Are you like me, and hunt game farms? Do you often see eyes far away and they don’t come closer? Yes well if so read this article what follows! This will maybe give you a tip of what to do the next time you go and hunt, to some people this is old news but to some a wake up call!!!

I hunt the Northern Cape often, I am contracted on various game farms and sweep farms with predation troubles. I meet people very often and they ask me what is the success rate like, well – truth is if I am able to control them my way I have huge success. Here is how I operate.

You may learn something from this article, it was something I taught myself, and it works! Try to implement this style on your farm, see after 6 month how your success will grow from now till then, you will see it will!!!!!!!!!!

“ Style ”

My style I prefer is like this, when I am introduced to a new farm, I firstly ask that I am given sole rights to call this farm, and that no other so called professional hunter or poacher will try to steal my farm. Then when I have an understanding with the owner here is the plan. I stipulate to him that the farm must NOT BE OVERCALLED!!!

I take readings of the farm and layout, and let’s say he owns 3 game farms in a row, just as an idea, this is the plan. We sit down with the grids and maps, and divide up the 3 areas.

I ( for his location in Karoo) stipulate to him the 3 best times of the year to call it, example, lets say we will hunt in Kuruman, ok, then I book the farm 3 times a year over a week a session. I go to the farm in February, April and November.

Then, I divide the farms up in 3, I call and sweep the first one in February, then in April I go to the next one, BUT the last night in that April hunt I go back to the first farm we swept in February, and just call it one night. Then in November I sweep the 3^rd farm and the last night just call the April farm over one night.

And this is how we cycle all the farms, giving them all time to recover and by using this system it does not educate animals nor is it overcalled.

Play the field – like changing tyres on a bakkie

This system is like when you rotate your bakkies tyres every year on your bakkie, so that all the tyres get worn evenly, then they get used properly, it’s the same as jackal hunting! By spreading out your areas and playing the field so to speak you will cover the farms, never overcall them and you wont find you have eyes at night looking at you from 300m away.

“ Sounds ”

Know the sound situation, by knowing what sounds you will need to play at night will also help you succeed, EXAMPLE – Don’t play puppy sounds in April, that is mating season, so play Challenge sounds, see here on the website for a CYCLE CHART-- It is important to understand the animal you are hunting.

When using food sounds, DON’T use the same sound at the same farm all the time! - change the sounds all the time.

The jackal is by no means a dumb animal, it is one of the most intelligent critters on the planet, heck I know of some people less intelligent than a jackal! To hunt a jackal is not like hunting coyotes, jackal are far more clever, sly and just plain wary – I know a few guys who have hunted them, and the one guy said its so easy to call coyotes its touching canned hunting it is so easy. You even see them walking in streets in New York City! No ways will you spot a jackal in any town in SA! A dead give away about intelligence with Jackals versus Coyotes is; if you ever watch a TV program or film made in America, you will hear them say ( as example)”Man, that guy is a shrewd as a jackal” or “ he is as sly as a jackal” you will never hear an American say “they are as “skelm” as Coyotes” That’s a dead give away that everybody knows the jackal is king of the sly critters.

“ PLAN IN MOTION” 

So, put your farms in order, plans in motion and you will see what I say here is true, don’t knock it till you try it, you will see, after a year, your results will be far better.

“ KEYS TO SUCCESS ”

The keys to success are;

·         Don’t overcall areas

·         Get sole rights

·         Work out areas / farm

·         Use sweeping system so you cover all areas like I suggest ( in time)

·         Know what sounds to use

·         Know how to call and get good locations  

·         Make sure farms are not disturbed by other hunters