Eastern Cape South Africa Hunting Trips
Hunting Eastern Cape in South Africa
South Africa’s second largest province lies between the Indian Ocean and the Drakensberg Mountains. The dry semi-arid desert interior is known as the Karoo which in complete contrast gives way to the densely wooded valley bushveld, like the Addo Elephant National Park. The coastline is dominated by beautiful evergreen coastline plains, with magnificent beaches and the spectacular forests of the Garden Route and Tsitsikamma National Park.
Owing to this vast diversity of habitat it was once considered one of the country’s richest wildlife areas and severely over-hunted during colonial times. Much of the province’s former wildlife populations have been restored to their former glory days.
Buffalo and an assortment of general plains game can be hunted on the Eastern Cape. This includes some of South Africa’s unique game, like the Eastern Cape Kudu, a regionalised species, slightly smaller both in body and horn length to their Greater Kudu relatives.
One game animal that is endemic to South Africa is the Grey Rhebuck, a mountain species often hunted in cold, windy and sometimes snowy conditions. These extremely wary animals have an uncanny sixth sense and are known for being the most challenging plains game hunt in the country. The other endemic species is the Cape Grysbok, a member of the “Tiny Ten”.
Generally speaking, hunting with dogs in South Africa is illegal. However, the tiny Blue Duiker may be hunted with specially trained Jack Russell Terriers. These animals are flushed by the dogs and shot on the run with a shotgun. Caracal (Lynx), an acknowledged stock farming problem predatory animal may also be hunted with hound packs, an experience as exciting as a Mountain Lion hunt in the USA. Specialised bird hunting outfitters with pointing and retrieving dogs offer some of the best upland (Greywing Francolin) and waterfowl shoots in the country.
Another unique hunt offered in this province is a Rhino Vita Dart Hunt. This is a non-lethal hunt conducted in conjunction with a veterinarian who is only permitted to tranquilize a Rhino for conservation, medical or management reasons. The client will then be able to dart the Rhino with a vitamin cocktail prior to the animal being completely immobilised and classified as a kill by SCI.
Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) and CITES permits are required for some species even with an exemption permit.
Diversity of Animals
South Africa boasts an incredible diversity of game animals, from the Big Five to plains game
Affordable Hunts
South Africa boasts an incredible diversity of game animals, from the Big Five to plains game
Established Safari Industry
South Africa boasts an incredible diversity of game animals, from the Big Five to plains game
South Africa Hunting Areas
Need to Know Items About Hunting in South Africa
Visas and Documentation
Travelers from the USA and most European and British Commonwealth countries are not required to have a visa to enter South Africa. Find out the visa requirements for your country here: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/exempt-countries.
Special requirements apply for children under the age of eighteen who are traveling to South Africa. Minors are required to produce, in addition to their passport, an Unabridged Birth Certificate (showing the particulars of both parents) when exiting and entering South African ports of entry. When a child travels with only one parent, additional documents should include an affidavit in which the absent parent gives consent for the child to travel, a court order granting full parental responsibilities or legal guardianship of the child, or the death certificate of the absent parent.
Health
Most of South Africa is malaria-free, but malaria is present in a few areas, including northeastern KwaZulu-Natal Province as far south as the Tugela River, Limpopo (Northern) Province, and Mpumalanga Province. It is also present in Kruger National Park. If you will be hunting in or traveling to those areas, malaria prophylaxis is recommended.
Firearms Permits
South Africa has strict rules for hunters bringing firearms into the country. Visitors who are hunting or participating in a shooting event must acquire a Temporary Import Permit. These can be obtained on arrival at the airport at the SA Police Firearm Office situated after immigration. There are also a number of commercial services that can secure your permit in advance for a fee.
To be issued a permit, you will need to show proof of ownership of your firearm(s) (for American hunters, a U.S. Customs Form 4457 is sufficient), as well as an invitation letter signed by your outfitter proving that you have booked a hunt in South Africa.
Each hunter is allowed to bring up to four firearms, but no two may be of the same caliber. Ammunition is limited to 200 rounds per firearm. It is advisable to pack your ammunition in a hard-sided, lockable case, as sometimes airlines will require you to check your ammunition separately.
Permits
Most hunters arriving from outside of South Africa arrive in Johannesburg. Here, all declared or identified firearms may be collected directly from the firearm office just after immigration. Any firearms either not declared upon departure, or not identified by an appropriate label will be delivered to the normal baggage carousel for collection. Once you have collected your baggage, proceed to the SA Police Firearm Office, where all necessary import permits and other documentation will be finalized. This process can be quite time-consuming, especially if many other hunters have arrived on the flight with you, so if you have a connecting flight it is advisable to allow at least three hours in between.
If you have a domestic connecting flight, you must clear firearms and ammunition at the SA Police Firearm Office in your arrival airport before proceeding through customs. You will need to present your Temporary Import Permit to board your domestic flight. It’s important to note that firearms are accepted on domestic flights only to certain airports within South Africa; check with your outfitter to ensure you will be able to check your firearm to your destination.
Most hunts in South Africa are spot-and-stalk or safari style, with the hunters covering ground either on foot or by vehicle and, once an animal is spotted, completing a stalk on foot. Terrain varies dramatically from relatively flat savanna to rugged mountains, depending on the region of the country you’re hunting. Some safaris can require extensive walking; others require very little, so it’s a good idea to ask the professional hunter.
Clothing and Gear
Dark green or brown clothing is best, as are comfortable, well-broken-in boots with soft soles for quiet stalking. You’ll only need a couple of changes of clothing as laundry is done daily at most camps. Bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunblock, good optics, and a jacket for cool mornings and evenings. In some areas pepper ticks are a problem, so tick repellent is a good idea.
Rifles
Most professional hunters recommend rifles in the .300-caliber family for plains game and .375 for dangerous game, but the most important thing is to bring a rifle you are familiar with and can shoot well.
Tips
Tips are appreciated at most safari camps in South Africa; in addition to the professional hunter, tracker(s), driver, and skinner(s), there are usually staff members at camp who handle cooking and cleaning and other chores and help to make a hunter’s stay pleasant. The professional hunter or outfitter can advise the hunter how much is appropriate to tip each staff member.
Trophy preparation
Typically, animals are skinned at the safari headquarters and all skins are cleaned and salted; skulls and horns are cleaned and buried in salt. After a couple of days, the skins are hung to dry, cleaned once more, and folded and stored in a skinning shed. Skulls will be cleaned and placed on a rack. Before leaving camp, it’s a good idea to ensure the skulls and skins are properly tagged with the hunter’s name and contact information.
Taxidermy
Once the hunter departs, or sometimes at the end of the season, trophies will be taken to a taxidermist for professional cleaning and dipping, which is required for export. The taxidermist then contacts the hunter for instructions regarding preparation and shipment, and to arrange payment for these services. The taxidermist then contacts a shipping agent, who will handle the permits and shipping to the hunter’s home country, again after contacting the hunter. Hunters should check the latest regulations in order to make arrangements in advance if they are hunting species that require CITES permits or special export or import permits from the hunter’s home country. Many export and import requirements for these species have undergone dramatic changes in the past couple of years.
Eastern Cape Province South Africa
Eastern Cape is predominantly mountainous country. It includes the southern spur of the Drakensberg, rising to more than 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in the northeast, and descends southward from the great interior plateau (Highveld) of southern Africa to form a relatively narrow coastal plain along the Indian Ocean. Southwest of the Highveld and the Great Fish River, the topography is characterized by east-west-trending mountain ranges and valleys. East of the Great Fish River, including the lower valley of the Great Kei River, perennial streams have carved deep valleys on their way to the ocean. The province’s natural vegetation is largely grassveld, with some forest on the coast west of Humansdorp. Mountain Zebra National Park is located west of Cradock, and Addo Elephant National Park is located north of Port Elizabeth.
