I am suffering from information overload. I'm looking forward to hunting the "Dark Continent" late next year. I have been surfing the net looking at all these websites. I am more confused now than before. How does one decide who, where and when?

I can see your problem - there are so many options out there. What exactly would you like to hunt? What area/country appeals to you the most, after all that you have read online?

Dave

Alex
I started out the same way with info overload.In the end I started small with a plains game hunt with a good outfitter that came with recommendations from guys I knew.I had a budget that would cover the fifteen animals avaliable to hunt that way if I didn't shoot them all I had money spare but also ensured I had money for critters I wasn't sure about. Your biggest problem is that africa is the most addictive hunting you will ever do. It will drive you crazy!!! I have been back to Zimbabwe three times now and I am saving my ass off so I can go again for more buff and a tuskless elephant hunt. hope this is of some help

ask yourself some serious questions...

do you want to hunt? or do you just want shoot a bunch of different animals?

do you want to be in the bush? or do you want a lodge like experience?

do you want to experince culture? or do you not care?

those three questions will help you narrow it down.

Our first trip to Africa was a "ranch hunt" in Zimbabwe for leopard/plainsgame in 1994. As this was our first time to Africa, we had nothing to compare the trip against.

In 1996 we were on a ranch hunt again with a side trip to Dande for buffalo. You do not realize what you are missing until you visit a true wild area.

To me, Africa is not Africa without hearing lions calling at night or elephants blocking the road not allowing you to pass or buffalo staring you down.

Wherever and with whomever you decide to hunt with, I would suggest you seriously consider a wild/big game area to get the full effect of Africa.

Best of luck and enjoy the search for your country and outfitter.

The answer to how much money you can afford to spend on the hunt may help you direct your research. A full scale tented hunt including dangerous game in say, Tanzania, will cost many multiples of a very good plains game hunt in Namibia.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dark Continent:
I am suffering from information overload. I'm looking forward to hunting the "Dark Continent" late next year. I have been surfing the net looking at all these websites. I am more confused now than before. How does one decide who, where and when?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Alex, I would start with a plains game hunt.
You will be in awe anyway just being in Africa.
I would hate to start out with DG.

Ask lots of questions
Speak to as many people as you can who hunt were you decide to go.
I have used Wendell R, to book many of my trips
he is a good guy and has never over sold but still do the first two items.

I have been blessed to have been 10 times. I am no expert,I learn something new almost ever time I go. One thing I have learned is don't use taxidermist or shipping agents in Nam.

DC,

For me, the short version is simple: Ignore what you know for a moment and figure out what you want. You can't do it all anyway, so decide which dream keeps you awake the most, then get as close to the dream as you can.

Really though, you've got a great problem to have, if only because anything you choose will likely be wonderful. The possiblities for great hunts are, in practical terms, endless. You can't do it all in 20 hunts, so don't even worry about doing Africa in 1 hunt. Rather, I'd suggest deciding, in cold blooded, explicit terms, what, while lying on your death bed, you'd regret not having experienced. Then find the closest thing reality will allow and do it.

The most important part of this is knowing yourself and what the common thread to your dreams are. The second part of this is an honest estimation of how often you'll be able to hunt in Africa and what compromises you might have to make. Sometimes, there is little room for compromise and you'd be better off coming up with a plan than doing something next year that will leave you empty for years. My first plan took almost 15 years to come together.

If this is likely to be your only African hunt, and you lie awake nights dreaming of Stigand, Sutherland, dust and ivory, then you better find a way to get an elephant. If you expect to be able to go back, then easing into things a bit is a reasonable if slightly over rated idea. I tried that myself, booking a Namibian pg hunt well over a year in advance. I figured I'd try buffalo after that. A year before going to Namibia, I found a buffalo hunt I couldn't say no to and ended up in buffalo herds on my first day of hunting in Africa. I was completley blown away by the experience, but then I was still blown away by Namibia and later Zambia anyway.

It is a cliche that if you hunt in Africa, you will go back as often as your strength and finances allow. It is a wonderful affliction. As a warning though, I do know of 2 people for whom this does not apply. Both of them went to lodges on their first and only trips and didn't find the wild Africa they wanted. For them, it was very expensive way to ruin a dream. There are many truly excellent lodges out there where wild Africa starts poolside, but you have to do your homework as there are a great many McShootingFarms as well. Consider the business model implied by some package offers and you'll see why the cheapest hunts are often on McShootingFarms. You might be fine with those compromises, or you might not be, but you want to be comfortable with your decision long before you put your deposit down.

Enjoy the process of finding your hunt. I find that a late night with a first rate hunting DVD and a little extra cognac helps to identify the major must haves .

Dean

Alex

Welcome to AR!

You might like to visit our free African hunting information website that covers 12 African countries (soon to be 13), 170 species and about 500 pages at www.shakariconnection.com.

The site will tell you all you need to know about how to properly research your future hunt and a whole lot more.

As you're a first timer, you might also like to consider applying for the Andrew McLaren Free Hunt Competition Andrew mentioned in the other thread you started.

Well the first thing to do is to get a pile of money together, and make plan to get another pile after the first is spent. For this is an epic journey you are embarking on, not just a one time thing. Here is how the epic goes, more or less:

1. A package hunt in either Namibia or the Limpopo Valley of RSA for the prevalent species of PG in the area. Shoot only the species that are common (and cheap) in the area you go to. You will get the others when you go to areas where they, in turn are common.
2. The other half of no. 1, eg Namibia if you hunted Limpopo the first time, and this time you vow to get a good Kudu.

(Now add on to your house .. you need a trophy room)

3. The buffalo hunt in Zim with maybe a head or two of PG thrown in
4. The leopard or Sable hunt in Zim
5. Elephant in Zim or Namibia
6. and so on, more Elephant and/or filling in your PG species eg Nyala, the little antelope, Bushbuck, Vaal Reebok, Reedbuck etc.

That should keep you busy until you are too old to walk or too blind to shoot.

Seriously, go to Namibia or RSA for a PG hunt, book 7-10 days and plan to spend 2 extra days on the front end doing something touristy (and probably waiting for your bags to catch up to you..).

Some suggestions for your first hunt:

1. Etosha/Namibia
2. Kruger/Limpopo
3. Hluhluwe or Sodwana/Zululand
4. Cape Town/E. Cape

If you like to fish, you can do some of that in conjunction with your hunting. Tiger fish are a must do. There is also good Ocean fishing off South Africa and beach fishing in Namibia

Bird hunting is something that you should work into your second or third trip. The Francolin is one of the finest gamebirds in the world. Driven guinea fowl are also a blast.

See "Tips and Travel Advice" for a bunch of practical info regarding your first trip, you will find it at bigfivehq.com

quote:

Originally posted by Dark Continent:
I am suffering from information overload. I'm looking forward to hunting the "Dark Continent" late next year. I have been surfing the net looking at all these websites. I am more confused now than before. How does one decide who, where and when?

Alex

What do you want to hunt ?

Just do it!

Alex,

Mr. Maki is a client of mine and I think he gave you some sage advise. A lot of what you find marketed as plains game hunts are on relatively small, game fenced, heavily stocked properities. The "WILD" factor is just not there. All offered plains game hunts are not like that but many are. If your budget dictates you not being able to pay dangerous game daily rates there are some alternatives. These hunts will allow you to have a classic safari expereice in an area with all the Big 5 plus excellent plains game hunting at plains game daily rates. To me this is the way to expereince your first safari if your budget will not allow a buffalo or other dangerous game safari. My company can offer any level of safari you might have interest in but the above would be my recommendation for the ideal first safari.

Mark

Based upon my vast, one-trip experience:

1. Read everything you can find, and ask a ton of questions
on this forum. The mass of information available here is staggering, and you can get multiple viewpoints on virtually any aspect of your hunt, all from people who have been-there-done-that and are very willing to help. I was blown away by the generosity and helpfulness of the people here.

2. Select a reputable booking agent. I used Wendell Reich, and his knowledge, experience, and honest input were absolutely invaluable. Similarly, using a travel agent (I went with Kathi Klimes of Wild Travel) to handle the airline end of things proved to be a good move. There are too many other things to worry/obsess about without having to fret about these small but important details.

3. Practice shooting from hunting positions, including shooting sticks. Burn lots of ammo. The confidence this inspires is unbelievable. When you KNOW that you can make any shot that presents itself, you will be one happy hunter.

4. Personally, I simply couldn't imagine going to Africa for plains game only. I HAD to go after a buffalo as well. This basically entailed going on two hunts back-to-back, and was one of the best decisions I could have made. The contrast between the two portions was amazing, and both were fantastic. Why leave the dangerous game for another safari? The world could end tomorrow.


5. Take a couple of digital cameras and take thousands of pictures. Make sure you are totally familiar with the equipment before your trip. Take lots of memory cards. Don't skimp.

6. Get into shape. The more fit you are, the more you will enjoy your trip. Plan on walking your feet off. I'm sure you can have a great time without walking more than 50 feet from the truck, but if you want to hunt, be ready to walk.

7. Finally (and thank you for this advice, Wendell) have realistic expectations, roll with the punches, be prepared for the occasional hiccup (this is supposed to be an adventure!), and count on surprises.

Have a fantastic trip and good luck!

John