5 Day Serval and Caracal Hunt in South Africa (3)

2022 / 2023

Rifle 1X1 ONLY $4,000

5 Day Serval and Caracal Hunt in South Africa

HUNT INCLUDES:

• 5 Full Hunting Days in South Africa
• Trophy Fees Included:
  • ​Serval
  • Caracal
• R/T Road Transfer from Johannesburg
• Arrival Day Lodging / Last Hunting Day Overnight Lodging
• Field Preparation of Trophies
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Cell and Internet Service in Camp

EXTRAS:

• Dip and Pack
• Crating and Shipping of Trophies
• Taxidermy 
• Rifle Rental and Ammo ($35/day, $30/box)
• Airfare to and from Johannesburg
• Gratuities

Observer rate is $150 per day

This is a great package to get started with African small cat hunting! Step into the Mpumalanga region of South Africa and stay at a luxury 4-star lodge while hunting these two unique cats! You’ll be able to experience both hunting with dogs during the day and spotlight hunting at night, giving you a well-rounded experience of what African cat hunting has to offer!

About the Caracal:

The caracal is a species of cat found in Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. It is typically a nocturnal predator, where it stalks prey until it is within about 5 meters of them. They can reach speeds of up to 50mph while hunting. Caracals can live up to 16 years old and are often distinguished by their black tufts of fur on their ears, as well as their reddish-tan coats. Males can grow upwards of 40 pounds and 2 ½ feet in length. Caracal hunting is often done with using dogs to tree the cat, allowing you time to catch up with them and take your shot.

About the Serval:

The serval is a cat native to Africa, and is most common in sub-Saharan regions. Servals grow up to 40 pounds, and are easily distinguishable by their golden-yellow coats that have black stripes and spots on them, as well as a short black-tipped tail. They feed on small animals, particularly rodents, and can reach speeds up to 50mph while hunting prey. Servals are active during both the day and night, and hunting one usually takes place at night with the use of a spotlight. 

The Hunting Area and Terrain:

This concession totals just under 25,000 acres of land to hunt on, and is located in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. It is not a high fence area, which is unique in much of South Africa. Situated near the town of Ermelo, the concession is well-known for the trophy quality it produces. Terrain can range from grassy plains, agricultural fields, and even light rolling hills. If hunting between June to August, be sure to bring warm clothes as this area can get relatively cold during the winter. 

Hunting Seasons:

This hunt may be taken anytime between May 1st through September 30th. Anytime during between these dates are the best months for this hunt, as the cats are always active. However, do be aware the closer you get to the months of June through August, the colder it will be. A warm pair of gloves and an insulated jacket are a must on a cold winter night.

About the Outfitter:

This outfitter is one of only a few in South Africa that offer free-range hunting, which is very rare and highly prized within the country. This outfitter hunts both their own land and private concessions, which means all their hunting areas are exclusive to you. This hunt is only a short 2-hour drive from Johannesburg, offering a very convenient location with no extra flights needed within the country. This outfitter offers some of the highest-quality cat hunting South Africa has to offer, and is dedicated to ensuring you both succeed in your hunt and have a relaxing time while staying with them. 

Lodge and Accommodations:

For this hunt you will be staying at a 4-star lodge. The lodge features seven rooms, four having two single beds and three having one double each. The beds are very comfortable, and the bathrooms are en-suite to each of the rooms. The lodge offers a spectacular view over a small lake and game area, allowing you to relax with amazing visuals while in camp. The food, wine and hospitality at this lodge are top-notch. Meals are served three times daily and are customized to your particular taste. If you prefer eating fresh local game, the kitchen staff will be happy to show you their flair at preparing it in a variety of tasty dishes. Cell phone and internet service are available while in camp. 

Since you will be primarily hunting at night, meal times will be adjusted to accommodate your hunting hours. This 4-star lodge features daily laundry service, an attentive camp staff, first-class sleeping accommodations, and has everything required to make it easy to recuperate from a hard night in the bush. 

A Typical Day Cat Hunting:

You can expect your day to begin with an early breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast, you will start your day hunting for caracal. Caracal hunting is best done early in the mornings, so the dogs can pick up the freshest scent trails of the cats that have been roaming all night. Once the lead hound has picked up a fresh hot scent, the hunt is on! The dogs will track the scent until they come into contact with the cat. Once they do, they will chase them until the cat flees into the refuge of a tree. Caracals can often cover several kilometers and take hours before treeing. The hunter and the PH will catch up with the hounds by following the GPS collars on the dogs. Once you arrive at the tree, your PH will be able to designate if the cat is a shooter or not. If it is, it’s your time to perform and take your shot! This is a physical hunt but extremely rewarding. Caracal hunting will continue until mid-morning. Throughout the day you will have the opportunity to do some plains game hunting, or to return to the lodge, relax and enjoy lunch, and begin preparing for the night hunt.

After dinner, you can expect to head out again just after the sun sets. Servals are very attracted to fields in agricultural areas since many mice live in the fields among the crops. The most successful serval hunts take place in the night with a spotlight. This is an exciting method of hunting, as you never know what you are going to run into at night once the light turns on! You must be prepared to shoot quickly once the PH has determined that the cat is a trophy quality serval. Hunting at night also gives you the opportunity to hunt other nocturnal trophy animals rarely seen during the day such as black-backed jackal, porcupine, genet, African wildcat, honey badger, aardwolf or bushpig. 

Rental Rifle:

The outfitter offers a CZ 223 rifle, topped with a Zeiss Duralyt 3-12x50 scope. The rifle rental rate is $35/day, and ammo is $30/box. 

If bringing your own rifle, the outfitter recommends a .223 rifle using high-quality soft points instead of varmint points or solids. 

Other Available Animals:

This concession offers abundant amounts of trophy blesbuck, common reedbuck, and black wildebeest. Since you will also be spotlighting, you may also have the opportunity to hunt porcupine, genet, African wildcat, honey badger, and black back jackal to just name a few. Check out the price list below to see all the options you may encounter during your hunt! 

Trophy Care and Shipping:

As soon as your trophy is loaded into the truck, it will be covered to protect it from the sun. It will be taken back to camp and skinned immediately to prevent bacterial growth and potential hair slippage. All the meat will be scraped off the skin, and then it will be washed to remove all blood and debris. After drip drying, it will be rubbed with salt, rolled up, and left in a cool dry place for a few days. It is then unrolled, hung, and left to dry. The taxidermist is contacted immediately once the trophy is ready for transport, and will come to pick it up from the concession. The trophy is tagged with your information, and your paperwork will be sent with the trophy to the taxidermist. It will take no more than 7 days to get your trophies delivered to the taxidermist or dip and pack agent from the time you hunt them.

Getting There:

You will first fly into Johannesburg and meet the outfitter in the arrivals hall. From Johannesburg, it is about a 2-hour drive to the lodge in Mpumalanga. No arrival day or last night lodging will be needed. Once you arrive, you will be greeted by the lodge staff and shown your room for the next few days. Depending on the time you arrive, you will either begin preparing to hunt the next morning, or begin getting ready to hunt that night!

Deposit and Payment Policy:

A 30% deposit of $1,200 is due to book this caracal and serval package. Full remaining balance must be paid in camp on the last day of the safari. US cash, Euros, Credit Cards or wire transfers are the acceptable forms of payment that this outfitter accepts. 

Cancellation Policy:

Deposits are non-refundable. Hunt can be rescheduled once at the outfitter’s sole discretion for new available dates. If these new dates are accepted and the hunter wants to reschedule again there is a 10% fee. Upon any rescheduling, a $150 fee is to be paid directly to the booking agent.

EXCLUSIONS: International airfare, taxidermy, international shipping of trophies, insurance, gratuities, rifle rental and ammo.

Contact John Martins at 727-434-0840 to book this cat hunt in South Africa!