HartzView Hunting Safaris Review

Owner: Jacques Spamer

Location: South Africa

Website: www.hvsafaris.com

Introduction

HartzView Hunting Safaris 22,000 acre based ranch is located in the North West Province of South Africa. Jacques offers Plains game, Cape buffalo, and Rhino hunting on the ranch. Jacques also specializes in cats (Lion & Leopard) with his lion concession in South Africa less than 2 hours from his main ranch. He also offers hunts in Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

I first met Jacques in early 2009 and immediately I knew he had a special operation. It took me longer than I wanted to go hunt with him and experience Africa but the wait was worth it. Since meeting Jacques we have become good friends, have worked shows together, and I book hunts for him.

I finally hunted with Jacques in March of 2011. I was there for a week took 3 trophy animals and took an eland cow to help with ranch management. The hunting was exceptional and the amount of animals is staggering. I saw more animals in one week then I have in my whole life and I have grown up in an animal rich area.

Outfitter Knowledge

One word describes Jacques hunting and guiding ability and that is superior. Time and time again I was blown away by his ability to track animals, locate animals with the naked eye from long distances, and put me good situation after good situation to harvest my animals.

His knowledge of the area is exceptional as well. He knows his ranch very well and has a knack for locating trophy quality animals. Jacques knowledge of the animals is also excellent as he can pick out the mature and trophy quality animal in a herd very quickly.

Animal Opportunity

Every client will have your chance at your list of animals. The amount of animals like mentioned before is staggering and the trophy quality is also spectacular. Whatever the animal you go after Jacques will get you in the right situation for the opportunity for your animals. It is then up to the hunter to make the shot.

Equipment

HartzView’s hunting vehicles are in very good condition and very comfortable to ride in. Since the ranch is large riding on the trucks is a must to reach portions of the ranch and have the best opportunity to take quality animals.

An option Jacques gives to his clients is to use his rifle at no charge. This is very popular as a lot of outfitters charge. All Jacques rifles are quality/brand name as well as the scopes that are on them. This also makes the customs at the airport very easy, if you don’t want to go through the hassel with your rifle you don’t have to.

At the ranch Jacques also has converters if you would forget to bring some. This is yet another great thing Jacques offers because if clients bring their laptop but forget the converter it will not last the whole trip.

Located in the lounge room there is a big screen TV with satellite so after a long day of hunting you can kick back and relax. Also located on the property is a pool and pool table.

Lodging/Meals

The lodging at HartzView is 4-star. It is truly a beautiful place to stay. Every hunter or family gets their own chalet. Each chalet has many comfortable beds, a shower, and air conditioning. The main lodge is where the lounge room is, along with the bar, pool table, and kitchen. Located close to the main lodge is the office and laundry room where client’s cloths are washed daily.

Each day there are 3 main meals a late breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The kitchen is always open for snacks and drinks during down times. The meals offer a wide variety of meats, fruits, vegetables, and other desserts. Along with the normal foods of beef and pork lamb is served as well as African game. This is a real treat to enjoy the animals you are hunting because you cannot bring the meat back.

After a long day of hunting it is great to sit back around a fire having beer and other beverages. This is included in the price of your package.

Total Experience

From start to finish Jacques operation is professional and very well run. Jacques professionalism and constant attention to the little things really make the overall trip experience go really well. With the amount of animals, the way the hunts are conducted, and the quality of the ranch make HartzView Hunting Safaris a truly remarkable place to hunt and experience.