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South African Bird Hunting
South Africa is a haven for wild bird shooting and provides the bird enthusiasts with a variety of terrain to hunt from. We offer our bird hunters Grey Wing Partridge with trained English Pointers on the high ground from our Northern camps. Also a selection of 15 waterfowl species within our three areas, driven Guinea Fowl hunts and an abundance of Pigeons and Doves over sunflower or corn fields.
Pigeons & Doves
The Cape Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove and Rock Pigeon offer a variety of flight patterns and challenging shooting. The best time of year to hunt these species and experience good numbers is in the early season (March - May), while corn and sunflower crops are ready or are in the process of being harvested. Both Dove species prefer low fast flying flight paths. While the bigger Rock Pigeons prefer a much higher flight path. Early mornings can be very busy, while midday does slow down a bit, only to pick up again in the late afternoon providing for an incredibly busy shoot and a hot barreled day.
Hunting Season: 1 January to 31 December.
Bag Limit: Unrestricted
Ducks & Geese
The most common species targeted are Yellow Billed Ducks, Red Billed Teals, South African Shelducks, Spurwing Goose and Egyptian Goose. Most species are shot from blinds on the edge of ponds and marshes, along rivers or open grain and alfalfa fields over decoys. South Africa boasts the largest Goose in the world, the Spurwing Goose, with ganders weighing in at an average weight of sixteen pounds.
Hunting Season & Bag Limit
Yellow Billed Duck - 1 May to 31 July; 3 birds per hunter per day.
Red Billed Teal – 1 January to 30 April & 1 August to 31 December; 3 birds per hunter per day.
South African Shellduck – 1 January to 31 March & 1 October to 31 December; 2 birds per hunter per day.
Spurwing Goose – 1 June to 31 August; 2 birds per hunter per day.
Egyptian Goose – 1 January to 31 July; 5 birds per hunter per day
Greywing Partridge
Greywing Partridge is considered by many as one of the finest upland game birds in the world. They habitat at an elevation of 5000 feet and higher in our Northern areas. These birds live in coveys of four to eighteen, with most coveys averaging ten birds. Early mornings are spent in the mountains, watching the dogs range for birds and enjoying the views, only to be disturbed by the thrill of an English Pointer on a Greywing point. This will leave even the most experienced of hunters grasping for his shotgun, only to see these fast flying birds disappear over the edge.
Hunting Season: 1 April to 31 July
Bag Limit: 4 birds per hunter per day
For all bird hunts in South Africa we recommend a 12-gauge Shotgun and at your request we can arrange for shells to be supplied. Bird hunts can be tailor-made to your specific requirements and may be combined with a Plains Game Safari. Minimum 5 days and a minimum 3 guns.