Hunting Organizations & Clubs

A close-up of a rifle and bullets.

Clubs and organizations dedicated to the promotion and regulation of ethical hunting in Africa.

Information pertaining to the most important hunting clubs and organizations in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Russia who are involved in South African and African hunting safaris is provided to make it possible for hunters in various regions of the world to get actively involved in African hunting. The members of most of these organizations and clubs have hunted in Africa on numerous occasions and are all excellent sources of information for those seeking to gain more information on hunting the various countries of Southern and Eastern Africa.

The most desired hunting destinations on the African continent include the countries of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. Each of these countries offers unique and varied topographical areas in which memorable African hunting safaris can be enjoyed. Of all the countries listed above, South Africa offers the greatest diversity of species which can be hunted. The country also has the best infrastructure on the continent, which makes traveling to the various hunting areas easier than it would be in any of the other regions.

If you do not find any information about hunting clubs and organizations in your country on our website, you are most welcome to contact us. If we do not have access to the information you require, we will utilize our contacts to obtain the necessary information and will forward it to you as soon as possible.

PHASA

PHASA was formed in 1978 by a group of pioneering men who became icons in the fields of both hunting and conservation: ‘Uncle Stevie’ Smith, Basie Maartens, Coenraad Vermaak, Norman Deane, Nico van Rooyen, Bill Daly, Gary Kelly and Bertie Guillaume, to name but a few.

The PHASA founders were all true visionaries, firm in their belief that hunting, and the trophy hunting industry, in particular, has a significant role to play in conservation in South Africa. Today, PHASA is the largest association of its kind in the world, with more than 1 200 members.

PHASA is the only association in South Africa with the core and sole business of serving the professional hunting industry. The association’s expertise and vast network in the global hunting fraternity are unparalleled in the country. PHASA continuously works with government at all levels, including ministerial level, and across a number of departments, to shape the future of the hunting industry.

The association actively interacts with most leading role-players in the professional hunting industry, including international hunting and conservation associations, local and international government agencies and NGO's, other professional hunting associations from around the globe, PH training providers and local recreational hunting associations.

‘PHASA’ is comprised of two separate entities, each with its own identity, rules, aims and objectives. The original association, PHASA, is a non-profit body corporate governed by a formal constitution, a strict code of conduct and disciplinary procedures. Its main purpose is to look after member issues and industry-related matters. The PHASA Conservation and Empowerment Fund (the Fund) is a separate, non-profit company through which PHASA meets its social responsibility commitments.

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB

Since 1972, Dallas Safari Club has been a gathering point for hunters, conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts. As an international organization, Dallas Safari Club offers members annual conventions and expositions, annual sporting clay events, monthly meetings and other member activities, world-class publications and a grant in aid program that contributes millions of dollars each year to programs and projects promoting the club’s mission to conserve wildlife and wilderness lands, to educate youth and the general public and to promote and protect the rights and interests of hunters worldwide.

Dallas Safari Club funds mission-driven programs annually. Examples of these are quail research, desert bighorn sheep reintroduction and habitat enhancement in Texas; moose, elk, stone sheep and caribou projects in British Columbia; and elephant and lion projects in Africa. DSC considers advocacy as part of its mission. DSC and DSC-PAC have been very successful in defeating legislation that would have severely curtailed hunting rights and negatively impacted vast tracts of hunting habitat.

SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL

Forty years ago, there were many safari clubs across the United States made up of local, unaffiliated groups of hunters. One such was Safari Club of Los Angeles, which was formed in April 1971 by forty-seven individuals. In early 1972, an out-of-towner from a similar club in Chicago attended one of the monthly Wednesday night meetings, and it was decided that the LA club should attempt to combine with the one in Chicago to make it an affiliated chapter. The founder of Safari Club of Los Angeles, CJ McElroy, went to the Windy City and instituted the new chapter.

Eleven months after the formation of Safari Club of Los Angeles, on March 9, 1972, the name was changed officially to Safari Club International. SCI continued to reach out to other independent safari clubs throughout the United States in an effort to combine them into a single overall organization.

Today, interest in SCI's two primary missions - protecting hunters' rights and promoting wildlife conservation - has grown into a worldwide network. According to SCI, subsequent involvement and promotion of these missions is rooted in each of their 55,000 members, supported through each of their 190 membership chapters found across the globe, and put into action by government representatives and personnel both nationally and internationally.