High Powered Hunting

Daystate hunter, Marno Denner, explains why he enjoys long-range hunting with high power air rifles in South Africa

South Africa is a wild place; a country with a vast range of game to hunt, and for an air rifle hunter, even small game doesn’t disappoint. I’m an air rifle hunter and filmmaker, and currently part of the Daystate ASP (Airgunner’s Support Pack), a wonderful program that allows people to work with stateof-the-art air rifles, scopes and so much more.

Air rifle hunting in South Africa is probably at its best at the moment. The law only allows us to use air rifles up to .22 calibre without a licence, but that not only makes for fun, but also brings the challenge to a whole new level. I am currently shooting a Daystate Red Wolf Safari in .22 that can deliver power up to 65 ft.lbs. of energy with a 33gr pellet – an overkill, you may say, but that is how we like it here.

Small-game hunting is tons of fun, and no bag limit on doves and pigeons throughout the year makes for plenty of action every time you go out for a day’s hunt. South Africa also offers other small game; Egyptian geese, all kinds of fowl, a scrub hare, or porcupine if you are lucky during a night hunt, and ground squirrels or hyrax – we call them ‘dassies’ here in SA – to test your patience.

LONG-RANGE HUNTNG