Badshoek hunting farm Review

Description:

The Badshoek hunting experience is a farm in the Beaufort West area of the Western Cape. Situated in between the mountains of the de Jagers Pass(appropriately named), the farm is dwarfed by spectacular mountains. The hunting here can be tough, but also very rewarding when you find success! 

Location:

Located 30km's outside of Beaufort West in the Western Cape, and 5 hours from Cape Town International airport. There is a short gravel road in, but easy enough to do in a standard vehicle, no 4x4 needed. 

Terrain:

The farm is in the Great Karoo area, and the terrain matches this. For the most part, you will have large semi arid areas expanding into the mountains, with some thick bush in the lower areas of the valley created by seasonal rain. 

Depending on the type of hunting you plan on doing, you will either be walking quietly through the thicker thorn trees, or glassing from a elevated position of the grazing plains game. 

The farm is split into 3 camps, each measuring roughly 10 000 hectares. The two bottom camps both have open areas, green belts and mountains, while the escarpment camp sits above the main lodge. They have specifically split the camps to accommodate different species according to regulation, so you could easily hunt both the lower camps in one day if you want.  

The escarpment camp is a far tougher area to access, and it is recommend you stay in the simple hunters house while up there. 

Type of hunting: 

The farm is happy to accommodate any type of hunting, with the preferred method being on foot, with a rifle, or a small scale Karoo driven hunt. 

The trackers on this farm have a fantastic understanding of the land and the game, and do an exceptional job of moving game with a high likely hood of them moving right in front of you. 

This is not my preferred way to hunt, but it was an experience watching them in action. 

For those that like to Walk and Stalk, the farm offers some fantastic hunting. It can be tough at times with a bow, as most of the hunting is done with rifle, and the game can be skittish, but if you book early enough in the season, this is less of an issue. When walking you can experience anything from thick bush, to open plains, giving you plenty options for your preferred style. 

As a bow hunter, I do like having the option of a blind for the dying hours, and while the farm has a few simple wood and hessian blinds set up over water holes on the farm, they do need to consider something a bit better if they intend getting more stick throwers there. That being said, I have put down a few good animals from the blind. 

This farm works for all levels of fitness as it does have driven hunts, meaning the hunter gets dropped off at a strategic position, and the trackers walk or drive the game towards your location. This form of hunting is pretty common in the Karoo known as a "Voorsit", and is very effective when working with experienced trackers. 

The escarpment offers a type of hunting that you will struggle to replicate elsewhere. Its undulating terrain gives game an abundance of hiding places, to the extent that while driving in, we assumed the area was barren. It was only when we were on foot that we realised how good the area was. A good pair of lungs, and strong legs are required for a successful hunt on the escarpment as the game use kloofs and valleys to avoid predators. 

Overall the offering varied hunting is perfect for all types of hunters. The owner has set up a great venue for someone to take their first animal as well as the seasoned hunter, making it the perfect spot for a parent & child hunt. 

Species:

The farm has all the meat species that one would expect, with good numbers of Gemsbok, Wildebeest, Zebra and a large variety of springbok.

It has some of the best Kudu hunting, if you like silent stalks and hard work. While the farm doesn't have big Kudu herds, it does have some good looking bulls.

The game tend to stick to the kloofs, or koppies, so laying out a solid plan with the owner is key if you want to target a species. If you not too specific on what you want, then walking through the farm, you will often bump Kudu, Fallow deer, warthog and Gemsboks from the greenbelts, and can easily sit and glass big herds of Zebra and wildebeest from an elevated position. 

On the escarpment, you can find big herds of Red Hartebeest, Gemsbok, and Eland, but as stated above, they will make you work for it. 

Meat Handling:

The facilities on the farm are pretty standard in that they have a cold room for hanging meat, and can do some simple processing like mincing and drying at a reasonable rate, but if you prefer a bit more done with your meat, you will need to take it you a butcher. 

They do offer skinning and can collect the game from any part of the farm. 

Accommodation:

• Description

The farm offers simple, yet comfortable accommodation at a very good rate. If you focus more on the type of hunting you do, and less on where you lay your head, then this is great farm

• Facilities

• Extras

• Family Friendly

The farm is set up more for hunting, so not too family friendly. As said above, if your kids are joining for the hunt, then it is a perfect venue, but little for them to do if not hunting. 

Staff:

The farm offers PH services, but it is out sourced, and I have not felt the need to use, but they do have an incredible staff of trackers. 

The trackers do less of the guiding, so wont assist with setting up rifles or anything fancy, but they do know the land and the game well, and will certainly do their best to get you close. 

Cost:

Cost to the modern hunter is important, but understanding what you getting is even more important. This farm is a no frills no fuss type of farm, and the cost is relevant. The price of your accommodation, and the fact that its self-catering means you have a little extra greens in your back pocket to take another animal for the freezer. 

The cost for the species is also very fair with some of the prices for things like Springbok, Kudu and zebra being very reasonable, while other species that aren't common in the Karoo like impala less so, but on average, you not in for any unexpected costs. 

You also have the option of using your own vehicle (provided the owner approves), which further reduces your cost. 

Equipment list:

For this hunt, i suggest a good backpack that is comfortable and can carry a bit of gear. When hunting in the winter months, you can fully expect cold Karoo mornings with mid 20's during the day, so it is important to have a good jacket, and hydration! 

In addition to this, comfy hiking boots/shoes is a must, as you will be doing some distance, on tough rocky terrain. Some with ankle support is good if you plan on hitting the mountains, as you will be doing a bit of traversing and risk a rolled ankle. 

You will need some good glass here, as it lends itself to spot and stalk hunting. We would spend the first hour or so of the hunt just glassing the valley, and formulating a plan. 

The vegetation isn't too rough on the body, so you can get away with light pants or shorts, but bear in mind you could be on all fours for a bow walk and stalk. If hunting in the greenbelt, you may encounter some thorns.

Disclosure:

I have hunted this farm a few times now, and have never received anything for paid sponsorship or freebies. 

Conclusion:

Eeva and her team know the land well and work it well. Its a great venue for those wanting to gain experience or just wanting to fill the freezer. The epic landscape is one that makes you want to return to and as such, this farm is always on my calendar at least once during a hunting season. 

Gallery:

You can watch the video of our last hunt on the farm here: