Rifle Hunting in South Africa

Rifle hunters will be treated to plenty of sightings of game animals.

The Limpopo Province of South Africa is considered by many to be one of the greatest hunting grounds in the world, and one of the best destinations for rifle hunting in South Africa. The Matlabas Bushveld which lies at the heart of Limpopo hunting paradise offers many different species for hunters. Rifle hunters will be treated to plenty of sightings of game animals while they search for that special trophy. Our professional guides have a wealth of information on the different game animals that are to be hunted, as well as on the plant- and bird life of the region.

Hunting is conducted on foot (spot-and-stalk). Herds will be located by driving around the hunting area and spotting the animals. From there a stalk is initiated to get within shooting range. In some instances the guide will lead the hunter on a still hunt through an area where certain animals are known to congregate. We also make use of pop-up blinds on occasion, where we know certain animals move through a known area. Once the animal has been harvested, the animal will be loaded and brought back to the skinning shed where our expert skinning team will take care of your trophy.

Shot distances range from between 50 yards and 200 yards and shots are typically taken off of tri-pod shooting sticks.

Although many hunters prefer to bring their own rifles on safari, we do have a number of rifles available at a nominal fee. Please advise us well in advance if you would prefer to bring your own hunting rifle, as you will need to complete the SAP520 form (which you can download here). We will also supply any additional paperwork that would be needed for the temporary import of your rifle. There is also a number of services available to obtain the import permits ahead of time to minimize time at the airport on arrival.

Minimum Requirements for rifle hunting

The following was published in the Government Gazette of December 11, 2009:

Minimum calibers for rifle hunting

The following norms apply to minimum rifle calibers for the hunting of different categories of wild animals –

(a) .22 or 5.56mm rimfire rifle for the hunting of –

furred game up to and including the size of rock hyrax; and
feathered game;

(b) .22 or 5.56mm center fire rifle for the hunting of furred game up to and including the size of springbok;

furred game larger than springbok, up to and including eland, but excluding dangerous game or giraffe; and
ostrich;

(d) .375 H&H Magnum or larger caliber for the hunting of –

giraffe;
dangerous game; and
pachyderms, provided that the bullet must be of full met jacket (solid) or monolithic solid construction.

Rifle hunters will be treated to plenty of sightings of game animals.