Hunting in the Freestate

The Freestate Province is located towards the Central part of South Africa.  Its capital is Bloemfontein, also the judicial capital of South Africa.

Georaphy

A summer-rainfall region, the Free State can be extremely cold during the winter months, especially towards the eastern mountainous regions. The western and southern areas are semi-desert.

A beautiful range of hills near Parys in the northern Free State is actually part of the Vredefort Dome, the largest visible meteor-impact site in the world. Formed 2-billion years ago when a meteorite 10km wide slammed into the earth, the Vredefort Dome is one of South Africa’s eight Unesco World Heritage sites.

Hunting and Tourism

In the North Eastern Free State, nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the province’s prime tourist attraction. The park gets its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the spectacular sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag or Sentinel Rock, which keeps vigil over the park.

The sandstone of this region has been used for the lovely dressed-stone buildings found on the Eastern Highlands, while decoratively painted Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa’s most valued San rock art is found in the Free State, particularly in the regions around Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Wepener.

Due to the desert like conditions in the Freestate the animals available are mostly plains game like Springbuck, Gemsbuck and Blue and Black Wildebeest.