This outfit hunts nearly 1.2 million acres of free range, unfenced terrain on 4 major parcels in South Africa (2 for plains game, 1 for plains game and birds, and 1 for buffalo and elephant), plus they now have another one million plus acre concession in Mozambique they recently acquired just a few years ago. They specialize is free range hunting, and this is particularly rare in South Africa. We have sent them many clients over the years and they remain one of our most trusted outfitters. Two of their areas in South Africa, including River Camp, are possibly the only places in South Africa where you can hunt southern greater kudu, Cape kudu, nyala and bushbuck totally free range, and in areas where they are indigenous. And in Mozambique, they hunt one of the best areas where six of the big seven can be taken from a single location.
South Africa
Over one million acres on four major concessions of land is all 1,200,000 acres! That is over 1,800 square miles in 4 major parcels! Because it is so vast and wild, and because they patrol it, poaching is not a big factor. Some areas seldom if ever get hunted due to its vastness. It is common to see animals the PHs have never seen before, and that means the game has the seclusion and the time to grow to big trophy sizes. It is a treasure, in our opinion. It is truly vast and is all privately owned. You will feel that you have earned your animals here, and you will be hunting in very varied terrain from savannahs to mountains to valley pans and in between. Some awesome scenery and magnificent vistas to enjoy; all of it quite untouched and under-hunted. We know, we hunted it ourselves. What we learned is that this operation carefully sets all its own quotas and has a longer season then most RSA operations, due to being set up as large “conservancies” (meaning a bunch of ranches that consolidate to better manage game). Because of that consolidation, they can hunt from about March on into November!
The duration of the hunt and the priority animals will help determine the areas hunted. On an 8 day safari you typically hunt 2 areas. To logistically hunt all of their 3 areas– you would need 10 to 12 days. One area is about 7 hours drive from the southernmost area; or you can fly to Durban. Most of the terrain is undulating, water is plentiful and the bush can be thick in areas. Hillsides can be steep and rocky, with footing that is challenging; while other areas are relatively flat, with easy walking. Because each species has its own habitat preferences, you likely will experience all these types of terrain on your hunt. The scenery is awesome- much more mountainous then you would expect, although the mountains are not very tall.
The most successful and enjoyable means of hunting is spot and stalk. A good network of roads enables you to get to a vantage point on the typical African 4 x4 trucks. You amy walk to locate game, or you may spot it form the road, and then do a stalk. For example, Joan’s Zebra was spotted from the road, but took 2.5 hours to stalk, and another 3 hours to walk out of the canyon! My Red Lechwe required a 100 yard crawl and that was all it took! So be prepared either way. Once worthy game has been spotted the stalk begins and as much hunting as possible will be done on foot. But you will still spend plenty of time looking from the vehicles as the area is so vast. Some areas we hunted were probably 35 miles from the river camp.
I want to say to Hunt Nation, that his hunting operation and the friendships I have made there far surpasses any place Butch has ever sent me….and Butch has sent me to some excellent overseas hunts (Russia, Mongolia, Argentina, Saskatchewan, and half a dozen US locations). He and guide Tyson are such nice folks, when my gal came in 2019 they both went out of their way to accommodate her and us both in Port Elizabeth and at the farm. He included us in a wonderful dinner with his family. His wife and the kids are lovely, we met her parents etc. When I think about wanting to go hunting, there is just no other place that compares to this Hunt #256 operation. Chris C.
Their first main areas is in the Eastern Cape and is a 450,000 acre River conservancy (700 square miles!)- with a huge variety and number of game animals. The accommodations are a series of comfortable chalets, usually with 1 or 2 per chalet. Max is 8 to 10, but normally half of that. The Main lodge is less then 3 hours drive from Port Elizabeth but is in a remote mountain area. (No cell service but the outfitter does have a Wi Fi setup he set up, so there is now 24 hour internet all over the lodge. Also he can receive emails at his home and give them to you.). The chalets are overlooking a valley and game is often seen nearby. The chalets have generators for electricity, plus wood and propane heat. Full showers and baths. Basic but more then adequate and we loved the “feel” of the place. It felt like a true hunting lodge, and not a fancy hotel. We liked it. The main lodge has beautiful views, an outside eating area and trophy room where you will sample game shot on safari and which is prepared on open fires in the African tradition. This main camp has all the conveniences that are appreciated after a long day out hunting. Hot water, generator furnished electricity, a fully stocked bar and excellent food are all provided. Some areas of the Eastern Cape remind us more of large farming communities, but this area is more remote and has more of true “Africa” feel. If you like a challenge, you will love this place. Terrain varies from mountainous to plains, and in-between.
Our June hunt consisted of Ed Manasse, President of Hunt-Nation, two other clients, plus Joan and Butch Manasse. When the 6 day hunt ended, we had taken a big zebra, 3 kudu (another was wounded lightly and lost); a red lechwe, several big gemsbok, 5 springbok, 4 blesbok, one bontebuck, a duiker, 4 impala, a number of baboons, a number of warthog including a giant by Ed; several mountain reedbuck, and various other species as well. Many Vaal Rhebok were spotted along with a wide variety of other species including waterbuck. Every client was ecstatic!
Here’s a video from this adventure: https://youtu.be/2Kdlb_tB5ws
A little north of this camp is their second main area is their “valley” camp. This camp is on a river in a more rugged area that can be reached easily by a 2-hour drive from Durban. This is also 150,000 acres (312 sq. miles) and it has great spiral-horned animals. We recommend this area for adventurous hunters and for those who have been to Africa before and are looking for really big kudu, nyala and bushbuck. Be prepared to hunt hard and sometimes not see as much game as you will see in the other areas. But very large trophies are found here, including southern greater kudu.
This camp, located in the Natal region, is the classic African tented camp on the banks of a pretty African river valley. A true African feel. Although a tented camp, it is fully serviced and very comfortable. It is perfectly suitable for ladies and family. Good food, electricity, in-suite showers, hot water and heated tents! This third area is an excellent location for big southern kudu, large nyala and excellent Cape bushbuck. And it has most of the normal plains game too. A great experience and it gives you the feel of “real Africa”. Few things compare to listening to the night time serenade of wild Africa while sleeping in a big warm comfortable tent.
It is unique in that you can hunt various species in their indigenous environment and while unfenced. This concession is in the Natal midlands. It offers very good but challenging hunting in thick bush for all the spiral horned species as well as a number of the more common plains game species. Low hunting pressure, good genes, good feed and excellent age class all contribute to making this area famous for giant kudu, nyala and bushbuck, but common reedbuck, impala, eland, waterbuck, oribi and wildebeest also offer variety to the hunting.
The third area, the Stormberg Mountains, at 5,000 feet above sea level, have the best Vaal rhebuck in all of Africa. The Vaal rhebuck has become a specialty animal for this outfit, and they have taken numerous record book animals over the years. This mountain area is mainly wide open grasslands and supports very good numbers and quality of black wildebeest, blesbuck, red hartebeest and springbuck. Due to the wide open nature of the country, shots of 200 to 250 yards are not uncommon. The animals making these mountains home are all herd animals and can be hunted all day as they do not restrict their movement to the early mornings and evenings. With the visibility being good and the country open, a flat long shooting rifle is a good choice. Hunting in this mountain area is best from March in their fall months through their winter months of June to August.
This area also has some really good bird hunting in their winter months. From the end of May to the end of August, hunting for greywing partridge and a variety of ducks and geese is always popular. An afternoon or morning shoot as part of a big game hunt, or a few days dedicated to chasing the different species of bird, can be organized on request.
The Stormberg lodge is a comfortable home built in the 1800s, and it has all the luxuries appreciated after a long day hunting the rugged mountains. Situated high up in the Stormberg at 6,000 feet, this area occasionally gets snow falls in winter. Permanent heaters, log fires and quality service ensure a comfortable stay while hunting Vaal rhebuck and the other plains species.
Electricity is 220v and there is telephone service and internet available. The lodge is an easy 2-hour drive from the river camp.
They also have a fourth area, the Karoo. The Karoo in central South Africa is a relatively unknown but beautiful part of the country. Wide open spaces and large numbers of game is what you can expect. This flat sparse area is where you can hunt the various kinds of springbuck – the Kalahari, black, white and copper springbuck. The springbuck slam, together with gemsbuck, red hartebeest, eland and many more plains species, ensures a good hunt. Due to the terrain and lack of cover, shots in the Karoo will usually be 150 to 300 yards. Early mornings and evenings can be cold in the desert, but the day time temperatures are very pleasant.
Usually you will hunt this area together with one or more of the other areas. It is very under-hunted. Trophy quality on the plains animals is top end. As in the Stormberg mountains, these animals will feed all day, enabling the hunter to hunt from sunrise to sunset. From the river camp, it is 4 hours to the Karoo, and only 2 hours from the Stormberg mountains. For hunters who want really good springbuck or something a little different, a few days hunting the Karoo is a good addition to a plains game safari.
ARCHERY: Bow hunts are a mixture of blind and spot and stalk hunting. Generally the mornings will be spent on foot and the evenings in a strategically placed blind on food or water. Expect shots of 15 to 50 yards. Scent lock, dark or black camo in the blinds and normal brown and green camo for stalking will work. Your usual bow hunting accessories are beneficial such as range finders.
The bow hunting season in all 3 areas runs from May through to October. The October hunts, when food and water are hard to come by and the animals are more concentrated are often best. These conditions are required for a successful bow safari. Due to the nature of the areas and the challenge of free range bow hunting 6 animals in 10 days would be considered a success. You can expect 85% success on Kudu and good opportunities on all other species. Here are some Outfitter quotes on a past season:
“My wife and I had a great time on our first African safari. The owner and staff took great care of us, and made the trip a very memorable one for us. I hunted with both a bow and a rifle, and was successful beyond my expectations, killing 4 animals with a bow, and 7 with a rifle. The owner was honest throughout, always quickly answered questions and was very fair on price. He went beyond my expectation, and was more than reasonable. Paul was my guide. Paul and I got along really well, and Paul knew how to bowhunt these animals. Not every stalk was successful, but it wouldn’t have been any fun if they all ended in kills. We only sat a blind for about 6 or 7 hours of the total hunt, which I appreciated. The blind time was nice, but we were generally busy trying to find and stalk animals. Overall, I had a great, great time, and I highly recommend them.” – Blaine B.
They also do a lot of bird hunting as well as game hunting. Usually a day of birds starts with Waterfowl in the cereal fields in the early morning; then followed by Greywing Partridge over English pointers during the day. The Greywing Partridge is the fastest flying upland game bird in Africa and a real challenge to hunt in the mountains. Great fun for the whole family. And a nice add-on too!
Available species abound in these 4 areas, from all the common plains species (such as Springbuck, Cape Kudu, Southern Greater Kudu, Gemsbuck, Impala, etc) – on to Lechwe, Eland, Waterbuck, Vaal Rhebok, Blue duiker, Oribi and more. Over 35 species!
This outfit puts a great deal of emphasis on the idea of ethical fair chase hunting. With the vast areas they hunt, it can take a bit more time to find what you want, but all that acreage guarantees older animals that have been relatively unpressured. Many animals taken may have never been seen before! So they take some wonderful trophies, and clients feel a high degree of satisfaction as well. This is real hunting for wild, free range animals, that are here in good numbers. We rarely went more then 15 minutes without seeing game! We had a ball.
Normally you will use safari trucks, then climb to a vantage point several hundred feet higher than the surrounding area and start glassing. They can of course tailor the hunt to fit your physical needs, so we will work with you to adjust the hunts to your physical condition. Just tell us. With so much area, we can almost work magic in terms of making a hunt work for you.
In short, if you want a high success, but challenging hunt for free range trophies, this is the best we have found!
Bird Hunting: South Africa has a great diversity to offer the bird hunter. Bird hunts can be arranged as part of a plains game safari where a morning or evening will be taken to experience the bird hunting. Depending on the amount of time available, usually two areas will be hunted, the Stormberg mountains and the Free State province in central South Africa. A typical day would be hunting geese in the early mornings, greywing partridge, francolin and guineafowl during the day, and ducks over water in the evening.
Like all bird hunting the hunt is very season specific and the best times are the end of May until early September.
Greywing Partridge
The greywing is the fastest flying upland game bird in Africa and a real challenge. They live at an altitude of 5,000 feet and are plentiful in the Stormberg. Mornings spent high up in the mountains watching the dogs and enjoying the views are a memorable addition to a plains game hunt and adds variety to a bird hunt.
Ducks & Geese
Enjoy hunting the largest goose in the world, the spurwing, and a great variety of ducks and geese endemic to South Africa. The species most commonly targeted are Egyptian goose, spurwing, yellow-billed duck, shelduck and teal. Most hunting is done on the edge of water and in open fields over decoys.
Pigeons & Doves
Offering an exciting variety of flight patterns, pigeons and doves make for some good shooting. These birds are hunted over corn and sunflower crops in the Free State province of central South Africa.
Touring: Excellent touring is also available on the East Cape: elephant and cheetah parks with hundreds of thousands of acres to drive through (elephants mere feet from you) elephant rides; zip lines; sightseeing; tours; great shopping; Big 5 game reserves; awesome fishing; and more – fun for the whole family. They will provide transport and a guide for modest cost. That way you waste no time and get solid advice and safe transport.
Equipment: We can help you with suggested equipment lists as well. We can suggest touring destinations and we can design any package of animals to suit your wish list. Just ask for any assistance you might need. We realize many of our clients may be relative novices to Africa, and we want you to be comfortable and knowledgeable in all aspects of your safari. We welcome your questions.
Options: There are two ways to set up your safari: a la carte (pay a daily rate and then pay for each individual trophy), or choose a pre-set package/put together a package. Packages normally allow a bit of discount on the trophy fees and can save 10 to 25%. Although most client prefer packages, we are also supplying you with the a la carte pricing. It is helpful if you want to substitute certain species, but please note it is an even dollar exchange, as often package animals are more plentiful, hence are discounted. So expect more like a 70 to 80% exchange. Below are some sample packages, but many other combos can be arranged by us to suit your wishes.
TRANSPORT: Fly to Johannesburg. Then depending on your area of hunting, fly on to either Port Elizabeth or Durban for pickup and transport to the camp you will be hunting. There is no current charge for pickup. We assist you with that planning.
GUN IMPORT: You can rent guns – good guns too (270; 30-06 class with quality scopes). If you prefer your own, you will need to process your guns through customs in Johannesburg- quite simple really- we have people who do it for you or try it yourself. Cost is about $90 to $125 p/p. If you want a travel break after the long flight to Johannesburg, we can arrange for an overnight guest house to house you and return you the next day for your final flight. We personally like the break and the nights rest, with a steak bar-b-cue to boot!
RIFLE RENTALS: There is no problem with renting rifles. The borrowed rifle has to be under the supervision of their PH. The rifles are all 300 win mag or 30 06 or 270 types and they have a 338 and 7 x 57. The cost of this is $30 per day plus ammo. The rifles all have good quality optics.
2024 PRICING:
Package pricing includes guiding, food, accommodations, trophy fees and 15% VAT on the daily rates.
EASTERN CAPE PACKAGE (Baviaansriver area)
6 hunting days/7 nights
Kudu
Impala
Warthog
Blesbok
Springbuck
Baboon
Non-trophy Black Wildebeest
COST $6,300 (1 x 1) 15% VAT on package is $360. Total cost $6,660
COST $5,600 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package is $270. Total cost $5,870
EASTERN CAPE BUDGET (Baviaansriver area)
5 days/6 nights
Cape Kudu
Impala
Warthog or Springbuck
Non-trophy Blesbuck
Non-Trophy Wildebeest
COST $4000 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package is $225. Total cost $4225
COST $4650 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package is $300. Total cost $4950
EASTERN CAPE PREMIUM (Baviaansriver/Stormberg area)
7 hunting days/8 nights
Kudu
Black Wildebeest
Duiker
Bushbuck
Impala
Blesbok
Baboon
COST $8,400 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package $420. Total cost $8,820
COST $7,400 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package $315. Total cost $7,715
KWAZULU/NATAL PACKAGE (Umkomaas area)
7 days/8 nights
Nyala
Southern Greater Kudu
Bushbuck
Impala
Baboon
COST $10500 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package $420. Total cost $10920
COST $8900 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package $315. Total cost $9215
KWAZULU/NATAL Nyala Package (Umkomaas area)
5 days/6 nights
Nyala
COST $4500 (1 x 1) 15% VAT on package $300. Total cost $4800
COST $3900 (2 x 1) 15% VAT on package $225. Total cost $4125
THREE AREA PACKAGE (Umkomaas/Stormberg/Baviaansriver areas)
10 days/11 nights
Cape Kudu
Impala
Blesbuck
Black Wildebeest
Springbuck
Nyala
Bushbuck
Warthog
COST $12,600 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package $540. Total cost $13,140
COST $11,650 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package $405. Total cost $12,055
SPIRAL HORN PACKAGE (Baviaansriver and Umkomaas areas)
9 hunting days/10 nights
Nyala
Cape Kudu
Southern Greater Kudu
Eland
Bushbuck
COST $14800 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package $540. Total cost $15340
COST $13800 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package $405. Total cost $14200
MANAGEMENT PACKAGE (Baviaansriver area)
5 hunting days/6 nights
Blue Wildebeest or Red Hartebeest
Black Wildebeest
Blesbuck
Warthog
Impala
Baboon
COST $2950 (1 X 1) 15% VAT on package $300. Total cost $3250
COST $2450 (2 X 1) 15% VAT on package $225. Total cost $2675
BUFFALO HUNTS
BAVIAANSRIVER CONSERVANCY SOUTH AFRICA
Hunt includes
All licenses and permits
A licensed Professional hunter, skinners and camp staff
Accommodations, catering and laundry
Pick up in Port Elizabeth
15% VAT on day rate
7-day hunt @$400/day, plus VAT ($420) and $12,500 trophy fee = $15,720, trophy fee is refundable in the unlikely event of not getting a buffalo. Additional days can be added.
The trophy fees are refundable in the unlikely event of not getting a buffalo. Additional days can be added.
DAILY RATES (hunting a la carte)
Day Rate 1×1 $400 per day per person
Day Rate 2×1 $300 per day per person
Observer Rate $185 per day per person
TROPHY FEES FOR NON- PACKAGE ANIMALS OR ALA CARTE:
Baboon $350
Blesbuck $500
Bontebuck $2,000
Bushbuck $1,250
Bushpig (baited) $1,200
Caracal $1,300
Duiker Blue $2,000
Duiker Grey $450
Eland $3,250
Gemsbuck $1,900
Giraffe $3,500
Grysbuck $1,800
Hartebeest Red $1,250
Impala $500
Jackal $250
Klipspringer $1,800
Kudu Cape $1,900
Kudu Southern Greater $2,750
Lechwe $2,900
Nyala $2,650
Nyala cow $450
Oribi $2,950
Ostrich $1,000
Reedbuck Common $950
Reedbuck Mountain $650
Rhebuck Vaal $1,900
Springbuck $500
Springbuck Black $650
Springbuck White $950
Steenbuck $500
Warthog $500
Waterbuck $2,400
Wildebeest Black $950
Wildebeest Blue $1,100
Zebra $1,450
MANAGEMENT/NON-TROPHY PRICES
Black Wildebeest $500
Blesbok $200
Springbuck $200
Warthog $200
Baboon $100
Kudu cow $500
Kudu bull $850
Fallow Deer $250
Blue Wildebeest $650
Red Hartebeest $750
Impala $300
Waterbuck cow $750
Nyala cow $550 (only in the Umko)
- All packages and daily rates include licenses and permits; PH; trackers, skinners and camp staff; accommodations and meals, daily laundry; field care of trophies and 15% VAT on daily rates. Excluded: airfares; dipping, crating, and shipping of trophies; gun rental ($30/day) or firearms import fees.
Included:
All licenses and permits
A licensed PH, skinners and camp staff
Accommodations, catering and laundry
Pick up in Hoedspruit or Johannesburg
Daily rates
15% VAT on daily rates
Not Included:
Airfare to and from South Africa
Gratuities
Gun rental and ammunition
Dipping, shipping and crating of trophies
Mozambique
If you are looking for a premium hunting experience for six of the seven dangerous game species, this outfitter has a great new concession in the Zambezi valley, representing one of the better areas in all of Africa. With two luxury camps, one on the shores of Lake Cahora Bassa and the other on the banks of the Zambezi River, they can offer elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, crocodile, hippo plus a variety of indigenous plains game, including native sable. The concession is massive; over one million acres in size, and trophy quality has been outstanding.
To Get Here
Fly to Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by a short 1-hour commercial flight to Tete in Mozambique. Once in Tete, a 50-minute charter flight will take you to camp. The price of the charter is $1750 each for a total of $3500 that can be shared between the hunters.
Season
April through November. The best hunting is usually from May onward, and the best fishing is usually in April and May and again in September through November.
Mozambique Pricing
Daily Rates for ELEPHANT SAFARIS
15-Day 1X1 Elephant Bull& Plains Game $1,500 per day
18-Day 1X1 Elephant Bull & Buffalo or Leopard & Plains Game $1,750 per day
21-Day 1X1 Elephant Bull, Buffalo, Leopard and Plains Game $1,750 per day
28-Day Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo & Plains Game $2,500 per day
Daily Rates for LION, LEOPARD, BUFFALO & PLAINS GAME SAFARIS
18-Day 1X1 Lion & Buffalo $2,500 per day
18-Day 1X1 Lion & Leopard or Buffalo Bull & Plains Game $2,500 per day
15-Day 1X1 Leopard, Buffalo Bull & Plains Game $1,750 per day
15-Day 1X1 for 2 Buffalo Bulls & Plains Game $1,500 per day
15-Day 1X1 Buffalo & Sable croc and Hippo $1,500 per day
15-Day Leopard & Plains Game $1,500 per day
15-Day Buffalo & Sable and plains game $1,500 per day
12-Day 1X1 Buffalo, Croc & Plains Game (inc Hippo 15 days ) $1,350 per day
10-Day 1X1 Croc & Plains Game $1,350 per day
10-Day Buffalo Hunt including Buffalo trophy fee $18,900
Observers: $350 per day
Mozambique Trophy Fees
Baboon* $450
Buffalo $6,500
2nd Buffalo $8,500
Bushbuck $1,800
Bushpig* $1,200
Crocodile $8,000
Duiker $750
Eland $2,900
Elephant $24,000
Grysbok* $1,500
Hippo $8,000
Hyena* $3,000
Impala* $450
Kudu* $2,750
Leopard $9,500
Lion $24,000
Porcupine $500
Roan TBA
Sable $7,000
Warthog* $750
Waterbuck $2,450
Zebra* $2,400
*These species are on quota for all safaris. All other species must be requested and approved at time of booking. Otherwise, clients cannot expect availability to hunt any other species. Note: The above trophy fees are good for 2024 season, however, the relevant authorities, at any time may increase prices. We cannot be held responsible for any increase. We will however notify all concerned should within 7 days should this happen. Trophy fees are paid for any animal that is shot or wounded and lost.
Not included with Mozambique hunts: commercial flights to Tete and charter to camp ($3,500 which may be shared among hunters), hunting license @ $300, trophy prep @ $300 and trophy transport @ $750, optional rifle rental @ $30 per day plus ammo, trophy shipping and expediting charges, optional travel insurance.
BOOKING TERMS
- 50% is required to book
- Deposits are non-refundable but transferable to following year
- Final payment on trophy fees and daily rates is payable at the end of the safari – no exceptions – with travelers checks, bank guaranteed checks or cash. Personal checks are only accepted with prior arrangement
TAXIDERMY
For South African trophies, th outfitter uses and recommends African Wildlife Artistry about an hour from camp en route to Port Elizabeth. Butch used another taxidermist, Karoo Taxidermy, about 2 hours from camp and was very pleased with their work.
