Hunting Botswana

A waterbuck encountered in the wilderness of Botswana.

The vast African country of Botswana offers some of the country's most remote and untamed hunting areas.

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Hunting Botswana is still an option for the dedicated sportsman. Sport hunting caught on in Botswana in about 1962 and has since become one of the prime destinations for hunters from around the world.

Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, bordered by Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, Zimbabwe to the northeast, and South Africa to the south. It is a former British protectorate, having gained its independence in 1966. Two major areas are of note when hunting in Botswana: the central region of the Kalahari Desert, which is designated as the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland deltas in the world; rather than flowing to the sea, the Okavango flows into the Kalahari Desert and disappears.

The unique habitat which it creates is home to countless species of game animals. Among these are thousands of elephant, large herds of Cape buffalo, crocodile, hippo, lion, and leopard. This is the home of the very unique red lechwe. If hunting Botswana for plains game, the Kalahari region offers some of the most beautiful and largest of antelope. Among them are the gemsbok, Cape eland, and the greater kudu. If you are hunting Botswana for predators, the use of dogs as well as Bushmen trackers is widely employed.

While Botswana does offer the opportunity to hunt on game ranches, you will find that the Okavango and the Kalahari regions are open and unfenced. The habitat is characterized by alternating wet and dry areas of seasonal variation. The Kalahari, of course, is primarily sand with acacia or mopane forest, thorn bush and grassy plains.

The safari leaves camp by 4x4 but, once in the bush, hunting in Botswana is largely done on foot. Terrain is flat and not very physically demanding. While hunting in Botswana in the Okavango, the party may employ the use of dugout canoes, which makes for quite a memorable and unique experience. Hunting in Botswana is best accomplished during the months between April and the end of September. Some bird hunting is available throughout the year.

Recent years have seen the closure of hunting regarding several species. Among them, sitatunga, sable, roan, and the southern reedbuck. While unfortunate for the sport hunter, there is still plenty of game available to be taken.

If hunting Botswana is high on your list, ASH Adventures can make your dream come true. We can arrange high quality hunting opportunities, featuring the same premier accommodation, food, service and attention to detail that has made us famous. Please call us or send an e-mail for more information, a quotation or references.