Note: Actual opening/closing dates change by province and are published each year. Use this to pick target months, then verify your province’s notice.
| Month | Likely open / at their best | Planner notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Geese (some provinces), pigeons & doves; shelduck in certain districts | Warm-season mornings; pass-shoot geese to fields and focus evening flyways for doves. |
| Feb | Geese continue; pre-harvest pigeon & dove flights begin | Scout crop lines and water; great warm-up month for high-volume shoots. |
| Mar | Prime pigeons & doves (sunflower/maize harvest) | Fast, challenging shooting over crop edges and flightlines; bring ample cartridges. |
| Apr | Pigeons/doves strong; sandgrouse windows start in some arid regions; early upland in select areas | Good transition month—mix crop shoots with limited arid-country options. |
| May | Mixed-bag opens widely: ducks, geese, guineafowl & francolin (province-dependent) | Begin waterfowl over pans/dams; classic walk-up upland starts. |
| Jun | Peak mixed-bag; Grey-wing/Red-wing in highlands | Cold fronts improve duck/goose movement; best all-round month in many areas. |
| Jul | Prime waterfowl; upland consistent; some sandgrouse still on water runs | Strong dawn flights and mid-winter decoying; great for combo days. |
| Aug | Late-winter waterfowl at their best; upland remains open in many provinces | Excellent final push before staggered provincial closures. |
| Sep | Shoulder month—some provinces still open, others closing | Northern/highland options may continue early month; confirm closing dates. |
| Oct | Limited generally; quail opens in parts of the Eastern Cape | Target quail in suitable grass cover; most other seasons closed. |
| Nov | Quail continues where applicable; otherwise quiet | Good month for off-season scouting and dog work (where legal). |
| Dec | Geese & pigeons/doves in year-round provinces; summer scouting | Focus dawn field flights and evening water; plan gear for 2027. |
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