Chapter 01 · Rifle hunting
Rifle hunting at Buffelkraal
No rifle? No problem. Guests who arrive without a rifle are every bit as welcome as those who bring their own. We keep a selection of hunting rifles at the lodge, in calibres suited to everything from the lighter plains game to the heavier species, and your professional hunter will help you choose the right one for the animals on your wish list. Before your first hunt we spend time on the shooting range, so that you can check the rifle, get comfortable behind the scope and know that everything is shooting true.
Rifles and equipment
Our rifles are kept sighted-in and ready, and shooting sticks travel with us on every hunt. Ammunition is available at the lodge for the standard calibres, and if you would rather bring your own rifle, we help with the temporary import permit so that there are no surprises when you arrive. Either way, you will not be sitting on the sidelines.
How a typical rifle day unfolds
Days start early. Coffee and a light breakfast go down before first light, and then it is out into the bush while the air is still cool and the game is on the move. Depending on the species and the terrain you might walk-and-stalk through the Waterberg bushveld, sit quietly in a blind over a waterhole, or glass a hillside and plan a careful approach against the wind.
Midday is for brunch back at the lodge and a rest out of the heat. Late afternoon and dusk are prime time again. Every hunt is guided one-on-one by a professional hunter, with trackers beside you who read the bush about as well as anyone can. Nothing is rushed — the day is built around the animal, not the clock.
What you can hunt with a rifle
• Plains game — impala, blesbok, duiker, warthog, kudu, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, zebra, eland and more.
• Dangerous game — buffalo, sable and other heavy species, hunted with the right calibre and a back-up rifle at hand.
• Night species — jackal, hyena and other permitted animals hunted from special blinds.
• Bow and crossbow — if you would like to combine rifle days with bow hunting, we are happy to mix the two in one trip.
What to bring and what you should know
• Paperwork — we assist with licences, permits and the documentation needed to travel with a rifle.
• Clothing — quiet bush colours, layers for cool mornings and warm afternoons, and boots you have already walked in.
• Optics — bring your own binoculars; range finders and shooting sticks are on hand at the lodge.
• Fitness — tell us honestly how mobile you are, so that we plan realistic days and the right terrain.
• Wish list — send us the species you dream about and we will build the hunt around them.
Ready to plan your rifle hunt?
Every hunt is planned around you — your experience, your fitness and the animals you have come for. Send us your dates and wish list and we will put together a rifle hunt that fits. The rest is early mornings, cold air and the sound of the bush waking up.