Discounted Serval Hunt in Kwazulu-Natal

2023 / 2024

Rifle 1X1 ONLY $2,100

3-Day Serval Hunt in South Africa

HUNT INCLUDES:

• 3 Full Hunting Days in South Africa
• Serval Trophy Fee
• 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 ($35 / Day) and Ammo ( $30/box )
• Airfare to and from Johannesburg
• Gratuities

Observer rate is $150 per day

This is an incredible price for a serval hunt in South Africa. This outfitter has hunted this exclusive concession for twenty years, and some of the densest cat populations in Africa live here! You’ll be staying in a 4-star lodge with magnificent views of the Mpumalanga Province and enjoying fantastic food and drinks during your stay.

About the Serval:

The serval is a cat native to Africa and is most common in sub-Saharan regions. Servals can 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 their short black-tipped tails. 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 usually takes place at night using a spotlight. On occasion, they may also be hunted with dogs.

The Hunting Area and Terrain:

These concessions total just under 25,000 acres of land to hunt on, and are located in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. This is not a high fence area, which is unique compared to most 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, to agricultural fields, and even light rolling hills. Hunting serval almost always takes place at night, so remember to pack warm clothes if your hunting dates fall within the South African winter months!

Serval Hunting Seasons:

This hunt can be taken anytime between May 1st through September 30th. Anytime during this range are the best months to come as well, 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 at night, so dress warmly and bring gloves and a neck scarf. 

About the Outfitter:

This outfitter offers some of the best cat hunting in all of South Africa. They use all their own private land and concessions, making sure you receive an exclusive hunting experience. This specific concession has been hunted by them for over 20 years, so you can be assured they know the lay of the land and where the animals prefer to hang out. This hunt is also a short 2-hour drive from Johannesburg, offering a very convenient location with no extra flights needed within the country. This outfitter is dedicated to ensuring you both succeed in your hunt and have a relaxing time during your stay.

Serval Hunting Lodge and Accommodations:

For this serval hunt you will be staying at a 4-star lodge in the Mpumalanga Province. The lodge features seven rooms, four having two single beds and three having one double each. The rooms offer incredibly comfortable beds and en-suite bathrooms. The lodge offers spectacular views over a small lake and game area. You can explore the land, fish, and hunt during the day before it is time to hunt in the evening. The food, wine, and hospitality at this lodge are top-notch. Since you will be primarily hunting at night, the meal schedule will be adjusted to accommodate your hunting hours. Meals can be customized to your particular taste as well. 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. 

This 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 long night in the bush. 

A Typical Day Serval Hunting :

You can expect your morning to be light and relaxing, and you can enjoy your breakfast at camp. Since serval are hunted at night, your day is very open and customizable for whatever activities you’d like to do. You have the opportunity to do some plains game hunting, relax in the lodge, explore the property, fish in the nearby lakes, or do some bird watching before preparing for the night hunting.

After dinner, you can expect to head out just after the sun sets. Servals tend to hang around agricultural fields since field mice and other small rodents call these places home. You will be using a spotlight to look for animals, as this is the most successful hunting strategy. It is also an exciting and fast-paced 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, caracal, 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 or solids instead of varmint points or solids. 

Other Available Animals:

This concession offers abundant amounts of trophy bluebuck, common reedbuck, and black wildebeest. Since you will also be spotlighting, you may also be able to hunt porcupines, genets, caracals, African wildcats, honey badgers, and black back jackals 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 the 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 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. Depending on the time you arrive, you will either begin getting ready to hunt that night or relax and wait for the evening tomorrow!

Deposit and Payment Policy:

A 30% deposit of $1,000 is due to book this serval package. The full balance plus any extra animals killed or wounded must be paid for in camp on the last day of the safari. Wire transfer is the only acceptable form of payment this outfitter accepts. 

Cancellation Policy:

Deposits are non-refundable. Hunts 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 727-469-3742 to book this serval hunt in South Africa!