Episode 509: Africa Plains Game and Texas Quail
African Plains Game
Location: We hunted in central Namibia, with Makadi Safaris, at a lodge approximately an hour’s drive from the airport outside Windhoek. My trip to Namibia began at my home in Montana. I flew to Salt lake City, Utah, then to Atlanta, Ga., then 16 hours straight through to Johannesburg, South Africa, where we spent the night before flying to Namibia the next morning. On the return trip, I retraced my route but without an overnight, and it took 43 hours from door to door! Africa is a long way away.
Access: Makadi Safaris has access to more than 130,000 acres of its own land and nearly 250,000 acres of additional lands. All the lands available for hunting are bordered by similar properties; the place is enormous, and the hunting opportunities are nearly limitless. Except for a few species such as black wildebeest, which high fences keep from lands inhabited by domestic cattle, all the animals are free ranging. While numerous cattle fences exist throughout the region, none impede game; they simply move over or under them freely as if they weren’t even there.
Best time to go: Remember that Namibia is in southern Africa; therefore, seasons are the opposite of ours. Summer is in December, January and March, and winter is June, July and August, with June and July being the coolest months. I’d choose to go in June or July, when the mornings might have frost and daytime highs are in the 50s and 60s. I like hunting in a cool weather. Makadi Safaris runs most of their hunts between May and October, but you may book during other time periods, if necessary. I suggest that you inquire about hunts as far ahead of time as possible. If you are serious about hunting in Africa, planning at least a year in advance is best. When cancellations arise, bargain hunts can become available on short notice, but travelers must be prepared to leave on short notice.
License availability: All your licenses will be taken care of by the safari operator and are part of the overall costs.
Recommended equipment: Makadi and other safari operators will provide you with a list of gear and equipment to bring along for your hunt. Most recommend a .30 caliber or larger rifle. I used a 30.06 with Winchester premium 180-grain XP3 ammunition. My guest used a .300 Winchester Magnum with 180-grain premium bullets. Comfortable hiking boots and binoculars are a must. Dirty laundry is collected and washed daily, which minimizes the need for clothing you’ll need to pack. Of course, you’ll want to bring a good camera and/or video camera, as well.
Costs: Hunting plains game in Namibia is a relative bargain by African hunting standards, but for most of us, it still represents a fair piece of change. In addition to the actual hunt, which will run approximately $5,000-$8,000 for seven to 10 days (including trophy fees for five to eight animals), your major expenses will be air travel, taxidermy fees and the cost of shipping your trophies. Taxidermy fees range widely, depending upon the types of mounts you’d like: full body, shoulder, European (skull and horns only) and whether you want simple skins or rugs. Then there’s the question of having the taxidermy done in Africa or back home. While African work usually costs less, shipping costs can be more expensive. A good rule of thumb is to add an additional 20-40 percent to your total safari costs for taxidermy and shipping – or more if you select extravagant mounts. (Remember, too, that a year or more will pass before you can hang a mount on the wall or place a rug on the floor. I waited more than two years to hang a kudu shoulder mount I shot on a previous hunt.) Makadi Safaris, which I highly recommend, offers packaged hunts. You’ll also need to tip your professional hunter (PH), trackers and camp staff. Ten dollars per day for the tracker(s) and camp staff is usually appropriate, while the PH should receive approximately $50 per day for a plains game hunt.
Tips and commentary: In my opinion, every hunter should go to Africa at least once. But be forewarned: You can’t go just once; Africa gets in your blood. It’s addictive – the moment you get home, you’ll begin thinking about your next trip. Research your hunting opportunities before you book a trip; know what species you want and what other species you’d like to encounter, even if you don’t plan to hunt for them. I saw roan antelope and water buck on my hunt, and one of the other hunters encountered a cheetah. If you want to see elephants and lions and expect to see jungles you’ll be disappointed with the areas in which Makadi operates; however, if you want a chance at a record gemsbok and kudu, it’s the right place for you. Each evening we were served wonderfully prepared wild game. My favorite was a toss-up between kudu and zebra, with warthog not far behind.
Namibia is a desert country, home to the Namib and Kalahari deserts, a landscape filled with thorns and brush. It’s a land of kudu, gemsbok, red hartebeest, springbok, duiker, steenbok warthogs, guinea fowl, francolin, termite mounts, baboons, zebra and cloudless skies. I loved it, and, of course, safari life, whether in a tent camp or lodge, has a wonderful rhythm to it. Safaris are a true retreat from the crazed world in which we live, and for my money they are among the best experiences one can possibly enjoy.
Special thanks go to:
Beretta
Katja and Diethelm Metzger and Makadi Safaris
Swarovski Optik
Tikka Rifles
Winchester Ammunition
South Texas Quail
Location: I flew from Montana to Corpus Christi and from there drove to the Kenedy Ranch near Riviera, Texas.
Access: I was a guest of a leaseholder, who, with his partners, leases one of a number of hunting properties on the historic Kenedy Ranch, which is currently owned by the Catholic Church. A number of outfitters in south Texas own or lease properties on ranches and offer hunts to the general public. These hunts cost anywhere from $550 to more than $1,000 per day per person, depending upon accommodations and services provided. That sounds expensive, and it is, but when compared to wild quail hunts in the southeastern United States, these are a bargain. Go to any Internet search engine and type in “South Texas quail hunts,” and a number of choices will result. For those on a budget, public-land hunts are available. Yes, Texas has more than 1 million acres of public lands, and some produce good quail numbers. Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Web site to learn more.
Best time to go: Quail season in Texas opens in November and runs through February. Please check the state Web site for exact dates. I love going south after the holidays. January is a great time to escape Montana – or any other northern-tier state, in my opinion. But go whenever you can, because south Texas quail hunting is not something you’ll want to miss.
License availability: You can purchase licenses online or at a number of outlets in Texas. License fees depend upon a number of factors, but a five-day non-resident tag that allows you to hunt birds starts at $48. If you plan on hunting public lands, you’ll need to purchase an additional tag, the Annual Public Hunting permit. The state Web site will tell you more.
Recommended equipment: Wearing snake boots and chaps is a good idea. I didn’t but would have felt better had I done so. Most south Texas guides and dog handlers wear them! I favor a double-barreled side by side or over-and-under shotgun in 20 or 28 gauge, or even a .410, for quail. Open chokes: skeet or improved cylinder in the first barrel and improved cylinder or modified chokes in the second barrel work well. I favor low-brass light field loads in 7/12s or 8s. The weather and temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day; bring an assortment of light layers. Sunscreen and lip balm are useful, as well. I’d also recommend that you carry along a pair of binoculars if you enjoy watching whitetails, javelina, wild hogs and even some exotics, like Nilgai, which are fairly common on many ranches.
Costs: If you don’t have a lease or a generous friend or family member who does, you can go with an outfitter (see “access,” above). It will run you $550 to $1,000-plus per day. Alternately, you can try your luck on public lands for $100 worth of permits and licenses. That’s exactly what I want to do the next time I head to the Lone Star State. I plan to camp and make it a do-it-yourself hunt, because I have heard that some pretty darn good quail are out on public lands, if you’re willing to hunt hard.
Tips and commentary: Gentleman Bob, the much-celebrated bobwhite quail of Old Dixie, has seen a dramatic decline in populations throughout the southeastern United States, where a half-century ago it was king of the gamebirds. Many reasons for this decline exist, but it largely can be attributed to changing land-use patterns. The habitat is just not like it used to be, and, as we all know, when it comes to game populations the key lies in habitat, habitat and habitat. Today, viable populations of bobwhites can be found in Oklahoma, Kansas and a few other Midwestern states, but Texas currently is the undisputed bobwhite capital of the world. When good weather conditions prevail and nesting seasons are optimal, Texas can explode with quail. Keep an eye on the weather, talk with Texas wildlife biologists and, when the hatch is good, get yourself to Texas and enjoy what many wing shooters call the finest sport there is!
