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otto@cobsafrica.com WhatsApp +27 84 508 1162
Otto Bousema on a red rock outcrop, looking out over the bushveld hills of the concession

Professional hunting safaris · Limpopo, South Africa

Hunt Africa with Otto Bousema.

Personally guided hunting safaris across approximately 74,000 acres of Limpopo bushveld. Q23

Explore our hunts
  • Licensed Big Game PHOtto Bousema Q17
  • About 74,000 acresLimpopo bushveld, South Africa
  • Prices in US dollarsLodge, meals, PH and tracker included
  • Met at OR TamboTransfers to and from Johannesburg
Otto in a bush hat with his two young sons, kneeling behind an eland bull
Otto with his sons and an eland bull Q26

Your professional hunter

Otto plans your hunt and guides it himself. Q23

Born and raised in Africa, Otto grew up in a family where hunting was a way of life. He knows this bushveld from living and hunting in it, and he builds each hunt around the hunter: the animals you're after, how you like to hunt and the pace that suits you.

Licensed Big Game Professional Hunter
Licence number to be shown Q17
Years in this bushveld
[Otto to confirm] Q25
Hunters per season
[Otto to confirm] Q24
You stay with the family
Meals at the lodge are shared with Otto and his family.
“Otto has completely blown me away with his ability to spot ALL kinds of African game, plan and execute a stalk, and put his hunter in position to make a good shot.”
Jeff · has hunted with Otto three times
Meet Otto

Hunts & packages

Three ways to hunt with Otto

Every package includes the lodge, your professional hunter, tracker and vehicle, meals, laundry and airport transfers. All prices in US dollars.

Prices per package, as on the current website. Q1

Respond to the call

A personal invitation from Otto

Before you explore the hunt, take a moment to read Otto's personal invitation to Africa.

“The plains are ready, the game is moving, and South Africa is calling your name. Will you answer?”
Cornelis Otto Bousema

The lodge

Where you'll sleep, eat and end each day

The Hunter's Lodge is fully staffed. Meals are cooked at the lodge, often with game from your own hunt, and shared with Otto and his family. Most evenings end at the boma fire.

The boma fire at dusk, with camp chairs around the stone fire pit
The boma, where most evenings end
Twin room with a zebra-skin rug and an en-suite bathroom
A twin room
Boerewors, sosaties and chicken on a grid over the stone fire pit
Dinner on the braai
A stone chalet at dusk with a fire in the outdoor fireplace
A stone chalet at dusk
Two wooden chairs on the veranda at sunrise
The veranda at sunrise
Rooms
Twin rooms and stone chalets. [Guests at once] Q12
Meals
Home cooking by Carmen and Lizbeth, often with game from your hunt.
Evenings
A braai at the boma fire and the day's stories.
Looked after
A full lodge team, with laundry done daily.
“The camp is superb, the team all warm and engaging, and Lizbeth's food over the top in quality; that if I didn't even hunt the week would have been fabulous!”
Ed · May 2026

Recent hunts

From the field

Animals taken with Otto on the concession. Dates and hunters' names are added once confirmed, and only with the hunter's permission. Q27

Hunter stories

Written in the lodge guest book

Handwritten at the lodge, in the hunters' own words.

Ed's handwritten letter in the COBS guest book
“I have hunted big game for fifty plus years and this has been by far my best hunting experience.”
Ed[Home state] Q22 · seven species in five full days · May 2026
“We hunted the right way — four days of tracking and stalking through rough terrain until we had a good shot on the right animal.”
TomHis first Cape buffalo · May 2026
“Traveling from America, feeling safe and well cared for meant so much to us.”
Jeremy & AnnLinden, North Carolina · October 2026
“Otto you are one of a few PH's who truly understand the African bush, everything in it from the smallest birds to all the animals.”
AnthonyRaleigh, North Carolina · October 2026
A smiling guest standing waist-deep in the water beside an elephant
Elephant interaction with Kartula Adventures

For partners, family and friends

Travelling with someone who doesn't hunt?

Otto's wife, Carmen, runs Kartula Adventures from Steenbokpan. Non-hunting guests can join Kartula's day trips and wildlife experiences, and anyone in your party can add a safari or a few days away before or after the hunt. Q28

Day experiences

  • Elephant interaction Full day
  • Cultural and creative experiences Day trips
  • Private transfers and day tours On request

Before or after your hunt

  • Kruger Big 5 photo safari 3 days
  • Pilanesberg balloon safari 2 days
  • Cape Town ocean and adventure 3 days
  • Victoria Falls and Chobe 5 days
“Being a non-hunter I was wondering what the experience would be like. To say it was incredible would be an understatement.”
Dale · non-hunting guest at the COBS lodge, October 2026

Talk to Otto

Start planning your hunt

Tell Otto what you'd like to hunt, when you'd like to come and who's travelling with you. He replies personally. [Reply time] Q18

otto@cobsafrica.com · +27 84 508 1162 · Otto works on South African time, 6 to 7 hours ahead of US Eastern.

  1. Otto repliesPersonally, by email or WhatsApp.
  2. Talk it throughSpecies, dates and a quote.
  3. Pre-hunt questionnaireA short one, once you've spoken.
  4. DepositConfirms your dates. Q5
Meet Otto

A hunting legacy, passed down through generations

Otto guides every hunt himself. Carmen and the team look after you at the lodge.

Born and raised in Africa, Otto Bousema has hunting in his blood. He grew up in a family where the hunt was not merely a pastime, but a way of life, passed down through generations. For decades, he has walked the game trails, tracked Africa's most elusive species, and mastered the skills that only time, patience and a deep respect for the land can teach.

As a licensed Big Game Professional Hunter, Otto combines youthful strength with seasoned expertise. He knows the rhythms of the African wilderness: the early-morning calls of the francolin, the shifting winds before dusk, the subtle signs left in the dust. His knowledge of the bushveld is not from books, but from a lifetime of living it.

“For Otto and his family, hunting is not a sport. It is a heritage.”

Family and Christian values are at the core of his life. A devoted husband and father of two, Otto believes hunting is more than the pursuit of game. It is about tradition, heritage, conservation, and sharing the wild in a way that enriches both hunter and habitat. Guests do not arrive as clients; they leave as friends.

With Otto on your side, your hunt will be tailored entirely to you. He works with skilled local trackers whose knowledge of the bush is unmatched. Whether you seek Africa's great spiral-horned antelope or dangerous game, Otto will lead you with dedication, professionalism and a true hunter's spirit.

Est. 1992: the year Otto was born. The hunting came soon after.

Otto standing in tall dry grass in the bushveld, smiling and giving a thumbs up, with binoculars on his chest
Otto in the field
“Otto has completely blown me away with his ability to spot ALL kinds of African game, plan and execute a stalk, and put his hunter in position to make a good shot.”
Jeff · has hunted with Otto three times
The people around the fire

Otto, Carmen and the team

Nearly every guest letter thanks Otto and Carmen together.

Otto on a rock outcrop
Otto BousemaProfessional hunter and outfitter
Carmen, smiling, at the lodge
CarmenHost, cook and heart of the lodge. Kartula Adventures for non-hunters.
Robert kneeling on a red-sand track in the bush, with a large snake in the foreground
RobertTracker
“Carmen you have made me feel like family & I already miss your smile, bubbly nature & enthusiasm for life & people.”
Anthony · Raleigh, North Carolina
The letter as Otto wrote it
The Invitation

The call of the hunt…

Otto's letter to the American hunter. Open it to read every line up close.

Respond to the call
Read the letter as typed text

To the Distinguished Deer Hunter,

Have you ever felt the crisp morning air in the woods back home? Have you ever stood silently, heart pounding, watching the flicker of a white tail in the distance? Then you already know the call of the hunt. But here, in untamed Africa, that call becomes something far greater.

I invite you to step beyond the familiar and into a land where the sun rises over golden savannas, and where your skills as a hunter meet the challenge of Africa's most remarkable game.

Picture it — the steady rumble of the safari truck as dawn breaks, your rifle resting on your lap, the scent of wild marula on the breeze. Out here, every track tells a story, every moment is alive with possibility. Whether it's the sharp-eyed kudu, the elusive bushbuck, or the mighty buffalo, each hunt is a chapter in your own African legacy.

And when the day's pursuit is done, you'll return to the warmth of a crackling fire, hearty meals, and the easy laughter of fellow hunters. In the distance, you may hear the call of the jackal — a reminder that you are a guest in nature's oldest kingdom.

This is not just another hunt. This is your chance to write your name into the story of Africa. The plains are ready, the game is moving, and South Africa is calling your name.

Will you answer?

With steadfast regards,
Cornelis Otto Bousema

Hunts & Packages

Choose your hunt

Three packages on Otto's concession, or a hunt built around you. Every price includes your professional hunter, tracker and vehicle, the lodge, meals, laundry and transfers.

Not sure which hunt suits you? Tell Otto what you'd like to hunt and when, and he'll suggest the right package.

Compare the packages

Side by side

+ minimum hunting days. All prices in US dollars, per package. Q1 Q9

Every package includes

  • The listed trophy animals
  • A fully serviced hunting lodge
  • Professional hunter, vehicle and tracker
  • Meals and laundry
  • Transfers to and from OR Tambo Q11

Not included

  • Tipping (see the tipping guide)
  • Taxidermy
  • Flights Q6
  • Permits, trophy shipping and export Q6

Before you book

Observers
Daily rate Q2
Extra animals
Price list Q3
Extra days
Daily rate Q4
Deposit
Terms Q5
Request the full price list
No. 04

A hunt of your own

Our hunts can be built around your specific goals: the species you're after, your dates and your budget. Tell Otto what you have in mind and he'll plan the days around you.

The Hunting Concession

Nestled between the Matlabas and Limpopo rivers

Approximately 74,000 acres of Limpopo bushveld near Steenbokpan: your African wilderness. Q10

Step into a landscape that has changed little over centuries, where the bushveld stretches endlessly beneath the vast African sky. Here the land belongs to nature alone. You will track herds of kudu and eland, and watch buffalo roam with majestic calm, all under the guidance of experts who know every path, every spoor and every nuance of the bush.

This is not a park, nor a stage for commercial spectacle. It is your wilderness: private, intimate and alive with the rhythms of nature. Each safari is tailored to you.

Hunting here is both an adventure and a responsibility. You move with the land, honouring its inhabitants while supporting a tradition that has safeguarded Africa's wildlife for generations.

Size
74,000acres, approximately
Location
SteenbokpanLimpopo, South Africa
From OR Tambo
[drive time]Q11
Terrain
Bushveldrivers, pans and red sand
View over bushveld hills from a red rock outcrop
Looking out over the hills · [place]

On the concession

A river crossing at last light

Sand tracks, rivers and pans run through the bushveld, and the hunting vehicle takes you across all of them. Q32

Through the seasons

The land changes, and so does the hunt

Summer

Rain fills the pans and the bush turns green and thick.

Autumn

The bush thins and game becomes easier to spot.

Winter · prime season

Dry and cool. Limited water draws wildlife to the pans and rivers.

Spring

The first rains, new growth and the return of migratory birds.

Best months by species

SpeciesBest monthsField note
Cape buffaloJune – OctoberHerds gather at waterholes; dry sandy ground makes tracking easier.
KuduApril – OctoberThe rut runs mid-April to June.
NyalaApril – SeptemberThinning foliage improves visibility.
BushbuckJune – SeptemberRiverine thickets thin out.
ElandMay – SeptemberBulls move more in cool weather.
Blue & black wildebeestMarch – SeptemberBulls rut March to May.
ZebraApril – OctoberHerds stay near reliable water.
Red hartebeestMay – SeptemberMost active in the dry, cool months.
WaterbuckMay – SeptemberFound near the rivers.
GemsbokYear-round, best May – AugustNot tied to daily waterhole visits.
ImpalaApril – JulyRams are vocal and distracted in the April–May rut.
WarthogJune – SeptemberThe current website gives two different answers. Q7

From the seasonal guide on the current website. Q7

A kudu bull with cows and a young warthog in dusty golden light
Conservation & Stewardship

A cornerstone of conservation

Every hunt contributes to protecting wildlife and sustaining habitat. The meat from your hunt nourishes local families, and your presence supports the livelihoods of the people you'll meet: the trackers, the lodge staff, the cook and the skinners.

Conservation & Stewardship

In the footsteps of the great hunters

A tradition of conservation, more than a century old.

Provisional page. It goes ahead only with verified details of COBS's own conservation work and permission for any historical photographs. Otherwise it becomes a section of The Concession. Q20 Q21

The story of hunting in Africa stretches back more than a century. In 1909, Theodore Roosevelt embarked on his celebrated safari, later recounted in African Game Trails. It was not merely a hunt, but a meticulous exploration of Africa's wildlife and wilderness, inspiring generations to come.

When you hunt with us, you are not entering a commercialised experience. You are partaking in a living tradition, one that honours the old ways while embracing a profound responsibility. In modern Africa, the professional outfitter is at the very heart of conservation. Each ethical hunt helps keep wilderness safe from poaching and encroachment.

A single safari sustains many livelihoods: trackers, skinners, guides, camp staff, drivers and cooks. The meat from your hunt nourishes families who depend on it.

[What COBS does specifically, for example anti-poaching, meat distribution, local employment and local sourcing, in Otto and Carmen's words.]

Historical photograph of early African hunters, only with permission to publish
“We deeply appreciate and admire how you give back to your local community and make it a point to locally source items.”
Jeremy & Ann · Linden, North Carolina
The Lodge

At night, we braai

Your base in the heart of the concession: fully staffed, comfortable and personal.

The Hunter's Lodge is fully staffed and designed for comfort and convenience in the bush. Private cooks prepare each meal, including the game you have taken, from kudu to zebra, so you can savour the fruits of your hunt.

Meals are shared with Otto and his family, creating a truly personal and authentic bush experience. After a day tracking across the bushveld, relax around the campfire, sharing stories and the quiet magic of the African night.

“The camp is superb, the team all warm and engaging, and Lizbeth's food over the top in quality; that if I didn't even hunt the week would have been fabulous!”
Ed · May 2026

Camp Marula

Step inside Camp Marula

Take a closer look at the accommodation and facilities at Camp Marula.

Designed for families and groups travelling together: thatched rooms with a kitchenette, twin beds and an en-suite bathroom.

Best for
Families and groups
Sleeps
[number] Q31

Rooms

Guests at once
[number] Q12
Rooms
En-suite Q12
Wi-Fi and power
[confirm] Q12
Laundry
Daily, included

The table

Home cooking by Carmen and Lizbeth, game from your own hunt, and the braai at the boma most nights.

“Lodge staff were beyond friendly, exceptional hospitality and Carmen's dishes — pure delight!”
Jeremy & Ann · Linden, North Carolina

For non-hunters

Partners, sons and friends are welcome. Carmen's Kartula Adventures arranges game drives, day trips and cultural experiences while the hunters are out. Q2

“It was an amazing experience for a non-hunter! The food and accommodations were first class.”
A non-hunting guest · October 2026 Q22
Plan Your Trip

From your front door to the first track

Flights, rifles, what to pack, tipping and trophies: the practical side, written down plainly.

01 · Getting here

Travelling from the US

Fly into OR Tambo International, Johannesburg. You're met at the airport and driven to the lodge. Q11

Wilderness Mafia, our US travel agent, helps with flights and the documents you'll need: wildernessmafiaadventures@gmail.com · +1 252-421-6770 Q16

02 · Documents

What you'll need

  • Passport valid six months beyond your stay
  • Flight itinerary
  • Firearm permits, if bringing your own rifle
  • Travel and medical evacuation insurance
  • Credit card and some US dollars
03 · Timing

When to come

The dry winter, May to September, is prime hunting season. See best months by species.

Otto works on South African time, 6 to 7 hours ahead of US Eastern.

Otto on choosing a calibre · 1 min 14 s · example video
04 · Rifles and ammunition

Bring your own, or rent one here

Rifle rental is available. Q15 If you bring your own:

  • Rifle, with a soft case for the vehicle
  • Hard, lockable, airline-approved case
  • 40 to 60 rounds, packed to airline rules
  • Cleaning kit, and a good scope (spare batteries if illuminated)
  • A temporary import permit (Wilderness Mafia can help)

05 · Hunter's checklist

  • Binoculars, 8x or 10x
  • Rangefinder (optional)
  • Ammunition pouch and daypack
  • Knife or multi-tool
  • Headlamp and spare batteries
  • Shooting sticks

06 · Tipping guide

Per dayStandardExceptional
Professional hunter$100$150+
Tracker$30$50+
House staff, shared$20$30+

Guidelines only, in US dollars.

07 · Trophies

Field preparation by the skinners, then dipping, packing, taxidermy and shipping home.

[Who handles shipping and export, typical timelines and costs] Q6

Questions

What American hunters ask first

Can a non-hunter come along?
Yes. Partners, sons and friends are welcome, and three of our guest letters were written by non-hunters. [Observer rate] Q2
Is it safe?
You're met at the airport and looked after from arrival to departure. “Safety was a clear priority from the start,” wrote Jeremy & Ann.
How do I pay?
[Deposit to confirm the dates, balance before arrival: to confirm] Q5
Can I hunt birds too?
Afternoon wing shooting can be added. Q8
Hunter stories

From the guest book

Written by hand at the lodge, in the guests' own words.

Plan Your Hunt

Respond to the call

Two minutes, no commitment. Otto will reply personally to talk through species, dates and the right package. Q18

The detailed pre-hunt questionnaire comes later, once you've spoken.
For Otto & Carmen

Questions before we build

Answer as many as you can. Short answers are fine, in English or Afrikaans. Your answers are kept on this device as you type. When you're done, press Copy all answers and paste them into WhatsApp to Perry.

Each tag like Q5 on the site links to its question here.

0 of 0 answered

Meet Otto

Otto's invitation

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Otto's letter, 'The call of the Hunt', addressed to the distinguished deer hunter and signed Cornelis Otto Bousema, on the COBS letterhead

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