Searching for a great hunt? You’ve come to the right place. The outfitters listed here are the best of the best and are true supporters of conservation and the fair-chase ethic. Have a great hunt with an outfitter who upholds the highest standards of excellence.
Rowland Ward Fair Chase Outfitters
Only outfitters with impeccable reputations are eligible to become Rowland Ward Fair-Chase Outfitters. Currently the program features the finest outfitters in Africa; later the program will be expanded to outfitters on other continents.
Rowland Ward Ltd. is very serious in its commitment to its Fair Chase Outfitters program. Rowland Ward Ltd. Fair Chase Outfitters are recognized by clients as outfitters and guides who espouse the highest ethical standards. A Rowland Ward Ltd. Fair Chase Outfitter must believe in and stand behind the concept of fair-chase hunting, be ethical at all times, obey the game laws of the country he/she outfits/hunts in, and be actively involved with local communities in the support of conservation and wildlife management. In order for a safari company to qualify, it must have a spotless record with IPHA and or its local outfitter organization such as PHASA, NAPHA, etc. Such an outfitter must not have been banned from any of the major international hunting organizations for inappropriate conduct and, where applicable, must be fully licensed with the local authorities. Thus, when a customer sees the Rowland Ward Ltd. emblem on an outfitter’s brochure, website, or business card, he will immediately know that he is dealing with a company that is serious about the conservation of wildlife and habitat and one that will really go the extra mile to involve local, indigenous people wherever possible in the battle to preserve local wildlife and habitat.
Participants in the program will strictly offer fair-chase hunting as defined by the Guiding Principles of Rowland Ward Ltd. Outfitters who participate are committed to these ideals and professional in their behavior. They have gone through a serious application and vetting process. Once an outfitter has been vetted by Rowland Ward Ltd., it will serve the hunting community in several ways. First of all, it will say to someone who is looking to book a hunt that a Rowland Ward Endorsed Outfitter is one who supports the Guiding Principles of Rowland Ward Ltd.; is actively involved with local communities to show that ethical sport hunting with a sustainable off-take is a financial benefit to those who share their environment with wildlife; and is an ethical outfitter. Thus, for people booking hunts, they will intuitively know that they can trust in the good judgment and ethical behavior of a Rowland Ward Fair Chase Outfitter.
Learn more about the Rowland Ward Fair Chase Outfitter program by clicking here.
The following outfitters are part of the Rowland Ward Fair Chase Outfitter program–take a look at the great hunts they have to offer!
Duke Safaris: Whether it is the Big Five that calls you to Africa or the diversity of plains game species, Duke Safaris will cater to your every need. Hunting and photographic safaris can be tailored to ensure an unforgettable adventure. Our policy is to adhere to fair-chase principles and ethical hunting practices based on sustainable utilization. We hope that you support this concept of sustainable hunting and will join us on one of the most exciting hunting adventures in Southern Africa.
John Luyt and Roelof Niemann, owners of Duke Safaris, were both exposed to the outdoors and wildlife from a young age. They started out guiding photo safaris, which was a great stepping stone and taught them a great deal about animal behavior, especially dangerous game.
Later on they managed large game reserves, where they gained valuable experience in the conservation field. This led them to establish Duke Safaris in 2003. Today they consider themselves privileged to be able to hunt the very areas they once managed, and they view themselves as passionate conservationists rather than professional hunters.
Duke Safaris uses hunting as an integral tool of game management. During the first part of the century, much of Southern Africa’s wildlife was eradicated, and animals with high ecological demands and those that experienced the most conflict with humans were the first to disappear. Large carnivores and herbivores were particularly affected. This, combined with increasing human population pressures and continued fragmentation of the landscape, has had a negative impact on many species. Therefore, it has become increasingly important to conserve Southern Africa’s remaining habitat for wildlife, especially wide-ranging carnivores and herbivores.
Private nature reserves and ranches now play an increasingly important role in management and conservation of South Africa’s unique natural resources. However, biologists and wildlife managers are faced with the problem of isolated and fragmented populations, as fences prevent natural dispersal of the animals. Unless monitored and managed effectively, this could have disastrous effect on the genetics and social structure of the animals, as well as damage sensitive vegetation and upset the delicate balance between predator and prey populations. Duke Safaris has a number of concessions in Southern Africa where hunting is used as a management tool to regulate the populations and maintain an ecological balance between species. This type of management is important to ensure the sustainability of Southern Africa’s valuable resources.
Gary Kelly Safaris: For over five decades, Garry Kelly Safaris has proudly upheld its position as a frontrunner in the hunting industry, with a legacy that stretches back to 1970. We operate on exclusive and prime hunting concessions throughout South Africa. These comprise of some of the finest hunting areas in Southern Africa and Africa, producing an abundance of trophy specimens.
Not only has the company become internationally renowned for its exceptional quality in trophies and incomparable hospitality, it has also earned a highly respected reputation for ethical hunting practices and honesty in client dealings at every level.
Being of Irish decent, the Kelly family settled in South Africa in 1816. Garry Kelly was born in Swaziland in 1952 and was brought up in a family who loved the outdoors and travelled extensively across Africa. From a young boy, Garry had a passion for the outdoors and an enthusiasm for hunting. He has always held the belief that hunting has played, and will continue to play, a crucial role in the survival of African wildlife.
Garry’s hunting career began in October 1970, when he first moved up to Zululand to work as a ranger for Norman Deane Zululand Safaris. Garry’s reputation attracted international clientele, and within a few years he was recognized as one of South Africa’s leading Professional Hunters.
Fifty-three years on, Garry, together with his dedicated sons, Sean and Cullen, stands at the helm of one of Africa’s most prominent and enduring family-run enterprises in the realm of hunting, safari, and tourism.
“We are privileged to share our incredible continent and its abundant wildlife with all who wish to experience it. Without hunting there would be no conservation, and without conservation there would be no wildlife.”
Their unwavering dedication is not merely about the hunt, but about crafting unforgettable wildlife experiences for every client. It is this deep-seated passion for the wilderness and its majestic inhabitants that has been the driving force behind their enduring success, and their clients can always expect a truly extraordinary adventure.
Michel Mantheakis Safaris Ltd: Michel Mantheakis Safaris Ltd. (MMS) is a family-owned company established in 2010 and operated by my wife, Nicole, and myself.
After previously having been involved in the hectic day-to-day running of Miombo Safaris and its sister company Kilombero North Safaris, the hunting company that I founded, owned, and operated for 17 years, we had plenty of time to reflect and analyze the successes and failures from the past 20 years of outfitting in setting up MMS. This put us in a unique position to focus and channel our efforts into creating another top-quality trophy hunting company with a strong conservation conscience, offering services on an even higher level.
In order to present our clients with the best possible trophy opportunities and maximum luxury safari experience, we will continue to field the minimum number of safaris in our areas per season. This will enable us to pursue our signature approach of maximum anti-poaching and conservation effort to ensure optimum results for our clients. We have proven time and again that this strategy is very successful. Not only does it improve the wildlife population and its habitat in our concessions, but also the quality of the trophy hunting.
By promoting ethical hunting together with conservation, we aim at marketing our safaris to the discerning hunters. Those who care about conservation and prefer to hunt with an outfitter who not only works tirelessly to get best quality trophies, but who also truly believes in and practices conservation rather than just claiming to. The combination of my academic background in zoology and wildlife science, a passion for hunting and conservation, and 28-years of reputable hunting experience in Tanzania that is backed by an efficient administration has maintained our position at the forefront of Tanzania’s hunting industry.
Anybody can offer you a trophy hunt, but only a few will offer you a great trophy hunt. Few are the outfitters who will give you that memorable safari experience, one that gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you spent your money wisely and earned you the heartwarming pride that you also invested in conservation and, thus, the survival of the sport you so cherish―hunting.–Michel Mantheakis
Phalafala Safaris: Phalafala Safaris is a unique African hunting and safari destination based in the Northern Limpopo Province of South Africa, south of the Limpopo River and north of the majestic Soutpansberg mountain range. Here you can experience the awe-inspiring serenity of the wild African bush along with a wide variety of flora and fauna. Sun-soaked skies and sizzling sunsets cap the safari experience.
Phalafala Safaris has been developed to cater to the discerning safari hunter, and our highly skilled and professional team offers the best African safari experience possible. The safari “sizzle” is coupled with dazzling decadence in the two camp settings, allowing us to tailor a unique and exclusive hunting safari for distinguished clients.
Embracing and managing a sustainable ecosystem and utilizing a skilled staff representing Africa’s unique diversity, Phalafala Safaris aspires to achieve for our discerning clientele the ultimate safari hunting experience within the context of fair chase hunting criteria and walk-and-stalk principles. Phalafala Safaris offers all of this and more while maintaining our commitment to the environment and mutual respect and reciprocation with our local community.
Robin Hurt Safaris: Since its early beginnings Robin Hurt Safaris has always been a family-run company whose reputation speaks for itself. We have become a household name in the big-game hunting, bird shooting, and photographic safari industry. We are proud of our reputation and expertise. A safari with Robin Hurt Safaris is a memorable experience, a vintage adventure underpinned by six decades of experience, reliability, and a profound understanding of the African wilderness.
We believe that game animals should only be stalked under fair-chase principals and that for wildlife to survive in a changing Africa, we must involve local people and give them a direct benefit from the wildlife among which they live. To this end, Robin Hurt Safaris has started many conservation projects both in Tanzania and Namibia. We stand firmly behind our belief in fair-chase hunting, for, after all, the chance of the chase is what “game stalking” is all about. Giving game animals that chance is not only an obligation but also a respect for wildlife.
Following in the family tradition, Robin has passed down his passion and knowledge to his sons, Derek and Roger. They both started hunting as children, growing up on safari in the African bush, and have been involved in the family business for the past few decades guiding hunts across Africa. After Robin moved to Namibia, Derek and Roger Hurt took over the running of the company. Today the main hunting bases are in Tanzania and Namibia.
Hunting on Robin’s conservancy in Namibia means covering more than 40,000 hectares [98,842 acres] of open, unfenced private land. It is found within the Gamsberg Conservancy that covers 130,000 hectares [321,237 acres] of open land. Wildlife occurring in large numbers are springbok, kudu, mountain zebra, oryx, red hartebeest, ostrich, warthog, sable antelope, black and blue wildebeest, waterbuck, leopard, cheetah, brown and spotted hyena, small antelope such as klipspringer, duiker, and steenbok, as well as endless smaller species (many of them endangered) such as the bat-eared fox, African pangolin, aardvark, meerkats, mongoose. All these and many other species as well flourish with amazing birdlife. Robin and Pauline started the hugely successful “Habitat for Rhino” program in 2014 in Namibia.
The landscape of the ranch in Namibia is stupendous, and varied, with granite kopjes, bush, and grass veld and tumbled mountains. There are unique features such as a Quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) forest in “the badlands,” and the tabletop Gamsberg Mountain overlooking the ranch. This is Namibia’s third highest mountain (2,349 meters/7,707 feet) and is accompanied by Little Gamsberg Mountain. Gamsberg Lodge can comfortably accommodate up to ten people (shared occupancy) and offers stunning views of the mountain range and sunsets from the veranda. Gamsberg is managed by Pauline’s son, Daniel Mousley and his wife, Jana.
Robin’s sons Derek and Roger have taken over the Tanzania side of the business. Tanzania is traditionally renowned for its exceptional hunting and excellent trophy quality. It is home to the largest concentration of heavily maned lions left in Africa, a very healthy leopard population, vast herds of buffaloes, and incomparably large varieties of plains game. These include roan and sable antelopes, greater kudu, sitatunga, gerenuk, lesser kudu, oryx, bushbuck, red duiker, mountain reedbuck, and suni. Three quarters of Tanzania’s land mass is wilderness, most of which occurs in national parks, game reserves, or in hunting areas. The wilderness is not fenced and the animals know no boundaries. Tanzania is a beautiful and varied country with the finest wildlife habitat remaining in Africa today with large wilderness areas of abundant game.
Wintershoek Safaris: Wintershoek Safaris is simply unmatched, and will provide you with an authentic African hunting experience.
The Wintershoek Safaris Company has been a premier, responsible hunting operation since 1982. We understand the crucial role ethical and fair-chase hunting play in conservation. We are very proud to have been part of Africa’s conservation success story for more than thirty years. Wintershoek Safaris owns and operates several of Africa’s premier hunting grounds. We operate in six countries: South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.
We provide a true African experience, richly flavored by the nostalgia of the Colonial era and the romanticism of Africa’s people, cultures, and wildlife. Although the emphasis is on the thrill of the hunt, that is but one aspect of the ensemble of fond memories, awe-inspiring stories, and magnificent trophies you will take home.
Wintershoek Safaris offers you a variety of options when hunting with us in Africa. You have the opportunity to hunt on pristine hunting grounds, staying in some of the finest lodges, hunting an incredible variety of species, and experiencing some of the best weather in the world.
You are in good hands when booking with Wintershoek Safaris. We cater to your every need and can accommodate individual bookings as well as large hunting groups. This is a rare luxury in the industry, and a great opportunity for corporate bookings or extended families and friends. Our camps and lodges all employ skilled chefs who will tempt your appetite with the finest African cuisines. Being on an African safari doesn’t imply that you will be roughing it at all. On the contrary…
All of our wildlife properties and lodging are world-class, and will satisfy even the most discerning of tastes. Whether in pursuit of the bone-crushing Big Five, abundant plains game, or plentiful gamebird species, be prepared for a class act that will blow your mind, but not your budget. Nothing less than the best Africa has to offer awaits you and your hunting party when hunting with Wintershoek Safaris.
We can’t wait to make your African dream a reality!
More Great Outfitters
Asia, South America, South Pacific
Caza Pampa Hunting Ranch: Red stag, Pere David deer, puma, water buffalo, blackbuck, wild boar, and more in Northern Patagonia, Argentina.
www.cazapampa.com
Manuka Point Lodge: Outstanding hunts for red stag, Himalayan tahr, chamois, fallow buck, Arapawa ram, and more in New Zealand’s South Island.
www.manukapoint.com
Wild Hunting Turkey: Experience the best of Turkey with Ekenler Brothers! Hunt the largest ibex in the world.
www.wildhuntingagency.com
North America
Bull Creek Outfitters: World-class trophy mountain lions! We harvest more trophy mountain lions than any guide service in Nevada.
www.bullcreeklionhunts.com
Canyon Rim Outfitters: It’s the most enjoyable, exciting, and fun hunt you’ll ever experience, hunting with hounds. Canyon Rim Outfitters offers the best in Colorado mountain lion hunts. Our hunts run from mid-November to the end of March. A typical day starts very early in the morning looking for tracks. When the hounds are released on the track, the hunt is on! We will go through rugged terrain, following the hounds to where they have the lion treed or bayed up. This hunt is a rush! Contact Scott Summers: 970-930-0065
www.canyonrimoutfitters.com
Flying B Ranch: Wilderness hunts for elk, deer, mountain lions, and upland birds in Idaho.
www.flyingbranch.com
Ruggs Ranch: Premium pheasant, quail, chukar, and Hungarian partridge hunting September through March. 8,000 acres of exceptional upland bird hunting. Mule deer and elk hunts booked by March 31st are guaranteed tag draw. Contact 541-676-5390
www.huntruggs.com
Southwest Trophy Hunts: Free range, fair chase Barbary bighorns in the mountains of West Texas.
www.swhunts.com
