Best caliber and bullet for African Hunt

[Liftman101]

Thanks for all the replies. I had no idea it was high fenced with pen raised animals. I was invited to join a group and did no research. It takes some of the adventure aspect out of the hunt.

 

[rifletuner]

A fair point. There are still places in America where you can hunt game that isn`t confined in some way. Can the same be said for hunting in Africa in the current day? I ask that question as someone who`s totally unfamiliar with African big game hunting, mind you. When I think of Africa I think of broad, wide open plains stretching to the horizon and beyond ( the Serengeti ? ).

Yes, it absolutely is possible to hunt unfenced in Africa. I hunted cape buffalo in Zambia in the late 1990s. We were in a hunting concession in the Luangwa valley. Its a remote area, and other than western clothing, a limited amount of schooling and medicine, life hadnt changed much in the last 100 years for the local villagers.

We were up at 4:00am every morning, driving for hours trying to cut buffalo tracks, then out foot stalking trying to catch up to the buff. We would see elephant tracks regularly, and sometimes see groups of elephant in the distance as we were covering ground, plus a host of other wild game.

This area was supposed to be operating under a "campfire" style conservation model, where a portion of the hunting income goes back to the local tribes people. The idea is that by deriving income off the game animals, there are incentivised to preserve what is there. But apparently the funds were being paid to the local head guy, but he didnt pass it down to the community. So poaching was pretty bad in the area.

One morning, we were hunting a large heard of buffalo, and the trackers noticed a local with a home made muzzle loading rifle stalking the same heard of buff. He took off and the trackers never found him. A few days later, we were driving along when the trackers spotted a guy walking down the road carrying an antelope carcass. After a chase, they caught the guy. They had him show all his snares which were made of fencing wire which were all pulled out, then he was handed over to the local game scouts.

After seven days of hunting and not getting a buffalo on the ground, we were starting to make plans for me to stay a few more days in the hope of getting a better chance at a buffalo. On the morning of what was supposed to be my last day a group in the same camp were out looking for antelope and cut some fresh buffalo tracks. They marked the point on the road with some toilet roll and with some directions from them, we were back there later that day. We manged to find the small group of bulls and I got one on the ground.

There is totally unfenced hunting like that in Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and parts of Namibia. Botswana can be great, but they vary what is open from year to year. At the moment Uganda is open for some great hunting. Some of the central African countries have great opportunities for forest buffalo, bongo, etc, but these are very specialist high dollar hunts.

 

[Gravel Road]

Thanks for all the replies. I had no idea it was high fenced with pen raised animals. I was invited to join a group and did no research. It takes some of the adventure aspect out of the hunt.

The way I understood it was that the plains game were captured with a helicopter pushing into traps and transported to the sale barn, so most really are wild animals. Lion is a different story. Wild hunts absolutely still exist, but they aren't the same price as a South African plains game package.

 

[Gravel Road]

Is there any way for someone to filter out and screen potential hunts/outfitters/PHs, to make sure this isn't the kind of hunt you go on?

What kind of search term would you run to look for outfits and people doing genuine wildland hunting?

You will just have to ask if it is high fenced if you insist on hunting in South Africa. There may be some that outfits that have access to non-high fenced areas but I'd imagine the species and trophy quality would be limited since it isn't natural habitat for all species. Not sure about Namibia, as I didn't research it much.

 

[rifletuner]

You will just have to ask if it is high fenced if you insist on hunting in South Africa. There may be some that outfits that have access to non-high fenced areas but I'd imagine the species and trophy quality would be limited since it isn't natural habitat for all species. Not sure about Namibia, as I didn't research it much.

Namibia has a much wider range of options than SA. There are still a fair number of unfenced options, though fenced properties would be the most common. You just need to ask and be very clear when you are talking to outfitters or booking agents.

I like Namibia better than SA as a hunting destination. Another thing you need to be aware of is that a lot less species are naturally occurring in Namibia than you will typically find on SA properties. That tend to be another thing that attract a lot of people to SA is that they can shoot a lot of different species without having to travel to different regions.

 

[Turkeytider]

Namibia has a much wider range of options than SA. There are still a fair number of unfenced options, though fenced properties would be the most common. You just need to ask and be very clear when you are talking to outfitters or booking agents.

I like Namibia better than SA as a hunting destination. Another thing you need to be aware of is that a lot less species are naturally occurring in Namibia than you will typically find on SA properties. That tend to be another thing that attract a lot of people to SA is that they can shoot a lot of different species without having to travel to different regions.

So, am I correct in my thinking that most fenced hunting areas in Africa will have a variety of animals, some, if not most, that are not native to that particular area and environment? If indeed that`s accurate, how do they manage those animals? Or do they just put out limited numbers on an " as ordered " basis and just count on them being killed before they die naturally because of lack of suitability in that particular environment?

 

[Sako76]

Your 30-06 will be fine! I used a Kimber Montana in 7-08 and a Sako A7S in 270 Winchester, they both worked fine.

 

[WCB]

So, am I correct in my thinking that most fenced hunting areas in Africa will have a variety of animals, some, if not most, that are not native to that particular area and environment? If indeed that`s accurate, how do they manage those animals? Or do they just put out limited numbers on an " as ordered " basis and just count on them being killed before they die naturally because of lack of suitability in that particular environment?

Yes most places in SA and Namib will have a large variety of animals from different regions. The extent to what number of them are truly native to that area depends on where and what species are availible.

As far as management... depends some areas are large enough where the animals are generally self sustaining/naturally reproducing and actual management hunts are offered to shoot inferior or excess animals. Some are essentially put and take like most stag hunts in NZ. They get a certain number of trophy animals and release them for they year and supplement them as needed but are otherwise untouched. Some are literally we have X size of Buffalo available come and shoot it.

Is there any way for someone to filter out and screen potential hunts/outfitters/PHs, to make sure this isn't the kind of hunt you go on?

What kind of search term would you run to look for outfits and people doing genuine wildland hunting?

Some are VERY obvious. If they are shooting Springbok slams (black, white, Copper, and common) same with Impala, Wildebeest and Gemsbok.(basically advertising all the different "color phases") They are high fence. A place like here on Rokslide would be a good start on asking recommendation and specifically state you are looking for Free Range non-fenced hunts. I know the outfit we used in Namibia does both. Nice option for the animals that are naturally there and then take home a few that you want.

 

[RockAndSage]

Some are VERY obvious. If they are shooting Springbok slams (black, white, Copper, and common) same with Impala, Wildebeest and Gemsbok.(basically advertising all the different "color phases") They are high fence. A place like here on Rokslide would be a good start on asking recommendation and specifically state you are looking for Free Range non-fenced hunts. I know the outfit we used in Namibia does both. Nice option for the animals that are naturally there and then take home a few that you want.

Great info, thank you

 

[Cyril]

When I went to the eastern cape in 2007 I brought two guns. A 325 wsm and a 22-250. I shot my kudu, gemsbok, red hartebeast, zebra and warthog with the 325. I shot impala, blesbok, spring buck, miy tain Reed buck and baboon with the 22-250. My grandfather shot all of his animals with a Remington 760 30-06. They all work. Partitions, accubonds, ttsx were the PH's bullets of choice. I ran game kings in the 22-250 and accubonds in the 325. Longest first shot was 315 yards on hartebeast with a 30 mile per hour steady cross wind. Longest follow up wad 350 yards on the kudu. It was an awesome hunt and experience that I swore I would do again every couple years. Such a great value but for a multitude of reasons I haven't been back since. Hopefully back soon for some specific animals.

One piece of advice is look at specific species that are either exclusive to the area you are hunting or are particularly good trophies for the area or great value and add them to whatever package you have. I really wish I had shot a cape bushbuck when I was there. When I go back, I want to go to a different area and the other species of bushbuck do not tend to have the same distinct colors as the cape sub species.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Hooknbullet2]

What bullet did you take for the 308? where most of your shots standing from sticks?

Barnes 130 grain TTSX. Yes.

 

[ElGuapo]

It’s South Africa, 99.9% of the game is High fenced. I have been twice and have bowhunted for the challenge.

With a rifle it’s a shoot.. you can take as long of a shot as you want; glass the animal, drive away and back up on a hill til you hit 1000yds to claim your 1K kill

If you go to the “proper” African hunting forum you would be encouraged to get a double rifle (very expensive) with open sights and hunt the traditional way.

The part about 99% of SA being fenced is patently false….. There are areas with a lot of high fences (Limpopo, ex.), however SA is a very very large country with many parts having few high fences (Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Kalahari, etc.).

 

[wildwilderness]

Response to El Guapo-

Yes you are right, just making a point that the vast majority of Safari operators marketing to US customers and exceptionally great values are operating High Fence ranches.

I have no problem with it at all, just pointing it out and relative hunting strategy is different depending on the situation.

 

[gtriple]

What district y’all hunting in RSA ?
We are heading to the Limpopo area , outfitter says planning on max shots 300 meters is about right for the area,
Our arsenal will be 375 ruger , 270 win with 150gr Norma oryx, 270wsm 130gr ttsx ( nyala, kudos, elands, buffalo, water buck )

I hunted the Limpopo area 3 years ago. Never once had a shot outside of 100 yards. Our outfitter is one of the bigger in the area and all he uses is a suppressed, short barreled 308 for everything below an Eland.

The Eland is a big critter. We put 5 rounds of 375 H&H into one. 2 double lungs and 1 single lung.

I used a Barnes LRX 127gr out of the 6.5 Wby RPM I had at the time. I did not like the results. I wish I had a more rapidly expanding bullet like the ELD-X in the 300 PRC and 270 that we also took.

Only the Eland and the Buffalo would merit something bigger than a 308 IMO. The rest of them aren't as big as you think they are.

 

[JRDK2000]

we went last year and hunted plains game using 2 howa 1500 in 300 win mag and 7mm mag. Farthest shot was 300 yards. Both worked great. The most important thing is to use a rifle you’re comfortable with and good shot placement.

 

[gtriple]

we went last year and hunted plains game using 2 howa 1500 in 300 win mag and 7mm mag. Farthest shot was 300 yards. Both worked great. The most important thing is to use a rifle you’re comfortable with and good shot placement.

I'll echo that you MUST be comfortable shooting freehand and standing on sticks. The windows and duration of opportunity can be really short.

 

[Liftman101]

Shooting off sticks at distance without a rear support is a different skill for sure. I have been doing it for coyotes off a tripod and it can make you humble.

 

[Liftman101]

I have an Encore I bought to build a Hobbit rifle. Since I am going to Africa next May. I thought it would be fun to order a .375 H&H barrel for the Encore. I doubt I would ever use it much but my friends might. I was thinking of doing an 18" or 20" Threaded barrel. I assume I will install a brake to reduce recoil since I do not have a suppressor that large. At the shorter length, the muzzle blast will be intense. Is that enough reason not to try the shorter barrel and to stick with the standard 24" or 26"? If anyone has used a short barreled .375 some feedback would be appreciated.

 

[HNTR918]

@Liftman101 I'd highly recommend staying away from cup and core bullets like Eld-X and I will be sticking to solid coppers next time.

I shot a large waterbuck at 127 yards with a 24'' barrel 270 win with factory precision hunter ammo 145gr eld-x. The bullet hit the shoulder and was found on the inside of the shoulder meat. It only cracked the scapula. It did not go into the chest cavity! If it wasn't for my follow up shot, that waterbuck would have never been found.

 

[Castle Rock]

@Liftman101 I'd highly recommend staying away from cup and core bullets like Eld-X and I will be sticking to solid coppers next time.

I shot a large waterbuck at 127 yards with a 24'' barrel 270 win with factory precision hunter ammo 145gr eld-x. The bullet hit the shoulder and was found on the inside of the shoulder meat. It only cracked the scapula. It did not go into the chest cavity! If it wasn't for my follow up shot, that waterbuck would have never been found.

That is pretty incredible
Can you tell us a bit more about it please