Hello all. I have been reading and researching here for a little while. I just got clearance from the Mrs. for a first plains game hunt to Africa for 2008.
Reading the wealth of info here is great but also raises the concerns of how sizable an undertaking it of planning this thing to perfection.
My experience in 26 years of hunting is 30+ Whitetails, 24 turkeys and mostly waterfowl (my main passion). My gun safe of firearms doesn't include anything bigger than my Rem 700ADL 30-06 with a 3-9x, a Benelli Super Black Eagle 2 and my Mathews Switchback. I don't have a problem justifying a new rifle!!! Trouble is none of these involve world travel, different currency, large bore firearms or the long list of other variables I am stacking up the more I learn. Also it is quite rare for a eastern wild turkey to do much damage at all if they charge you!

Is a year or a little over a year enough time to plan???I am a project manager in the wireless industry and by nature a detailed oriented guy....I feel like there are lots of species to weigh, outfitters, countries etc.etc. My wife will come along so best case scenario I'd like to find a Safari to book where she will be comfortable and the vistas will be breathtaking for her....but my main focus will be someone others here have trusted and had good hunts with and will enable me to have a chance at the plains game most valued by me.
Would be baggin a good Kudu, or Gemsbok...not necessarily both and having chances at other species of plains game...I don't feel like I would at this point expect to fill out a laundry list plains species but things like Wildebeast, Zebra, Impala and anything opportunistic. I really though want to get my hands around what I am planning...and minimize bad surprises.My goal is to be able to relax and enjoy what I have dreamed about since reading my dads collection of books as a kid.

I'd hate to have my dream hunt turn out to be anything less than me getting to experience the dark continent and having enough stories to tell my 5, 3, and 1 year boys from now until they are old enough to go back with me.

Any advice on where to start would be greatly valued.

Goose,
Your time frame is perfect and you really don't need a new rifle if you are going to stick to plainsgame. The 30/06 is great,its what I took on my first safari. I leave in 5 weeks to hunt with Nic Roets Safaris(google nic roets safari) in RSA for the second time. He is a great PH and you and your wife will enjoy his company on the hunt. He is a great historian on Africa and has many places to hunt along with great animals in the areas he hunts. He will work with you for part hunting and part sightseeing. let him know what you are looking for along with the tourist things and he will suggest a schedule and a price(his prices are super).He will pick you up at the airport and drop you off when it is time to leave. Remember his season has started and he will have to email or call between hunts/clients.if you have other questions about him give me a call at 843-343-5230. I am not a booking agent for him just a satisfied client.
Thanks
Wesley Timmerman

Hi goose, and welcome to AR. I leave Sunday for my third trip within 10 months. Nothing like it on this planet! I'm going to take a few days and hunt waterfowl in South Africa, so I'm with you on the passion thing. You can take your '06, no worries. It will take any of the plains game you mentioned. There are outstanding areas to not only hunt, but allow the wife to have the time of her life. Details are my game. Call or email if I can help answer those questions. I've been there before. Good hunting, David

You can go to South Africa, but I don't like it. If you want good plainsgame and very afforable and also see some big 5 stuff, I think Namibia would be your best bet to do your research.

South Africa feels like a West Texas game ranch to me. But to each his own.

Don't worry too much about the issues you mentioned. Foreign currency is something few of us deal with. The almighty US$ is accepted in every country I have ever viseted.

Yes, 1 year is plenty of time to plan and execute a well planned safari.

For good plainsgame hunts look to Namibia and BOtswana. I will send you a PM with some details.

Good luck. Planning your first hunt is half the fun.

You are going to get tons of advice. I went on my first safari to Zim in 2004. I started planning it a year head just after the 2003 SCI convention. I am leaving in July for Zambia, my first DG hunt, Hopefully not my last. You will hear from many people who have much more experience than I do.

The first thing I would do would be to decide what animals I want to take. Then determine in what countries they were avaiable. I would then pick me out two or three reputable booking agents, several post here on a regular basis, and discuss your desires and budget consideration with them.

You will get plenty of advice from this group. They are not bashfull about giving information.
Most of which is accurate and helpful, some is pure BS. Having said that they kept me from
making a major screw up regarding a hunt in Mozambique.

Above all have fun. As a side bar you will not be broke forever, for once you have gone you will not be able to wait to go back.

H Kittle

quote:

you really don't need a new rifle

BLASPHEMY !!!

Goose,, it may be your first safari,, but once bitten you will be back. A year is plenty of time to plan, my next safari is August 08 in Namibia. One year is plenty of time to plan but almost to long to wait!I have not graduated to the dangerous game yet, mainly because I prefer to bow hunt but I do plan on a buff in the future and am looking at my first big bore for the gun safe for the dangerous game. Plains game wth your 30-06 will work,,but/...,go ahead and bite the bullet and get you a 375 H&H or 416 Rigby!The guys here can give you plenty of advice on calibers and loads, etc. Do your research, there is a great deal of experience on this website that will be very helpful to you. The what to pack info, etc.What outfitters, Ph's etc. Don't hesitate to run an outfitter up the flag pole here so to speak and get first hand info on them. If it is your first safari,, all the animals will look good. Listen to your Ph and take what you will be proud of. I wanted a Kudu bull really bad but all I ever got really close to were young bulls. Dang,, now I have to go back again and hunt for a good kudu!!!!

quote:

quote:
you really don't need a new rifle


BLASPHEMY !!!

No kidding. What if his wife reads this thread...

Goose,

Just came back from my first trip to SA.... low cost plains game hunt... just to get the experience... HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting a feel for SOUTH AFRICA if 1st time Africa hunting... Our 1st hunt over 12 days and this was busy! Even over farmed land we had good stalked up hunts onto wildebeast, kudu, impala, duiker, etc, and then on to another conccesion for worthog, more duiker, and then on to springbuck , and eland if we wanted it....
By the way, my three mates all used 30-06 and I used my 9.3x62(which was considered overkill by some but thats another story)...
Can't go wrong with the outfit we used... (Umlilo Safaris)... Had a great time... (Including piss up in Port Elizabeth) Just make sure you let them know what you want from the holiday... as they can cater for almost anything...

PM me for contact details.... I will highly recommend this outfit for first time plains game hunt.

My advise is get out there and hunt!!!!! Once you've been .... you will get the bug for more; and then and decide for your self it its trophy hunting your into or the South African way of life!!!!!
/

9.3 Nige

Goose,

I'd say that Namibia is the best bet for a first plainsgame hunt, especially with your wish list.............

For your new rifle try something in a 300 or 338 magnum perhaps, though the 30-06 will do it all with good bullets.

I used a 30-06 in Namibia, 2005. 180g Barnes Triple Shock on Mt. zebra, kudu and gemsbok. All bullets were found resting against the skin on the other side which does not bother me at all. Enjoy your year of planning, it is a lot of fun. Stay over there for as many days as you can. Try and add a few days or a week (before or after the hunt) to see some more of the country, parks, etc..

There is no place like Africa.

Would you really like to hunt a cape buff and/or say a coe elephant???

Think abnout this.
The airline ticket cost the same. The "problems of travel" getting your guns in, ammo in etc are the same. For just a little more in trophy fees, and probably a little more in daily rate you could at least hunt a buffalo, or even a cow elephant.
Leopards trophy fees are not that bad either.

I have hunted twice with Brooklands Safaris twice in Zimbabwe. I have never seen as much plains game, and they have big leopard and big buff as well.
They have good bird shooting as well.

Your 30-06 and a 375 or a 416 would do nicely.

Thanks for the help and words of encouragment fellas...I am really looking forward to the planning....It is good to hear so many of you guys have outfitters you'd recommend.
I will need to dig into the different game to focus my list...what round figure should I assume right now???
air, fees, tips, shipping I guess everything but taxidermy....I see all of the 7 species in 10 days or 12 days stuff....if I do that what is a realistic expectation for animals in the bag????should...I am not the kind of guy that woudl be bummed out if I didn't get a couple on the "list"...I really would want to focus on a couple animals and then see what presents itself...or am I setting my expectations low.
I have a figure in mind but I'd like to see what you guys say.
Thanks again.

For RSA or Namibia $12,000 or so should be close. If you can shoot, You should get most of the animals you want. I would say you can figure on at least an animal every other day.

Shipping varies quite a bit, depends on if you are shipping home mounts or salted skins and horns.

Goose, There was an error in my post yesterday it read " you will not be broke for ever" it should have read you will be broke for ever and ever for once you have gone over you will not be able to wait until you return.

H KITTLE

Goose,

In mid-July I leave for my first African hunt: 10-day plains game hunt with Karl Stumpfe of Ndumo Hunting Safaris. The planning has been a great deal of fun, and I would be happy to share with you consolidated planning timelines, lists, etc. that I made with information culled from AR and elsewhere on the Internet.

Please check for a PM.

All best,

Peter

Gooseblitz: I got back from my first one just 48 hours ago. Sent you a personal message.
You can't go wrong with Namibia.

Goose, I agree with the advice here about your 30-06. I took 8 species in Zambia from a Duiker to a Kudu, all with a .270 no problem. The key is to use good bullets, bonded bullets at a minimum. Good luck.

I bought the Ruger .375 and am taking my Ruger 30-06 too.

Take a look at NB Safaris. Neil Barnard.
Tell Neil I sent you. He is a great guy for first timers. Won't let you go overboard and will never tire of your questions. Contact him at :neil@nbsafaris.co.za
Randy

For plainsgame, the '06 will be fine; but I'll predict that you start looking for a .375 or bigger after you get back and start thinking about the next safari with bigger critters in mind.

For the '06 if youre going to be hunting open country 180 gr Barnes and if youre going to hunt thick bush load 200-220gr premium soft.
No need to get another rifle unless you have some money burning in your pocket

Since you will be taking your wife along there are a lot of places where she will feel comofortable and realxed after all it should her holiday as well. Namibia and RSA has some super lodges up to 5 star.

I'll add my vote for staying with the '06. Like most of the others, I'd shoot at least 180 grain bullets. Since you have plenty of time til your hunt, start practicing last week! Either make a set of shooting sticks or order a set from Stoney Point and after you have your rifle sighted in on a bench, start shooting of the sticks. I started with 10" paper plates (really cheap targets) and then reduced the size as I got better. Good luck and you will have dreams the rest of your life.

If it's plainsgame you're after, there's nothing your 30-06, properly loaded, won't do perfectly well. Save the price of a new rifle for more animals, IMO.

For starters, my recommendation would be a toss-up between RSA and Namibia. RSA wins if you want variety of species. Both will accomodate your mrs. perfectly well, with just a smidgen of market research.

Thanks guys...appreciate the good info...I will weigh a new gun but it is nice to know my tried and true 06 will handle the task....lots of great info on outfitters and places to go....very much appreciated and I love doing this kind of research so if you have someone who gave you a great hunt feel free to PM me. I'd be interested what your trips have been running ya everything included! Thanks!

quote:

probably a little more in daily rate you could at least hunt a buffalo, or even a cow elephant.

Actually daily rates for elephant, even tuskless, and buffalo are more than double the plains game rate in most countries. RSA is an exception but they get you on the trophy fees on the DG species (and very few elephant taken in RSA).

The cheapest elephant hunt is a Zim PAC hunt...we get $400/day x 5-7 days plus $3K or $4.5K depending on the area for the elephant. But PAC means no export, and no other species other than leopard in the same area. However, we do offer a 14 day PAC/PG combo at $400 per day, relocation after the PAC is done.

Next step up we do a tuskless ele/cow buff hunt also in Zim for $11000 everything incl. 10 days. We call that our "Poor Man's DG Hunt".

Beyond that you are looking at $900 or more in daily rates plus trophy fees, and this is in Zim. Moz is somewhat comparable but charter required and no export of ele to USA. All the others are more expensive. (Except for chasse libre hunts).

For comparison, PG hunts in Zim are $350 to $450 per day, 1x1.

PG is cheapest in Namibia. If you were on a budget, that's where I would go. You can hunt for as little as $250 per day.