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Botswana; THE Place for Giant Kudu

Tim Herald
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  • Tim Herald

Botswana; THE Place for Giant Kudu

by Tim Herald, WTA Owner & Consultant

I recently returned from another fantastic trip to Botswana as I hosted two groups of WTA clients. This is 3 out of 4 years I have done a hosted trip, to Botswana, and they are always a great success. The hunting there must be on private land, and we have an outfitter with access to one property of 240,000 acres and another over 150,000 acres. I honestly believe it is the best hunting in Africa today for a general plains game bag including kudu, eland, gemsbok, zebra, impala, wildebeest, and many more.

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Both properties have wonderful safari camps, the staff and PH’s are superb, and the animal populations are unreal. These are self-sustaining populations, and on the larger area, they estimate having some 5,000 kudu.

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If a person was looking to really make a serious run at the magical 60” mark on a kudu bull, I think these two properties would give the highest chance possible. I believe if a hunter single-mindedly hunted for a giant kudu and gave it an honest 7-8 days, you would have a 75-85% chance of finding a 60” bull. I think you would have a 90-100% chance at a 58” bull.

 

Last year on the 150,000 acre property, WTA had a husband and wife duo that took 59” and 62” bulls on consecutive days, and this year on the 240,000 place, we had a 64” and a 60” killed on back to back days my a couple of guys doing a 2×1 hunt in my first group. I personally saw what my PH and I both believe were 58” and 60” bulls the same afternoon. These places are kudu heaven. They obviously have the genetics, they get to grow to old age, and the desert forage is packed with protein.

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My favorite thing to hunt in Botswana is eland. It is almost exactly like a Cape buffalo hunt without the element of danger. We start out on tracks as early as we can find them and then walk and track until we catch up with the eland, or they spook off a couple of times and know what is happening.

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The hunter who took the 64” kudu also took an absolutely monstrous old eland bull. This was his first safari, and he sure hit the jackpot. I have tracked eland for hours upon hours to either bump them, find that the bull wasn’t mature, or a number of other outcomes that didn’t end up in a shot. This year was different for me.

 

The first day after 4 hours of tracking and about 6 miles, I was able to take a nice mature bull. I am not concerned with horn size on eland. It is all about the hunt, and I simply want a mature bull. This one wasn’t very long, but he had very thick horns with great ridges.

 

A week later, when I went over to the other property, we got on a small group of bulls just after daylight. Three hours later, we caught them feeding in a semi-open area, and we could see three younger bulls. Then a tank of an old blue eland stepped out. His dewlap looked like it could touch the ground, and then I looked up and saw that he only had nubs on both sides for horns. I immediately told my PH I was going to shoot him. I think e was surprised because of lack of horn length, but this was like taking a scrum cap buffalo to me. Whether they were broken or worn, those horns and his gray-blue body showed serious age, and that was the trophy to me.

 

At about 70 yards, he walked through an opening, and I sent a .416 bullet into his shoulder. The massive bull only went about 40 yards before he fell with a great crash, and my favorite eland I have ever seen was down. It was a superb hunt.

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With all the success that the WTA clients had, we decided more group hunts to Botswana are in order. Next year, there is a Cabela’s Visa CLUB signature event taking place in May on the 240,000 acres property (https://www.cabelas.com/assets/cms/img/CLUB/signatureoutdooradventures/2019botswanaplainsgame.html ), and in June 2020, I will be hosting two groups, one on each place (http://worldwidetrophyadventures.com/outfitter-profile?hunt_id=1042 ).

We can also setup custom safaris on either place just for you, but the group hunts are a lot of fun and we meet some great folks that way.

 

Let the WTA crew know if you are interested in hunting Botswana in the future. It truly is an overlooked jewel in Africa today.

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Europe Awaits! Hosted Hunting + A European Vacation

I have been hunting Europe for a little over 10 years now, but there are so many countries and so much game that I feel like it could take another 20 years to see and do everything I want to do. That’s part of what makes Europe so exciting. It truly feels endless. Europe has become incredibly popular for several reasons. First, as an international hunting destination, it is easily accessible, with numerous flights available and no 15-hour, long-haul flights required from the U.S. and North America. Second, the hunts are almost always 100% successful because game management is top-notch and populations are extremely healthy. Third, hunts are relatively short, usually three to five days. Hunts lend themselves perfectly to adding extra vacation time, bringing non-hunters, and enjoying a truly memorable overall trip.

I’ve had the privilege of running WTA-hosted trips designed specifically for couples for the past three years, and we will continue this program well into the future, due to its overwhelming popularity. These trips are structured with a primary hunt alongside a dedicated non-hunter program for observers who prefer not to spend time in the field. Some of these activities have included spa days, shopping excursions, guided sightseeing tours, visits to olive oil operations or wineries, and more. Of course, non-hunters are always welcome to join the hunters in the field if they’d like.

On a personal level, my wife absolutely loves these trips, and I wouldn’t think of traveling to Europe without her. On several occasions when I’ve finished my hunt early, I’ve joined the non-hunters on their excursions and had an absolute blast. We also typically add a couple of days at the beginning of the trip to explore a city or region we haven’t visited before, which helps us adjust to the time change before the hunt begins.

In addition to the hunting, the scenery, the accommodations, and the food are always top-shelf.

After buying Wyoming moose preference points for years, throwing money at a dream that would probably never happen, Jeremy Ivie at WTA gave me advice that changed everything. “If you really want a chance at a Shiras moose, let’s put you in for Idaho.” The second year I applied, I drew the tag. Sometimes the best hunting advice isn’t about what unit to hunt, it’s about where to apply in the first place.

From Argentina to Idaho

My wife and I had just returned from an incredible trip to Argentina with WTA last April, and I wasn’t planning another hunt so soon. But when that Idaho draw result came through, everything changed. Now I’m planning two hunts a year, and my whole outlook has shifted. WTA doesn’t just book hunts; they help you build a hunting life.

October 1 found us in Idaho. The setup was perfect for us: a smaller, family-run operation with two cabins out back, a bathhouse between them, and the whole family was involved in the operation. Mike guided me, his father-in-law took the other hunter, and Mike’s wife and daughter helped run camp. After hunting at a bigger operation in Wyoming where I took a nice mule deer (another great recommendation from Jeremy), this intimate setting felt just right for a moose hunt.

Mountain Moose

Going in, I had no idea we’d be hunting at 5,000 feet above sea level. In my mind, moose meant swamps and willows, not mountain clear-cuts and steep terrain. But that’s where Idaho’s Shiras moose live, and Mike knew exactly how to hunt them.

Day one brought rain, cold, and long hours of glassing. We saw five moose total, including one bull that Mike immediately identified as “maybe a last-day bull, definitely not a first-day bull.” We also spotted a grizzly and some black bears. Idaho’s wild country was showing off! The terrain was brutal but beautiful, though after a full day of hiking those mountains, the word beautiful becomes relative!

Day two, Mike had a specific plan: a four-mile hike to a four-year-old clearcut he’d been watching. The timber gets so thick in Idaho that these clearcuts become magnets for moose. “We’re not going to do as much glassing today,” Mike said. “We’re going to do a lot of calling and listening.”

The Moment

Four miles in, calling and listening the whole way, we finally got an answer. Things happened fast after that. First, a cow appeared, then the bull at 250 yards. On the second morning of the hunt, I had my Idaho Shiras moose down. It was an unforgettable moment.

As most moose hunters will tell you, the real work begins after the moose is down. While we quartered and caped the moose on that steep mountainside, Mike’s wife and father-in-law were gathering horses and mules at the trailhead. The pack-out was something I’d always wanted to experience, and it lived up to all of my expectations. Idaho’s backcountry is stunning in photos, but once you’re off the trail, dealing with deadfall and near-vertical slopes while loading hundreds of pounds of moose meat onto mules, “beautiful” takes on a different meaning. I’m in good shape, and I was completely exhausted. It was fantastic.

…
Apply for Colorado’s Limited-Entry Big Game Tags

Apply for Colorado’s Limited-Entry Big Game Tags

When it comes to big game hunting, Colorado is often at the forefront of every sportsman’s mind. With its diverse landscapes, from the iconic Rocky Mountains to the expansive eastern plains, Colorado offers a range of hunting opportunities for both residents and non-residents. While some tags can be acquired over the counter, many of the premier hunting opportunities in Colorado are found through its highly competitive draw system. This is why you need to apply and build valuable preference points in Colorado!

Deadline to Apply: April 7, 2026. Draw Post Date: Early June (staggered by species). WTA TAGS Species:…

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