Thread: Hi from sunny South Africa

Hi Everyone

As you can see, I'm from South Africa, been hunting and shooting most of my life. Grew up living next to the local gunsmith and were allowed to "help" and tinker around the shop since I was 10 - you might say that I learned my love of guns and shooting from uncle Ben Fourie(the gunsmith).

I've hunted most of the smaller or edible game species in Southern Africa. I'm currently the President of the Sishen Mine Shooting Club, I'm also the Regional Coordinator in the Northern Cape for the South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association.

I compete in hunting rifle related competitions, mainly shooting the disciplines of tables as prescribed by SA Hunters, my favourite type of shooting competitions are Field shoots, where we try to create typical hunting scenarios - shooting at live sized targets of indigenous edible species. I'm a avid long range shooter and try not only to compete in competitions, but I also organize and administrate hunting rifle competitions.

Why am I on a NZ hunting forum? After several years of persuasion, my wife at last gave in and I hope to resettle in New Zealand shortly.

Welcome Jaco. Be great to see some photos of your work there.

Welcome, there are a few saffers on the forum.
Good luck with the move, you wont regret it. Nz is an awesome place to live

Welcome, remember there is a lot of NZ outside of Auckland.

Nah, NZ stops at the Bombay Hills.

Welcome Jaco.
Its always good having more Saffers around we can hassle after the All Blacks win the 2019 RWC..

Welcome. There is a resident on here by the last name of Fourie who's not bad at shooting

Welcome to the forum.

Originally Posted by Hendrik470

Welcome, there are a few saffers on the forum.
Good luck with the move, you wont regret it. Nz is an awesome place to live

Haha there are more than a few of us

Welcome to paradise Jaco

Dagse Jaco,

Beide my ouers is van die noord kaap (Springbok en Kuruman)

Welcome to the forum. Hunting here is pretty different than at home, mostly walk and stalk on public land, and you carry everything in and out - no "bakkies" etc. Get fit - very little of NZ is flat

Lots of shooting sports to choose from. Gillie on here runs very good field/hunting events, then there is service rifle as well as "bisley" style long range target shooting (including F-class). And significantly more sensible firearms laws - for most rifles the person is licensed, unlike each firearm as in SA. AR15 style rifles and pistols require endorsements.

As stug said, look around before settling on Auckland. Central north island (Taupo or Napier) is hunting heaven. If you get over here, try to make friends with locals - too many saffas simply stick in their own little group and bitch about the old country...

@Gibo, you would not have made that statement if you saw my scores from last week mate - muppetville, seems I shoot ok at all the away comps and go to pieces at my home range !

Originally Posted by Tommy

Haha there are more than a few of us

Welcome to paradise Jaco

Oh no not you too @Tommy

Where I work (on the north shore) I am the only true blue Kiwi with the rest been saffas

Originally Posted by sako75

Oh no not you too @Tommy

Where I work (on the north shore) I am the only true blue Kiwi with the rest been saffas

You'd NEVER ever guess talking to me that I'm not a kiwi. I'm here on a Pom passport, but I was born in the Free State, I used to swim in the Jukskei at least 8 months of the year (anyone familiar with Johannesburg is now wondering how I'm even alive). Been here nearly 20 years

We assimilate, most of us leave our shit behind, we're good for this country.

Where are you on the Shore? I'm over on the other side of the bridge these days, but my parents are in Birkenhead point, and at least three forum members are nearby

I'm a Westie working in Glenfield

Originally Posted by Tommy

I used to swim in the Jukskei at least 8 months of the year (anyone familiar with Johannesburg is now wondering how I'm even alive). Been here nearly 20 years

@Tommy Swam in the same river, would always smell of washing powder as we were downstream from Alexandra. Used to catch catfish and try and sell them to the black Africans, they weren't keen lol.

Surprised that river crabs and catfish actually survived in there. I have seen it run red - like as in, red, this was in 1994.

@Jaco Goosen

Hartelik welkom, the Northern Cape is my least traveled province in the country. Former 'Vaalie here. NZ is great, best move I ever made. Rain takes some getting used to.

Catfish we just had turds?