Africa

[mooretitan]

For those you have been is it really worth it and do you really get hooked on going back. I have been working a second job to take this trip but when I add the total cost from my front door to animals on the wall its a pretty good piece of change. Everyone that I have talked to seem to love it but these are usually people who enjoy driving around and not really getting out and climbing mountains. Wondering if a New Zealand hunt might be better suited.

The plan is to go in the summer of 2022.

Thanks

 

[TxxAgg]

I went in 2009 on the cheap. It is a lot of bang for your buck given the diversity of animals.

Once was enough for me. Glad I went, but bowhunting waterholes 10 hrs a day gets boring.

 

[OutdoorsMD]

I have been and it was worth it for me. I told the PH i didnt want to shoot from a truck and all the animals I took were spot/stalk or hunting over water hole. I would go back if I have the opportunity. For me hunting seeing/hunting Africa was as much of a “life/cultural experience” than hardcore hunting trip.

 

[FLAK]

I would only be interested in the big, dangerous stuff which I cant afford.

 

[EastMT]

I really don’t have much interest in Africa. I think the biggest issue for me is I like the hunting better than the shooting. Working my butt off to find them is the fun part. There may be some hunts like that, but what I’ve seen you are just a hiker along with some hunters and get to be the trigger man. I may be wrong, but most videos portray that to me.


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[TxxAgg]

If I had the spare cash, something like a leopard, zebra, sable, cape buffalo combo would be pretty sweet. That would get pricey in a hurry!

 

[jmez]

Similar to MD. I went once, bowhunted. I'd go back but it isn't a priority. Sitting at the waterhole was like watching Wild Kingdom live. If you just sit water it's shooting, not hunting.

The entire experience was well worth it for me. I'd love to spot and stalk a cape buffalo with a bow but that's not in the budget.

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[wildwilderness]

For those you have been is it really worth it and do you really get hooked on going back. I have been working a second job to take this trip but when I add the total cost from my front door to animals on the wall its a pretty good piece of change. Everyone that I have talked to seem to love it but these are usually people who enjoy driving around and not really getting out and climbing mountains. Wondering if a New Zealand hunt might be better suited.

The plan is to go in the summer of 2022.

Thanks

Haven’t gone yet but have a hunt planned. From your comment it appears your estimated taxidermy bill is a large part of the problem. With lack of air travel shipping has gone way up.

Personally I think most taxidermy is a waste of money. Large dust collectors you will have to throw out when you move into a rest home Digital pictures are Free and last forever!

 

[TxxAgg]

^^^ true. I sold off all my mounts. Ughhh what a waste.

 

[Dust Rider]

Its fun. Its Africa. If nothing else its worth visiting SA just to see Cape Town, Krueger Park and mixture of Afro and euro cultures.
I took 6 species in 5 days and toured the rest of three weeks and saw shit I never have seen again in 3 other continents. I thought Public Enemy and Wu Tang had it rough in NYC...

 

[Lionhound1975]

I lived in Africa for 3 years and there are places that are wild and you have to really hunt to find game. I think African hunting gets a reputation because a lot of the hunters that have the money to go do not want to sleep in a tent and be covered in bug bites, they want to stay in a 5 star lodge, have fresh laundry every day and have someone carry their rifle, skin their game, pack the meat, etc. So the South African hunting ranches make a lot of money that way selling a luxury experience. Not that there is anything wrong with that since it is a once in a lifetime experience and you can bring your wife who will enjoy the luxury part. But there are other types of hunting over there as well.

I know that might be an over simplification but I had many conversations with PHs that were shocked to hear that most deer and elk hunters in the US spot, track, skin and pack out their own game not only because they don't have money to pay 12 people for camp staff but a lot because they like all aspects of hunting. Evidently most of the American hunters that go over there do not do any of that. There are a few horseback hunts for kudu and gemsbok in the mountains in Namibia and some of the camps in Mozambique are in some rough country where you can't get a vehicle.

Some South African game ranches are as bad as Texas high fence genetic farm operations where they have a catalog of animals that you pick and then they tell you what pasture they are in and what time the feeder goes off so you know what time you have to leave the spa. But there are a lot of places mainly outside of South Africa where you are in wild country. You can't officially do a DIY hunt but I used to hunt with my son in the Lebombo mountains on the Swaziland/Mozambique border where I would be accompanied by a local Swazi guide since we were hunting tribal land but I would tell him that I was carrying my own pack and rifle and my son and i would work alongside the guide to follow sign and would then do my own field dressing and would carry my part of the meat out. I got a lot better at tracking by working with those guys and wanted my son to learn to track and be exposed to real hunting vs sitting next to a feeder at a South African game ranch.

So if you go there you can tell the outfitter that you want to help do the tracking and field work and not only will you see some beautiful country and incredible game but you will likely pick up some tracking techniques that will help you be a better hunter back home.

 

[Michael Rankin]

I went with a good friend in 2019. I’m a die hard backpack hunter. I love the challenge of outsmarting an animal on there own turf and the challenges/solitude involved with those hunts. Sitting blinds or tree stands at water or food is definitely not as challenging or rewarding for me personally as stalking an animal or calling one in on the ground.

We booked with a really great safari company that I have seen nothing but positive reviews/comments on an archery hunting site I visit for upwards of 10 years.
It was a really neat experience from start to finish. I’m very glad glad I went, but it is a huge money/time commitment. The company we booked with has a top notch reputation, and really competitive packages /trophy fees. My buddy and I each both ended up with 8-9 various animals. It was 2 weeks total away from home, and will probably end up being $15k total for flights, hunt cost, tips, dip and pack of trophies, shipping of trophies back to Oregon.

 

[Kenn]

I planned a SA hunt several years ago and after factoring in the taxidermy, shipping, etc., decided to just go on a photo safari in and around Kruger. I was hooked and have been back twice since, but my desire to hunt there is almost completely gone. Driving the area you see high fence after high fence with fancy hunting lodges that did not look like they would be what I might consider a "hunt". We also met with some local farmers who talked about people driving by and shooting their donkey. I asked why anyone would want to shoot a donkey, and they explained that it is common practice for people to drive around and look for remote animals to kill and they sell them to farms that raise lions for hunters. That sort of turned me off to being a hunter in SA.

 

[ODB]

I love Africa and have been a 'student' of the post-explorer age of east africa for 20+ years. I spent 11 days in Kenya last year and cant wait to go back to see more - this time down south to Tsavo and the Chyulu hills, etc.. The history of the hunters and the country is utterly fascinating, and it was awesome to travel by car to places 99% of safari tourists never go and would never want to see. If the names Neumann, Adamson, bartlett, Dyer, Selby, Rundgren mean anything to you, you know what I'm talking about...


As far as hunting - the ultimate would be a trip to tanzania probably with one of Robin Hurt's PHs. May be with Derek or even Natasha Illum berg. Have no desire to sit in a blind or by a waterhole. I'd be happy to hunt a single buffalo for a week and shoot a tommy or impala for the pot. As far as taxidermy - I woujldnt waste my money. I'd get a euro mount of the skull and tan the hides for throw rugs and leave it at that. Once PH I knew hunted for over 50 years and the only thing he ever saved was a single buff head that hung by his door - the rest are memories and pictures.

 

[Wapiti1]

I've been twice (Namibia and Zambia) and have a hunt setup for 2022 in Zimbabwe. I have no interest in South Africa's hunt offerings. There are a few free range options in SA, but they are not the norm. South Africa is unique to hunting Africa with their game farms, and isn't like the other countries.

My suggestions would be Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Uganda or Namibia. Tanzania has the cool east African game, but they charge for it. You can do all of the countries mentioned for about the same price for plains game. These will be free range no fence, or low fence areas that are vast. We spent 18 days in Zambia's Kafue region and never saw a fence. It was real hunting complete with elephant you had to avoid and lions that were unhappy to see us.

Trophies are what you decide on. Figure 1000-2000 to ship them home. Euro mounts are the easiest since all the skulls are cleaned there prior to shipment and the cost is part of the hunt in most cases. I bring home the hides and skulls. Some are mounted, some never will be. I like taxidermy, so I have the animals that matter to me mounted, like my kudu and leopard.

Using South Africa as a standard for hunting in Africa is a mistake and gives a false sense of what it is really like. Which is sad. Same with watching a hunting show and seeing only a tiny fraction of what the hunt is really like.

Jeremy

 

[Bighorner]

I had a much different experience hunting than alot of people. I was able to hunt a friends ranch that typically did not host hunters. I shot two animals. After the second animal I had no desire to continue shooting and passed on a great Kudu. I would compare it to hunting ranch in montana that doesn't typically allow hunting during the peak of the mule deer rut. It was pretty easy. I have no desire to kill another animal in Africa, but I can't wait to get back and show the kids African animals that aren't in cages. It was an incredible experience that I would never trade. I would recommend anyone that loves to see animals go. Kruger NP is amazing.

This was in SA.

 

[Bdjones]

2010, I went over we spent 21 days north of Limpopo, it was a pretty epic hunt for us as a family. My dad was lucky enough to draw a leopard tag and I took on the plains game. I'm in the same boat as the others once was probably enough for me. I was a avid whitetail at this time in my life so sitting over a water hole wasn't such a deal. But after hunting western game and spot/stalk style I would have a hard time going back.

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[Rokbar]

Id love to do a lion hunt but I will never do it because I'm too cheap (not saying I could afford it). Read Roosevelts African Game trails and Everetts Heat, Thirst, and Ivory!!!!!! A man can only dream what men like that got to experience!!!!!

 

[TXCO]

I think the best way to describe it to reverse the question. How would you tell someone overseas where and how to hunt in North America? Its impossible because there Are so many ways to hunt in the US and Canada. Would you tell them not to come to Alaska or Idaho because of a fenced whitetail farm in Michigan, high fence bison in montana or exotic ranch in Saskatchewan or Texas? Just like here, Africa is incredibly diverse geographically, culturally, flora and fauna. Tyler Freel in Alaska went a couple years ago and talked about it on his podcast and I think it would be good perspective for roksliders.

Southern Africa, particularly South Africa and Namibia have the most private land and is the cheapest hunting because of the management. There are some bad apples that arent true hunting, just shooting, but most are massive (30,000-100,000+ acres or government concessions) and will have a great experience either spot stalk, blinds for bow, or safari/truck style. The first place I hunted in SA had a fence on the town side of the property to keep people and poachers out and no fence in the back where animals roamed freely into government land.

Most other countries are government and tribal concessions and would be similar to any hunting out west or in Canada with an outfitter. Most times youll have the chance to shoot 5-10 different species via spot and stalk. Many countries have laws about shooting from vehicles or within a certain distance of waterholes. You also may see another 10+ species of animals youre not even hunting.

I think if you have the means, its an incredible and worthwhile experience to hunt and see new things and also appreciate everything we have in the US.


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[Mudslinger]

A buddy and I went to Namibia for the firs time in 2019. He is already going back next year so he is definitely hooked. I'm hooked and can't wait to go back, but right now I still have elk points to burn and hopefully can get a mt. goat tag before I get to old. I don't know anything about Africa except for where we hunted in Namibia. The guy had 200k acres he could hunt with very little being high fence. Most of the areas we hunted were cattle ranches that are fenced in like they are here (3 or 4 low wires to keep cattle in). It was kind of crazy of the prices I was getting for the species that I wanted to hunt. The guy I went with was by far the cheapest so I was a bit skeptical but all the references that I talked to said how awesome he was. In my mind, the guy we went with couldn't have been better! It wasn't a spa kind of place and I didn't want that anyway. It was just me and my buddy. We had our own rooms and bathrooms in it. The food was good and the beer was better. We did all spot and stalk.

Its simply amazing the amount of animals you will see. I brought 7 animals home and the taxidermy bill was more than the price of the hunt. I was able to purchase a couple of taxidermy credits at a SCI banquet with the taxidermist I was going to use and it did save me 2k in the end game.