I am booked for a lion buff hunt starting april 1 this year with toufic hana in burkia. Any advice from the old west african hands would be appreciated. This will be my sixth safari and I am in good physical condition. I will be using my 375 with 416 rigby for backup. Sam Kourda has been very kind with his advice.
My specific questions are:
1. Is it safe? Burkina is just south of Mali, and the state deptt has advisories for the north of the country. I personally think its safe, but my wife has been all over the internet, and she is WORRIED. Anyone with experience of the country who can enlighten us? (The state deptt ALWAYS has advisories, meant really for the average tourist who goes sight seeing and live sin the cities. Safaris are conducted away from human habitation, and the hunters/guides arent exactly defenseless- my opinion)
2.Are there any special things to watch out for in Burkina, over and above the usual safari stuff? I have the appropriate inoculations, meds, papers etc, and I plan to take hydration packets, camelback etc.

Thanks all

The best thing you can do is learn some French with one of the CD programs that cost about $100. I should have "brushed up" on my fluency.

I went in the 90's and even though I was somewhat able to converse, I ended up getting barbequed kidneys and other unknown internal organs on a skewer instead of goat and chicken. I was directed to a closet instead of the bathroom, twice...Same closet... I'm a slow learner... and I think the woman who wanted to "visit with me" at a hotel was sent by the bartender who misunderstood my request (half in horrible French and half in South Georgia English). I thought I asked him for ice. (Could he have thought I said a portion of female anatomy?)

Go, swing with the punches, get a good lion and have a blast.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
I was directed to a closet instead of the bathroom, twice...Same closet... I'm a slow learner...

LOL!

I was thinking of taking two rifles, but I wonder if a rifle and a shotgun makes more sense. I love bird hunting. Question for the w african pro's.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
and I think the woman who wanted to "visit with me" at a hotel was sent by the bartender who misunderstood my request (half in horrible French and half in South Georgia English).

'Sorry to hijack, but that's funny, I don't care who you are.

Judge,

That's hilarious.

Don't know a thing about Burkina Faso, except it's proximity to Mali (fightig seems to be in the North, though), but I get the same thing from my mother all the time. "There are problems in Africa" -- "Not where I'm going" -- Well where is that compared to all the bad things I've read in the news? -- Long way away -- Well how many countries are between where you will be and where the problems are? -- It's across the border -- You mean just across the border? -- not just across the border, a long way across the border -- but you mean there are problems in the country bordering where you will be? -- I can't say hell yes.


I grew up on the border between Texas and Mexico, but I'm gettin a bit tired of this.

When folks use a "generic" Africa to describe what they seem to think of as a homogeneous land mass, remind them that it is further from Dakar, Senegal to Cape Town than it is from New York to Dakar and likewise, it is further from Dakar to Capetown than it is from Moscow to Dakar... and there is one heck of a lot of good and bad between those cities.

As for me, I'm planning another trip in the next couple of years. Can't wait to see if that vulture still eats his breakfast off of the barbeque at the Pacific Hotel in Ouagadougou.

Heard Boddington state "not going to Africa because of problems somewhere on the continent is like not going to Texas because of wildfires in California, it's a BIG continent."
Or something to that effect.

As Judge G says -

quote:

Go, swing with the punches, get a good lion and have a blast.

On foot, a great way to hunt Lion.

Thanks, gents. Bought my ticket today and all systems are GO. I was going to tke my 416 and 375 HH but I've now decided on the 375 (using North Fork soft and cup point 300 gr, I get about 2560 comfortably) alone. I will also take my Beretta Xplor 12 ga. 3.5 inch.if semiautos are legal.It only weighs about seven and a half pounds. So here is the question: In case of wounded lion follow up, should i use the scoped 375 (has a leupold 1.5x5.5) or the shotgun with Dixie Slugs IXL-DGS. This is a hard cast 870 grain slug at 1200 fps from a 3inch shell, probably 100 fps faster with 3.5 inch. I am tending to use the slug. Here are my reasons:
1. I am very comfortable with my shotgun, have bird hunted all my life and shot skeet competitively many years ago. I am also very comfy with my 375 (6 safaris, mostly as a light rifle, dozens of animals), but think that the edge will go to the shotgun for quick instinctive pointing and shooting. And I expect that the slug will probably give full lengthwise penetration, so enough power. I don't especially like buckshot for dangerous game, but Dixie does offer a 3 ball load, each of which is .6" in diameter and weighs 320 grains. That's 900 grains at 1200 fps in the 3.5" shell. That might be a viable option as the second shot for oncoming lion. So what does everyone think? Please give your reasons as well as your opinion. Thank you. And if anyone knows if semiauto shotguns are legal in Burkina, would appreciate it as communication with Toufic is very difficult.

quote:

...communication with Toufic is very difficult.

#1 Reason for you to get Wink to go with you.

Toufic has a couple of Berreta semi-autos in camp. I'd just use his guns for the bird shooting...I did and it worked just fine.

If you shoot your 416 as well as you do your 375 I'd prefer the bigger gun for lion hunting in Burkina. This isn't a "shoot from the blind" affair. Also, I think shotguns are for birds and rifles are for dangerous game.

quote:

Heard Boddington state "not going to Africa because of problems somewhere on the continent is like not going to Texas because of wildfires in California, it's a BIG continent."
Or something to that effect.

Was sent this link a while ago...


True Size of Africa

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
Can't wait to see if that vulture still eats his breakfast off of the barbeque at the Pacific Hotel in Ouagadougou.

These days you'll want to steer clear of the Pacific Hotel. I now recommend the Villa Yiri Suma if you have to overnight or want to do an extended stay. The city has grown tremendously since I lived there. Much fewer vultures left downtown since they moved the central meat market.

With different factions within the now triumphant Malien army shooting at each other (their timing displays the usual political acumen), there isn't much going on in Mali worth worrying about.

As mentioned in the hunt report that ForrestB and I recently posted, make sure that Air France has both your rifle(s) and your ammo visible as approved in their system for all legs of your itinerary.

Thanks all.
Here's a question:
All things being equal, which is beter for a first shot at a lion: 375 H&H 300 gr at 2550 or 416 at 2400?

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Heard Boddington state "not going to Africa because of problems somewhere on the continent is like not going to Texas because of wildfires in California, it's a BIG continent."
Or something to that effect.

Was sent this link a while ago...


True Size of Africa

Baxter, that is exactly the photo I was looking for as well.

quote:

Thanks all.
Here's a question:
All things being equal, which is beter for a first shot at a lion: 375 H&H 300 gr at 2550 or 416 at 2400?

.
Perrrfect on either- Both have worked with deadly perfection for me. Quality though.... Nosler Partition on the 375 and Swift A Frame on 416.

I have a buddy over there right now.
.
Word has it he was very successful on lion and buff.

.
.

quote:

Originally posted by emron:
So here is the question: In case of wounded lion follow up, should i use the scoped 375 (has a leupold 1.5x5.5) or the shotgun with Dixie Slugs IXL-DGS. This is a hard cast 870 grain slug at 1200 fps from a 3inch shell, probably 100 fps faster with 3.5 inch. I am tending to use the slug. Here are my reasons:
1. I am very comfortable with my shotgun, have bird hunted all my life and shot skeet competitively many years ago. I am also very comfy with my 375 (6 safaris, mostly as a light rifle, dozens of animals), but think that the edge will go to the shotgun for quick instinctive pointing and shooting. And I expect that the slug will probably give full lengthwise penetration, so enough power. I don't especially like buckshot for dangerous game, but Dixie does offer a 3 ball load, each of which is .6" in diameter and weighs 320 grains. That's 900 grains at 1200 fps in the 3.5" shell. That might be a viable option as the second shot for oncoming lion. So what does everyone think? Please give your reasons as well as your opinion. Thank you. And if anyone knows if semiauto shotguns are legal in Burkina, would appreciate it as communication with Toufic is very difficult.

My suggestion is to not wound the lion!! But in that case, the PH's will likely get together and sort that one out on their own.

quote:

My suggestion is to not wound the lion!! But in that case, the PH's will likely get together and sort that one out on their own.

That definitely is the plan! But you know what they say about plans! Man proposes, God disposes
So Ive decided to take my 375 and 3.5" beretta 12 ga. Chances of a wounded lion are remote, and I will have fun bird hunting. I am told in Burkina, if you shoot an animal, your hunting is done for the day. So choices are to bird hunt or drink!I would rather bird hunt.
Besides, I still think a 870 grain flat point slug at 1250 fps will penetrate a lion lengthwise, and I cant ask for more.

Regards

quote:

Heard Boddington state "not going to Africa because of problems somewhere on the continent is like not going to Texas because of wildfires in California, it's a BIG continent."
Or something to that effect.

Living in Cairo, my family always sends me frantic emails when things heat up in Palestine or Iraq or Lebanon. I always tell them it is like me calling them in Wyoming when there is an earthquake in San Francisco.