When I hear "Africa" I think....

When you hear about Africa or hunting the Dark Continent, what springs to mind?....

Big, mean, Cape buffalo. Can't get them off my mind.

Political unrest and poverty....

Been to Africa 12 times and lived in East Africa for a few years. Worked in or visited 10 different countries including a stint in South Sudan during their civil war and one in Rwanda a year after the genocide. Mostly what comes to mind is crushing poverty, corruption, war, malaria and orphans. That being said it is also a continent of vast beauty, diversity and people with indomitable spirits and incredible wills to survive. Never hunted in all my time over there but was lucky enough to see the wildebeests migrate on the Serengeti and watch the sunrise from the summit of Kilimanjaro. Truly an incredible place that holds a special place in my heart and if given the chance would love to do a free range Eland hunt.

First thing that come to mind for me is no thanks

Hakuna Matata

I would enjoy sitting around a fire with you my friend and listening to your stories.

spot on!

But there is more to it.

hell that could be about any country

Zebras, kudu, warthogs, and tiger fish

I am with Sapper, in my lifetime I have been to enough foreign countries. Some good, some were of the bottom of outhouse quality.

There's quite a bit of that in our very own Bunker.

Sounds like you need to book a Lord Derby eland hunt badly. You've certainly earned it, and you probably know more about Africa than any "Yank" on this forum. I know an excellent PH that does them. If he can't, I've hunted with his buddy and he's equally as good. 'Nothing in it for me; I'm no broker. Just PM me if you can swing it.

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=D3x6RPJOkTs

I believe you mean this:

Classic

CR, no, the OP asked "what springs to mind" and the example I posted is the first thing that springs to MY mind. Didn't say it was right or wrong, just the "Dark Continent"

Second thought would be Charlize Theron
Third thought would be sitting in the Drs office when I was 9 yrs old and flipping through the NG mags.

lions

Watching a regal Kudu bull walking in at sundown
Being only 15 yards from a bedded herd of Cape Buffalo in heavy brush, and only being able to see bits and pieces of them
Walking out of a hyena bait in the moonlight, once the pride of lions took it over
Running for my life from a herd of angry cow elephants

I love Africa

An older friend of mine and I hunted the Bubye Valley in Zim in 2011. He passed away in May of the following year. He shot several photos of this boy and girl in their "bedroom". They weren't pleased.



Full disclosure: The Bubye is technically "high fence", but somehow, the elephants just walk right through it. And I'd love for some of our HF haters to test how these two have become "pets".

Not an expert since I've only been once. Good hunting but necessitates high fence or there wouldn't be an animal left. But, there are some free range hunts areas. I want to go back!

From a social perspective, need to be careful where you go in the cities. We hired a guide. Hungry people, high crime, etc. Muhammed Ali fought in, I believe, Zaire. It was called the Rumble in the Jungle. He went on a tour of the area and was asked about his impression. He said that he was glad his Grandfather hadn't missed the boat. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, apartheid officially ended, and he became President. As usual, things haven't improved much for the people at the bottom.

Some of the best hunting in the world...I have enjoyed 7 safaris, each was a little different. Love Africa, maybe I will get back in the next couple years.

Ed

A continent of vast natural resources, wasted by the human inhabitants, who aren't intelligent enough to manage their resources.

again why do we keep acting like this is only Africa? The entire world falls into this category.

Went to Tanzania for three weeks with only a camera.

Never once thought I wish I had a rifle rather than a camera.

The Serengeti is the only place I have ever visited that I would have just stayed if I could find a job.

Knowing where you've been and what you were doing there, that is saying something.

For me I want to go so bad I can't stand it. I think calling predators over there would be the ultimate adrenaline rush. I'd like to shoot one of every plains game there too. I don't know how I would even decide which ones to shoot if I had a budget.

Not as good as you might think....I've done it many times.

DD: Not everything in Africa is high fenced.. Several of my friend's conservancies in Namibia are bigger than all of South Texas. When you have 500,000 to one million acres in an area to hunt, and you're the only one in there except for native populations, it is something else entirely!!!

I think Hunting......some of the most spectacular animals on this planet.

I have to agree, not a place I ever care to hunt or visit.

Here's a hunting tip from over there that can be used just about anywhere:

Used to feel the same way before I actually went and experienced it for the first time. The quality, and sheer numbers of animals has to be seen to be believed, and the people I've had the privilege to hunt with have been world class. I consider myself fortunate to have been part of it 4 times now.

I'm sure it's great people and folks having a good hunt but I'd rather spend my money here in the US hunting Elk and Mule Deer. Just my preference.

I've been hooked on big mule deer bucks for the past 45 years now, and have chased them every year, so I'd rather hunt mule deer too. However, I can go hunt 10 cull/management plains game animals, throw in a trophy kudu bull, all free range in Namibia, for the cost of an elk hunt. That'll get your attention.

For some folks I guess but not me. Just no interest in hunting or killing African game. Congrats to those that do.

My heart is there. I have been there 6 times. I have hunted 5 countries. I love the people the experience and the beauty. you are missing out if you choose not to go. I hope to retire there some day. I have shot most all of the game there already just love the people.

Ju Ju Bwana, Ju Ju.

Ebola and Aids.

That reminds me, I need to top up my prescription!

Ghost in the Darkness

Mostly I wonder whether my taxidermy bill is due yet.

I feel you pain

I hear you Blank! Sounds like you've lived a good life. Majestic Kudu resonates with me as well. Hope I live long enough to get a trip or two more to the Dark Continent.

Blank, agreed. I was thinking of the Limpopo area where I recently hunted. I wanted a trophy Kudu really bad. That's a boyhood dream that has lasted all my LONG life. Only juveniles were seen. Not sure where the next trip will take me.

Rich dudes

I guess this is the danger in hunting the "Big 5" that becomes addictive.

Argentinian Hunter Trampled And Killed By Elephant In Namibia
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/arge...5q3W?li=BBnbfcL

As a whole, not wildy remote any more. On decline.

All the multiple safari guys I've had pleasure of speaking with speak in terms of not the adventure it once was.

But can, and likely, will be "wilder" than anything you've ever done in the USA.

Unfortunately, the ones complaining about wanting the "wild" experience are the ones flying in with a 206 (beats driving 12-16 hours), bringing all their luxuries and desires with them, staying in a chalet with en suite amenities, asking of Internet access and being able to do business from camp. I loved tent camping in the Zambezi Valley, and out in the Namibian desert, and my next trip will be to my friends Caprivi camp.

Actually everyone one I talked to said negative. At one time yes but not any more, thus thier disheartening thoughts. There are places in the lower 48 you can go a long time with out seeing anyone, not so much in Africa. Now they have more Apex type predators then us. Since essentially all we have are Griz, wolf, man lion and blk bear. But those predators are similar to ares hunting them and staying clear are different

Now I'm not Saying that's 100% the case(I didn't hunt Africa 30 years ago nor recently or ever) but I have talked with a guy that has a North American slam, Asian, and been to Western , northern, Eastern and Southern Africa. Think he had done 30 different African safaris, He almost died on a one month long safari(hell of a really cool story). His view is our wilderness system is more wild and remote then the vast majority of Africa "now". One of my good friends is Rhodesian, he said same thing. The whole Hemingway and Roosevelt type excursion have done way to roads, and animal husbandry. I have family members who have been and even commented on tannizina being pretty tame.

As I said I haven't been, just going off multiple sources that have similar ideologies on hunting as myself. I've never had the African safari bug, I have always had the mountain bug.

Exotic and wild are different

So from your experience would you say those places are as remote as say interior frank church or selway bitteroot?

I love living here in Idaho, and for many of the reasons and places you mention. Great remote areas to hunt, fish, and visit. We have less people here at home than live in Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio. Things do get crowded tho, and all the fun remote areas are some of the ones you notice it the most. The McGruder Corridor goes right thru in the middle of the wild areas. You will meet people backpacking on every trail. The Middle Fork river float is the most crowded thing you have ever seen, with the groups of 20 people spread out a day apart all the way down. Jet boats are still allowed on the main Salmon River or the Snake River up Hell's Canyon. All the private lands in the wilderness were grand-fathered in when it was formed. Airplanes and strips are still there. When I was sitting at 9000' above the river (bighorn sheep hunting), bush planes flew over me hourly! Generators and all the electrical conveniences are there on the private. Everyone has a satellite phone to talk to the outside world in real-time.

No, Southern Africa is not as remote as the Frank Church (2.4 million acres) or Selway (1.2 million acres) Wildernesses, but for different reasons. Africa has indigenous peoples who live in all those wilderness areas, whereas Idaho and Montana have very few year round permanent residents in theirs. Africa can be remote, by size alone. The Frank Church is only 60 miles by 60 miles square and the Selway smaller than that. The U.S. wilderness areas are remote by administrative decree. How long you can stay, how many people can be in a group, how many head of stock you can bring, when you have to leave, etc.

They all have their place, and unfortunately, the "civilized" world is shrinking in on every wild place left.

Truly wild and remote is a musk-ox or polar bear hunt in Nunavut. It's 785,000 square miles (bigger than all of Alaska) with a few small scattered Inuit communities and even though it is on the North American continent it is not connected by any roads (a few places are reachable by ice road in the winter). Just a few miles of gravel road within the handful of fly-in communities. Drawback is access alone will cost more than most hunts.

Thank you, yes Idaho is a great state. Congrats on BH

I think of chasing plains game and Cape Buffalo when I hear "Africa."

AIDS, Genocide, blood diamonds, I have never had the desire to go. But my father has, and my brother and I will probably take him in the next few years.

Above my pay grade!