This Newsletter Came Straight from the Hunting Group
Dear Friends,
Normally when we sit down to write a newsletter, we try to remember everything that has happened over the past month or two.
This time I didn’t have to.
I opened our hunting WhatsApp group.
“1 springbok.”
“4 gemsbok cull.”
“2 eland cull.”
“1 warthog.”
“Driving past Okongona now.”
And then the next message would arrive.
That pretty much sums up July and August for us at Hendrik & Trudi Safaris — we have been busy!
Between the hunts, travelling from one hunting area to the next, welcoming guests, long days in the veld and plenty of stories around the fire afterwards, these past two months of our Namibia hunting safari season have reminded me again why I still love this life so much.
111 Animals — But the Number Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
When we eventually added up the hunting group, we realised just how much had happened.
Across July and August, our hunts included:
- Springbok
- Black springbok
- White and common blesbok
- Gemsbok
- Eland
- Warthog
- Ostrich
- Hartebeest
- Steenbok
- Duiker
- Zebra
- Kudu
- Giraffe
In total, 111 animals were successfully taken.
Springbok made up the largest part of the season, with 66 regular springbok and another seven black springbok.
But there is another number from those two months that is particularly important to us:
76 of the animals were specifically recorded as cull hunts.
The Role of Cull Hunting in Namibia
For people who don’t live and work with wildlife every day, culling can sometimes be misunderstood.
On well-managed land, responsible culling forms an important part of maintaining the correct game numbers for the grazing available, protecting the condition of the veld and keeping wildlife populations healthy.
It may not always be the glamorous side of hunting, but it is a necessary part of responsible wildlife and land management.
For us, a Namibia hunting safari is about much more than the final photograph. It is also about understanding the land, the wildlife populations it supports and the responsibility that comes with managing both.
Some Special Trophy Hunts Along the Way
There were also some beautiful trophy animals during July and August, including white blesbok, black springbok, springbok, hartebeest and steenbok.
And, of course, every trophy has its own story.
The photograph at the end might show the hunter standing beside the animal, but it doesn’t show the kilometres walked before that moment.
It doesn’t show the stalk that didn’t work.
The wind that changed direction.
The animal that disappeared just when you thought everything was perfect.
Or the jokes that followed afterwards.
That is hunting.
And yes, according to our hunting group, there were also quite a few missed shots.
I have decided those numbers are best left off the official statistics!
Hunting Across Namibia: HBL, Omateva and Beyond
One of the things I enjoy when I look through the messages from the past two months is seeing how quickly the scenery changes.
One day the update is coming from HBL.
Then Omateva.
Then somebody is driving past Okongona.
Then another zebra, gemsbok or springbok appears on the group.
That is what our hunting season really looks like from our side.
It isn’t one lodge and one carefully staged picture.
It is people, vehicles, farms, trackers, hunters, meals, dust, early mornings and many kilometres on Namibian roads.
It can be tiring.
I wouldn’t swap it.
The Part That Never Makes the Hunting Total
The best part of these past two months cannot actually be counted.
It is the conversations.
The laughter.
Seeing a hunter’s face after a successful stalk.
Watching someone experience Namibia for the first time.
Sitting together after a long day and replaying every shot — particularly the ones that apparently should never be mentioned again!
Some guests arrive here as strangers.
A few days later, we’re eating together, teasing one another and planning when they are coming back.
That is still what Hendrik & Trudi Safaris is about for us.
Arrive as a client. Leave as part of the family.
Planning a Namibia Hunting Safari for 2027
The 2026 hunting season is moving quickly, and we are already speaking to hunters who are planning their return trips — and new adventures — for 2027.
Our updated 2027 Namibia hunting information and packages are now available.
If you are thinking about hunting Namibia next year, please get in touch with me directly.
We can put together a safari around the species you are looking for, the time you have available and, most importantly, the kind of experience you want.
Whether you are returning to Namibia or planning your first African hunting safari, we would love to welcome you.
Until Next Time
Thank you to every hunter, friend and member of our team who has been part of the last two months.
There are still plenty of hunting days left in 2026 — and judging by the WhatsApp group, probably plenty more stories to come.
Warm regards,
Hendrik
Hendrik & Trudi Safaris
Hunt with heart. Hunt with Hendrik & Trudi.
