer of a country the approximate size of the state of Texas and some areas may have gotten more rain than others, but bottom line is, in my personal view, it's going to take a couple of years with back to back even "normal" rainfall for the game to really recover.

It absolutely kills me to say the above because a do love the county and the people there and I honestly do wish them well. My only advice would be if you still want to go, by all means go, it is still a fantastic place for sightseeing. It's safe and locals are friendly. Hunting could be very challenging though.

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Thanks to all for the input. I appreciate the spent to reply. When I get back to a computer on Friday, I’ll have some questions.


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spud06 Offline OP
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Time spent...


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Just got back from a cull hunt with "Khomas Highlands"..Hell of a deal and nice folks ...Wife and I took a total of 15..Adab and Eric were as good as they come for guides...Not too far out and plenty of water and feed in the mountains so game moves in there...He has three huge wild areas Country is more far scenic than some areas..Third trip to Namibia and all were good...They have a great website on "Africa Hunting" or type 'em in..You can tell Phillip high for us ,, Cam and Elaine if you talk to him...M3 taco is right about drought and lack of game in some areas but Phillip has the water and grass south of Windhoek so a lot of game migrates in to his area...Most upper areas are nearly devoid of game now and it will take several years after some good rain for it to replenish...

Last edited by ManyMoons; 12/28/19. Reason: Forgot a couple things
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Have to agree with less opportunity and too much expense in the US..We just save and go to Africa every 4 or 5 years..More game and no competition so you can truly hunt...All meat is used by people that really need it...Doesn't hurt to take a few things for locals either,like soccer balls,cheap shoes,etc.

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Definitely talk to Jamy Traut if you are looking at hunting Namibia. If you can get to DSC convention, as others have mentioned, lots of folks there.

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I would recommend Haagen and Birgit Eggert at Omatjete Safaris. They are a small, friendly and first-rate operation. Lots of personal attention and one group at a time. They sound like they would be a good fit for what you are looking for.


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lots of good operators in Namibia, another good one to check out is Byseewah, I was there in 2009.

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Thanks guys for the info. I'll have to figure something out for Africa. I've got enough meat to take me through 2021, so that isn't an issue. smile


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I hunted keerwedersafaris.com/ in 2010. Had a great hunt, salt of the earth family farm and business.


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