African Hunting Information Guide

African hunting is a very popular sport among professional outdoorsman.  It has also become popular for those who have interest in hunting, but do not have experience to do an African hunting safari on their own.  If you are one of those individuals that would like to experience an African hunting adventure, you will want to do some research of the area, the trophies and professional hunting outfitters. 

When researching your African Hunting Experience it is necessary to look into climate patterns, terrain, and hunting seasons to ensure a positive experience.  Africa itself is separated into three major hunting regions.  These regions include the East Africa, the Central Africa, and Southern Africa.

African Hunting – East Africa

East Africa has been known for its classical African Hunting Safari adventures.  The most popular hunting spots in this region are within the countries of Kenya and Tanzania.  Traditionally, this area has been the home of big game safaris for professional hunters looking to hunt lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and a variety of other wild game species.  Tanzania (formerly known as Tanganyika) is known for its historical hunt conducted by the United States President, Theodore Roosevelt.  It is considered to be the ultimate African Hunting Safari destinations.  Safari hunting consultants can help you plan all aspects of your trip to this area.  The terrain is basically flat with some rugged areas and the climate can be desert-like in parts of this region.  It is recommended that you use an experienced profesional hunter that is knowledgeable about this particular part of Africa.

Africa Hunting – Central Africa

Central Africa consists of open savannas and jungles.  There are approximately 208 species in this region including the largest antelope in Africa, the Lord Derby Eland.  Other species that can be found in this region are the buffalo, giant forest hogs, and warthogs.  It is very important to use an African Hunting Outfitter that has extensive knowledge of regulations in this region as it is still to some extend the “Dark Africa” of yesteryear with civil wars and unstable civil societies.  An example of the possible regulations in place is where the Central African Republic placed a ban on the hunting of elephants in 1989 in order to protect the species.  Travel arrangements for hunting in this region may also include charter flights, visas, accommodation etc.  This region is known for its long distances and poor road traveling conditions that make it difficult to reach some hunting areas.  Charter planes are necessary to travel to certain hunting camps.  Hunting in this region can be physically demanding due to the fact that most tracking is done on foot.  It is highly recommeded that you look at an African Hunting Outfitter that is experienced in this part of Africa.

African Hunting – Southern Africa

The third African hunting region is Southern Africa.  This area includes the countries of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  These countries are host to approximately 70% of all African hunting.  If you are planning a trip to the country of Zimbabwe, you will need to check for any existing economic sanctions that may be imposed against the country.  For example, the United States has issued an Executive Order prohibiting American hunters from hunting in certain areas.  This order contains a list of hunting camps within the country of Zimbabwe where Americans cannot hunt.  So, if you are an American, it is necessary to provide your African Hunting Safari Outfitting Consult with the list so that plans can be made accordingly.

Once you have gained the knowledge needed regarding the regions, you will want to research the types of hunting areas to see which type would best fit your plans.  There are three basic types of African hunting areas.  These types are concession areas, private land ranches and conservancies, and communal and tribal trust lands.  Concession areas are large uninhabited areas of land that border a national park or preserve.  These areas can range in size from 100,000 acres to more than 1,000,000 acres.  They contain a large amount of dangerous game as well as plenty of herds of plains game.  Some species of game that can be found in this area are lions, buffalo, elephants, and leopards.

Private land ranches and conservancies are areas that can range in size from 20,000 acres to 120,000 acres.  These areas usually do not contain fences.  They are good hunting grounds for plains game species.  Some private land owners create conservancies by joining with others to create larger tracts of hunting land.  The usually restrict the numbers or quota of game that can be hunted.  Communal and tribal trust lands differ from private land ranches and conservancies by being run by the native tribes.  These programs were designed to benefit the indigenous peoples of the area by providing income in areas that suffered from crop loss.  The income that is received from African Hunting Safaris on these lands goes toward building schools and improving the economy and lives of the tribes involved.

Along with knowledge about the regions and the hunting areas available, you also need to have an understanding of ammunition and hunting materials available.  There are different options available to those who wish to hunt with rifles or bows.  The best African Hunting Safari outfitters can help you choose the right equipment and guide you through the licensing and permits needed.

African Hunting Safaris – Tours And Operators

If you have African hunting on your bucket list of things to do, you will want to make sure that you research the subject thoroughly.  You will want to know every aspect of the hunt.  There are several factors involved when looking for an African hunting safari, including airfare, passport information, permits and licensing, rental fees for ammunition, required clothing, possible health issues, and a host of other information you need to know.  The best thing to do in order to begin your research is to look through hunting magazines or websites of different Safari companies.  Once you have completed your research of requirements for an African hunting trip, you will want to research the animals themselves.  It is very important that you fully understand how the animals act and react in their habitats.  You will also need to know more technical information about actual shot placement.  Therefore, it is recommended that you get some African hunting advice from professional hunters. 

There are 13 countries in Africa that allow hunting.  Basic knowledge of the requirements for each country is necessary before planning your trip.  There are plenty of websites available where you can obtain this information.  Requirements and hunting seasons are different for each country. 

African Hunting Countries

For example, Namibia has a African hunting season that runs from February through November with trophy hunting days beginning a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset.  This country does not have any regulations controlling the number of days that a hunting safari trip can be.  They also allow hunting from vehicles.  The majority of African hunting that takes place in this country is conducted on private game ranches that can be found throughout the country.  Namibia allows safari hunting in government hunting concession areas that are located in the northern part of the country. 

Botswana, however, has a African hunting season that runs from April through September.  The country has closed the hunting of many species of animals as they primarily focus on tourism.  And, they are not likely to issue licenses for these species anytime in the future.  Some African hunting trips in Botswana are conducted on game ranches.  These ranches are fenced in territories where several species such as the Black Wildebeest and the Bushbuck can be hunted by safari groups.  Most professional hunters in Botswana hunt birds such as doves, pigeons, and quail.  Bird hunting is allowed throughout the year.

Planning Your African Hunting Safari

The best thing to do when planning your African hunting trip is to contact a Safari outfitter group that can walk you through the entire process.  There are so many laws and regulations regarding rifles, bows, and ammunition that it is necessary to consult a professional hunter or safari consultant.  Safari outfitting companies help you plan your entire African hunting experience.  They help you with the travel planning including airline arrangements for flights from where you live to your African hunting destination and also travel accommodations throughout the African hunting Safari itself.  They also help you with the visas and passport information that you are required to have in order to travel to another country. 

African Hunting Safari consultants are well versed on the permits and licensing requirements of each African country and can help you determine the types of licensing you will need for your trip.  They can help you determine the necessary permits required to import your trophies to your home country.  They also have knowledge of the best taxidermy services to help you prepare your trophies.  You will want to choose an African hunting specialist that can assist you in obtaining the appropriate ammunition for your trip.  These groups can also help you plan out your entire itinerary so that you can make the best use of your time.  It is important for you to enlist the help of an experienced guide that can assist you throughout your entire travel and African hunting safari experience. 

With so many African Hunting Safari groups available, it should be easy to find the right one to meet your needs.  It is best to research several different options before choosing the one you will use. 

African Hunting Safari Tips

Some tips to help you find the right African hunting outfitting group for your needs are:  look for high quality safari outfitters that offer hunting packages at the best possible rates, check to see if the safari group will handle all of the travel arrangements for your African hunting trip from beginning to end, research experience of the safari outfitter, ask for references, and look for outfitters that provide the appropriate ammunition as well as specialized equipment.  Once you have narrowed down your choices of Safari outfitters, you need to consider some of the health requirements.  You can ask the African hunting consultants what requirements there are for the area in which you wish to travel, or you can conduct the research yourself online.

Health issues that are important for you to take into consideration before planning your African hunting trip are the treat of malaria and your own physical condition.  It is important to ask about what shots or vaccinations are needed before you travel.  Most African countries recommend an up-to-date tetanus shot for travelers.  Other vaccination requirements may differ depending on the area where you want to hunt.  You need to make sure that your physical condition is adequate before embarking on an African hunting safari.