Great News, Yippy yeah hoo!!!

[Terry aka Coydog]

Africa is going to be a reality for me. My wife says I can go if she can go on the hunt too. We are going to start planning it now. Probably for year after next cause schedule pretty full. Any advice or help anyone could offer on planning a plains game hunt would be much appreciated. I cant wait!!!

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[Moosie]

Terry Year after next would be...2002 or 2003 ?!!?!?!

I' am planning to go Next year, 2002 w/ DKO. Would be honored if thats the year you were planning. His wife wants to go And I will probably drag mine along...Kicking and screeming..

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<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> AKA Moose Hunter
<LI> www.huntandlodge.com

[/list]

 

[1_pointer]

Good Luck on your hunts and planning. I have gotten the future wife to agree to an excursion to Africa as a 10 year wedding anniversary gift. Looks like I have plenty of time to plan!!!

 

[DKO]

Terry YEA HA!!!!, i know how ya feel man when my wife expressed an interest in going, i about freaked and have been trying to make this thing a reality ever since.Oscar and i are currently planning for the summer of 2002 and it would be great to have you and your wife come along, the more we have the better and cheaper it will become! so start the planning process now! i will e-mail you a first timers guide

Hey, 1 pointer cant ya convince her it would be great to go "BACK" to africa for the tenth anniversary heheheh good luck!


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"in the Spring we Strut and in the Fall we Rut"

[This message has been edited by DKO (edited 01-02-2001).]

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

Hey guys, 2002 was what I meant I guess. I was about floored when my wife said lets go. I'll tell her when she comes home tonight that you guys are going and taking your wives. Lets get the planning going. That would be a blast and the women may not feel out of place with other females along.

DKO, got your email on planning trip. Thanks much. Lots of good info there.

Oscar, I would be honored to make this trip with you and DKO. It has been a dream since I was a boy to see Africa and wife gets real excited when I read African bedtime stories.

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

Oscar or DKO, any idea what month of 2002?
Also, any good leads on who to book with?
I have just started researching. Never dreamed wife would OK it. She said I should have brought up sooner cause she has alaways wanted to go there, just never mentioned it seriously.

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[Sheister]

Well guys, I know you will have a great time in Africa- especially with your wives if you have the right outfitter.
I went in April last year and thought it was great, but I have heard from different people that May through August are the best times to go. The leaves are pretty much off the trees by then and visibility is very good. I guess the only advantage to hunting in the earlier months (April-May) is the game hasn't been hunted as hard for a few months so they aren't quite as wary. Or so I'm told- I thought the game was plenty wary- can't imagine them being MORE wary.
I booked with JJHack and had a great time. The Safari outfit he works with is set up for just about any type of hunt you want to book, but their combination hunts are probably the best deal. The accomodations are terrific too- a real boon if taking your wives along. No tent camps- all either thatched roof huts or houses with private showers, bathrooms, filtered water, good food and very comfortable beds. All the accomodations we had were terrific!
Going as a group is a great idea. Sharing stories around the campfire at night over a Kastle and Woers is a great treat, and the sounds of game and birds is a kick in the pants. We even had the opportunity to do a little night hunting to rid a few farms of some of their "varmints". African Porcupines, jackal, warthogs, and others are a kick by spotlight- which is perfectly legal in South Africa on Private ranches.
If you are interested, his e-mail is
[email protected]. Tell him I sent you- he'll only charge you twice as much. LOL- Also,check out his website-(customosteo.com) he has pictures of some of the accomodations and the game we shot last April in his hunting section. I'm the good looking one (Bob) with the goofy looking hat.
Have a great time and ask lots of questions before you go- JJ is great about answering all of your questions and he has the experience to help you have a great hunt.
Wish I was going with you- Sheister

 

[Sheister]

A couple of things I didn't notice in your first post that I should have addressed. I am no expert but I can help out a little.
First, get your passport application in as soon as possible, in case something comes up and you have to reapply or take care of some glitch in paperwork.
Second, before you go take everything that has a serial number- guns, video cameras, other things of value and go to the Customs office near you and get the proper form filled out and stamped to bring these things BACK into the country without having to pay an import tax or get it confiscated. You have to take the ACTUAL items to the Customs office, not just the serial numbers, and they have to check each one of them out in person. It will be well worth the time once you have that little form in hand when you go through customs, trust me. I just flew through customs in Africa and on the way back and the guys who didn't have it might still be dealing with them for all I know. I know they weren't happy campers!
Don't overpack for clothing. Every safari outfit I have heard of has laundry service available every day, so you won't have to have 10 of everything. A couple good shirts and pants of the right type and 2 pairs of boots are sufficient, plus good socks and a good hat to keep the sun off your face and neck.
Take good bug repellent with plenty of deet in it (at least 33%). I took Cutters' last year and sprayed every morning before getting dressed and didn't have a single problem. (I still get razzed about the bug repellant baths I "shared" with my roommates)Ticks are the biggest problem and you want to keep them from crawling all over you and infecting you with "tick disease" if possible. Nobody in our group had any real problem, mostly because JJ had prewarned all of us and we came prepared. Some of the PH's had a problem, but then those crazy guys run around in sandals and shorts all the time.
When making flight arrangements, try to fly Delta through Atlanta, they have a connection with South African Airways and make this flight regularly. They also cater to hunters regularly on this run, so they are great about taking care of your guns and equipment. This will help you avoid the areas where anti-gun and anti-hunting is rampant- Heathrow airport in England and any of the New York airports. I have heard stories about problems with luggage, rifle cases, and other hunting supplies damaged or missing when going through these airports.
Also, get a good locking guncase. Not the kind with the cheesy little keylocks, but the type with the rod that goes through the latches and locks on both ends. This will cost a bit, probably in the $150-200 range, but is well worth it. You don't want to have to worry about damage or theft of your rifles or scopes during the trip.
Also, get yourself a set of QR bases and rings for your rifle/scope and set up 2 scopes for each rifle you bring. Last year, while bouncing around in the back of the bakkie, I damaged one of my scopes. I shot 2 animals too far back (gutshot) before I realized what had happened. Made for a couple of interesting tracking jobs on a blesbok and wildebeest, but we finally got both animals. Went back to camp, changed scopes, and I was back in business. Don't know what I would have done if I didn't have another scope along, sighted in and ready to go. Along these lines, a couple of guys brought 2 rifles along, but I found that it was unnecessary. If you have one reliable rifle appropriate for the game you are hunting, you will be fine. Keeping track of 2 rifles the whole time you are there can be a pain. I used my .338 WM for everything from tiny Steenbok to Kudu and Wildebeest and it worked fine- though I wondered there a couple of times if it was enough gun for those darned African Porcupines, man those things are big and tough!
If you have any more questions, let me know. I'll be glad to help you out just like everybody helped me when my first trip was coming up. Are you guys going this year (2001) or next year? -Sheister

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

Sheister, thanks for all the great info. I may ask for another rundown later. I really appreciate the info on customs.

Trip is being planned for 2002. I wish this year but next year wiil work. A lifelong dream will come true.

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

DKO and Moosie, I talked to my wife and she thinks going as a group would be great so if the timing is right looks like we can go. It will be a hoot.

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[DKO]

Terry, that sounds great, when my wife and i first started looking into going we heard horror stories of traveling to africa, how people were getting raped and murdered but since then weve realized if we wait for things to get better, we will never go.I then researched safety and spoke with Terry blauwkamp and he sent me the first timers guide,i think we will be much better off traveling as a group.Terry things are very much in the planning stages, Oscar and i have been researching different safari operations and will continue till we find one the we feel comfortable with and please by all means anyone you have in mind let us know! we have no exact set dates just a time frame, so it will leave the flexability to make it work for everyone.JB recommended going to the SCI convention prior to the trip and i also think its a good idea and will be getting more info on that as well. I keep ya posted!


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"in the Spring we Strut and in the Fall we Rut"

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

DKO, sounds great. Keep me posted. I think going as a group is definitely the way to go for safety and we will haave a blast!

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[Moosie]

No time to Type but Want to go this year to SCI Convention?!?!

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

Where and when? I'd like to.

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[DKO]

the SCI convention for 2001 is jan. 10-13th and is being held in Las vegas , so theres no way i can make it this year but, 2002 if they hold it again in jan. then the timing would be pretty good it would get us all pumped up to go! and i will deffinetly consider going especially if its in Vegas!! i will be going to our local chapter fundraiser banquet in march so i hope to talk to some folks then!!

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"in the Spring we Strut and in the Fall we Rut"

 

[Terry aka Coydog]

I guess that leaves me out. If it was Feb or March I probably could. We are going to Reno to the Mule Deer Foundation Convention in March

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Live to Hunt-Terry aka Coydog.

 

[deadeye2]

Hey coydog,
The guys I hunted with last Aug. have a new thing going in S. Africa. If you have the time they include golf and some deep sea fishing, which are outstanding! If you want infro e mail me and will be happy to give you the E-mail address.
Hope you have a great hunt, as I did.( The hunting was great, for me.)
Be safe, Have lots of fun!
deadeye2

 

[huntersvision]

Gentlemen,

Just a food for thought here. If you are planning this trip for 2002, then find your outfitter fast and get a deposit down on your dates. You don't have to make the final arrangements then, but just so your dates are held. Bowhunting is best only in a few short months out of the year and those dates fill up fast. I am booking people right now for my friends for 2002 and 03, 2001 is full except for rifle hunting which can be done almost anytime of the year.

Just wanted to let you know!

Good luck with your Safari, sounds like a hoot.

 

[DKO]

huntervision, WELCOME to the campfire, and thanks for posting we are planning as we speak and getting closer and closer everday we are interested in a combo bow/rifle hunt, what month would you recommend as being the best to provide oppotunities for both weapons????????

if there anything that comes to mind that you can think of that will benefit us in planning would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!

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"in the Spring we Strut and in the Fall we Rut"

 

[huntersvision]

DKO,

Your best months for bowhunting is Mid June through Mid September.

June the leaves start to fall and visibility is better. The land starts to dry, so the animals come together in search for water. In mid Sept. is when the raining season can start again in dry years it's later, but sometimes you can take that gamble and hunt into Oct. But I don't know about you, I don't like bowhunting in rain. And I mean pouring rain.

Rifle hunting can happen almost any time of the year, so it will compliment the bowhunting in their winter months!

Plus if you go over in the winter the mosquitos numbers are down and less chance of malaria!

I read that some of you are getting way too many shots. All that is required is Hepatitis A&B, tetanus booster if you haven't had one for awhile, and malaria pills and that's in only designated areas, but still worth the taking. Sometimes they will make you take a Polio booster if there is an outbreak, I had to last year! That's it gentlemen, no yellow fever shots, nadda, unless your hunting up by the Congo or jungle tropical area!

Good luck and good hunting!