Namibia, just west of South Africa, is apparently experiencing the worst drought since 1896. Many ranchers have sold or greatly reduced their sheep and cattle herds. Some ranchers are cutting acacia thorn bush, an invasive species, cutting off the roots, running the branches and leaves through a chipper, and the pulverizing the thorns in a hammer mill. Then, they add alfalfa, corn, molasses and supplement in a big mixer, and create supplemental food for the wildlife. If the rains don't come as expected in December, then much of the wildlife will starve.
The choice facing Namibia's game ranchers is bleak and hard. In their view, it is better to hunt many animals now, so there will be some food later for the toughest remaining animals.
The good news is that prices have probably never been lower on good plains game animals. I just returned from the Kalahari desert, where I hunted with Hendrik Kotze of Kalahari Hunting Safaris. On a cull hunt, I shot 30 gemsbok and springbok at ranges up to 1050 yards. In addition, there were trophy gemsbok, various color variations of springbok, kudu, Hartmann's zebra, Burchell's zebra, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, sable and blesbok available in the area around Aroub. The long range shooting opportunities were plentiful, and I found the conditions to be a good test of my equipment, data, wind doping and equipment management. Kalahari Hunting Safaris bent over backwards to accommodate any and everything I wanted to hunt.
For someone who has the near term time and resources available, this is a great opportunity and great value for money. The shooting season runs through November, and as the weather warms up, morning and evening hunts will be the best opportunity. If interested, ask for the best price on the daily rate, and for the management (cull) hunts.
Good hunting.
The choice facing Namibia's game ranchers is bleak and hard. In their view, it is better to hunt many animals now, so there will be some food later for the toughest remaining animals.
The good news is that prices have probably never been lower on good plains game animals. I just returned from the Kalahari desert, where I hunted with Hendrik Kotze of Kalahari Hunting Safaris. On a cull hunt, I shot 30 gemsbok and springbok at ranges up to 1050 yards. In addition, there were trophy gemsbok, various color variations of springbok, kudu, Hartmann's zebra, Burchell's zebra, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, sable and blesbok available in the area around Aroub. The long range shooting opportunities were plentiful, and I found the conditions to be a good test of my equipment, data, wind doping and equipment management. Kalahari Hunting Safaris bent over backwards to accommodate any and everything I wanted to hunt.
For someone who has the near term time and resources available, this is a great opportunity and great value for money. The shooting season runs through November, and as the weather warms up, morning and evening hunts will be the best opportunity. If interested, ask for the best price on the daily rate, and for the management (cull) hunts.
Good hunting.
