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Meet your Professional Hunter – Brendan Moorcroft, Founder of Garland Safaris
A Lifetime in the Bush and by the Sea
Garland Hunting Safaris is proudly founded and owned by Brendan Moorcroft, a seasoned Professional Hunter whose roots run deep in South Africa’s hunting tradition.
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Brendan grew up on Klipkraal, a historic family farm atop Penhoek Pass in the Stormberg — one of the coldest regions in South Africa. His family settled there in 1870, introducing Hereford cattle into the country.
He began hunting at just six years old alongside his father, taking his first springbuck as a child.
With over 15 years of experience as a PH, a Dangerous Game License, and a career that includes 83 Cape Buffalo hunted and PH roles on four lion hunts,
Brendan’s expertise spans both plains and dangerous game.
Over the years, he has hunted with all the leading outfitters in the Eastern Cape.
Brendan quickly earned a reputation as one of the top professional hunters in the Eastern Cape, becoming highly sought after by outfitters and clients alike.
His calm attitude under pressure, deep understanding of animal behavior, and ability to read terrain and wind patterns made him stand out in the field.
Repeat clients consistently asked for Brendan by name, and many refused to book a hunt unless he was available to guide them.
His reputation wasn’t created through marketing — it was built in the bush, on merit, through years of consistent results and exceptional client experiences.
List of Outfitters Brendan has hunted with
- Mwanghaza Safaris
- Wild Horizon
- Grand Safaris
- Rance Safaris
- Avula Safaris
- Stormberg Langeni Safaris
- Iron Gate Safaris
- Glen Melville Safaris
- Hot Fire Safaris
After decades of guiding, Brendan realized his dream of opening his own outfitting company — Garland Hunting Safaris — at the end of 2023, offering hunters from around the world a genuine, ethical, and deeply personal African hunting experience.
Plains & Dangerous Game Hunting
Garland offers both plains-game and dangerous-game hunts, conducted with professionalism, ethical principles, and respect for the environment.
Each safari is tailored to your goals and conducted in true fair-chase conditions — ensuring a thrilling yet responsible experience.
Brendan has access to the full suite of plains game species across the Eastern Cape, thanks to his long-standing relationships with surrounding landowners, conservancies, and game reserves.
This ensures that clients can pursue a wide variety of high-quality animals—from common plains species to premium trophy opportunities—across diverse and well-managed hunting terrains.
The Kubusi Valley is widely recognized for producing some of the finest Eastern Cape kudu.
Its mix of deep valleys, thick browse-rich vegetation, and secluded terrain allows kudu bulls to grow old, strong, and exceptionally well-developed.
The region’s unique combination of genetics and abundant natural forage consistently results in top-quality kudu, making the Kubusi Valley one of the most sought-after areas for hunters in pursuit of a truly impressive Eastern Cape bull.
Brendans Hunting Concescions
Kubusi Valley — Mixed Thicket, Mistbelt & Grassland Mosaics
The Kubusi Valley sits in a transitional zone of the Eastern Cape where mist-belt patches, indigenous forest remnants, thicket and open grassland or savanna-type clearings often intermingle. This diversity of habitat types creates a mosaic that supports a wide range of plains-game and woodland species.
Dense bush and thicket provide cover for shy, alert antelope and smaller game — ideal for stalk-style hunting. Open ridges and grassy patches offer vantage points for glassing and spotting animals at a distance, giving skilled hunters an advantage.
For hunters experienced in reading terrain, wind, and animal behavior, Kubusi Valley offers fair-chase hunting: tracking through cover, close stalks, and rewarding experiences when land and skill meet.
In short — Kubusi’s strength lies in habitat variety + natural cover + game diversity, making it a versatile ground for plains-game hunts, and a great fit whether you want a classic stalk or walk-and-stalk experience.
Great Fish River / Thicket Valleys — Subtropical Thicket, Riverine & Woodland Biomes
The Great Fish River valley and associated thicket/riverine zones are part of a dense thicket (subtropical-woodland) biome, known regionally as the Albany thickets.
This habitat — with dense thorny bush, thick undergrowth, riverine corridors, and mixed woodland — supports species that thrive in cover: antelope like kudu, eland, bushbuck; and game that use thicket and forest edges.
Water sources (rivers, gullies, seasonal streams) in this valley provide reliable hydration and attract game — especially during drier seasons. The Great Fish River carved deep gorges and rugged terrain that offer both challenge and opportunity to hunters who know how to approach carefully.
This area is ideal for thicket-game hunts, especially for hunters who appreciate the challenge of thick cover, stealth, and patience. For mixed safaris, the mix of riverine, woodland, and open patches offers a rich variety of species and habitats.
Stormberg Mountains (High-Altitude Country) — Montane Grassland, Highlands & Cold Mountains
The Stormberg range is a high-altitude region forming part of the Karoo System’s northern uplands in the Eastern Cape. Its geology is sandstone and weathered formations typical of the Karoo’s Stormberg Series.
This mountain country features montane grasslands, open high-veld ridges, and cool climate conditions — quite different from coastal thickets or lowland bush. Winters can be cold (sometimes snow), summers dry or semi-arid, with sparse vegetation adapted to these conditions.
Fauna here tends toward mountain antelope and high-veld species, adapted to open slopes, steep terrain, and more extreme weather. The open country also lends itself to long-range spotting, challenging stalks, and classic high-veld hunting conditions — an appealing option for those who enjoy the rigor and solitude of upland hunts.
This montane zone supports 20+ species of plains game, several game birds, and the most stable populations of species like Vaal Rhebok in Africa.
For hunters comfortable with high altitude, variable weather, and open country tactics, Stormberg offers a pure, straightforward, and rugged high-veld hunting experience.
Glen Melville / Mixed Eastern Cape Country — Transitional Bush, Farmland Edge & Hunting Fate
While “Glen Melville” as a name may refer to mixed farmland or small-scale private hunting land in the Eastern Cape, such areas often sit at the transition between natural bushveld/thicket, mixed farmland, and remnant indigenous vegetation — offering a blend of habitat types.
This dynamic allows for flexibility: portions of the land may have open fields or cleared areas (suitable for certain plains game), while patches of thicket, bush or ridge-line offer cover and concealment for wary species. For a skilled hunter, this blend can be advantageous — especially when using knowledge of animal behavior, wind, and cover.
Mixed areas like these may also offer easier access and infrastructure (lodges, roads, fences)—useful for clients, logistics, or combined use (hunting + lodging + safari lifestyle).
These “edge-zone” areas are often underrated but provide versatility — good for mixed hunts, clients seeking comfort, and species diversity.
Summary: Why These Areas Complement Each Other
- Habitat Diversity — From montane grasslands (Stormberg) to dense thicket (Fish River), to mixed bush/grass mosaics (Kubusi), to transition-zone farmland/bush (Glen Melville), you cover nearly all major Eastern Cape landscapes. This diversity means clients can choose very different hunting experiences with Brendan.
- Species Variety — Different ecosystems support different species: high-veld antelope and long-range game; woodland and thicket game; mixed plains game; and adaptable farmland species.
- Hunt Style Variety — We offer walk-and-stalk hunts in bush, long-range open-veld hunts in high altitude country, thicket-cover hunts, and “comfortable safari-style” hunts on transition lands.
- Flexibility & Appeal — Combination of wild, remote hunts with more accessible, comfortable hunts makes our outfit versatile. Great for repeat clients, mixed-group bookings (hunters + non-hunters), and broad appeal.
South African Taxidermy Services — In Partnership with Timoland Taxidermy
At Garland Hunting Safaris, we understand that your trophies represent far more than a successful hunt — they are a personal story and a lifelong memory of your African experience. To ensure your trophies are preserved with the highest level of craftsmanship, Brendon partners exclusively with Timoland Taxidermy (TT), one of South Africa’s most respected and trusted taxidermy studios.
Founded by Tim Olwage and based in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, Timoland Taxidermy is renowned for its realistic, lifelike mounts and offers services including plains game, dangerous game, shoulder mounts, full-body mounts, pedestal mounts, and custom habitat displays. With more than two decades of experience, their team delivers exceptional artistry, professionalism, transparent pricing, and reliable communication.
Whether you need a shoulder mount, full-body mount, European skull mount, or a custom-designed display, our exclusive partnership with Timoland Taxidermy guarantees that your African trophies are handled with care, precision, and artistic detail.
From the moment your hunt is complete, Brendan ensures that your trophies are expertly field-prepared and safely delivered to Timoland Taxidermy. Their team handles everything — from tanning to mounting to final crating — ensuring your trophies reach your home in perfect condition.
Trophy Preparation & Export
We offer two convenient export options to suit your needs:
Dip & Ship —
Your raw, fully prepared trophies are expertly cleaned, treated, and shipped to your chosen taxidermist in your home country for mounting.
Mount & Ship —
Your trophies are professionally mounted in South Africa by Timoland Taxidermy and then crated and shipped directly to your home, ready for display.
Both options are handled with care to ensure your trophies are transported safely and in compliance with all international regulations.
Prices for Taxidermy
