I agree about the .410.
Having lived in South Africa (I miss the colonial life there) my advice is to time your bird shooting, especially Rock pigeons and doves to the harvest time for sunflowers, which begins now through June-July. That time is also best for all wingshooting. I shot in July down in the Free State for all the game birds and wildfowl. Shot one time down there on a farm that had 28,000 acres of standing corn--this will give you some idea of how large farming is in the RSA.
A couple of hours drive north of Pretoria is a prime walk up shooting over dogs area near the village of Settlers. Mostly only the locals know about this area. Ask your outfitter, he may be saving it for himself. Shooting ends in that area at 1 August each year, or in former good times in RSA that is when it ended.
As to the shooting venue in RSA there are many outfitters, and all of them will put you amongst the wingshooting.
When I lived there I was a member of the South African Wingshooting Association. Wonderful group of shooters who know where all the best shooting is the country is located. They may have a website now, I have not checked. They do print a magazine for their members.
As to picking an outfitter, you want to focus on the accomodations, food and wine; as I have said that they all will know where the birds are located in great numbers.
For the gentleman sport who purse is not empty, one will find that a couple of weeks with Rovus Rail, riding the rails through South Africa via a steam locomotive and stopping to wingshoot in various venues is a treat to remember for the remainder of your life. The food and wine is wonderful.
I have not read anyone on this BBS mention the 'REAL" wingshooting, sport of the shooters that really know the RSA, and that is Greywing shooting in the high Drakensberg mountains down in the Natal. The outfitters will supply horses, dogs, guides, guns and accomodations. This is shooting that you dream about and is only found like this in this one place in the World. A once in a life-time event for most people and one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It is not for the faint of heart.
I have not been back to the RSA shooting since 2008, however my RSA mates expect a great season there and are already shooting pigeons.
Good shooting;
Bv
