The UK and Ireland are among the best places in the world to be a deer hunter.

Image above: Most of the large red deer in England are in deer parks and on estates, like the ones above. However, there are a few pockets of free-range red deer in England, and there are plenty in Scotland.

If you’re a deer freak, you need to spend some time in the British Isles. I doubt there’s a similar-size region in the world that offers such variety of antlered game. A half-dozen free-range deer species, plus more in parks and on estates.

Throughout the UK and Ireland, bird hunting is the most common field sport. Deer hunters (stalkers in the local lexicon) are a small minority. This creates both problems and opportunities. Without enough hunters to keep them in chec, deer numbers continue to grow, creating agricultural issues in many areas, and escalating road hazards 

If I believed in reincarnation, I’d want to come back as a deer stalker in the British Isles. Unlimited opportunity through a long season. Mind you, there is no “free” public land hunting. Some landowners don’t allow hunting, while others accept that overpopulation isn’t good for anyone, including the deer. Typically, arrangements are made with local deer stalkers to manage the herds. Game meat is sold, with ready markets to restaurants. Thus, deer stalking is a harvest, proceeds defraying crop damage and lease costs. The stalkers I know harvest a lot of deer.

The primary entities of the British Isles are the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), and the Republic of Ireland. Seasons, species, and situations differ, but there is deer stalking in all, and visiting hunters are welcome. From our smug American viewpoint, we think of gun laws over there as draconian and repressive. Yes, to a degree. No handguns or semiauto rifles. However, temporary permits for hunting are surprisingly simple. I’ve taken rifles into England, Scotland, and Ireland with no problems. Considering the amount of shooting deer stalkers do, if you choose to borrow or rent a rifle, you’ll be handed one well-suited to the country and game. 

Let’s look at deer stalking in the primary entities of the British Isles.

SCOTLAND: Scotland joins England to the north and is more sparsely populated, especially her wild and remote northern highlands. Also, quite far north, there is terrain reminiscent of southern Alaska. Scotland is most famous for red deer stalking, primarily in the north. European roe deer are also endemic, although they thin out to the north. Free-range fallow deer are widespread, but more localized than in England and Ireland. Just before Covid, Donna and I did a marvelous roebuck hunt in Scotland with Michael Gross’s International Adventures. It took place in June in central Scotland, and we hunted several properties, including the late Queen’s Balmoral estate. Gorgeous country, lots of roebucks.

In Scotland, the emphasis is on the stalk, and it’s a harvest. On red deer, this can be frustrating, especially for we antler-conscious Americans. Because of both northern climate and genetics, Scottish stags aren’t huge, but you must go in understanding that visitors are rarely allowed to take the best stags. Instead, you’ll take stags with mismatched points or poor antlers. If you’re looking for a giant red deer, Scotland isn’t for you. However, you’ll have a wonderful experience, with lodging ranging from old castles to picturesque local inns.

Roebucks are hunted in spring and summer, while red deer hunting focuses on the roar in September and October. Non-native sika deer are widespread in Scotland, free-ranging east to west, primarily in the north. I took a nice sika deer as an adjunct to a red deer hunt thirty years ago. Today, sikas have expanded their range and are a threat to forestry in many areas.

IRELAND:  Ireland was once home to reindeer and the huge Irish elk, both gone for about 10,000 years. Ireland is a separate island and roe deer are not native. They were introduced in the mid-19^th century, increased for fifty years, then vanished a century ago. Thus, the red deer is Ireland’s only native deer, joined today by widespread sika and fallow deer. Free-range populations of both species exceed 50,000 animals, though both are spotty. Recently, the Reeve’s muntjac was introduced from England and seems to be taking hold, so may eventually add a fourth Irish deer.

Red, sika, and fallow deer are found in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. I haven’t hunted in Northern Ireland, but that northeast corner is said to produce Ireland’s best red deer. Country-wide, there is an issue with interbreeding of reds and sikas, so you could say a hybrid red/sika is yet another Irish deer. We hunted in the low, rugged Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin with the Nolan family’s Glacial Valley Hunting in October, prime time for sika deer to be in the rut.

It was a magic hunt, lodging in a historic country pub nestled between ridges. Sika deer are secretive and sneaky, but there are plenty of them. Naturally, Donna shot a much better sika than I did. While we were there, our friend Megan Fonte took a red/sika hybrid, so I got a chance to examine this “other” Irish deer. Hers was an ancient cull stag with wicked spikes for antlers, hybridization obvious.

ENGLAND AND WALES: Wales is a block of 22 counties in the west of England. By road or train, travel between England, Scotland, and Wales is transparent. It’s worth noting that game regulations are set by county. Seasons are not necessarily the same, and some counties set a legal minimum of 6mm for deer, while in others a .22 centerfire is legal.

Red deer and European roe deer are the only native deer. The little roe deer are widespread throughout, easily the most numerous deer, overpopulated in numerous counties. Over the years, I’ve done several spring/summer trips for roebuck. With long daylight, typically you have “outings” in the early mornings and late afternoons, with a long break in between. Not all outings are successful, but I’ve shot several roebucks on each trip. Again, it’s a harvest; you shoot what the guide or stalker tells you. Most I’ve taken aren’t large, but England’s rich farmland produces good antlers; there are always one or two good bucks in the mix.

English red deer (Robin Hood’s deer) are potentially bigger than in the rest of the Isles. However, most red deer are on estates and deer parks, with just a few pockets of free-ranging reds. When I was in the run-up for the Weatherby award, I tried desperately to get one. First, down in the southwest corner. Could have shot a spike, but that wasn’t what I had in mind. Then, we went up to New Forest in south-central England. Probably the largest contiguous tract of oak forest in the country, but it’s a patchwork of small holdings. We saw a giant stag on the next property, bigger than any red stag I’ve taken anywhere. We saw him daily, but he never came onto the land we could hunt.

While there, Donna shot a free-range New Forest fallow deer in New Forest. Fallow deer were likely introduced during the Roman occupation, and are the most numerous of several non-natives, widely free-ranging and overpopulated to almost pest numbers in much of central England. Dating back to the Norman conquest, it seems it was in vogue for large landowners of the nobility to have deer parks on their estates.

Most famous is the Duke of Bedford’s deer park at Woburn Abbey, southwest of London, with records from the 5^th Duke of Bedford in 1661. In the late 19^th Century, Herbrand Russell, 11^th Duke of Bedford, had a keen interest in zoology. He added some 42 different species, including sika deer, Chinese water deer, and Reeve’s muntjac. As the story goes, a huge tree fell during a storm and breached the brick wall surrounding the deer park. This is the likely source of both muntjac and water deer. Free-range muntjacs are now widespread throughout central and southwest England, water deer more localized in farmland near Woburn Abbey.

Sika deer are free-ranging in localized pockets, not nearly as widespread as in Ireland and Scotland. I’ve never seen a sika deer in England, but I haven’t looked for one. In May 2025, I was stalking roebucks in central England with friend Simon Barr and guide Alex Nielson. Lots of roebucks. We saw several muntjacs, but spring/summer is wrong for that little deer. Few bucks are in hard antler, and they’re hard to see in tall cover. Years ago, I did a wonderful February hunt for free-range muntjac and water deer. Late winter is the best time, cover as low as it gets. Hampered by cold rain, my muntjac wasn’t very big; I’d like to do that hunt again.

All free-range sika in the British Isles are considered the small Japanese race, but their origin is unclear and some get awfully big. There are also Manchurian sikas, hog deer, Pere David’s deer, all the rest—and who-knows-what-else—on estates, but that wraps up the free-range picture.

Regardless of species, big animals on estates are costly, though often less than under similar situations in New Zealand and Texas. Because the harvest is essential,and the venison pre-sold, free-range stalking throughout the British Isles is inexpensive and productive. Timing depends on the species and antler cycle, but there is some stalking throughout the year and it’s all wonderful fun.

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Aoudad hunts are fantastic mountain-hunting experiences.

Photo above:  A fine aoudad from the Davis Mountains of Far West Texas. This ram has excellent horns, but this photo also shows the sheer size of a big aoudad ram, and it shows off the mane and chaps on the front legs.

Want to experience a hunt for a great mountain animal without breaking the bank? Think about aoudad. Properly, the aoudad or Barbary sheep is neither a sheep nor a goat. One genus, one species, Ammotragus lervia is sort of a natural bridge between the two families, with some attributes of both. Personally, I think they’re closer to goats, but the aoudad is a strikingly attractive animal with thick, curving horns, long, luxurious neck mane, and those unique chaps down the front legs. It’s also sharp-eyed, wary, and difficult to hunt.

I may never draw another sheep permit, and there are many mountain hunts I can’t afford. But I can hunt aoudad, and I think they’re awesome. So, every few years I find myself hunting them. The world’s largest population is found in the rugged mountains of Far West Texas. One estimate suggests 25,000, although that could be low. I love to hunt them there, scenery right out a John Ford Western. It’s a real sheep hunt, in many ways like hunting desert bighorns. With two differences: First, you’ll probably see a lot more animals. Second, although the cost of aoudad hunts have increased (like everything else), they’re a fraction the cost of a desert bighorn hunt, and readily available.

Far West Texas is hardly the only option. They’re also found farther east, widely distributed in the Texas Hill Country and Edwards Plateau, both on fenced game ranches and free ranging. There are also populations in New Mexico and Mexico. There’s even a herd on California’s Central Coast, introduced by William Randolph Hearst.

In 2001, I hunted native range aoudad in Chad’s Ennedi Mountains, and they are now hunted in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains of Morocco, where some fine rams have been taken recently. I’ve hunted them free range in southern Spain and in arid mountains in South Africa’s Eastern Cape.

Although I don’t hunt them frequently, I’m enough of an aoudad nut that I don’t pass opportunities. In the last year I had two entirely different aoudad experiences. Last year, Jim Craig and I hunted them in Far West Texas with Jim Breck Bean’s High West Outfitters. Craig, from Indiana, has taken more North American wild sheep than anyone I know, but never an aoudad. He won this hunt in a Wild Sheep Foundation raffle so we rallied in Marfa, Texas on a hot September midday.

Most of my Texas aoudad hunting has been in late winter, January into March. Not because the weather was cool, or because that was the best time. Pure convenience, after the fall hunting seasons. Texas outfitters consistently tell me that early fall is best for big rams, when the males gather in bachelor herds. In October 2020 buddy John Stucker and I hunted the Davis Mountains and caught it right. The rams were yarded up in groups up to the dozens. First morning, John shot the longest-horned aoudad I’ve ever seen, an astonishing 37 inches on both horns. Usually, among a forest of horns, it’s difficult to pick out the biggest one. This ram stood out.

So last September, Jim Craig and I hunted a ranch southwest of Marfa. I’d been there before, on a February mule deer hunt. It’s tall, bluffy country, ideal for aoudad. We saw quite a few and one of our party took a fine ram, so I was excited to be there at the right time.

At first it seemed we were a bit early, still too hot, even at 7,000 feet elevation. We glassed high and low for a day, saw few, then aoudads started to show. There was no indication the rams were gathering, but most of the herds had rams with them. Now comes the hard part. Males and females have similar horns in relation to body size. It takes experience to sort the girls from the boys, and to identify mature rams. Fortunately, our young guide, Creed Cade, grew up in the area and knew his stuff.

On a blazing afternoon we spotted a big herd feeding above a tall cliff, big, dark ram among them. It was Craig’s stalk, so I stayed in the truck with Jim’s wife, LeeAnne. Just as well. The only way up was on the north end of the cliff, tough climb. I’m no spring chicken, and Jim Craig has ten years on me. In the steepest stuff, he was hands and knees both up and down. We heard his shot just before sunset. We couldn’t recover his ram until next morning, which worked out perfectly for me. At dawn, there was another group on the same cliff, mature ram among them. Jim’s ram was a real giant, the second-best aoudad I’ve seen. Mine wasn’t as big, but it was a solid, heavy-horned old ram, exactly what I’d hoped for.

I love the Far West Texas mountains. Because of numbers, aoudad hunts are highly successful, but not easy. It’s a real mountain hunt; footing is murderous in crumbling rock, spiny cacti everywhere. Farther east, on Hill Country ranches, it’s a whole different experience. 

Hunting aoudad on lower, brushier ranches is in some ways more difficult because there’s rarely enough relief for glassing. But it’s physically easier, often done from stands. It’s not necessarily more successful because aoudads are unpredictable and don’t require surface water. The driest, harshest piece of Texas probably looked like paradise to the first aoudads introduced. Where I hunted them in Chad, it may rain once in a decade.

Over the years, I’ve had Texas ranchers tell me, “I introduced aoudad years ago. Probably some around, but we never see them.” Son-in-law Brad Jannenga had a different problem on his Aspire Wildlife ranch near Hondo. There were no aoudad present until a group appeared in his northwest pasture. Crossed in from a neighbor, for sure. However they got there, they’re not wanted, but they’ve been there for two years. One good ram was shot, and then they learned how to vanish. I’ve hunted them on foot, sat for them, never saw more than a quick flash, no chance for a shot.

By this summer the herd had increased to maybe sixteen unwelcome guests demanding room and board, with at least one good ram among them, others up-and-coming. In June, ignoring the heat and taking advantage of the axis rut, gunwriter friend Lane Pearce brought his godson Kevin Roe and young son Lawson to the ranch to take an axis buck. Lawson got a fine buck the first evening, so with time on our hands we spread out in stands in the northwest pasture, hoping to whittle down the trespassing aoudads.

Good grief, these things had become like ghosts. That pasture holds other species, all seen. Nobody laid an eye on an aoudad. Then, on the last evening, Lane and I sat together, our box blind a sauna in 90-degree weather. Fun evening anyway. A herd of addax fed in front of us, and as sunset approached, whitetails in their red summer coats started to come out.

Lane was on my right, with a long, narrow clearing out his side window. Just after sunset I glanced past him and saw a big tan form at the end of his clearing. Not just an aoudad–a pretty good ram. I had the rifle, and I managed to climb over Lane and get to the window. The ram had good mass and reasonable horn length. But it was standing behind a stout tree, shoulder covered, no shot. Although 150 yards away in failing light, the ram must have seen my movement. In that instant he started to trot. Maybe he would have stopped, but it looked like he was headed out. I was shooting Lane’s Weatherby 307 in 7mm Backcountry. I swung with him, caught up, got to his shoulder when the rifle went off. In recoil, I neither saw nor heard impact, then he was gone into thick stuff.

I’d shot the rifle at the ranch range, knew it was on. I was certain I’d hit him, also sure the height was right. However, I also knew I’d hit him a bit too far back. Aoudad rams are stoutly built and extremely tough. This wasn’t good. I could only hope the 170-grain Terminal Ascent had done its job and exited. 

It was full dark by the time ranch manager Ethan Cook collected us, so we went to camp and gathered lights and thermals. There was not much blood, but young Lawson Roe found it easily. We found the ram almost as easily, down and dead just sixty yards into the brush. As I’d expected, my hit was a few inches too far back, about at the diaphragm, and the bullet had exited. I can’t say it was an aoudad hunt to match the mountains the mountains of Far West Texas, but I was pleased. I’d spent a lot of time hunting that ram.

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The right rifle for a black bear hunt depends on the type of hunting you’ll be doing.

The three primary ways to hunt black bears are spot-and-stalk, hunting with hounds, and baiting. The last two aren’t legal everywhere, and spotting and stalking is only practical where terrain and vegetation offer vistas for glassing. I hate sitting still, so baiting is my least favorite. However, baiting is highly productive because the black bear’s greatest weakness is its appetite. Although it’s not my favorite, I’ve done a lot of bear hunting over bait, especially the last few years.

My recent Kansas whitetail hunting has helped. I’m getting better at stand-hunting, able to sit longer with less fidgeting. It’s worth the wait when a bear appears—it’s almost as exciting as when a leopard comes onto bait. The difference is, baboons and birds telegraph a leopard’s approach. The black bear usually appears silently, materializing out of the shadowed woods, most often at last light.

Now comes the hardest part: Judging size. Black bears are among the most difficult animals to judge. Spot-and-stalk hunting is the worst, when the bear is just a dark blob on a hillside. Hound hunting is the best, because you’re very close when the bear trees or bays, and you’ve probably seen the track.

There is an advantage to baiting because the bait provides a size reference. Most commonly, a barrel is used, and that’s your yardstick. Be aware that barrels aren’t created equal. Wally Mack in Alberta uses 55-gallon drums. I’m in Andre Morin’s bear camp in Maine right now; he’s using 35-gallon barrels. 

Black bears also aren’t created equal. Any area that has black bears can produce an outsize monster, but some areas are known for extra-big bears. It’s good to know what the expectations are, but even then you’ll make mistakes. Fortunately that doesn’t matter too much because black bear meat is good (cook it thoroughly!), and there’s a special thrill about bear hunting.

I don’t consider the black bear dangerous, but I’ve had two outfitter friends who were badly mauled by small black bears. Going into darkening woods after a shot isn’t pleasant. And bears are tough, regardless of size. I like to know I’ve hit them well, with something certain to have done the job.

This doesn’t require a cannon. Most black bears taken are similar in weight to buck whitetails, but heavier in bone structure and muscle. However, you never know when you might get lucky and encounter a monster. The heaviest black bear known was taken in North Carolina in 1998, weighing an astonishing 1,100 pounds. That’s a different animal from the average 150-pound black bear, so it’s not a bad idea to be overgunned.

With black bears, the hunting methodology determines the shot. In spot-and-stalk hunting, depending on terrain and vegetation, you want to be prepared to shoot at least 200 yards. You don’t need anything special, just a versatile well-scoped hunting rifle. I’ve used various cartridges between .270 and .375. The .308 and .30-06 are hard to beat, but I’ve also used 7mms and magnum .30s. Since I believe in bullet diameter, and always hope for extra-large, I like the mediums, so long as they’re fast enough to reach out.

One of my best black bears came from North Carolina, in the fall season. We were hunting from tall deer stands, ambushing bears coming out of corn fields. I used my heavy 8mm Rem Mag. A fast .33 might have been even better. I love the .35s, but in spot-and-stalk hunting, the milder .35s—.350 Legend, .35 Rem, .360 Buckhammer—may not have the energy to reach 200 yards on bears. A bright scope is essential because most stalks will be done in fading light.

While any versatile scoped rifle can be used for all three methods, ideal arms for hound-hunting and baiting are different. Over hounds, the shot will be very close. The houndsman’s first concern is for his dogs. He wants the bear hit hard and killed cleanly. Larger bears often bay on the ground, and it becomes a wild melee. This is one of few situations in the hunting world where scopes are a hindrance, because of their tunnel-vision effect, increasing danger to dogs.

Getting to the dogs can be a hard scramble, so your firearm should also be light and unencumbering. A big handgun in a shoulder holster, from 10mm or .41 Magnum on up, is ideal, if that’s your cup of tea. Houndsmen often carry good old lever-action carbines. 

Just last night, in Maine, I was talking guns with outfitter Andre Morin. He hunts bears with hounds and over bait, and he immediately said, “I don’t like the .30-30.”

That was interesting, because I told him that both guys I knew who were mauled by black bears were attacked by bears wounded with .30-30s. Oregon outfitter Jess Caswell spent a long time in the hospital after his incident. When he healed up, he bought a Model 600 Remington in .350 Rem Mag. It’s short, light, and has ferocious recoil, but it’s a real bear-buster.  For hound hunting, Andre carries a Traditions break-open single shot. He has two, one in .35 Whelen, another in .450 Bushmaster. Bear-busters.

With baiting, the game changes. This is probably the best method for bowhunters. There will be a clear shot, at a known distance determined when the blind or stand is set. It’s no secret I’m mostly a rifle hunter, so on baited bear hunts I’ve often sat 75 yards from the bait. That allows for more fidgeting, but that’s too far for bowhunting, also too far for iron sights when the light starts to go.

A few years ago, I went to Wally Mack’s camp (W&L Guide Service) in northern Alberta for the first time. He sets all his bait sites the same way, with the stand at a maximum of 25 yards. Every stand is set up for any method of take, hunter’s choice. Last year, son-in-law Brad Jannenga, a serious bowhunter, took the biggest bear of the week with his bow. A couple days later, on the same stand, daughter Brittany shot two big bears two hours apart. She used a .300 Win Mag with open sights.

Just now, I was delighted to see that Andre Morin (Katahdin’s Shadow Outfitters) in Maine, sets his bait sites the same way: Close shots only. Method of take is hunter’s choice. When we got to camp, his “scoreboard” from the 2024 season noted 20 bears taken with archery gear, handguns, shotguns with slugs, and an eclectic array of centerfire rifles.

Although I’ve dabbled in all methods of take, I’m mostly a rifle guy. So, what are the best rifles for hunting bears over bait? Since the distance is known, it depends on what gives you the most pleasure. First time at W&L, I had scoped rifles in .350 Legend and .450 Bushmaster. I shot a nice bear with each, but I felt a little silly shooting bears at 20 yards with scopes. Last time I was there I used my .303 double and a Big Horn Armoy M1889 in .500 S&W, both with iron sights, and took two nice bears.

I went to Maine because it was on my bucket list to take a black bear in the Northeast. I wasn’t sure what to bring. I’d never shot a black bear with a .45-70, so I brought my Ruger/Marlin 1895 with an older Swarovski 1-6X scope. I knew Andre sets his stands close to his baits. Although I considered removing the scope and using the ghost-ring aperture, I left the scope on.

My bear materialized just before sunset, the bait already in deep shadow. My night vision isn’t what it once was; I’d have struggled with the aperture. It wasn’t a big bear, just an average, acceptable Maine bear. My 300-grain Hornady flat-point broke the on-shoulder, wrecked the chest cavity, kept going. He traveled 30 yards, leaving a massive blood trail. The old .45-70 still works!

So do the .35s. I love them, all of them. Old friend Mike Deasey from Pennsylvania was my hunting partner on this Maine hunt. Mike brought a Marlin in .35 Rem, still a great deep-woods cartridge. Next night, he shot a bear with a 200-grain Sierra round-nose. His bullet exited and his bear also went about 30 yards.  Two lefties, two lever-actions, two bears.

Okay, so what do I think is best? I admire the .35 Rem, love the .348 Win.  All Marlins can be easily scoped, but the top-eject Winchester M71 .348 can’t be. Except for hunting with hounds, a serious black bear gun needs a light-gathering optic because too many shots come at last light. Forty years ago, I had a Savage 99 in .358 Win that was stolen. I always wanted another, but few 99s were made in .358. I just bought one from GunBroker–can’t wait to receive it. Flat-shooting enough for stalking, and hard-hitting under any conditions, that’s the rifle I’ll take on my next black bear hunt.

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Why we love our .30-calibers.

Photo above: Although its velocity has been eclipsed by “modern” fast .30s, the .300 H&H was (and is) an important development and is fast and versatile. The author used a rebarreled Remington M700 to drop this excellent southern greater kudu with a .300 H&H and 200-grain Sierra bullet.

America’s lasting affair with .308-inch bullets began in 1892 with the .30-40 Krag. It blossomed three years later when Winchester used the same bullet diameter for our first smokeless power sporting cartridge, the .30 Winchester Center Fire (WCF), better known as .30-30.

In the shift to smokeless propellant, various European powers adopted similar diameters. Great Britain fielded the .303 British in 1889, with a .312-inch bullet. In 1891, Russia adopted the 7.62x54R, also .312. Why we chose a .308-inch bullet is unclear. Perhaps xenophobic American engineers wanted their own unique diameter.

A century ago, the .30-40 was a common sporting cartridge, mostly in surplus Krags. The .30-30 became legendary and is still popular. It was first chambered in the John Browning-designed 1894 Winchester, quickly adopted by Marlin and others. The ’94 Winchester would become the most popular sporting rifle of all time, followed by the Marlin 336. In both rifles, .30-30 was the most popular chambering. Between just those two, something over ten million rifles were sold. Until at least the 1950s, .30-30 was synonymous with “deer rifle.”

In 1903 we “borrowed” much of Peter Paul Mauser’s design to create the forward-locking, stripper-clip-loading 1903 Springfield. We also copied much of Mauser’s cartridge design to create the rimless .30-03 cartridge, using the .30-40 Krag’s round-nosed 220-grain bullet. European armies were shifting to sharp-pointed bullets, so in 1906 America’s engineers went back to work. They shortened the case slightly and went to a lighter, faster spitzer bullet. The result was “Cartridge, ball, caliber .30, Model of 1906,” shortened to “.30-06.”

Army ordnance folks modified 1903 Springfields to the new cartridge by screwing the barrels in one turn for the shorter cartridge. This sounds more confusing than it is: The shorter .30-06 case can be safely used in the longer .30-03 chamber, but not the reverse. For some years both versions were commercially manufactured, then the .30-03 faded away. The .30-06 became a world-standard hunting cartridge, its .308-inch bullet defining the .30-caliber.

For the next 50 years, whitetail hunters preferred the .30-30. Hunters wanting more range and power chose the .30-06. In today’s magnumized world, we think of the .30-06 as mild and slow. It is neither; it is fast and hard-hitting, the most powerful cartridge ever adopted by a major military.

The .30-30 isn’t fast, and its blunt-nosed projectiles (in tubular magazines) lost velocity quickly. Still, before WWII, open-sighted lever-actions had little handicap because few hunters used scopes. However, none of the most popular lever-actions could handle the .30-06. The Savage 1899 action wasn’t long enough, but it was strong and its rotary magazine could handle sharp-pointed bullets. In 1915 Charles Newton designed the .250-3000 for Arthur Savage, which was the first production cartridge to break 3,000 feet per second (fps). Suddenly, the Savage lever-action gave Winchester serious competition. It became even more serious when, in 1920, they necked the .250-3000 case up to take a .308-inch bullet and created the .300 Savage.

Powders were different back then and .30-06 loads were slower. The .300 Savage propelled a 150-grain bullet up to 2,700 fps, close to .30-06 performance of the day. The .250 and .300 Savage cartridges are based on the .30-06 case shortened; the .300 was given a stubby neck to wring as much performance as possible.

From 1920 onward the bolt-action gradually eroded the lever-action market, but the Savage 99 continued to be a major thorn in Winchester’s side. In .300 Savage, it was powerful, reasonably flat-shooting, and (like the Marlin) its solid-top receiver was readily adaptable to scopes.

The semiauto Garand in .30-06 served through WWII and Korea, but the army wanted a detachable-magazine rifle mated to a more compact cartridge. Seems like the .300 Savage was exactly what they were looking for. Maybe the short neck put them off, or maybe Winchester had more pull. Several experimental cartridges were developed, mostly based on the shortened .30-06 case. Winchester grabbed the likely final version, introducing it as .308 Winchester. Two years later, it was adopted as 7.62×51 NATO, along with the M14. The M14 was short-lived as our service rifle, but the .308 came to define the short bolt-action, and it is now our second-most popular centerfire, trailing only the .223 Remington. Easily adapted to all action types, the .308 is now more popular than the .30-06. The .308 is about 93 percent as powerful as the .30-06, which is not damning with faint praise.

There are no flies on the .30-06. It is still a powerful and versatile cartridge, but it’s not a speed demon. The .30-06 was still new when folks started to put bigger cases and more powder behind its .308-inch bullet. Charles Newton was first with his .30 Newton in 1911, almost reaching 3,000 fps. Far ahead of its time, the .30 Newton was a casualty of the Depression, now almost forgotten.

The next notable fast .30 came in 1925 with the .300 H&H Magnum, based on the .375 H&H necked down to .308-inch bullet. It’s interesting that staid Holland & Holland used the American .308 rather than the .312-inch bullet of the British .303. I theorize this was out of respect for the .30-06, which earned its sporting spurs on the 1909 Roosevelt safari. By 1925 the ‘06 had a tremendous reputation in British East Africa.

Since then, there have been too many fast .30s to name. Belted, unbelted, short, and long. The .300 H&H was most popular for forty years, but Roy Weatherby’s improved version, the .300 Weatherby Magnum, introduced in 1945, is much faster. Still Weatherby’s flagship and one of my favorites. The .300 RUM and .30-.378 Weatherby are faster still, but now we’re getting into severe recoil. Then there are short-action fast .30s: .300 RCM, RSAUM, WSM. Awesome performance from compact cases, but only the .300 WSM has gained major following. 1963’s .300 Winchester Magnum is now the most popular belted magnum in the world.

Until recently, most .308-inch barrels had 1:10 rifling twist. These were able to stabilize bullets up to the old round-nose 220 grainers, but were unable to stabilize the new extra-long, extra-heavy low-drag bullets, now up to 250 grains in .308. That’s what new fast .30s like 30 Nosler and .300 PRC are about, specified for fast-twist barrels. If I were serious about extreme range shooting (I’m not), I’d probably have a fast-twist .30. Recognizing that bullet weight increases recoil, and hunting guides the world over already complain about poor shooting with magnum .30s.

If the .30-06 isn’t fast enough to suit you—and you can handle a bit more recoil—then get a .300 Winchester or .300 Weatherby Magnum. For anything short of the largest bears and big bovines, ain’t nothin’ out there as versatile as a fast .30. Yeah, I know. The 7mms and .270s have huge followings, and the 6.5mm is the new darling. I like them all. It depends on what and where I’m hunting, but none of them hit as hard as .30-calibers, thus are not as versatile.

Bullet diameter (frontal area) makes a difference on game. Larger-diameter bullets disrupt more animal tissue and transfer more energy upon impact. If you don’t believe that, then I have little more to say. Sure, longer-for-caliber bullets of smaller diameter penetrate better. They don’t hit as hard. We can play Sectional Density (SD) and Ballistic Coefficient (BC) games, but a .30-caliber bullet makes a bigger hole, and .30-caliber bullets are available in adequate weight to ensure penetration.

Paper ballistics of the .30-30 are unimpressive, but no one can question its deer-thumping capability. Both the .308 and .30-06 are probably overpowered for deer, but both are fine elk cartridges at sensible ranges. Forty-eight years after my first safari, the .30-06 is still my pick for the most versatile, effective, and shootable cartridge for African plains game. There are times and places where I want a flatter trajectory than my .30-30, .300 Savage, .308, or .30-06 offers. I’m not into over-the-horizon shooting, but when I think I might need some distance, especially with animals larger than deer, I want to hit them hard. Usually, I reach for a fast .30.

I’ve used many, from .300 H&H to .300 PRC. Love ‘em all. Great for elk, awesome in Africa, where animal size varies constantly. As with deer, we could correctly argue that fast .30s are needlessly powerful for sheep and goats. The problem is that shots in mountains are often difficult, and it’s essential to use a tool that gives great confidence. I’ve taken a lot of mountain animals with 6.5s, .270s, and 7mms. All are appropriate for the size of game.  However, I’ve used fast .30s the most (.300 Weatherby most of all) because, when the chips are down, a fast .30 gives me the most confidence.

I’ve hunted with all the PRCs, recently bought a 7 PRC. I love it and I’m likely to do my last mountain hunting with it. For big deer like elk and moose, and for the full range of African antelopes, I’m still happy with my .30s. Loaded with a good 180- or 200-grain bullet, I’ve never suspected a .30-caliber wasn’t enough gun.

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Beyond lions and leopards, the Dark Continent is home to other fascinating felines. 

Photo above: The author considers the serval the most beautiful of Africa’s small cats. This is a captive serval, obviously well fed. Boddington has only seen two of these cats in the wild.

Among Africa’s cats, the lion and leopard get the most attention. That’s as it should be, because those animals that fuel hunters’ dreams sometimes bring us back time and again as we try to fulfill them. We aren’t always successful. We accept that going in. As we’re failing in dream fulfillment, Africa will offer gifts. Chances to accept those gifts are fleeting; decisions must be quick. Like most of us, my dreams of Africa were mostly about facing dangerous game. It took me years to appreciate some of the other gifts Africa offered up. Sometimes I failed to accept those gifts, and some of those animals required hard hunting on later trips.

In addition to lion and leopard, Africa has eight smaller cats, all unique, interesting, and beautiful. Maybe they’re not of interest to everyone, but if Mom Africa smiles and offers one, maybe you shouldn’t kick sand in her face. At least, be aware of what’s out there, so you can make a sound decision. So, while we keep dreaming of lions and leopards, let’s take a quick look at Africa’s smaller cats.

The cheetah is the largest of these eight cats; it is leaner, faster, and at least a third smaller than a leopard. The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is a cat of savannas and semi-deserts, where their speed counts. I saw a pack on the Tsavo Plain in 1977, even then a rare sight. Today they are making a comeback in some areas, and have been on license in Namibia, which has the largest population.

I never expected to take one, so my cheetah was one of Africa’s gifts, quick decision needed. My buddy Joe Bishop owned the Namibian property we were hunting. Joe knew he had cheetahs around, and was worried about new sable calves. Joe loved his predators, but he issued uncharacteristic orders to take a cheetah if seen. Might as well suggest taking a unicorn. The problem with cheetahs: They don’t return to kills, don’t take bait, can’t be tracked. They are near-impossible to hunt on purpose.

PH Pete Kibble and I had just glassed some wildebeest on a knoll. Finding no decent bull, we started away, heard a commotion, and turned back. Wildebeest were running, dust was rising, and two cheetahs were sitting atop a freshly killed wildebeest. Pete put up the sticks and I shot the big male with a .338 at 250 yards. Cheetahs are not importable to the US, so Dirk de Bod has the lifesize mount in his camp and I can visit it.

I don’t have all of Africa’s smaller cats, probably never will. That big cheetah was one of few taken in a pure chance encounter, a gift. Most of the rest I’ve hunted specifically, not always with success.

On down from cheetah, Africa’s seven smaller cats are: African wildcat, caracal, civet, genet, golden cat, palm civet, and serval. Genets and palm civets aren’t much larger than a stout rabbit, up to 40 pounds for a huge civet; or a big caracal, serval, or golden cat, formidable but secretive predators. The biggest challenge: How do you find them?

Africa’s smallest cat is the genet, genus Genetta, with some seventeen nearly indistinguishable species. Most are squirrel-size, with spotted bodies and a ringed tail longer than the body. The genet is African but was introduced into Spain and is still there. It also ranges across the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula. The genet we are most likely to encounter is the widespread common genet, G. genetta. They are extremely nocturnal, often sleeping in trees during the day. Although I’ve caught glimpses of a few in daylight, they are frequently seen along African roads at night. They are best taken by night-hunting in thick cover. Look up as well as sideways; they’re arboreal and often found in trees. Because of their small size, a .22 is probably the best tool.

The much larger civet cat (Civettcis civetica) also extends deep into Asia. A long, narrow cat, the African civet can reach 40 pounds, usually less. Colored like a raccoon, highly nocturnal, with pungent scent glands, civets will often raid your leopard bait in the dark, causing much commotion. Might as well shoot—if you want one—as you’re not likely to see a leopard that night. We see them often on the roads in Mozambique after dark, but none of the small cats are on license there. The civet I have mounted was taken in Chad in 2001, attesting to their wide range. It was one of my few successful chance encounters, another gift.

The African palm civet (Nandinia binotata) is a much smaller animal, slightly larger than a genet, with ridiculously long tail. It is widespread and common through Africa’s forest zone, often taken in Liberia, where virtually all hunting is done at night.  I took mine there on my first Liberian hunt in 2013, and saw several more, but one seemed enough. Halfway across the globe, palm civets also occur in the forests of Southeast Asia. Similar in appearance, the larger Asian palm civets are classed in different genera and species.

The African wildcat looks much like a housecat. It should: It’s an ancestor to the domestic cat, with which a wildcat will freely (and gleefully) interbreed. Felis lybica extends deep into Asia as the Asian wildcat. Millenniums back, it diverged from the much larger European wildcat. It is gray or brown in body color, with black body bars and ringed tail.

At Mungari Camp in Mozambique, the dominant camp cat is a big tomcat named Pudding, my buddy of many years. He may well be pure African wildcat, surely a hybrid at least. He’s a good guy, usually drops by in the morning so I can share my coffee milk. I shot one, won’t shoot another, as they are too similar to my friend.

The African wildcat is widespread but never common. Several times, PHs have said, “Good Gawd, that’s a wildcat.” Usually too late. Like most wild felines, they are largely nocturnal. I took my one and only wildcat at night, with a shotgun. I don’t know how else one might hunt one, except with blind luck. 

The last three, caracal, serval, and golden cat, are the most interesting to me. Similar in size, all three can weigh up to 40 pounds, so are significant predators. The caracal, or African lynx (Caracal caracal) extends into Asia as far as India. The body color is generally reddish, with the long ear tufts of all the lynxes, some spotting on legs with a short tail. An adaptable cat, it’s widespread in Africa and found in most habitats, ranging throughout Southern and East Africa, then across the continent in the Sahel between forest and Sahara.

Although primarily nocturnal hunters, caracals are more active in daylight than many cats, so are frequently taken in chance encounters. I’ve seen a couple, never got a shot, so I got mine hunting with hounds in the Eastern Cape. This is the most reliable method. Sheep and goat ranchers hate caracals. Most of the packs used to hunt leopards with dogs come out of South Africa and are trained hunting caracals.

To me, the serval (Leptailurus serval) is the most beautiful, and also one of the most elusive. Background is golden, spots jet black, tail longer than a caracal’s, shorter than a leopard’s. Their range is like the caracal, but the serval is more associated with grasslands and savannas. I looked hard in a lot of places where they occur, never saw one. Tanzania has a high population; various friends took servals there in chance encounters. I don’t have much luck with that method. In 2010, I did a long hunt in Tanzania, with serval at the top of my wish list. Hunting with Michel Mantheakis, we saw one in Rungwa, squirting through an open burn at 500 miles per hour. That’s one of exactly two servals I’ve seen in the wild.

In the right areas in South Africa, they can be hunted with hounds like caracals. Charl van Rooyen (Infinito Safaris) told me he had an agricultural area south of Limpopo that had a good population; he takes a couple each year with some reliability. The first night, we took the second serval I’ve ever seen, a good-size cat, and the end of a long quest.

Last is the African golden cat, Caracal aurata, thus closely aligned with the caracal. Short tail, no ear tufts, coloration highly variable, usually reddish-brown, sometimes with spots. Primary habitat is the forest zone, where it may not be rare, but is rarely seen. That’s about all I can tell you about the golden cat. On a dozen forest safaris, I never saw one, and even SCI’s record book lists only five. I figured, if I kept trying, the caracal and serval were possible prizes, and they were. I don’t think I’ll keep looking for a golden cat.

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Don’t wait too long. Just take the plunge!

I hear it in every American hunting camp, and constantly at every hunting convention: dreams of an African safari. “When the kids are out of school. When the mortgage is paid. Maybe in a couple of years. Someday.” The great booking agent Jack Atcheson, Sr. had a great sales slogan: “Go hunting now, while you are able.” Someday is not guaranteed, nor are the health and physical abilities to enjoy it.

Much in life is a matter of priority. I drive vehicles until the wheels fall off and have never owned a boat or an RV. Unlike hunting on public land in the US, African hunting is not “free.” There are hunt costs, travel costs, plus shipping and taxidermy. However, a plains game safari is the greatest bargain in the hunting world. And, as Peter Capstick wrote, an African safari is “the last great adventure on Earth.” The hardest part is making the decision. So just take the plunge.

The most sensible starting point is a plains game safari in either Namibia or South Africa. In either country, you can do a week’s hunt and take four or five nice animals for the same cost as a medium-grade guided elk hunt in the Rockies, and not much more than what I charge for a whitetail hunt in Kansas.

Southern Africa is so game-rich that, on a plains game safari, you can expect to take most of the animals you seek. Few North American hunts—for any species—are as uniformly successful as African hunting. Everywhere, of course, it depends on your luck, how picky you are, and how well you shoot. On a first plains game safari in Southern Africa, you should average a nice animal about every 1.5 hunting days.

Some hunters start by searching for an outfitter. I’m more goal-oriented, so I find this sort of putting the cart before the horse. I like to start with a “wish list.” Study African animals and decide what you want to hunt. The record books are excellent, well-illustrated resources, showing where animals are found and where the best specimens have been taken. Field guides to African animals are also excellent.

Most wish lists have priority animals that usually require specific hunting, such as greater kudu, sable, nyala, waterbuck, gemsbok. Then, a few (usually) more common animals: blesbok, bushbuck, impala, hartebeest, warthog, wildebeest, zebra. As in combat, a hunting plan rarely survives the first encounter. The wiliest and least common animal on your list may be taken in the first hour; the theoretically easiest and most plentiful animal may elude you to the last day.

You may not fill your entire list, but along the way you will encounter animals you didn’t think about. My examples above included none of the pygmy antelopes, such as steenbok, klipspringer, any of the duikers. The little guys are rarely on a first-safari wish list, but one or another will be encountered. Part of the value of studying African animals is recognizing animals and, within your budget, adjusting your wish list on the fly. When your PH says, “Sir (or ma’am), that’s a marvelous unicorn. I think you should take it,” it’s not impossible he’s trying to upsell you. If he then says, “Sir (or ma’am), if you don’t want that unicorn, may I borrow your rifle?” Think fast, no time for long discussion. You will regret passing the opportunity. It’s good to know what a unicorn looks like, their density and value.

Value? In Namibia and South Africa, the most common safari pricing is a daily rate (camp, food, PH, and vehicle), plus per-animal trophy fees, payable for animals taken, or wounded and lost (shoot straight and don’t take risky shots). Trophy fees vary depending on desirability and availability, but it’s a simple scale. Kudus cost more than impalas. Every outfitter has a price list, and it’s good to know what that unicorn will cost you. Alternatively, many outfitters offer “package” hunts: One flat fee that includes certain animals. These can be exceptional deals — just make sure your most important animals are included. Substitutions and additions are usually allowed. Either way, total safari cost is largely determined by controlling your trigger finger.

The search for an outfitter can be confusing. There are hundreds across Namibia and South Africa. Prices, game lists, and camps vary, but not by much. The vast majority are good, solid operators, although there are a few bums. Word of mouth is always a good reference, also the major hunting conventions. You can shop around, talk to several outfitters and find someone you click with. Another option is to use a booking agent, offering experience, plus an available point of contact. These days, a lot of shopping is done online. Fine, but I’m nervous about unvetted websites. However you shop, get references, make a list of questions, and call those references.

You’ll want to know about the animals most important to you, and you’ll ask about the camp and the food (usually awesome). What kind of vehicles? Maintenance or equipment issues? Have they gotten their trophies home? How long did it take, and were the skins in good shape? Assume any reference list is a stacked deck, happy customers. Go beyond their experience. How many other clients were in camp? Were they successful?

Ask about noteworthy PHs and write down names. Only in small operations is it likely that the outfitter will be your PH. And you don’t necessarily want to hunt with the boss. He or she is running the business and handling logistics; your assigned guide or PH is the person who will make your dreams come true.

These are all also questions for the outfitter. In person at a show is great, but these days we rely too much on the impersonal shorthand of text and email. In almost universal use among African outfitters and PHs is WhatsApp, the smartphone application that allows free voice to/from anywhere in the world.

Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions of the outfitter: How big is the hunting area and who owns it? Owned, leased, private, government concession? How long has the operator been hunting? Is he/she fully licensed in that country and area? It’s not insulting to ask for copies of area tenders and PH licenses. No reputable operator would hesitate to provide them. Do they belong to their country’s PH or outfitter association? Or the larger International Professional Hunters Association (IPHA) or African Professional Hunters Association (APHA), and to international groups such as Safari Club International (SCI) and/or Dallas Safari Club (DSC)? Again, the outfitter is unlikely to personally guide you, so find out who you will be assigned to, and repeat the same research.

Once your outfitter is chosen, dates are set, and deposit made, travel is probably the next big hurdle. Rates go up and down and escalated after Covid. However, in real dollars, the cost of round-trip tickets to Africa haven’t changed much since my first safari 48 years ago. Traveling without firearms is simpler. More so than most places, operators in Namibia and South Africa have invested in good “camp rifles.” However, temporary permits in both countries are simple, so this is a personal decision. Absent firearms, you can save money on travel by using wholesale websites. With firearms, I recommend using a good, gun-savvy travel agent. Either way, ensure your bags will be checked all the way through and, above all, do not allow tight connections.

Taxidermy and shipping of trophies is another cost. Regrettably, both have escalated. Taxidermy is a bit cheaper and faster over there, and there are excellent taxidermists in Southern Africa. Air freight is by cube, not by weight, so mounted trophies are costlier to ship. Also, in the heat of the moment, after your life-changing first safari, is a poor time to decide what you really want mounted. Shipping salted-and-dried skins, plus skulls and horns, is less expensive. Once you get them home, they have a long shelf life; you can stretch out the taxidermy bill. Of all safari costs, shipping has probably gone up the most (thank you, Covid). The smaller the shipment, the less cost. Try to make sensible decisions on what you want sent home.

Other than that, preparing for your first safari is simple. Plan on plenty of range time. Get shooting sticks, get good with them, and do lots of practice off sticks with a .22. Just use small targets! Expect to have a great time. Trust me, you will. Continue to read and study; the more you know, the better time you will have. Go on my website (craigboddington.com) and take our Safari Ed course on the “Videos” page. It’s fun and free.

Most important: Get off the dime and just do it. I promise you won’t regret it. Once there, listen to your PH, and have fun.

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