I asked a question about shorts earlier. This is somewhat different. I've been to Africa, exactly once, in 1978. I hunted in Zimbabwe Rhodesia, for buffalo 3 days unsuccessfully, with a Brit and on a farm with an Afrikaner. I then hunted on a farm, with a German, in Namibia. These hunts were in October. Early and late, it was cool, certainly not cold. During the day it was warm. The Afrikaner and Brit wore shorts and desert boots every day. The German was about half and half.
I was corresponding with someone, who intimated to me that that was common in Zimbabwe. Is it not in other places? How common are shorts, now, and for the history teacher in me, how common were they in the past? Thanks, captdavid

I wear them in Montana half a year or more

Starting to wear them in Alberta. Might even pull out the 'short' shorts.

Unless I am culling, it's shorts and Tevas when hunting.

I wore shorts when hunting in South Africa, and Zambia. Kinda ruined me, hunting in warm weather. Now I don't like to hunt in cold weather here at home. I will, but I prefer hunting in shorts. In warm weather here at home, it's shorts unless doing something that calls for more protection.

I've worn shorts pretty much everyday I've hunted in Africa over 7 trips with the exceptions of nights sitting in the leopard blind.

Legs can get scratch up a bit but no biggie to me.

Just a comfort thing for me. Shorts, and gaitors to keep the weeds, seeds ect. of the boots.

African PHs wear shorts because they have skins that rival a pachyderm!

We were crawling on our knees on very hot rock, at midday, in Chete, trying to get close to buffalo.

I had Jeans on, and I was getting burnt!!

My PH had shorts on.

I suppose that old saying is true.

WHERE THERE IS NO SENSE THERE IS NO FEELING

I wear my gaiters when I am working on the farm. Wife says they look gay but they help guard my legs from red bugs, ticks, fire ants and poison ivy. I soak them in picaridin. Red Bugs are no joke here in the South. They do not bother some people but I must be a walking open buffet. If you are anywhere near wild grapes or berries there will be lots of red bugs because they live in places where mammals frequently visit.

Other than a few ticks I have never had any issues with anything like red bugs or poison ivy in Africa. Many of my friends over there hunt in flip flops.
I could only imagine what my legs would look like if I walked through a pine plantation with flip flops this time of year.

I've found that if you're wearing long pants, you'll be hunting in fairly open areas, and do no crawling.
If you're wearing shorts, that day will be spent busting through thorn bush and crawling over long stretches of broken/sharp rocks.
Never fails.

Or hot rocks and sand that burn your skin.

I'm having a hard time finding shorts short enough for my upcoming trip...I would hate to not look cool

Look for anything with a 4" inseam. You will fit in with your PH.

No shorts for me! Just more skin to be subjected to insects, thorns, etc.

I wear shorts here in South Texas. When I asked my Brit PH, he said that you would be more careful where you put your feet, if you wore them. He's right,

I'm looking for some socks that will cover my calves. I would prefer khaki or light green. Any idea where I can find them?

Thanks captdavid

I too belong to the school of long pants on safari. I wear shorts all summer long here in CO, but as also mentioned above, between hot rocks, sand, bugs, thorn bushes, etc., I feel much better keeping my skin on. I suppose it may depend upon how much one suffers from heat of the air temp, but that has never bothered me near as much as thorns, etc.

On my third safari in Zim in the Zambezi Valley, my friend decided to wear shorts on his elephant hunt. I was hunting lion, and one evening at the campfire, he came back late and it looked like he had fallen off his bike on a rough highway and slid for half a mile in shorts. He was stoic and didn't complain a bit, but I knew right there that pants were for me. I asked, and he just replied, "thorn bush".

Ah the old African daily wear, but it does not work well for Americans in Tanzania etc. The Tetsi fly is the devils demon! but if you like running puss sores and worm looking creatures climbing out of your skin be my guest,

I wear Jeans and heavy long sleeve shirts, and buckskin gloves in Tetsi, tick, and mosky land. Even then the Tetsi will bite thru jeans on occasion..Oh yeah, tape the legs to your boots and use a lot of spray..Remember that these little creature are terrified of Africans and bite Americans and Dubaians!!

Fashion is what fashion is, an invitation to hell..

I wear them here, in south Texas. Thank God, we're not bothered by those things, only the occasional mosquito, and horse fly. Oh yeaah, I almost forgot the rattler. Captdavid

I have a jacket and I will often not take longs along on a trip. At most one pair and I don't recall when they came out of the bag.

The rocky areas are a challenge however! Mountain hunts on hands and knees like the Western Cape it would be longs and knee pads! It's been many years since one of those hunts!

My search is over!!! the perfect shorts and a backpack to carry all my water in.

quote:

Originally posted by Heym 450/400:

Hey Ray looks like they found you some riding shorts, but it may scare hell out of your horse!

................................................................

I quit wearing shorts when I got old enough to have a say in the matter!

For the last 45+ years I have lived in jeans and am inclined to stay with them.

Always like seeing the africans, first thing in the morning, wondering around drinking that brown piss they call coffee. Boots, gaiters, shorts and a parka!

Ok, how about good old breach clout or Scotsman's skirt?

After getting tick bite fever in SA on my first safari I shy away from shorts, also treat ALL my clothing with permethrin. To me not worth more risk.

I've not hunted with a PH in East Africa who didn't wear long pants. Different in Namibia. I wear long pants tucked in my socks and gaiters. And still get scratched up sometimes, but seldom have tick problems.

quote:

Originally posted by Ongwe:
Always like seeing the africans, first thing in the morning, wondering around drinking that brown piss they call coffee. Boots, gaiters, shorts and a parka!

Haha it's our thing. The look doesn't seem to be catching on with international fashionistas however. I guess they don't have the legs to pull it off!

Very common in Zimbabwe, though I think it's pretty. Much a late 20th-early 31st century thing. There are photos of Hemingway and Rurark in shorts, but only in camp.

quote:

Originally posted by captdavid:
I asked a question about shorts earlier. This is somewhat different. I've been to Africa, exactly once, in 1978. I hunted in Zimbabwe Rhodesia, for buffalo 3 days unsuccessfully, with a Brit and on a farm with an Afrikaner. I then hunted on a farm, with a German, in Namibia. These hunts were in October. Early and late, it was cool, certainly not cold. During the day it was warm. The Afrikaner and Brit wore shorts and desert boots every day. The German was about half and half.
I was corresponding with someone, who intimated to me that that was common in Zimbabwe. Is it not in other places? How common are shorts, now, and for the history teacher in me, how common were they in the past? Thanks, captdavid

quote:

Scotsman's skirt?

boarkiller, Nae shorts up here brrrrr

Im glad you got the important part right.

I think there is an African native tribe who call their lower garment a 'Kilt'or have I been reading too much Wilbur Smith.

John, could you explain " it's easier to run with your kilt up, than your pants down?"

quote:

Originally posted by captdavid:
John, could you explain " it's easier to run with your kilt up, than your pants down?"

Which pants is that you talk of.

OH MY GOD!!! You can't unsee that picture of Heym 450/400. I may have to lay down.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
OH MY GOD!!! You can't unsee that picture of Heym 450/400. I may have to lay down.

Please...that's not a picture of me. I would have the decency to shave if I were to go dressed like that.

Well it's a picture of someone that should have known better than to go out in public like that.

My skin tears easily due to a bout with liver disease. Last Sept, while in Zim I started out trying to wear longs, but it was just too hot.

The thorns took their toll, but I brought plenty of bandaids, so I lived with the cuts and scratchs.

Not a fan of long socks in Africa. They catch too much debris.

Better to have socks that just barely make it over the tops of your hunting shoes and then use seed gaitors.

JMO

BH63

Mac,
I wore the seat out of those pants riding bucking horses, guess its time for new pair, this pair no longer works with the ladies anyway, may be just my age, as I still have the charm!! well maybe not!