Plainsgame hunting in Africa

Well it looks like we are going to make a trip to Africa to hunt some plains game. Dad bought a package at the Ducks Unlimited banquet last night. We are going to plan it out a couple years so we have some time to save for additional animals and all the taxidermy. Looks like I got a lot of research to start doing, and will have a bunch of questions.

Congratulations! I'm sure you will have an amazing time.

Yes, Congrats. Africa gets in your blood and you cant get it out!

Finding a taxidermist that is familiar with getting animals from Africa is important. I've only been there to hunt twice, so I'm no expert. I'm very anal about my mounts, so I take detailed pictures and measurements of everything I take before it goes to the skinner. Your taxidermist will have that information for you, along with what to give your outfitter to get the crate to where he will pick it up.

One of the biggest surprises, and hits, is what happens after the safari and what it will cost to get your animals home.

https://www.africahunting.com/community/ has the most up to date information with people that go there all the time.

On my first trip, I brought my rifle with me. On my second safari, I borrowed a rifle. I also borrowed a rifle when I went to New Zealand. I will never bring a rifle with me again, it's night and day easier to not have to deal with traveling with a rifle. I also found that the outfitters have very nice rifles to use!!!

As much fun as the hunt is, going sightseeing is almost as much fun. Not having a rifle makes it very easy to go see the sights in a place you might never get to visit again.

I would also find out what other animals are available there and strongly suggest adding a kudu to the list. For me, nothing screams out Africa like a Kudu!!!

You will have a blast.

FYI, you WILL shoot more animals than what is on that list. We bought a auction hunt in 2018 and hunted in 2019. One of the best trips of my life.

Where is that outfit located ( what province)?

I believe it will be in Limpopo province of South Africa. Defiantly looking forward to it and have a lot of research to do to get the most out of it.

What airline did you fly to get over there? That’s the big thing I’m gonna work on first.

We hunted in Limpopo as well.....large portions of it look like South Texas. I told my ph I flew 22 hours and wound up in Dilley TX.

We flew Qatar airways and it was fantastic all the way around.

We elected to bring our rifles and used Henry Duram with Rifle Permits. We had our guns in our hands within 10 min of landing. Very easy deal.

Any other questions you have just ask

I hunted the Limpopo and it was a blast. Then to Capetown for 4 days to tourist.

You’re gonna get damn sick of sitting still on an airplane. It’s a long way if you fly to London, layover and then go to Johannesburg . A friend flew to Florida and then to Johannesburg. Not near as bad. Don’t wander around Johannesburg without a guide. It’s one of the most dangerous cities in the world and tourists are targeted.

Agree on the Taxi but our PH had a good one

you will have a great time! Congratulations!

Thanks I will look at them. I am sure I will have a lot more questions gotta start making lists and figure out what all we really want to take. Also I don’t want to try and go to over board I would rather kill fewer animals and enjoy them and have nice mounts done then kill more animals than I can mount.

Don’t have any preconceived notions and keep a loose list of game you want to take. Limpopo has certain animals but doesn’t naturally have other animals, like lechewe and black wildebeest for instance, are not native to the area. I believe springbok are native to the free state region south of Johannesburg

We went over with a few “ must haves” and then had some alternate animals that we would take if the opportunity presented itself. Legitimately we only had one shot opportunity at Kudu that my wife capitalized on. That was the only situation in 7 days where we had a legit opportunity, but had several busted stalks. Warthog and impala are very easy to come by. Gemsbok are typically plentiful but very wary, same goes for zebra. We saw a few Eland, one being a monster bull but they are extremely wary and did not get a shot at one. Blesbok and blue wildebeest are common but were not on our list. Waterbuck seemed fairly common along with Nyala. We did not see a bushbuck male, but did see several of the Duiker antelope. Very small. We did see some nice hartebeest but did not connect, but not for lack of trying. Perhaps the most exciting thing going on is that sable can be had for much, much less than in years prior. I took a monster sable at about 1/2 the price of retail and prices have come down further from what I understand.

We chose to go with the more glamorous species that would look good on the wall instead of shooting a bunch of stuff we were not crazy about ( warthog, blesbok, Blue wildebeest for example) just to rack up a body count.

Overall, it’s a fantastic experience that you will immensely enjoy. I brought my wife and she was wanting to line up day trips because in her mind, hunting for 7 days straight would get boring. Well, she hunted until the last minute of thr lsst day and neither of us wanted to go home. If we go back we will do a 10 day safari.

😊

Agreed on Jo'Berg. I like breaking up my trip with the layover, we usually plan to spend a day or two in London before heading down. Next year we are going to stay a couple days in Amsterdam for some fun before headed down to Botswana

Congratulations Sir, you are going to have an incredible time for sure. All great advice provided, take it all in and enjoy yourself.

I have heard nothing but bad news about tourist destinations...especially walking place to place...in Johannesburg. We hunted in the Eastern Cape and rented a car and did the drive down to Cape Town where we spent a full week, Easy to navigate and felt safe at all times. If you have time I would recommend Cape Town as a wonderful addition to the trip.

Best thing you can do is plan in out a couple of years. The planning was ALMOST as much fun as going. It just added to the anticipation and made all of the decisions that you get to make easy and fun.

TV news was interesting in Capetown when you find an English speaking channel. I believe that every black politician on the Continent is under indictment for something. Like things ought to be here for politicians. Our guide in Capetown knew all of the interesting places.

We went offshore to Seal Island and watched the Great White sharks from the safety of a cage. Those things, when underwater, look longer than a bus. Also, a whale came up about 50 yards from the boat. I hear the whale sharks have moved in and the great whites have headed elsewhere. I told the Wife and Daughter, in advance, that I wanted to free dive with the sharks. I'm an experienced diver and have my C card. They thought I was nuts and asked why anyone would want to do that. I said that I'm getting old and won't be around that much longer. Someday some kid might see my picture, ask who it is and what happened to me. Well, that was your Great, Great, Grandfather Dave. It was off the coast of Africa where he grabbed a knife, jumped on to the back of a shark and started cutting. The shark won the fight. That's when they realized that I was a candidate to be in some sort of a "facility".

Glad to hear you had a great experience in South Africa, especially the Eastern Cape.

My son and I went to SA, Limpopo area several years ago with Aminita safaris. It was an unbelievable experience to see so much game, and collect beautiful trophy's. Together we shot 13 animals, all very good ones including my awesome KUDU of 52". The trip for both of us including flights was under 10K, and everything promised was delivered. The animals were sent home for mounting as I did not trust them being mounted in SA and shipped over in a crate. The shock came when the taxidermist bill arrived. Be ready to write a large check! Would I go again? Hell yes.

What an exciting time. Been 4 times to South Africa and Namibia hunting. The planning and anticipation are just as exciting as the hunting. Be warned.....Hunting in Africa is very addictive.

The name of the outfit suggests more than just “plains game!” Heh!

But, seriously, if at all possible, go to Kruger National Park! Your PH should have the connections to set it up for you for a reasonable cost. That is, if he doesn’t want to take you himself.

Kruger is AWESOME! I went to Kruger on the tail end of my 2nd Safari and it was almost better than the hunting portion because we got to see all of the Big 5 except Leopard.
It’s a magical place and I can’t imagine having missed it.

Good luck and enjoy every minute. It is a special place indeed. Take more pictures than a Japanese tourist! You will be glad you did.

SFH

Didn't go to Kruger but went to Pilanesberg after hunting. Elephant walked down the road for about a mile while we were stuck behind it. Saw rhinos, deer type animals of all kinds, some kind of African eagles and lots of plains game.

Then to Capetown for 4 days. Interesting part of the world. And a damn dangerous place for a white boy from Texas to walk around at night.

Everybody ought to do it once. You'll dang sure see how the other side of the world lives. Everybody recognized our Texas accents.

Due to the expense, doubt that I'll ever do it again.

good luck

Sounds like some of the cities are more dangerous than the game!!

Joelk, they damn sure are.

Good Luck. Dream trip for me. One of these days!

Congratulations with that. TBH I envy you.

Just to give you an idea about J burg. The airport coming & going had groups of military solders all though the airport toting fully loaded weapons.

Yep, I noticed the soldiers

[/quote]
[quote=EddieWalker]Finding a taxidermist that is familiar with getting animals from Africa is important. I've only been there to hunt twice, so I'm no expert. I'm very anal about my mounts, so I take detailed pictures and measurements of everything I take before it goes to the skinner. Your taxidermist will have that information for you, along with what to give your outfitter to get the crate to where he will pick it up.

One of the biggest surprises, and hits, is what happens after the safari and what it will cost to get your animals home.

https://www.africahunting.com/community/ has the most up to date information with people that go there all the time.

On my first trip, I brought my rifle with me. On my second safari, I borrowed a rifle. I also borrowed a rifle when I went to New Zealand. I will never bring a rifle with me again, it's night and day easier to not have to deal with traveling with a rifle. I also found that the outfitters have very nice rifles to use!!!

As much fun as the hunt is, going sightseeing is almost as much fun. Not having a rifle makes it very easy to go see the sights in a place you might never get to visit again.

I would also find out what other animals are available there and strongly suggest adding a kudu to the list. For me, nothing screams out Africa like a Kudu!!!

THIS! He is dead on.

We spent two weeks there. Pay for the fastest and shortest flight. Kudu is at top of list along with Sable. Cost to fly back animals and taxidermy is significant. Cape Town is beautiful but I would rely on my outfitter as far as seeing the safe areas. We also did Namibia and it was incredible. Trip of a lifetime.

We hired, in advance, a guide in Capetown. He knew all the right places, safe places, to go.

Hired a shark boat to take us to Seal Island. That’s where to Great Whites hung out. Did some cage “diving” and watched the great whites swim by. The boat guy tossed out a big chunk of bloody meat on a rope to draw the sharks. When they hit it, he would jerk it back out of their mouths. Under water, those things looked massive.

I hear that whale sharks have moved in and the great whites have gone elsewhere. That’s a shame. You don’t cage dive with those suckers.