Helmeted Guineafowl hunting in South Africa

Guineafowl is not only a challenging fast-flying target for the birding hunting enthusiast, but also a delicious meal. Specialist bird hunting outfitters offer both traditional driven hunts and classic bird hunts over pointing dogs. As with most upland bird hunts, the two important ingredients for a successful hunt is cover and the local knowledge of the flight patterns provided by your PH. The best time to hunt guineafowl is in the winter months (June-August), once they have raised their brood of chicks. The early part of the season, when the grass is long, works best, because when the grass is short the birds run for cover, don’t hold well to the point, and give you no time to catch up with the pointers. For a successful hunt, you need at least 2 hunters and the best results for driven hunts are for hunting parties of between 6 and 12 guns. The corn-growing areas of central South Africa have the best bird hunting, but guineafowl may be hunted throughout Southern and East Africa as well. They are often hunted for the pot or as an extra attraction after you’ve harvested all your big-game trophies or just want to take a break from the routine of a plains game hunt.