Welcome to this forum. You have come to the right place for information. There are other people on this forum who have had basenjis for years and years. They are a wonderful resource.
We were up in the mountains a couple of weeks ago and did a little hiking with the dogs. We spotted deer and wild turkey. Had the dogs not been on leashes, we'd still up there looking for them. IMHO the biggest cause of them taking off is their strong prey instinct and not so much boredom. I just can't imagine having either of our dogs trotting by us on a trail without a leash. And I would never open a door without having both of them grasped firmly by their collars. When Cory looks out the window and spots a squirrel, I think she'd open the door herself if she could find a way to sprout opposable thumbs!
Pat