Thinking about booking a first safari. I'd love a chance to talk to someone to discuss outfitters and suggestions as to countries and species. If you PM me I'll shoot you my # and we can chat. Kinda hard for me to know where to start!

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by basser:
Thinking about booking a first safari. I'd love a chance to talk to someone to discuss outfitters and suggestions as to countries and species. If you PM me I'll shoot you my # and we can chat. Kinda hard for me to know where to start!

Thanks

There's so much experience here, its a great place to get started. What species interest you?

What kind of adventure are you looking for? You can start in South Africa, which is far more commercial than say Zambia or Tanzania, yet still wild enough to get the "feel" for what it's all about?

And obviously, budget.

You’re welcome to give me a shout anytime. I am in East TN. My wife’s family owns a safari company in South Africa. I will pm you my phone number.

I shot you a PM

What will be your number 1 trophy that you are looking for.

Forget about the expense. You will have such a wonderful experience that you will have to return again and again.
“You never wash off Africa’s dust”

quote:

Forget about the expense. You will have such a wonderful experience that you will have to return again and again.
“You never wash off Africa’s dust”

Yep!

Basser,

I sent you a PM. Feel free to contact me. I agree with Karl. Years ago, Craig Boddington gave a talk at an HSC meeting and he jokingly said something like, if you haven't gone on an African safari yet, don't. Take up something less addictive like cocaine or heroin. Craig wasn't advocating drug use, but he wasn't far wrong. I started dreaming about hunting in Africa when I was 8 years old after reading TR's African Game Trails, but didn't go for the first time until I was 44. Always other obligations, work, family, kids, got in the way. Wish I'd have gone sooner. Agree with picking your key species and then picking a destination, then, your most important decision, an outfitter/safari operator. You won't fill your wish list on any given safari but that is a good thing. Because you will be back.

My advice would be to hunt a Buffalo in Wild Africa and start looking for a large caliber rifle.

Andrew's advice isn't far wrong. I love buffalo and it's pretty addictive. A .416 or even a .375 can be used for everything.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
My advice would be to hunt a Buffalo in Wild Africa and start looking for a large caliber rifle.

going to africa is a lot of fun. Where you go can depend on your budget and a lot dont talk about that part. If budget is not an issue all the places of africa that have hunting should be looked at. If you have a smaller budget I think it is hard to beat namibia for a plains game hunt. There is plenty of steps along the way no matter were you pick and a plains game hunt to namibia or Sa is a good start in my mind.

My advice is after you make a decision on where you are going get advice from folks that have been to that area/concession this year. Things can change quickly in Africa. The safari company that you choose to go with can probably help you the most and remember what you pay for is what you get.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post. I spoke with Buzz Charlton this morning and I think we will be able to work something out. After the date is set, I'm sure to have clothing, binos, boots, travel, safari etiquette, and tipping questions. With your permission I'll tap you fellows for your experience.

Mike

I think the most important thing is going with a quality outfit.I didn't on my first safari and was ten years before I decided to go for another.

After your choice there are two important things that will impact your experience:
1. Get in shape. I mean really in shape.
1. Practice shooting in awkward real life positions.
Your job is to keep up and shoot straight. Your PH will gauge your abilities and manage the hunt accordingly. This is the adventure of a lifetime be prepared to enjoy it.

quote:

Originally posted by basser:
Thanks to everyone who replied to my post. I spoke with Buzz Charlton this morning and I think we will be able to work something out. After the date is set, I'm sure to have clothing, binos, boots, travel, safari etiquette, and tipping questions. With your permission I'll tap you fellows for your experience.

Mike

Sounds good and go late season when it is hot and burnt

quote:

Originally posted by 4-5-0:
After your choice there are two important things that will impact your experience:
1. Get in shape. I mean really in shape.
1. Practice shooting in awkward real life positions.
Your job is to keep up and shoot straight. Your PH will gauge your abilities and manage the hunt accordingly. This is the adventure of a lifetime be prepared to enjoy it.

This is a VERY under appreciated component.

I'm obviously not a PH, but I believe most PH's will make some judgement call on the physical abilities of a client when they step off the charter.

It may even be subconscious. My lifetime of fitness has given my PH's over the years to not base a hunts difficulty on my ability to get there, follow that, or climb this.

I think it has resulted in my "luck" to have collected some fantastic trophies over my lifetime.

Make yourself a set of African style sticks as seen on most Buzz Charlton videos. Practise shooting off them at various heights. Use a small calibre rifle most of the time for this. Too much shooting with a big bore and you could develope a flinch like mine.
Practise shooting quickly. On the sticks, safety off, Bang!
In thick cover you often only have a fleeting moment of opportunity.
Practise reloading with the rifle still at your shoulder. In a tense situation you haven't the luxury of looking at the action while you reload.
Pin point accuracy is nice in the unlikely event of shooting a duiker at 100 yards but not all that relevant on a wounded running buffalo at 50 yards. Speed is necessary to get that all important second shot into a bull if he runs after your very carefully placed first shot.
Good luck, get fit, and we are all looking forward to your hunt report!

-If you go with another person, split your stuff between your two suitcases. That way if one suitcase get lost at least you have something.

-Wear stuff you can get by with in the field; shoes, shirt, hat, sunglasses, etc. Your carry-on is very important as it might be all the gear you have for awhile as suitcases seem to get regularly lost.

-Highly recommend Shawn at Gracy Travel. Also recommend a 'meet and greet' whether it be the PH or a service. Especially at Jo'Burg!

-While traveling wear a shirt with zippered pockets for passport, tickets, and cash. USD work fine in Africa. Keep one's in one pockets and $5's, $10's in another. In some situations tipping with a couple $1's is fine, $5's or 10's in other circumstances. Don't flash a lot of cash around. NOTE: You are dropping thousands of dollars around on this hunt so spreading out some tips is a good thing.

-I remember my first couple trips to Africa and it was important to take my own rifle and bring back trophies. Problem is traveling with firearms can be a real PIA and with trophy shipping/taxidermy it can get more expensive than the hunt. Now I use their rifles and hunt with a camera.

-Take a pal or take a significant other. The accommodations (bathrooms, food, suites, etc) are very nice. Once my wife saw video I took of the bathrooms and accommodations she has gone with me several times.

-In my experience you tend to get better trophies with a daily rate + trophy fees than package deals. Your mileage may differ.

-Get out the deep checkbook if you want to do dangerous game. Plains game hunting is the best dollar value in all of hunting.

Have fun!

Lots of good advice here. One comment about the sight in is particularly important in my opinion, especially if you are hunting with someone you've never hunted with before. Your rifle probably didn't get knocked off zero during the trip, but your PH and the entire staff is looking closely at you for not only how you shoot, but how you handle your rifle in terms of safety.

One year, I took my father's .375 as my light rifle and it was too short for me. After I shot my .416 leaning across the hood of the gari resting on a seat cushion, which is common, and it was spot on, I shot my father's .375 and while the PH declared it on, it was about 3/4" out and the scope cut me. I wiped off the blood and insisted on a second shot, that was spot on and we were good to go. Don't take a rifle that doesn't fit, but I think the fact that I insisted on a second shot after getting cut convinced the staff that I wasn't afraid of the rifle.

Since then, I've learned that I generally take unfilled sandbags for the sight in, and sight checks during the hunt, especially when hunting cats. We fill them before the initial sight-in and I leave them when I leave. Much better than shooting off a seat cushion.

I do similar to Lavaca with the change that I take small roll top dry bags to use as both stuff sacks and sandbags.

Africa is DUSTY. Dry bags are really nice to keep that at bay for some items and stay a little organized.

What I have seen the most is that folks don't practice the reload and struggle to put the next round in. It seems like a simple thing, but I see people struggle with it all the time. Also finding the animal in the scope seems to be a recurring problem.

Ask the PH all of your questions. There aren't any stupid ones, so just ask.

Jeremy

Damn, I feel inadequate. I don’t even take my own rifle, mush less my own sandbags.

I even took a collapseable funnel to fill them the first time I did it, but found out that is unnecessary. They figure out how to get it done. I buy the unfilled range bags from Caldwell.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Damn, I feel inadequate. I don’t even take my own rifle, mush less my own sandbags.

Funny

Congrats on planning your first safari- all advice given thus far is solid. i’ll add my 2 cents…… dont take too much stuff! i know you can easily get by with 1 carry on and small back pack, a rifle case and an ammo box checked in. There are a few instances where ya might need a heavy coat/pants june/july in certain places but generally speaking ya don’t need to take much.

My best advice is, Go and enjoy the total experience!

A lot of great advice here, I will add , Stay as long as you can, don't make an animal list and try to fill it. Just get in the cruiser, hunt and take what opportunities present themselves. Shoot whatever you can and worry about paying for it when you get back. It's much cheaper to shoot what you want while your there than to take another trip just to get a few species you turned down because it wasn't in your budget or on your list. You can always make more money.

Jerry bis so right.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:
A lot of great advice here, I will add , Stay as long as you can, don't make an animal list and try to fill it. Just get in the cruiser, hunt and take what opportunities present themselves. Shoot whatever you can and worry about paying for it when you get back. It's much cheaper to shoot what you want while your there than to take another trip just to get a few species you turned down because it wasn't in your budget or on your list. You can always make more money.

Sage words indeed.

Mark

.

You cannot go wrong with CM Safaris and Buzz plus team.

Returned yesterday from back to back hunts in Eastern Cape RSA with my wife and another couple and then 7 days DG in Gokwe Zimbabwe arranged by CMS with a great friend. Very different hunts, the one I shot a lot, the other I shot 2 animals, both memorable hunts. Will post reports shortly.

Totally depends on what you are looking for, your budget and how off the map you want to go!!

Whatever you decide good luck, go with the flow and enjoy!

.

Its looking like it will be a Buff hunt in Mozambique
with Dean Kendal. Has anyone hunted in Moz with Dean? He and Buzz sound like excellent guys and from what I've seen here in my searches, they enjoy great reputations. Now to finalize it and start loading up some 300 grainers for my 375. (I use 260's here in the US)

Hi basser,

You can't go wrong with Dean. I have not hunted with him in Mozambique but I did in Zimbabwe in 2022 for Buff. He is a fantastic PH and very nice guy to spend time with on safari.

Where in Mozambique?

Take your wife, if you have one!

That is a sure ticket for a return trip. Mine paid for the second hunt!!

yes, she will be coming along for sure!

don't overdo the taxidermy.

Take your dream list and assume you kill everything on it.

Measure out where you want it.

Will it fit and look right?

Can you afford it?

Measure four times, shoot and stuff once.

I spent the money to hire a great videographer who was experienced in hunting safari photography. Highly recommend it.

Live the Moment. Remember the good times, the bad times, and most especially relish the ugly times. Relish the Acacia that break and scratch you…relish the twisted ankles…love it when the prey busts you…there will be a tomorrow to try again.

Know that what you do is something dramatically few will ever get to experience. Even fewer still get to experience it a second time. That makes it evermore special.

Stop in the hunt, find a place to sit still and look over the land from a high place. Find the quiet and the peace to just take it all in.


Everything else will come…but the hardest thing to work at for me was to simply be in the moment. The sight, the sound, the smells the tastes. Drink it all in. They are food for the soul.


Just be. Be a part of all of it. Just Be.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
Live the Moment. Remember the good times, the bad times, and most especially relish the ugly times. Relish the Acacia that break and scratch you…relish the twisted ankles…love it when the prey busts you…there will be a tomorrow to try again.

Know that what you do is something dramatically few will ever get to experience. Even fewer still get to experience it a second time. That makes it evermore special.

Stop in the hunt, find a place to sit still and look over the land from a high place. Find the quiet and the peace to just take it all in.


Everything else will come…but the hardest thing to work at for me was to simply be in the moment. The sight, the sound, the smells the tastes. Drink it all in. They are food for the soul.


Just be. Be a part of all of it. Just Be.

quote:

Originally posted by basser:
Its looking like it will be a Buff hunt in Mozambique
with Dean Kendal. Has anyone hunted in Moz with Dean? He and Buzz sound like excellent guys and from what I've seen here in my searches, they enjoy great reputations. Now to finalize it and start loading up some 300 grainers for my 375. (I use 260's here in the US)

My 2 cents.

(1) Don't drive anywhere in Mozambique, take scheduled/chartered air carriers everywhere.
(2) Call Nicole at Gracy for your tickets.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Damn, I feel inadequate. I don’t even take my own rifle, mush less my own sandbags.

taking your own rifles, is like going on a hunt with family.

May be I am not normal - not unusual, as I have been frequently being called a freak!

I hunt with a rifle I have built myself.

For a cartridge I have designed myself.

With bullets I make myself.

The last buffalo I shot this year got our trackers scratching their heads.

The bull was feeding about 200 yards feeding facing away at an angle.

Not perfect for a shot, but I fired.

Nuni, our tracker immediate said "why did he shoot him at that position?"

The bull ran a few yards, stumbled, and dropped.

Alan was laughing all the way to him, telling me what Nuni has said.

Adding "You did not tell him about your NO MISS bullets!"

Bullet went in at the rear of the ribs, crossing the body, taking the top of the heart, and stopping in the chest.

That, my friend, is makes a safari so much more fun!