Taking my 13/14 year old on his first African hunt, leaving in 10 days. This will also be his first real big game hunt - he has shot plenty of sage rats and PDs and has done one deer hunt with me, but no shot. We will hunt PG in Zululand. Nothing too ambitious, but it will all be on foot, fair chase. I admit to being a little nervous ... of course I hope it all goes off well and he becomes my hunting partner for the remainder of my days. But realize that it's either in your blood or not. Part of me says to wait until he has a couple of deer in the freezer, but the other part (the part that lost his Dad when he was 11) says do it now.

Any advice?

Forget the nerves Russ - you are doing the right thing mate!! If you leave it a year that 15YO might forget about his old man and hunting and then your hopes may be dashed forever...

Relax, take it easy and dont put any pressure on. Have a great hunt with your boy... good luck.

Cheers
Matt

Seems a little late to ask this now if he's going w/you in 10 days!

Did he not shoot because he "had no shot" (animal facing the wrong way) or because he didn't feel comfortable killing the deer? Take him now, just don't pressure him to shoot.

My mom always wanted to see Europe but never went, then she got Parkinson's (sic?) and never made it.

quote:

But realize that it's either in your blood or not.

It is a tough call. Who knows for sure? I gave it my best shot. May or mat not be around long enough to see if it really worked.

Wishing the best.

Russ,
Absolutely enjoy Africa with your son... Let them see what you enjoy also and let them see how many other people live in other parts of the world...

The best,

Mike

Russ: I just got back from Africa 3 weeks ago with my then 5 year old grandaughter. She turned six while we were there. IT WAS THE TIME OF MY LIFE. She shot Wildebeest, (while she was still 5), and on her birthday took an Impala and Warthog. One shot...through the heart on all. Subsquently....just like her mother and auntie....WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THAT $$$ CANNOT BUY. Who gives a rip if they were "too young to appreciate it". She seems to remember every minute better than I do!!!!!
She traveled better than an adult. Sat the back of the cruiser all day when necessary. (17 days worth) Kept up and made the stalks, and said I was to loud......And...cried when it was finally time to come home.
WHO THE HELL WILL SHE HAVE TO TALK TO WHEN SHE STARTS FIRST GRADE TOMORROW??? GRANDPA...that is who. Presently, I look as if a 'mad' mortician got hold of my face....there seems to be a permanent smile. Take'em man, take em. How many of those trips do you think you have in the cards. The answer - not enough!

Russ,
Zululand is a great place to hunt. I took my boy out for his first "buck" at 12. A blesbuck on the Free State plains, and after a fair amount of leopard crawilng and goofed stalks, he took a nice ram at about 170m with a borrowed 223. The Zululand bush makes for easier stalking, closer shooting. Enjoy your hunt with your lad, talk him through the first shot and you will never look back.

By all means take him. Don't be nervous, your PH would probably rather deal with a 14 year old rookie than one who is 60. Ask him once in a while what he would like to do for the afternoon or morning. You may find he has more fun shooting camp meat than chasing a trophy for days.
My son ( age 19 now) and I started hunting birds together when he was 8. He didn't shoot at first just helped retrieve. Now he outshoots
Dad. He would rather hunt than eat, which if you know any 19 year old boys is saying something.We both treausre our hunting memories.

I hunted with 500Nitro just above in KZN with my daughters in June 2007. (John is one of the best PHs you could hope to hunt with) Bailey was 13 and Ariel was 14. Baiely had killed a couple of exotics in Texas from box blinds and Ariel had killed 3 whitetails in Oklahoma and Kansas, plus a blackbuck in Texas. The girls practiced shooting all summer before our trip and both shot well during the safari. They both killed impala, blesbok and zebra. It was a great hunt and a life changing event for all of us.

Perry

Go for it Russ!

I wouldn't hesistate to take my son at that age. I began taking my son on western hunting trips when he was 7 years old, to Wyoming and Montana. By the time he was 12, he had his own Wyoming tags, and shot a pronghorn with his bow and a mule deer with my rifle. At 13, he shot a Wyoming whitetail with his bow. He's never looked back!

I took both of my kids to South Africa in May, daughter was 18 and son 21. I wish I'd taken them about 5 or 6 years ago. Your son will do fine, just keep the focus on having fun and don't worry about how many inches an animal is.

Russ,

Expect you'll be with Mark and the family in KZN. Send the lad out with Mark for a day or two to take the pressure of hunting with Dad off. He'll learn an amazing lot about the bush apart from the hunt and both should kick the love of the hunt and of the outdoors in.

Regards, Tim

Hi RUss

My only piece of advice is to take it easy. Consider staying in a hotel in your arrival city for a day or two to have your son catch up on his sleep and eat well, and rest. Both times I took my son to Africa and once to NZ he was wiped out, and the last time he was really ill, and ended up missing a week of school afterwards, plus he took three days off of school before our trip resulting in him entering his geometry final exam with a "D" grade- fortunately he got an "A" on the exam and a B in the class, his only non- "A" grade in high school.

Kids and wives just don't travel well.

Also, he was too wiped out to get up at $:30 every morning, and the long plane trip with exposure to all kinds of germs really got him.

Consider the resting days and also letting him sleep in some mornings....

As to whether he will take to it- I think you will know on the first stalk- my son did and it was very cool, I could see the predator come out in him...

quote:

Any advice?

Focus on the "adventure" - which it is especially to a kid - and use this as an opportunity to relive your "first time" thru him...the travel, people, customs, animals, plants, insects, hardships, food, stars, sunsets...all the little things. A stuff-up or two is good, as he will watch you and learn how to react and handle such things. Being on somewhat neutral ground, it's a good time to let him see that you are human too. And, it just may even bring out the best in you!

One of my boys enjoys hunting and wants to be a doctor, especially after job-shadowing surgeries this past year as part of a program for seniors at the local hospital and PSU campus. The other a mechanical engineer who can't stand the sight of blood (when he was around ten I took him to hunt a boar, pleased with his shot but somewhat disturbed by what he had done, he said, "Dad, I don't think hunting is for me, I don't like to kill things, but I'm okay with you doing it"). Both love Africa, and time spent in the outdoors, what more can one do - or ask.

Although a bit early for your son, both did their high school grad projects on one of their trips to Zim, focusing on the people, wildlife/human conflicts, and the benefits brought about by hunting. They did very nice PowerPoint presentations presented to the class and teachers, some of who were anti-hunting but afterwards had nothing but positive comments. Brett even got some sort of award for his presentation. Most people just simply don't understand.

They also think of the Dark Continent as being jungles full of savage beasts and death/danger. "The dude that goes to Africa" or "the guy that hunts" is a fine identify for a kid, and maybe they won't find the need to go out and create an unhealthy identity of their own.

Take lots of pictures of everything, Mom will enjoy them.

Don't sweat the details, just let it unfold and have a great time.

Not to be too much of a downer but a fair chase foot only hunt will be very exhaustive of a 13 year old. Don't over estimate the stamina of a child.

I took my 10 year old to Namibia for a 14 day Leopard/plains game hunt and it was the best time that we have ever had together. He was able to take some game, see parts of the world that most adults never see, and spend 17 uninterrupted days with me. I don't know if you can find a better place to introduce your child to big game hunting as there is an abundence (quantity and diversity) of game to see every day, the terrain isn't too tough, the weather is wonderful and you can pick your shot. The only drawback that I have found is that I will need a second job to go back as amny times as he would like.

Best of luck on the hunt, Russ..

I cannot wait until my daughter is old enough to go.

Russ,
Just got back from a 10 day safari in the East Cape with my son. One word... relax! He will enjoy every minute of the adventure!

Here is a link to our hunt:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2931057411

In 2006 we took our 11 year old and we all had a wonderful time hunting. He stalked and crawled and did everything he needed to do to make it a good hunt. He declined a shot when it did not feel right, waited and took the next opportunity when the shot felt right. It ended up being a record impala. His PH said he would hunt with him anytime. We just returned from our second trip and the boy is now 14 and again he did us proud. He was able to stay behind when his Dad and I left Africa to come home. He was given the opportunity to work for the safari company we were hunting with. He was there an extra 4 1/2 weeks and did not want to come home.
Hunting as a family has been one of the most incredible experiences and we can't wait to do it again.

Hey, 404WJJeffery
"Kids and wives just don't travel well."
I respectfully take exception to that generalized statement. This wife(and the kid) travels and hunts really well.

Russ, enjoy every moment of the African experience with your son. That includes all of the crummy stuff that can happen during your travel. You will have memories that will truly last forever.

Russ, have a great time !!! He'll enjoy the trip & you'll be glad you took him. It'll be something he will remember if he lives to be 100. Good for you .......

Been there done that once and then went back again. Took the boy to Africa when he was 11 using a 30.06 for his first animal ever and we just got back from our second trip last month. He's 14 now an shooting his own .375 H&H. Took 3 wart hogs and a dandy black wildebeest.
Enjoy the trip and let the PH work with your son while you observe. The cards will fall where thet may but I bet you end up with a good hand. Have a great time. Even if he doesn't become a uber hunter, he will remember this trip for a lifetime. Enjoy and good luck.

Turns out there was no need to worry ... just got back and this was the best thing I ever did for my kid (and even though we had a good relationship before going, we are now closer).

He seemed a little disinterested before we left (preferred video games to watching stuff about Africa). I did get him to practice a bit with the rifle, from the bench and then from kneeling and sitting. After each short session he would be back at the computer. Once we got going though, he perked up and when his first animal hit the ground he was transformed.

Bottom line, he took five animals with six shots with his Vanguard 7-08. Four of them went down within 5 yards of where they stood. The BWB ran 100 yards and took a finisher, but he was dead on his feet. The first day he shot an impala and after taking pics, we were waiting for the tracker to go fetch the vehicle. We were talking when suddenly Evan said "Dad, there's a warthog". I turned to see a good boar warthog 50 yards away. I said "Sit down and shoot". Evan sat, wrapped that cobra sling around his left arm, and shot in one fluid movement. The hog kicked, ran up a little incline, and then rolled back down again. Heart shot. Could not have done it better myself. Needless to say he was on a high and I was beaming. Two clean shots the first morning out!

A second impala and a baboon were taken later in the week, just the two of us hunting, after careful stalks and what seemed like an interminable wait before a clear shot was offered. Both dropped to the shot (the baboon did a face plant from a perch in a large fig tree on our third attempt to get a shot).

The BWB was the only animal he shot without me there to witness the shot. After several failed stalks over the course of 2 days (the animals were all very skittish due to the lateness of the season), I let him make the stalk with the tracker and he did this one on his own. I heard the bam-dup though and showed up on the scene two minutes later. We followed up and found the 'beest standing in a patch of brush about 100 yards further, broadside in the fading light. Without hesitation, Evan dispatched him and he fell on the shot. The light was going fast so we took pictures without trying to reposition the animal. Meanwhile the tracker went to get help and a vehicle. We were just talking quietly when we heard the unmistakable sawing of a leopard, which could not have been more than 25 yards away. We both loaded and backed off in a hurry. After what seemed like hours, the vehicle showed up in the dark and we heard him again, a little further off. And as we were loading the animal, we heard lions in the distance. This was the highlight of the hunt!

There were only two issues ... sore feet and when his hunt was over on the 4th day, thoughts turned to home that evening. He cheered up the next day as I let him be my PH while I hunted for Red Duiker. He as better eyes than me and this also made him more conscious of the need to walk quietly. While hunting thus, we saw a Suni, Waterbuck, Kudu, Nyala etc. I was successful on the last day, alone, while he went off with a neighbor to dart and capture Nyala, which he enjoyed immensely (this property is crawling with Nyala).

We hunted near Hluhluwe in Zululand. This is a very special place in many ways. First, it's the only tented camp that I know of in that area. We heard leopard on three occasions during the night, as well as bush baby, nightjar, hyena, and barking bushbuck. One morning, we witnessed a major baboon shouting match around camp after hearing a leopard just before dawn on three sides of our tent. Second, you hunt on foot only. Vehicles are only used to get to a dropoff point or to recover an animal. We also used a quad for this purpose when we hunted alone (added to the fun) but many mornings we hunted right out of camp. Third, one can self-cater which cuts the daily rates and adds adventure to the experience. Finally, the owner "Dokotela" Mark has a different philosophy than most when it comes to hunting. He lets you hunt, ie you walk in front, rather than being a puppy-dog walking behind the PH. And since I am a citizen of SA, we didn't hunt with a PH at all. In fact, many hunts we did without a tracker (I am in Mark's "circle of trust"). So it was just the two of us in camp, hunting when and where we liked, exploring the African bush. Some days, when we were looking for a particular species eg Kudu, the tracker would put us in the right terrain (the terrain varies from acacia-aloe ridges to riverine bush). Other days we just did our own thing.

The lessons I learned were

1. Preparation/practice with the rifle. We were going to take a Rem 722 in 300 Savage but while practicing we found the safety was hard to operate. So we picked up a 2nd hand Wby Vanguard in 7-08 from the local gunshop with a kid synthetic stock and a 22" bbl. The safety and bolt on that gun were very smooth and easy to operate. It was a wise choice. We also worked on shot placement using a full size impala target I made by blowing up a photo and printing it on 9 sheets of paper.

2. Let him shoot something the first day. That really got him going.

3. Make allowances. When his feet started hurting (not blisters but some mysterious kid ailment), we found a good place to sit. We didn't make him walk back to the vehicle when we were done wherever possible, the tracker or I went to fetch it.

4. Don't pressure the kid to shoot. I would ask if he was steady and if not, we repositioned. Instead of saying "Shoot shoot!" I said "When you are ready and steady, take your time, take the shot".

5. We spent the first night at Afton instead of making an immediate connection. This was a good call for both of us. When we got to camp around 3 pm the next day, we took the balance of the day to unpack and unwind, we didn't rush off to the range to sight the rifles. Thanks to 404 for that advice.

6. Mild loads. I loaded heavy bullets but at very modest velocity. I took a set of earplugs that allow you to hear but block the report. Toward the end of the hunt he forgot about the ear plugs and made the shot anyway.

7. We flew Delta, no stopover in Dakar. They have individual in-flight movies, he gobbled those up.

Well now I have to pay for the taxidermy, as he insisted on having mounts to show his friends. Ouch.

I will post some photos later. He is off to school today with lots of stories to tell!

Russ,

Great to hear you and your son had a great hunt at Mark's. While reading your story, I was visualizing where you were, the camp and where you were hunting.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Congrats again!!!

Congrats on getting to share an experience like that with your son!

I'm a 49 year old dad who hopes to hunt Africa with a child of mine.

Your tale was a pleasure to read. Thanks very much.

Russ, Don't worry about the mounts. I'm sure you'll have something up on your website before the bill comes that I find I just have to have!!!!....Biebs

You're a very blessed man. Enjoy your son while you can. They grow up much too fast.

Russ,

It is a great thing you have done. I took my oldest son to Alaska on a Moose hunt when he was 11 and he killed a bull on his 12th B'Day! My youngest son shot his first African animal at seven and killed a Cape Buffalo before he was 13. These kids come into their own real fast. The greatest gift is yours even though he will think it is his!

All I know is I wish my old man took me hunting when I was a boy...

Have a blast with your boy, Russ.

Russ - I hope you realize that you will never again be permitted to hunt Africa without your son. Great post. Your son now has memories that will last a lifetime. Good job.