Game bird shooting in South Africa 2026

Four Seasons’ game: bird shooting

Without a doubt, an exclusive and unlimited game bird shooting trip, world-class. With your private Free State game bird shooting lodges, we move from one shooting area to the next as needed. Guns travel by 4×4, usually a short distance, shooting doves, rock pigeons, ducks, geese, driven guinea fowl & francolin.

This picturesque six-day sojourn, designed for game bird shooting and plains game hunters, starts in Johannesburg, winding our way to Bloemfontein within the Free State of South Africa. The first stops are Virginia with two full days of upland game bird shooting. With your journey to Bloemfontein and Kimberley, Hunters enjoy two days of game bird shooting with a day’s break if asked. Travelling onto Luckhof on the Orange River, a waterfowl paradise, hunting Egyptian and spur-wing geese around the flooded salt pans, after a memorable waterbird hunt, we will travel on to Tweespruit for your final few days of mixed game bird hunting.

The farmhouse suites accommodate two clients per room, in either twin or double beds, and have a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower, offering modern convenience and comfort. Panoramic views from the bar, where you can relax with a drink and watch the African countryside, as well as from the dining room and lounge. Colonial design and the old-fashioned furnishings help transport you to the bygone era of the 1800s. Modern conveniences will allow you to enjoy your trip in true rustic African comfort.

The Driven game bird Shooting in South Africa

Guineafowl and francolin shoots are walked up, with a choice of driven game birds, mimicking the classic English game bird shooting with a distinctive African flavour. We make use of up to 20 African farm workers as beaters. Unlike the driven pheasant shoots in England, where you might not see more than two flaggers, this colourful tribal singing bunch will come right up to you, with game birds flushed at your feet. Do not be surprised when other creatures like steinbok, warthog, or duiker break from the cover. If you are a bit out of breath after being a walking gun, you will sympathise with the odd pearl of sweat on the beater’s brow; South African beaters often cover up to three miles per drive, flushing game birds towards you. Flocks must flush at least twice before the game birds reach the gun line to confuse the game bird flock. We try and supply at least four drives in a morning or afternoon game bird hunt, resulting in the beaters covering on foot around twenty miles. As the eerie chorus of the South African beaters moves closer, sympathising with how the British soldiers felt in the Zulu War becomes hair-tingling reality.

The Waterfowl & rock pigeon Shooting

Water birds are shot during the early morning and late afternoons as they come in to feed on harvested sunflower and maize stubble fields. Strategic planning starts the day before each hunt, with regular reconnaissance due to birds consistently moving from freshly harvested fields to standing teff. Upon arrival, we will ensure that your pit blinds are placed right under the flightline.

The variety of game birds on a duck and goose shoot is unfathomable, where shooting eight species of water birds by a single gun in an afternoon or morning flight is the norm. The game birds’ range, amongst others, from the enormous spur-winged goose, which can reach a weight of up to twenty-six pounds with a wingspan on occasions reaching five feet, to the Egyptian goose, the white-faced whistling duck, the yellow-billed duck, which is an African version of the English mallard, to the swift little red-billed teal.

The game bird shooting is always fast-paced hunting, with the wide variety of game birds coming in at different speeds and heights, making for spectacular shooting. Decoys used and game bird pick-uppers aid each gun at the end of each hunting session.

Rock pigeons and doves are shot while flying through the gun butts. Aided by decoys in the late season. These birds will outwit the best of game shots, as they rocket over your head in their packs, hundreds at a time. Favouring instinctive game shooters, leaving no time to calculate lead. Five varied species of doves are legally shot. Excellent quarry for hot-barrelled game bird shooters.