Other species of sporting birds occurring on Gamebirds Driven Shoots (not illustrated here) are:
Orange River and Shelley’s Francolins (Partridges); African Quail;
and (see 4. below) Cape Turtle, Laughing and Red-eyed Doves

It took Gamebirds and its associates many seasons to develop all wild bird driven shooting in the African veldt to the point where, for the past 20 years, it has been the highlight of bird shooting safaris through Africa for many sporting visitors. Although the principles of driving game birds in Africa are the same as they are in the UK and Europe, the practice is essentially quite different. (The biggest difference being that ALL African game birds are wild).

Driven shoots in Africa demand large teams of beaters to cover hundreds of acres of bush in a single drive; to provide challenging & exciting sport for the Guns, showing quick or tall birds, requires presenting the widest possible variety of different African game birds (Spurfowls/francolins/quails/pigeons/doves and guineafowl) in a drive; whilst consistently good daily bags of wild birds are maintained, year on year, by directly relating annual productivity to seasonal off-take.

Gun lines are long, wide, straight, and cleared of thick bush, with the butts spaced equally along them (up to 50 metres apart) and numbered 1 to 10 for eight (min) to ten (max) individual Guns. It’s always a good walk from one end of the line to the other but, please note, except for those requiring physical assistance, we generally cannot drive you to your butt.Gun lines are long, wide, straight, and cleared of thick bush, with the butts spaced equally along them (up to 50 metres apart) and numbered 1 to 10 for eight (min) to ten (max) individual Guns. It’s always a good walk from one end of the line to the other but, please note, except for those requiring physical assistance, we generally cannot drive you to your butt.

As retrieving gundogs are few and far between in Africa, each Gun is allocated and accompanied by two “picker-up” fellows for the day – there to be at each butt with the Gun to mark down, retrieve and carry all downed birds. A busy day of active shooting is in store for everyone. Lunch, always superb, is often a traditional “braaivleis” (barbecue) and served in the field or at your host’s home on the estate. The most attractive aspects of driven shooting on Gamebirds private estates in Africa are that it’s all totally wild and indigenous, personal and private, as you will see. The birds and wildlife, the landscape and atmosphere, the hospitality, all are exceptional. But, best of all, it is sustainable. Driven shooting in Africa provides a most exciting day afield – woe betides the Gun that nods off in the middle of a drive!