Africa advice

[fishing4sanity]

After several years of thinking about going to Africa I decided it was time to just go. My brother and I are going to South Africa next March. We're looking for plains game animals, I'm very interested in kudu, gemsbok, impala, wildebeest, etc. I've heard that African plains game animals are very tough animals to bring down, I'm planning on using my 300RUM and probably a 200gr Nosler Partition. I'm just looking for advice and tips from guys that have been there on all aspects of the trip. I know asking about bullet choice is the old Chevy vs Ford vs Dodge debate, but I'm interested in your opinions. Also, things like using a service to facilitate getting guns into and out of the country. When to start getting any needed shots? What did you use for mosquitoes, ThermaCELL, sprays, etc.? How much do you tip the PH, trackers and others? Would you have taxidermy done there or back here? Obstacles on getting animals back home from Africa? Any & all advice or tips on what you wish you would have done differently will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Randy

 

[dwm4375]

I've been to South Africa 3 times.

1) .300 RUM is great for all of those animals. I've actually killed each of those animals with a .270 with 130gr soft point, but for my kudu and gemsbok I would have preferred my .300. If you're recoil sensitive, maybe your brother could take a .270 and you two could trade rifles to match the game and spare yourself some recoil.

2) I was in the Eastern Cape in March - it was hot, highs in the 80's most days, a couple 90's. That province didn't have any shots or malaria medications required. I didn't have any mosquito problems, but did get a few tick bites that required antibiotics once I got back.

3) I tipped my PH with a new-in-box Zeiss scope, plus I added a waterbuck. His package price covers his costs and minimum profit. Paying for extra animals adds to his profit. I tipped the trackers about $150 for an 8 day hunt.

4) I did my taxidermy there each time with Karoo Taxidermy, and had good results. My PH is very particular about ensuring the trackers did a good job skinning, and he checked the salt pile daily. I did my importation through Flora and Fauna, everything went smooth.

5) On trip 1 my Dad and I got our rifles through customs ourselves. It was close though - long line, only one clerk, almost missed our connection to Port Elizabeth. On trip 2 I used an expediter to get our guns through customs, can't recall the name. $100 to basically skirt all the lines - not necessary but convenient.

6) Tips - Take a digital camera and take 100 pictures every day. Be satisfied with mature animals - don't expect SCI Gold for every animal. You might think the small animals are silly (duiker, steenbuck, etc.) but they're great trophies and fun to hunt, so don't just trade them away.

 

[dwm4375]

Also, most African antelope have different body structures than North American game. There shoulder bones, heart, and lungs sit farther forward in the chest than you'd think. Get the Perfect Shot book (Kevin Robertson) and look through it. You don't aim behind the front leg, it's more in line with the front leg.

 

[Bambistew]

I've been twice. Booked everything myself both times, made all arrangements to an from including getting animals back, and imported them myself from the second trip. If you live close to a port its a piece of cake... sort of.

The second trip I think it took about 2 hours to get through customs with the rifles. For $100 or what ever it costs, spend the money to have the arrangements made beforehand. Saving 2 hours would have been worth it to me... then again the first time it was 10 minutes.

Out of the 15 or so animals I've seen shot over there none really seemed any tougher than anything I've hunted in NA. I hunted with a 375 and a 280. Mostly used the 280. Shooting Accubonds and Partitions. Shoot for shoulders, the lungs are further forward, similar to moose.

My second trip I focused on quality animals instead of representatives... Hunt what makes you happy, and don't shoot something that you'll regret later. Same as any hunt. Making countless stalks to determine the animal wasn't big enough was really fun. I was within bow range numerous times on big eland bulls, but they weren't what I wanted. Lucked into some good animals both trips. Be open to other animals as DWM stated.

Didn't have a clue about eland for the first trip... they were all I though about for the leading up to the second. I spent almost 6 days hunting only eland and loved every second of it. Passed on many nice bulls looking for the one I wanted...

I didn't do much taxi work the second trip, just euro and tanned skins. Way cheap to do there, basically the same price as dip and pack, and shipping was only $400.

Not really any bugs other than a few mozies each time I went. Treat your cloths with permethrine for ticks before you go. I didn't have any tick problems though.

No shots required in RSA that I'm aware of. Other than standard immunizations you probably already have. Might get up to date on your Tetanus.

Go for longer than you think you can stay! Take at least a few extra days to tour one of the parks. I thoroughly enjoyed a side trip to Krueger park and then to Durban for golfing on world class links. We hopped the boarder to Nim, Zim, Bots, Mozambique and Swaziland throughout the trips. Toured a Croc farm, and hung out with neighbors. It was nice to not be 100% focused on hunting.

Hunt birds if you can. There are tons of grouse, dove and guinea. Another highlight was hunting predators at night!

I'll go back one day when I can't chase animals in AK anymore. Amazing place and one you can't get out of your system once its in.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Thanks guys for the info. Another guy I talked to recommended the same "Perfect Shot" book. Also, I'm certainly no fan of waiting in lines, so I'm going to look into the gun expediters more. From what I understand March isn't the best time to go, but to make our schedules work and due to some other issues, it looks like March maybe the only chance. I hope to make it to some of the parks as well and do some shooting with the camera. I'm open to any and all advice and thanks again.

 

[jeffpg]

Your choice of caliber may be about as close to perfect for plains game as you can get... providing that you can shoot it well of course.

I used a 30.06 with 180 grain Norma Oryx factory ammo on my first trip as shown here with no issues:

http://www.africahunting.com/botswana-hunting-reports/8837-kanana-safaris-adventure-2012-a.html

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

RSA is just like hunting at home but with over 40 animals to chose from----While I have had polio, small pox, typhoid, Hep A and Yellow Fever, no shots or malaria preventative necessary in RSA .Nambia is pretty much same unless you go way north.
Advice is be patient but I would never tell an outfitter/PH that I just wanted "representative"---that may well be what you get! Tell him you want SCI min and will settle for nothing less or he may save larger animals for next hunter! Doesn't matter if you don't know what SCI min measures are----he does! But if you see one you wish to take, shoot it regardless of that!
BS to dude who said African animals don't die hard----he must not have hunted them enuff yet! While I have had them drop in their tracks and never know what hit them from an Ele to a Blue Wildebeeste, I have had them run over a mile with NO heart left. Also made a couple of bad shots but that is another story....never paid a trophy fee on but one lost and that was for a friggin duiker (red).....
Your weapon of choice shud work well on RSA PG! Just practice on shooting sticks----they may be required in lots of situations. Bullet choice is fine but not what I use. I have actually kilt more African animals with a 7mmMag than any other firearm......
I used to clear my own firearms when I arrive but no longer----use a Service! If forced to spend night in Jo'burg, I have found Gracy Travel full service excellent...they even have Medivac insurance available which I have never bought for PG in RSA
BTW, I don't wish to sound like a SA but I have hunted Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe (3 times), Zambia (2) and RSA 5 times......never thought I was gonna do the first until an opportunity offered its self when I was 58 years old----nothing like it!!!
Oh yeah, taxidermy-----much cheaper there but if you go with non-Euro mounts, you loose around 60% of your savings to shipping costs. I use Coppersmiths Atlanta to clear mine and handle any hassle....never had a problem even when importing CITES animals.
Oh yeah two, TIPS-----you need to tip camp staff (cooks, lawn boy, laundry, etc)----your PH shud advise you on this as it varies wildly from ridiculous in TAN to sublime in RSA. Trackers and skinners shud be tipped separately and again your PH shud advise......as for PH, your discretion shud be employed....number of days, good or bad advice, fun to hunt with, would share a future camp fire, etc.....I have tipped from twice the daily rate to less than daily rate....somewhere in $500 range seems to make all happy in RSA.....

 

[havgunwilltravel]

I got tick fever on one trip, that wasn't fun. Check yourself of an evening regularly.
Research the animals that you are hunting or likely to encounter that you can hunt, so you know the difference between males and females and what a mature animal looks like horn or tusk wise. You might have a PH next to you but often in herd situations you sometimes make decisions independently or loose an opportunity at the animal and knowing the difference between a younger male and a mature animal might get you another animal in the salt.
I care little for tape measures and scores and every area has variances in what a mature animal might typical grow out in horn length, so don't get hung up on your mate shooting a high 50's in kudu on the limpopo if you are going down the cape region hunting kudu where they are quite different in size. Just hope to shoot mature animals the are considered good representatives for that area for that species and if you have a good ph he will know what you are after.
I have shot a lot of the small antelopes, they can often provide excellent hunting, and even more so then some of the larger more common specie, don't discount the little guys.
I have had taxidermy work done over there, and would never do it again, i am only interested in euro mounts now anyways, but too many fingers in the pie when you get taxidermy work done and it can get very expensive before you see your animals after your safari.
There are some wonderful parks and game reservers, i have visited quite a few and enjoyed my time in them.
Be very careful when not in the care of your PH, from airports, to getting money out of the bank to walking streets, a lot of bad stuff does happen over there, try to blend in a bit and don't wear flashy, new clothing with watches and jewelry hanging off you. You PH should keep everything under control though.
The animals do have a will to live, they are pretty highly strung, however no different to any other animals elsewhere, they don't live with bullets in lungs or heart and just be aware of where these organs sit and you will be fine. Most antelope are thin skinned with a strong skeletal frame, so keep that in mind.

Hope you have a great trip, enjoy all there is to offer, not just the dead animals you harvest, tell your PH you want to walk and hike into places most clients don't go, help out with field care of any animals taken, don't just sit back and wait for the trackers and skinners to do all the work, if you show a willingness to learn and participate they will often appreciate it and work harder for you at their end.

Its been a while since i had african sand under my boots, but i've made plans to fix that in a few months time.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

Good points, HGWT !
If you are in a large RSA city before or after hunt, just treat it like you would Atlanta, Chicago, LA, etc after dark! Or certain neighborhoods in daylight!
And friendly banter and helping out pays great dividends!
The "Tiny Ones" are great fun to hunt and can also be very hard when that is what you are specifically hunting. On first Safari or two, I would suggest taking them as target of opportunity not spending days pursuing one. Then you can discover whether or not they would be fun to you.
Oh yeah, I would never take an animal from a herd unless absolutely positive you and PH are on same page! Better to pass than both be disappointed and perhaps not trusting each other. Never forget, several species have both male and female with horns and that only an inch or so may make a difference in a trophy or just one of the guys!

 

[TLC]

 

[TLC]

TiT will have to tell you what is what. thought I had a pic of his lion. guess not since I can't find one.

 

[TLC]

 

[huntfishcamp]

Very nice pics! Bucket list for sure, not liking where that muzzle is pointed

 

[fishing4sanity]

Bambi and TLC thanks for sharing those photos, by the time 8 more months role by I'm going to go crazy with anticipation.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

huntfishcamp, yeah that muzzle point is bad photo----sorry....but it was an empty .416 as all three rounds had been expended to put him down and dead!
Hey, Todd, thanks for posting pics to prove I have really been there and not a spammer!
It is a Sharps Grysbok----or maybe a Unicorn! Sumbeech would have been high in SCI if he had two horns but I don't do record book.....just compare! All pics except Cape Buff, show one shot kills.....only one of my four Buff dropped in his tracks.....and then I put another in to make sure!
Believe it or not, I am grinning so big because I like hunting Tiny Ones so much, that the Grysbok was second on my list after Croc, before Hippo, Chobe Bushbuck and Buffalo....tuff to hunt little buggers....even tho my good friend, PH Peter Chipman knew it was second, we ended up killing everything else first on this Zambia hunt.....and got chased by Ele's more than once.....fun hunt! Peter is great guy to hunt with if you are considering Zambia......you can book with him by contacting [email protected]

 

[JGRaider]

We just got back from SA this past May. All of our plains game, including zebra, oryx, wildebeest, kudu, etc were killed stone cold dead with a 180gr partition from a 30-06. None ran more than 30 yards when hit 1/3 up on shoulder. It was my first time, and I'll be back. Nothing like it I've ever seen, and I've been chasing game in the US for over 40 years. I will do Namibia next.

 

[Marshian]

My three brothers and I went last August and got kudu, gemsbuck, wildebeest, warthog, and ostrich all with our 270s. I'd save myself the money and book everything myself getting there. The plane tickets and paperwork were quite straightforward. I did use coppersmith to help get the stuff back and had it taxidermist in the US as I was nervous about what I'd do if the mounts done in Africa turned out bad. I stayed in Joburg a few days and overall felt safe although I'm sure there were slums I'd beware of. We took the trains to Pretoria to experience some nightlife after out hunting. There were really no bugs that bothered us and we were near Kimberley. Overall it was a blast and I stressed about the trip much more than I should have ahead of time.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

And I would venture a bet that last two posters did their great hunts for less than a guided AK moose hunt would have cost......not to mention only 50% or less success on Trophy Moose.....
GO!!! And as always, I recommend use a Booking Agent for at least your first hunt and mine of choice is my buddy [email protected]

 

[Bambistew]

And I would venture a bet that last two posters did their great hunts for less than a guided AK moose hunt would have cost......not to mention only 50% or less success on Trophy Moose.....

How may hunts have to you done in Alaska?

Africa and AK are completely different types of experiences neither of which I would want to put a price on.

 

[Redwood]

My buddy just spent 2 wks somewhere in zim. He and his son both used 300 wins with handloads. One of the biggest things he commented on was how nice it was to have the ph or rep meet them at customs to help navigate paperwork and "cultural" issues getting there gear through. He said some other guys trying to do it on their own were clearly having issues