Hunting in Africa is not something to be taken lightly and finding the perfect destination to suit your hunting wants and needs is imperative. If you’re looking for a unique hunting experience, with true African hunts in a largely undiscovered and untamed area, sporting exceptional trophies, then Tanzania is the destination for you.
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Key Takeaways
- Tanzania remains a sought-after game hunting destination with the international hunting community
- The region offers an array of game hunting species to target, including plains game and dangerous game options.
- These species include iconic game, such as the lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, greater kudu, sable and roan, to mention but a few.
- Hunting licenses are required for a Tanzanian hunt and these come in 10-day, 16-day and 21-day options, depending on the species that are going to be targeted.
- Tanzanian hunting safaris are never a disappointment, with hunting blocks scattered throughout the country, offering unique and varied hunting experiences.
- The official hunting season in Tanzania is annually from 01 July – 31 December.
Why Choose to go Hunting in Tanzania?
Did you know that close to 75% of Tanzania’s territories are comprised of hunting areas, wildlife parks, and game reserves? Many of these reserves are unfenced, allowing hunters to experience the thrill of an authentic hunting adventure in the heart of Africa. Add to this a wide array of game species, differing landscapes and terrain, with challenging conditions and you are ticking all the boxes for a memorable experience hunting in Tanzania!
Tanzania is a sought-after hunting destination for many reasons:
- It offers hunters diverse landscapes and conditions: From swamps and savannas to wetlands and forests, each ecosystem offers hunters a unique set of challenges and species to target.
- Hunters can experience Africa at its best with remote hunting locations, and unfenced hunting areas.
- Tanzanian hunting safaris combine exceptional dangerous, big game and African plains game species.
- Seasonal variations allow hunters to challenge themselves, with the dry season allowing better visibility and easier tracking than the wet season.
- Hunters get to experience the challenges and rewards of hunting exceptional trophies in testing conditions, like Frederick Courtney Selous during his hunting safaris in the region.
Hunting Licenses in Tanzania
When it comes to hunting in Tanzania, hunters do require hunting licenses, with each license allowing the hunter to hunt specific species.
10-Day License:
This specific license allows for the hunting of buffalo as well as specific African plains game species, including the bushbuck, impala, warthog and zebra. This is generally a less expensive license than the other license options, and this must be purchased even if the hunt is shorter than 10 days.
16-Day License:
All species that are hunted under the 10-day license can be targeted under this license, as well as additional game species, such as the Nile crocodile and waterbuck. This license does cost more than the 10-day one, as there are additional species included.
21-Day License:
This is seen as the premier license and offers hunters the widest array of species, including dangerous game such as the lion, leopard, elephant, and hippo, together with plains game species such as the eland, greater kudu, sable and the roan. This is the most expensive of the license options, due to the length of the Tanzania hunting safari, as well as the sought-after species that are included in this hunting license.
This license does, however, have restrictions on it. Even when there are two hunters and one guide, only one leopard and lion can be hunted.
Please note: These rules, regulations, and information can be altered at any time, and it’s always recommended to check with your outfitter or service providers for any updates and changes.
Sought-After Game Species when Hunting in Tanzania
Tanzania is renowned for its exceptional array of species, with dangerous game and plains game being top of many hunters’ bucket lists when considering a hunting safari in the country.
These are 10 of the most sought-after game species hunted in Tanzania, where world-class game hunting trophies are the name of the game:
The Cape Buffalo
Known for its fierce nature, aggression and never-say-die attitude, the Cape buffalo is often (and rightfully so!) given the nickname of Africa’s Black Death, or the Widow maker. Outfitters are not joking when they ask whether your life insurance and policies are in order prior to this dangerous game hunting adventure. Ensure that your PH and guides are experience in terms of buffalo hunting…as mentioned these animals are renowned for their aggression, especially when wounded, and are also known to cunningly double-back on the hunting party, making the hunter, the hunted.
Some of the best regions to hunt this member of Africa’s Big 5 and Dangerous 7 include the Kilombero Valley, Rungwa Game Reserve, and Selous Game Reserve, with the Rungwa and Selous Reserves offering more open style savannas while the Kilombero Valley offers hunters the challenge of marshland. The best time to enjoy buffalo hunting is during the dry season, when visibility is better.
The Lion
Africa and lions go together like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and it’s no wonder that this majestic, yet extremely dangerous member of the cat family is such a popular game hunting trophy. Lion hunting is good all year around, but it must be said that the dry season allows for better tracking.
Some popular regions to enjoy Tanzanian hunts with your eye on this dangerous game species, are the Rungwa Game Reserve, Moyowosi Game Reserve, and Kizigo Central Areas.
A reminder that a lion hunt is a marathon, not a sprint. Hunters need patience, perseverance, and excellent shot placement to make this trophy a reality.
The Leopard
This stunning spotted trophy is known as being exceptionally elusive and well-skilled in the art of camouflage. Being nocturnal also adds even more of a challenge to the leopard hunting safari, with the best time to target this beautiful African cat being during the dry season when they are more active at night.
Do not ever underestimate a leopard, they are one of the most dangerous animals on earth, especially when wounded.
To enjoy a trophy leopard hunt, consider the Selous Game Reserve, Rungwa Game Reserve, and Kizigo Central Area for your Tanzanian hunting safari. For an exceptionally challenging leopard safari, the dense habitats of the Selous Game Reserve, as well as the Rungwa Game Reserve are the places to go.
The Elephant
African elephants are often referred to as “gentle giants,” but, at times, this cannot be further from the truth. These humungous herbivores are well-documented in protecting their herds against danger and threats, including hunting parties. They are incredibly intelligent and social animals. They can, however, become extremely aggressive, especially if they have previously experienced hunting or poaching. Be warned that their large tusks are not just for display purposes, and their hefty body weight is an added weapon used in their defense.
Elephant hunts are dictated by quotas and regulations, with the dry season being the best time to tackle this exciting safari. Elephant hunting in Tanzania often takes place in remote areas with dense vegetation, making tracking and stalking these mammals a challenging task. Popular areas for this dangerous game safari include the Selous Game Reserve, as well as the swamps in western Tanzania.
The Greater Kudu
When it comes to big game hunting in Africa, one of the most iconic species ever is the greater kudu. This majestic antelope is often referred to as “King of the Spiral Horns” due to its beautiful spiral horns that can reach up to 6 foot, with the graceful and gentle twists of the horns resulting in an exceptional plains game trophy.
The kudu’s other nickname is that of “Africa’s Grey Ghost,” referring to its innate ability to effortlessly camouflage itself within its habitat. Due to their ability to effortlessly disappear into the vegetation, the best time to hunt them is during the dry season, when there is more visibility.
The Rungwa Game Reserve as well as Central Tanzania are prime kudu hunting territories.
The Sable Antelope
Not many species can compare to the sable when it comes to looks. This African plains game antelope is renowned for its striking looks and adult males can reach up to 600-pounds. With its black glossy coat and long, scimitar-shaped horns that curve backward and can reach up to 4 feet, the sable is often hunted in Tanzania’s Central region as well as the Rungwa Game Reserve.
A reminder that this antelope is extremely shy, approach it with caution and patience, concentrate on good tracking that will get you within striking distance and then ensure that your shot placement is spot on.
The Gerenuk
The beautiful and unusual gerenuk with their elongated necks are a sought-after game hunting trophy targeted in Tanzania’s Maasailand and northern regions. Their chosen habitats include semi-arid bushlands and thorny scrublands, all which provide ample cover for them to adequately camouflage themselves from predators and perceived threats.
The gerenuk is a very shy and skittish antelope and when they sense danger, they freeze before quickly fleeing. This behavior increases the difficulty of getting a clean and quick kill, as they are difficult to spot. Additionally, approaching these antelopes without being detected remains a major challenge, with the dry season allowing more visibility during this Tanzanian hunt.
The Eland
The southern region of Tanzania, as well as the Selous Game Reserve, is home to the world’s largest antelope, the Eland, and are popular locations to target this impressive species. Eland hunts can be very taxing, as these antelope are extremely fast and can cover large distances in a short time, leaving the hunter to track their prey for long distances. Added to this, the eland is renowned for its keen senses, allowing it to quickly detect and flee from perceived danger. Their ability to jump up to 6 ft from a standing position ensures that hunters will need to work hard to harvest this trophy, which often disappears into dense vegetation when seemingly cornered.
These large antelopes require a good-sized caliber to take them down, as well as shot placement that is 100% on point.
The Roan
Once again, the best time to target this large antelope is during the dry season, when visibility is better. One of the prime regions to target this African plains game antelope is the Katavi Reserve, situated in western Tanzania. Central Tanzania also sports prime habitat regions for this large antelope.
Roan hunting can be a testing safari, with this antelope preferring dense vegetation and areas near permanent water features, which may be difficult to access and navigate during the hunt. Despite their large size, these antelopes are both agile and fast, making hunting them a testing exercise.
The Fringe-Eared Oryx
The fringe-eared oryx with its long, straight and striking horns, is a unique species found in East Africa and is well-known for its nomadic behavior in arid and semi-arid regions. This in turn makes the species difficult to locate and track, with home ranges of more than 150 square miles, it does become quite a test for the hunter and trackers.
This species is exceptionally alert with keen eyesight, and hunters need to work hard on their stalking skills to approach them undetected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hunting in Tanzania legal?
Yes, it is legal to hunt in Tanzania. There are three hunting licenses that can be purchased, depending on which species you wish to target, as well as the length of the Tanzanian hunt. The licenses are 10-day, 16-day, and 21-day licenses, each which come with their own set of species that can be hunted and regulations related thereto.
Is it legal to hunt lions in Tanzania?
Yes, lions can be hunted in Tanzania. The king of the jungle is a sought-after species and international game hunting enthusiasts travel great distances to hunt this dangerous game animal in Tanzania.
What caliber is used for lion hunts in Tanzania?
A minimum of a .375 is the legal requirement when dangerous game hunting in Tanzania, and lion hunts fall under this category.
Where are the best locations to hunt in Tanzania?
Tanzania offers great hunting throughout the country, with different areas being popular for different species:
- Kilombero Valley: Renowned for its Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, hippopotamus, and crocodile.
- Selous Game Reserve: As the largest game reserve in Africa, the elephant, lion, African plains game, leopard and buffalo are popular species targeted here.
- Ruaha Valley: A good option to hunt elephant, lion, leopard and African plains game.
- Maasailand: Known for its leopard, buffalo, and numerous African plains game species, such as the fringe-eared oryx and the gerenuk.
- Kizigo Central Area: This area is known for producing exceptional dangerous game and African cat trophies as well as its variety of species. These include dangerous game such as leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, and lion, together with African plains game species, including big game like the sable and roan.
- Moyowosi Game Reserve: This area is known for its sitatunga, elephant and a range of African plains game. This area is renowned for its swamp-hunting experiences, perfect for hunting African plains game species such as the sitatunga.
- Luganzo Game Reserve: A popular hunting destination for predators and African plains game.
- Kitumbeine Mountain: This Tanzanian hunting area is renowned for its high densities of the Cape buffalo, ensuring that it’s the perfect location for hunters wanting a challenging dangerous game hunting experience.
Is Bow Hunting Legal in Tanzania?
Yes, bow hunting is allowed in Tanzania, but there are stringent rules and regulations that need to be adhered to when bow hunting. This type of hunting safari is subject to stricter financial conditions and limitations on the types of game that can be hunted, with no dangerous game permitted to be hunted using a bow.
Conclusion
Tanzania remains a premier destination for trophy hunters, offering an unmatched variety of sought-after species to target while hunting in this diverse destination. From the iconic Big Five to unique plains game like the fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk, the region’s diverse ecosystems provide enthralling and memorable game hunting experiences that will leave a hunter wanting more.