First Time Hunting

[JGC]

Hi Guys,
I have looked extensively on GS now but cant seem to find the answer to my questions.
I will be a first time hunter in 2012 with a 30.06, I want to go somewhere where I can walk and stalk rather than shooting off a vehicle.
To walk and stalk how does it normally work as in pricing compared to hunting off a vehicle?
Also where can someone go to learn the necessary skills to do this type of hunt? I am a great nature lover so to walk in the bush would be first prize for me, and finally any suggestions where I could do this type of hunt? I live in the Joburg area.
Looking forward to your response.

[Sean Murphy]

If you are in Joburg then I advise you to look at hunting in the Limpopo areas. The best area for walk and stalk in my opinion.

I do not see that pricing will be much different. On most farms the major costs revolve around the accomodation and the animals shot.

+1 for your desire to hunt properly, on foot.

[driepootx]

Do you not have buddies who have hunted before. Part of the hunting experience is sharing it with folks who have the same interests and love for hunting. If not try and join a hunting orginization and get info from them. They will have training courses to learn more about hunting etc. Share some time with folks at a shooting range and you might find some genuine hunters there. Magnum magazine has lots of game farms in its data base and can supply you with same.

[JGC]

driepootx, my buddies are new to it aswell, so we all going to learn together!

[driepootx]

driepootx, my buddies are new to it aswell, so we all going to learn together!

Then I stick with my other advice. I know from experience with SAHunters as I am a Training facilitator. They have got extremely good theoretical papers and help with the shooting abilities.

[Dimitri]

Hi JGC

'So glad you want to learn to hunt. It is going to take some work but I would suggest the following:

1. Contact Magnum Magazine and ask to buy the March or April 2011 edition of their magazine. This is the edition where farmers advertise their hunting availability. Most of the farms advertise every year so if you get your copy now and start phoning you will be ahead of those that are waiting until March next year. driepootx has suggested the same. I did not know that they would supply you with their game farms database. You could also check out online hunting directories e.g. www.ibookdirect.com

2. You decide for yourself which province you want to hunt in and concentrate farms located there. Most commercial farms around the country have a variety of small and large as well as cheaper and more expensive game. Ask the farmer's for their pricelists and availability.

3. Before you book, decide what type of accommodation you want. I would suggest you take the wife and kids along for a nature experience. If you go with the wrong crowd of manne you will land up doing more drinking and riding around on the bakkie than hunting. The wife can relax in camp, go on a hike with the kids (if permitted by the farm-rules), mountain biking, fishing etc. You can arrange for a family game-drive and you can spend wonderful evenings cooking together around the campfire, telling stories and toasting marshmallows. Book something that is neat and clean and has a flush toilet and warm water if you are taking the wife along - especially if it is her first hunting trip.

4. Some farms require a minimum number of hunters in the group. Some don't. Some say they do but when you speak to them they are prepared to take solo hunters. Speak to them about it. Make sure that you have exclusive use of the farm and camp if they do take your booking. You don't want a group of drunkards to arrive and share the camp with you. It can make the whole experience unpleasant. Hunting time is precious so make sure you plan properly.

5. Be honest with the farmer. Tell him it is your first trip. That you do not want to shoot from the vehicle, that you would like to learn as much as possible about hunting during this experience. Ask him whether that would be ok and whether there is someone who speaks your language well enough to answer your questions or for him to point interesting/important things out to you. Tell him you don't mind if you miss some shooting opportunities if it means you have learned some important lessons. Tell him what animal(s) you are after. You will get some farmers that will say "no thanks, we are not going to make enough money from you" and you will get some others that say "yes, we will take your booking. It is nice to have a family stay with us and nice to take a break from riding around with the bakkie the whole day". I needed to do a hunt for meat late in the season this year. Farm said minimum 4 hunters; hides and bakkie available to the client. I was only one hunter plus my wife and kids and my mom, I only wanted to walk and stalk and I was only interested in a young kudu bull. He took my booking.

Walk & stalk is normally the same price as using the vehicle except where the farm charges a fee per day or a fee per KM for use of their vehicle. Some farms insist on you using their vehicle others allow you to use your own.

Whenever I hunt a new species, I read up as much about it as possible from the Internet, hunting magazines and hunting reference works. You can do the same for your first hunt. You must know what the likely distance is that you will be taking your shot from and practise extensively at that distance but also at other distances. Learn to positively identify the animal you will be hunting - especially the differences between juviniles and males and females. Read up on their habits and know where the vitals are situated inside that animal. Before I shot my first eland (a large bull) I regularly took a drive to Suikerbosrand nature reserve and sat studying the eland. Just watching what they do. And imagining where I would place my shot from various angles. I found it helped me a lot. You could do the same?

I hope you have a fantastic hunt next year. Good luck and let us know how the booking process went and, of course, the hunt itself.

[Messor]

If i were you i would go spend some time hunting without a rifle before the hunting season begins. No, i am not mad, what i mean is go to such a farm with a experienced guy and learn the hunting (tracking, stalking, etc.) of an animal before you do it the first time. Then when the time comes and you have limited time available you would already know what to do and you can focus on the shooting part better. Time spend improving your hunting skills is money saved at the end of the day. I find it just as much fun stalking an animal just to see how close i can get, plenty of time for that before the hunting season.

Enjoy.

[TStone]

If i were you i would go spend some time hunting without a rifle before the hunting season begins. No, i am not mad, what i mean is go to such a farm with a experienced guy and learn the hunting (tracking, stalking, etc.) of an animal before you do it the first time. Then when the time comes and you have limited time available you would already know what to do and you can focus on the shooting part better. Time spend improving your hunting skills is money saved at the end of the day. I find it just as much fun stalking an animal just to see how close i can get, plenty of time for that before the hunting season.

Enjoy.

That is a really good suggestion.

[Redhawk75]

You might find more farmers willing to assist you if you book a mid-week hunt!

[Stephen Palos]

driepootx, my buddies are new to it aswell, so we all going to learn together!

Sounds exciting! All good advice here already. Give me a call if you like. My number is 082 905 7400. There's a couple of areas I could assist with.....