The best Mixed Bag Bird shooting in South Africa

African Mixed Bird Safari

Welcome to some of the finest bird shooting in Southern Africa. On your safari you will experience truly world-class bird shooting that may include walked-up Greywing Francolin (Partridge), Guineafowl and Spurfowl over well-trained English pointers, driven Guineafowl, as well as flighted wild Duck and Geese. And, of course, no bird shooting trip to South Africa would be complete without some hot-barreled Dove and Rock Pigeon shooting. Southern Africa is a heaven for an incomparable variety of gamebird species, and part of our uniqueness is the number and extent of bird shooting areas we have access to. Our professional bird guides have a vast amount of experience and knowledge in guiding bird shooting trips in South Africa, and we pride ourselves on the high standard of our dogs, which include past and present field trial champions.

The Shoot

Walked up Greywing Francolin - The Greywing Francolin or Partridge is considered by many to be one of the finest upland gamebirds and is often referred in the same sentence as ‘Scottish Red Grouse’ in terms of the sport they provide. A lot of hard walking and well- trained English Pointers are required to shoot Greywing and can sometimes be in windy and cold conditions, so a state of good fitness, good health and a pair of good boots is a pre-requisite. Living in coveys from six to eighteen, these fast flying birds flush swiftly afore well-trained English Pointers and use the wind and terrain to their full advantage, offering the discerning bird shooter very challenging shooting in truly stunning landscapes. Most shoots are for the duration of the morning, where a shooting party can expect to see in the region of 60 birds and bag about 15, depending on their shooting ability.

Driven Guineafowl - Guineafowl are often cursed and admired in equal measure by those who shoot them. Extremely wary, a flock of Guineas tend to run before flying when disturbed. Once they take flight on a fixed escape route, they will stick to it, with the challenge being to get the beaters to drive them towards the waiting guns or to hold them in thick cover from which the pointers can flush them out. When they do take flight and they are driven over the waiting guns, the shooting is spectacular, as well as fast and furious to say the least. If the troop can be fragmented and mixed with Francolin and Spurfowl, the birds tend to come out in small groups, offering extended shooting. It is quite thrilling standing at your peg listening in anticipation as the beaters drive the birds towards you.

Rock Pigeons and Doves - Rock Pigeons and Doves are normally shot in the mornings and afternoons as they come in to feed on harvested corn and sunflower fields. Rock pigeons are rated by world shooters as one of the most sporting birds on the planet and their ability to change direction in mid-flight makes them an extremely worthy quarry. Doves make up about 40% of the total bag and include several species including Cape Turtle Doves, Laughing Doves, as well as the large Red Eyed Dove.

Geese - South Africa boasts the largest Goose in the world, the Spurwing, with ganders often exceeding the 20lb mark, making it a remarkable bird to shoot. Together with the cunning smaller Egyptian Goose, they are shot out of dry land pit blinds or standing blinds, over decoys, either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening.

Francolin and Spurfowl over pointers - For those who enjoy a brisk walk in the morning, Francolin and Spurfowl offer some great sport. We use two English Pointers at a time, which work the surrounds of harvested corn, peanuts and soya fields. Francolin and Spurfowl numbers have increased dramatically in these agricultural areas in recent years, as this habitat lends itself to perfect upland gamebird conditions. This consists of adequate grass and thorn cover around the cultivated fields, offering the birds perfect breeding and roosting habitat, with the adjacent cultivated fields giving an endless supply of food. Francolin and Spurfowl live in small coveys from two to ten birds, they generally sit tight in a concealed patch of thick long grass, with the pointers using the wind and the sent to their best advantage to try and find them with a solid point, before exploding out in a noisy flurry into the air offering the guns some exciting shooting.

Waterfowl - Numerous Duck and Teal species are shot from grass blinds at the edge of ponds and marshes. While on some occasions flighted Duck are shot in wetlands, our main method is to shoot them over decoys. The main species are Yellow- Billed Duck, which call and fly very much like Mallard, and Red-Billed Teal, which are our fastest flying waterfowl species and will test your reflexes. Normally last to come in just before nightfall are White-Faced Whistling Ducks which, as their name suggests, give themselves away with a characteristic whistling call. South Africa has 15 species of waterfowl on offer for the game shot, so there is always a chance of other species.

The Lodges

Depending of the area we are using different private Lodges or Hotels. They are all renowned for their warm hospitality, the exceptional service and gourmet cuisine and the spacious and luxurious accommodation. After a solid day’s shooting, the Lodges can be a welcome sight for the weary and cold hunter, where fond memories of the day’s shooting can be re-lived around the large stone fireplace in the entertainment room. Hosting, fine wine and dining is the order of the day. 

Please ask for an individual offer -  A true classic wing shooting adventure awaits you…