Hosted on approved ground
Red hartebeest Hunting in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley)
A hosted red hartebeest hunt in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley) runs Hosted Huntica trip, realistic all-in excl. international flights: ~$4,500-$7,500 for a 5-day plains-game hunt taking red hartebeest plus 1-2 other species. Pure red-hartebeest math: 4-5 days x ~$400/day daily ($1,600-$2,000) + trophy fee ($650-$850) + Huntica hosting fee (20-40% of outfitter cost, ~$700-$1,150) + dip/pack/permits/transfer (~$400-$700). A single-animal dedicated trip is rarely sold alone — it is almost always added to a multi-species Northern Cape package. all-in over 4-5 days as a dedicated species; 1-2 days of effort when added to a 7-10 day multi-species Northern Cape plains-game safari (the usual way it's hunted)., best hunted may-august with a 90-95% success rate. A Huntica host is on the ground for every day of it.
Daily rate
$350-$500/day for a 1x1 hunt; ~$300-$400/day at 2x1; observer/non-hunter $200-$250/day. Northern Cape plains-game day rates cluster at the lower end ($350-$450).
Trophy fee
$500-$950 typical 2026 trophy fee; outliers up to ~$1,500 (Cape/red hartebeest on premium Eastern Cape lists) and one all-inclusive flat quote at $1,950. Budget $650-$850 as the realistic mid-market Northern Cape figure.
All-in (typical)
Hosted Huntica trip, realistic all-in excl. international flights: ~$4,500-$7,500 for a 5-day plains-game hunt taking red hartebeest plus 1-2 other species. Pure red-hartebeest math: 4-5 days x ~$400/day daily ($1,600-$2,000) + trophy fee ($650-$850) + Huntica hosting fee (20-40% of outfitter cost, ~$700-$1,150) + dip/pack/permits/transfer (~$400-$700). A single-animal dedicated trip is rarely sold alone — it is almost always added to a multi-species Northern Cape package.
BookYourHunt red-hartebeest category (trophy fees from $500, hunts under $2,000 SA/Namibia); Frontier Safaris 2026 list ($500/day 1x1, $400/day 2x1, $230/night observer, Cape hartebeest $1,500); Discount African Hunts 2026 ($800 trophy fee); huntinginafricasafaris.com 2026 ($1,950 flat all-in); BookYourHunt Northern Cape Kalahari Oryx 5-day 1+1 package. Hosting fee is Huntica's own 20-40% model, not an outfitter line item — Alex to confirm exact Magersfontein outfitter rates before relying on these.
Best months
May-August
Typical length
4-5 days as a dedicated species; 1-2 days of effort when added to a 7-10 day multi-species Northern Cape plains-game safari (the usual way it's hunted).
Success rate
90-95%
What’s included
- ✓Professional Hunter (and Huntica host present throughout the hunt)
- ✓Tracker and skinner
- ✓4x4 hunting vehicle and fuel on the concession
- ✓Accommodation in the daily rate (typically lodge/tented camp)
- ✓All meals and standard non-premium drinks
- ✓Field preparation of the cape/skull and delivery to the taxidermist/dip-and-pack
- ✓Daily laundry
- ✓Road transfer from the agreed pickup point (e.g. Kimberley)
Usually separate
- —International airfare to South Africa (typically via Johannesburg, then Kimberley)
- —Trophy fee for the red hartebeest (charged on harvest/wounding)
- —Dip, pack, crating and international trophy shipping (~$600-$1,200+ to US/EU)
- —Taxidermy
- —SAPS 520 firearm temporary-import handling (permit itself is free) or rifle rental
- —Hunting licence/permit where billed separately
- —15% VAT on services (trophy fee VAT waived if exported)
- —Gratuities for PH, trackers and staff
- —Pre/post-trip hotel nights, charter flights, travel insurance
- —Observer day fee if a non-hunter joins
Permits, trophies & logistics
- CITES: NOT listed. Red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama) is not on any CITES Appendix; IUCN Least Concern (~130,000+ animals). No CITES export/import permit required.
- US import: No USFWS/CITES permit needed for this species; trophy clears as a non-CITES plains-game import (standard USDA/CBP processing, USFWS Form 3-177 declaration on entry). No species-specific ban.
- EU import: No CITES import permit required (not Annex A/B). Standard veterinary/CVED processing for raw vs. treated trophies applies; tanned/dip-packed trophies face fewer restrictions than raw.
- Firearm temporary import: SAPS 520 Temporary Import Permit — free, issued at OR Tambo/airport SAPS office in ~20-60 min. Max 1 firearm per calibre, 4 firearms total, 200 rounds per firearm; no semi/full-auto. US hunters need CBP Form 4457; complete SAPS 520 in black ink, sign only in front of the SAPS official.
- Provincial hunting permit/licence governed by Northern Cape provincial conservation regulations (handled by the outfitter); no national tag system for common plains game.
Red hartebeest in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley), at a glance
- ◈Red hartebeest trophy fees start around $500 and a complete hartebeest hunt in South Africa can run well under $2,000 (BookYourHunt, 2026).
- ◈2026 South African plains-game daily rates run roughly $350-$500/day for a 1x1 hunt, ~$400/day at 2x1, with observers ~$200-$250/day (Frontier Safaris 2026 list).
- ◈Red hartebeest is not CITES-listed and is classified IUCN Least Concern with 130,000+ animals, so no CITES permit is needed to export or import the trophy.
- ◈South Africa's hunting season runs ~March-November, with June-July the prime cool, dry window for the open Northern Cape; the rut falls in late May-early June (mating activity Mar-Apr in some herds).
- ◈Visitors importing rifles complete a free SAPS 520 permit at the airport (max 4 firearms, 1 per calibre, 200 rounds each; no automatic weapons); US hunters need CBP Form 4457.
- ◈Red hartebeest is one of Africa's fastest antelope (up to ~75 km/h) and is hunted by spot-and-stalk in open Kalahari/Karoo country at 150-300 yards, .270 Win minimum caliber.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a red hartebeest hunt in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley) cost?
A hosted red hartebeest hunt in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley) typically runs Hosted Huntica trip, realistic all-in excl. international flights: ~$4,500-$7,500 for a 5-day plains-game hunt taking red hartebeest plus 1-2 other species. Pure red-hartebeest math: 4-5 days x ~$400/day daily ($1,600-$2,000) + trophy fee ($650-$850) + Huntica hosting fee (20-40% of outfitter cost, ~$700-$1,150) + dip/pack/permits/transfer (~$400-$700). A single-animal dedicated trip is rarely sold alone — it is almost always added to a multi-species Northern Cape package. all-in for a 4-5 days as a dedicated species; 1-2 days of effort when added to a 7-10 day multi-species Northern Cape plains-game safari (the usual way it's hunted). hunt — daily rates of $350-$500/day for a 1x1 hunt; ~$300-$400/day at 2x1; observer/non-hunter $200-$250/day. Northern Cape plains-game day rates cluster at the lower end ($350-$450). plus a $500-$950 typical 2026 trophy fee; outliers up to ~$1,500 (Cape/red hartebeest on premium Eastern Cape lists) and one all-inclusive flat quote at $1,950. Budget $650-$850 as the realistic mid-market Northern Cape figure. trophy fee, with a Huntica host present throughout. BookYourHunt red-hartebeest category (trophy fees from $500, hunts under $2,000 SA/Namibia); Frontier Safaris 2026 list ($500/day 1x1, $400/day 2x1, $230/night observer, Cape hartebeest $1,500); Discount African Hunts 2026 ($800 trophy fee); huntinginafricasafaris.com 2026 ($1,950 flat all-in); BookYourHunt Northern Cape Kalahari Oryx 5-day 1+1 package. Hosting fee is Huntica's own 20-40% model, not an outfitter line item — Alex to confirm exact Magersfontein outfitter rates before relying on these.
When is the best time to hunt red hartebeest in South Africa (Northern Cape — Magersfontein, near Kimberley)?
May-August (Southern Hemisphere autumn/winter). Prime is June-July: dry, cool, thin vegetation, best tracking/glassing in the open Northern Cape veld. Season legally runs ~March-November; late May-early June rut adds active bulls. Hartebeest are most active first and last light. A typical hunt runs 4-5 days as a dedicated species; 1-2 days of effort when added to a 7-10 day multi-species Northern Cape plains-game safari (the usual way it's hunted)..
What is the success rate on a red hartebeest hunt?
High, ~90-95% on suitable Northern Cape ground. Red hartebeest favour wide-open Kalahari/Karoo country where they are relatively easy to locate, curious (herds pause to survey after being spooked), and predictable at water/licks. The challenge is the stalk and a precise shot at 150-300 yards on…
What is included in a hosted red hartebeest hunt?
Typically included: Professional Hunter (and Huntica host present throughout the hunt), Tracker and skinner, 4x4 hunting vehicle and fuel on the concession, Accommodation in the daily rate (typically lodge/tented camp), All meals and standard non-premium drinks, Field preparation of the cape/skull and delivery to the taxidermist/dip-and-pack, Daily laundry, Road transfer from the agreed pickup point (e.g. Kimberley). Usually excluded: International airfare to South Africa (typically via Johannesburg, then Kimberley), Trophy fee for the red hartebeest (charged on harvest/wounding), Dip, pack, crating and international trophy shipping (~$600-$1,200+ to US/EU), Taxidermy, SAPS 520 firearm temporary-import handling (permit itself is free) or rifle rental, Hunting licence/permit where billed separately, 15% VAT on services (trophy fee VAT waived if exported), Gratuities for PH, trackers and staff, Pre/post-trip hotel nights, charter flights, travel insurance, Observer day fee if a non-hunter joins.
What regulations apply to a red hartebeest hunt and trophy?
CITES: NOT listed. Red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama) is not on any CITES Appendix; IUCN Least Concern (~130,000+ animals). No CITES export/import permit required. US import: No USFWS/CITES permit needed for this species; trophy clears as a non-CITES plains-game import (standard USDA/CBP processing, USFWS Form 3-177 declaration on entry). No species-specific ban. EU import: No CITES import permit required (not Annex A/B). Standard veterinary/CVED processing for raw vs. treated trophies applies; tanned/dip-packed trophies face fewer restrictions than raw. Firearm temporary import: SAPS 520 Temporary Import Permit — free, issued at OR Tambo/airport SAPS office in ~20-60 min. Max 1 firearm per calibre, 4 firearms total, 200 rounds per firearm; no semi/full-auto. US hunters need CBP Form 4457; complete SAPS 520 in black ink, sign only in front of the SAPS official. Provincial hunting permit/licence governed by Northern Cape provincial conservation regulations (handled by the outfitter); no national tag system for common plains game.
Field Notes
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