Gemsbok

I think I want to harvest a Gemsbok. Who's hunted them? For those that have, who do you recommend?

How do they taste compared to axis?

Thanks in advance!

Greg

I hunted them in New Mexico free range worth Mike Mckinney of West Texas Hunt Organization. Great hunt. In my opinion Gemsbock meat is far superior to axis.

I shot this one (broken horn) and a broken horn waterbuck with Clemons Brothers Outfitting. They are great guys and run a great hun on an incredible ranch.

For the price of a gemsbok trophy fee in Texas you could fly to South Africa or Namibia and hunt your gemsbok, as well as a few other antelope, in their home range. Hunting in South Africa and Namibia are the best bargains in hunting that there are. I suspect that you would also find the experience to be more memorable.

I found gemsbok to be pretty tasty, but axis is hard to beat.

I doubt you could do airfare, the hunt and import the dip and pack, customs clearance for the cost of a Gemsbock hunt here in Texas. Also you do not get to keep the meat if hunting in Africa. Plus you don't have to deal with 23+ hours of traveling each way.

Though I haven't taken one yet (very high on my list) id highly recommend PBGSO. They have great animals and great prices. Though I hear the thought of going to Africa to hunt them, you can't bring back the meat. That to me is a huge reason to hunt here in TX and I hear it's about the best wild game meat you can eat.

Yea but you cant bring back all that tasty meat back and when you add in shipping and other costs its not far off.

looks like a great hunt, beautiful animals

I prefer Scimitar Oryx over Axis and Gemsbok

I would say Axis and Gemsbok are neck and neck obviously theirs alot of factors such as what there eating, sex, age and health of the animal.

Axis does are a much better deal if it's about the meat though.

Gemsbok is good but I wouldn't say any better than axis so for the price I'd be flying the 16hr flight from Atlanta. Once there it's a much better deal for what you can add on other animals for

Thanks for the responses guys.

Going to Africa isn't an option at this point. My buddy went 3 years ago and just now got his animals back. I know this probably isn't typical but I'm going to pass.

I am going to apply for the NM hunt next year but am guessing I will take a few years to draw. So, I am tempted to do one here in Texas if I can find a big ranch. I don't want to be hunting on 300 or 400 acre high fence.

I'll check out PBGSO and Clemons Brothers.

I'd like to shoot one here in TX or NM myself, just so I could keep the meat. It's the best wild game I've ever had personally. I've also shot a lot of them in SA and Namibia, and as far as a hunting experience I can't imagine how any hunt in TX can top those Africa hunts. NM may be closer with the free range stuff, not sure.

I've found the pricing on the premium African animals like gemsbok here in TX to be ridiculously high though. Finally, I have done 10 animal hunts in Namibia with round trip air fare for $5500.

My Gemsbock from my hunt with Mulie Mike aka Mike Mckinney west Texas hunt organization.

Saw a ton of Gemsbock this weekend while hunting with Jamey Dilley in Eden Texas. Reach out to Jamey who is j4dguns on this forum. Phone number is 1-254-248-5090 Great lodge and tons of game.

Good one!!

I don't know what everyone charges but I know Mike is generally one of the most reasonable with just about all of his hunts

thumbs up on both outfitter and the meat

That is very true.
I did a research last night for my post in the bow hunting section (before I saw this post).
I found one outfitter in Texas that offers a 3 day 2 Night Gemsbok hunt for $8500.00 all inc.
In Africa the exact same hunt will cost $2400.00

With $8500.00 you can hunt 7 days and shoot a bunch of animals in Africa.

3 years for trophy shipping?
I can have your you trophies dipped, packed and delivered in less than 6 months.
3 years is ridiculous. Someone screwed up somewhere. Most important is to do your research well and everything will be fine

They're on the 10,000 acre pasture we lease for deer hunting. I consider them a PITA, but a profitable one for the LO. I'm convinced they like to saunter through by a feeder just to mess with the deer. The deer do not like them one bit. PM me for contact info, if you promise to shoot one, or more, dead this summer.

Gemsbok is my favorite, shot a 43 1/2 cow with PBGSO last year, best meat
EVER!! http://s536.photobucket.com/user/okiehuntr/library/?view=recent&page=1#
okiehuntr

Gemsbok with PBGSO

$8500 is not the norm i have seen them more reguarly.$4500-6500

Still a ridiculous number IMO.

Thank you everyone. I will start contacting some of these guys and see if I can't put something together.

Greg

There are deals to be had for every species you just have to keep looking and have the cash available when hey pop up.

There are free range hunts in Namibia, but they're very hard to find. Most of the outfitters aren't interested in telling you the whole truth about their operations. Don't get me wrong, I think Namibia has the best national conservation through hunting concept of any African nation, but the one time I inquired at the Namibian Professional Hunters Association booth at the DSC show, I got mobbed worse than any used car lot I've ever been on (and I've been on a lot of them).

I have said this before on here. I used to live in NM while I was there I shot 4 of them free range. I have an outfitter that I used every time I can give you his info if you like. I think he offers 3 day package for like $2500 plus tag. There are only a couple of ranches that border the missile range (I believe 3 total) and he has exclusive access to one of them. Its a fun hunt with a great guy and the meat is awesome. Best of luck

Which makes it $4100 for us Texans, or anyone out of state for that matter.

Not sure where you get that idea, as there are many free range choices over there, and they are easy to find. I found probably 20 of them before making my first trip over there, reputable ones. I'm also not sure what NAPHA has to do with arranging a hunt either.

So show me a deal on a trophy gemsbok for under $4500.

By free range, I assumed you meant no fence, conservancy, tribal lands, etc. The NAPHA booth was just where the most Namibian outfitters were hanging out.

South Africa and Namibia are mostly hunting ranches, granted, some are humongous.

I'm not gonna play "African expert" with you.

I agree with most of the others. You could get really close to hunting for a week in Africa for a gemsbok and 3-4 other animals for $5500, including dip/pack and flight. Your friends wait time for his trophies is not the norm. No, you wouldn't have the meat. However, a 7 day safari in Africa vs a weekend hunt in the hill country doesn't really compare. Gemsbok meat is great but not $5k great.

Round trip flight $1,200-$2,700
7 day safari day fee $1,750-$2,100
Gensbok trophy fee $1,100
Dip/pack/crate/fees $250-300
Shipping back?????
Customs fees?????

$4,050 minimum without shipping and customs fees, with those I'd guess minimum $5,000. Max I'd guess somewhere around $7,300.

Almost forgot tip for PH, tracker, skinner, driver, and camp staff add $600-$1,000 to min-max numbers. That's also provided you don't have to stay overnight in Joberg going or leaving.

Been to South Africa twice now and for the money it cant be beat. Also nothing like hunting African Plains Game in its native AFRICA!

Been to Namibia the last three years, and have done a 10 animal (plains game at owners discretion) management hunt all three times. Last Year alone I shot 5 gemsbok, impala, 2 hartebeest, 2 wildebeest for $3700. Rd trip Dallas to WDH was $1400.

$2700 - Doubleshot posted a 7 day special for 4 animals in Limpopo not long ago
$1400 - flight (what I paid last year)
$ 400 - dip/pack (I paid $827 for 7 last year)
$ 80 shuttle (total for both ways)
$400 tip (we were recommended 10% is customary)
$4980 total, not counting crating and shipping

We had no need to stay a night in Johannesburg. You'll tip whether in Africa or Texas. You would probably come out slightly cheaper to stay in Tx. However, you've shot 1 animal vs 4. Plus, you've only had a weekend hunt vs a 7 day adventure. Those are all real world numbers. JG has been doing it smart. Those cull hunts are a great value. You can do another cull hunt with the taxidermy savings.

I dont think theirs any denying hunting africa is a better "value" but for some people taking off 7 or 8 days isnt always feasible and you do get quite alot of meat. Sometimws its more about convenience.

By the way ill be hunting with limcroma in Limpopo in July, first time to Afica.

Just put in for the draw in New Mexico. $1650 for the tag. If you get drawn I have some connections up there that will guide you no frills for $1000 to $1500.

I love to exotics in Texas. However, I always cringe when I hear the prices of some of the common plains game because I know whats possible for the same money. You are right. It is not always about the money. Time is often more valuable and the OP was interested in the meat. I think Mulie Mike's offer is a great deal and would be a blast.

I've already decided...I will be applying next year!

Maybe your luck will be better than mine. I've wanted to hunt a Gemsbok for many years and apply every year for the draw in NM but I've never drawn a tag. Many times I've thought ok I'll stick back a little cash each year until I can pay for a hunt here in Texas but I always spend it on an Axis or hunt or something else comes up with the family! Good luck to you in the draw!

I thought the off range Oryx that are on Private ranches near the missle range you could buy the tag whenever you want? I know a few outfitters that hunt them.

My wife and I are hunting in Limpopo, South Africa this year. Been to East Cape twice.

this hunt will be 5 animals each for 10 days for $10,300.
her list--- Gemsbok, Zebra, Impala, warthog, springbok.
My list---- Eland, hartebeest, blue wilderbeest, impala, warthog.

Total for 2 people.
Hunt- $10,300
flights 4,200
hotel JHB 400 (this includes our rifle import service)
tips, etc 1,000+
Accident ins 300
____________________
SUBTOTAL $16,200

Dip/pak 800?
Crate/ship 2,500
taxidermy gulp.
_______________________
TOTAL I don't want to think about it or might quit going.


I post this to give a realistic idea of cost on a fairly good PG safari for 2 people.
Basically $20,00 for these 10 animals excluding taxidermy.
That is 5 large PG and 5 smaller PG.
Basically, $10K each........ or $2000 per animal all said and done excluding the mounting fee of trophies.

My son and I did a similar trip 5 years ago at similar price.
And my wife and I went 3 years ago with similar price.
Definitely my last plainsgame trip.
Would like to do a buffalo hunt along with a sable.



WITH THAT SAID, I would love to go shoot a non-trophy one in Texas if the price was right. (we have 2 trophies already, don't care for a 3rd)
I would also love to go hunt a trophy one in New Mexico if I could get drawn.

At Star S Ranch we have a herd of 100+ gemsbok on 14,000 acres. Closest thing you will find to hunting Africa here in the states. Our gemsbok are $5,250. Mature bulls average around 35" in length and our cows will go 40"+

Honesty. Finally. Thank you. I can understand wanting to go to Africa once. The intangible drawback to an Africa hunt IMO is the fact that you actually have to go to that country. Never interested me.

Or, you could just bring a couple of buddies to help you glass and pack. I'd never been to the missile range and guided my son to a 38" bull that was the second biggest taken that weekend. Of course, I'm pretty special, so your results may vary....

So many options... I plan on applying for a NM tag next year but will hunt one here in Texas this year. Just trying to figure out where to go...