Heres the deal.



Last December my wife and I booked a 10 day hunt in RSA through Rick Wilks ( http://www.wilks-hunting-adv.com/ ) with Garry Kelly Safaris for August 18th through the 28th. We paid a 50% deposit and had Susan Hill ( www.gracytravel.com ) hold the airline seats. Things where going great and we were counting down the days until Friday July the 2nd. On that day my wife was told she had cancer and would need surgery asap. After we got over the shock we called Susan and Rick, who e-mailed Garry. She had the surgery on July 7th and is doing GREAT, thankfuly the cancer was benign aand she'll make a full recovery soon. Everyone has been very helpful and very understanding, without us asking Garry offered to postpone our trip to 2005 or now he's offering us a date in October. We checked with her doctor and he said anytime after the first of September would be fine with him. Now don't get me wrong I'm very grateful that Garry is willing to do any of this,but the reason we booked the hunt in August was after being in Namibia in the first of September last year, I just didn't want to go this late in the season. Namibia in September can be HOT and I was hoping to avoid some of the heat by going in August. So whats the weather in RSA like in October? If given the choice would you just wait and go next year or go in October?



I'd also like to take this time to thank everyone, Rick, Susan and Garry, thanks.

Mark I hunted last October in RSA, during midday it was hot but seeing that you are from Bama it might be just like home. The mornings and evenings are cooler. I found the late season to be great as far as game movement,critters everywhere. The heat is dry, the sweat evaporates quickly,also it was windy like the beach . I hope you get to go this year.Our prayers are with your wife for a speedy recovery. Best of luck Ben (rug)

Depends on the area. If it is Natal it could be rainy and hot/humid. But you might be used to that as already mentioned!

Ann, thanks for all your thoughts also.



I'm not sure where Garrys area is other than its a 3 hour drive north of Johannesburg, maybe in the Limpopo area?



As much as I'd like for us to get away this year, the last few weeks have been one hell of a ride with her surgery and me working 6 days a week just to meet deadlines, I'm tempted just to say the hell with it. I didn't want to go when it would be hot and with all the bullshit thats going on with the airlines and gun laws we weren't looking forward to going next year either. After talking about it, this was looking like our last trip to Africa. Now I'm not sure what to do, I hate to eat $3k, but I'm not sure I want to spend $10k and sweat while hunting in the heat.

It will probably be hot, you'll live, go anyway. It's not worth losing hard earned cash over. Just carry a small towel to whipe sweat while you are hunting.

Mark,

I'm also hunting with Garry this year as you know. I think you'll find that Oct. will be warm but like previously stated the game will be very visible. Also I'm sure Garry will organize a great safari for you.

Air 2000 is handling all the gun/arrival stuff for Garry and I'm anticipating no long waits or hassles. In fact they contacted me this morning to lay out the whole procedure and tell me my paperwork was all in order.Sounds pretty slick!

I'm so glad to hear that your wife's cancer was benign. I'm sure you can just about now breath a sigh of relief.

I don't thnk I'd wait until next year. Oct. should be fine and what a nice break for you and your wife after a draining summer.

Regards,

Mark

In a word, GO!

It has been said in several manners, Jack Atchison comes to mind, something like "Go hunting now, while you can". Take the cancer scare as a lesson, so to speak, that you never know what lies down the road. If you wait a year, you may not be able to go then for some other currently unknown and unexpected reason; hell, you may not even be around! I suggest that you never put off a hunting venture if at all possible to go, otherwise, you may be putting it off permanently.

I've hunted the bushveld area around Thabazimbi several times in Oct. It's not really hot compared to Southern 'Bama or where I live in South Florida. 75 to 85 degrees is normal with extreemly low humidity. The hunting will be great, because the rains there have not come yet and visibility is good. The game will be moving around as well looking for water. Take the hunt, you will have a great time. I'm taking my wife and a few other clients for a group hunt the first part of Oct this year. I like the late season a whole bunch.

Mark, go on the safari.

Thanks for the replys guys, and Ann. Yeah I'm use to the heat, thats why I don't want to hunt in it. I've already been on a Idaho bear this year that was too late in the season and was too warm. As I said the last few weeks haven't been a lot of fun with her surgery, me trying to work 50 to 60 hours a week, then come home help her and do the house work I've about done all I can do and need a break, but that ain't going to happen for 3 or 4 more weeks. Anyway thanks for letting me vent. We'll talk it over with everyone and see what happens, but right now its not looking good for this year.

Mark, like others have said I have hunted the Northern part of RSA in Oct (I have only hunted RSA in Oct) it is not bad and as a reference I live in Pa and don't cotton to the heat. It is dry and you will spend the evenings setting around the fire (when do you do that in Bama in the summer) and enjoying sundowners. I am going to Namabia with Vaughan Fulton the last week of Sept and the first week + of Oct. Go for it your wife will love you for it.

We hunted with Vaughan last year, Sepetmber 2-10, and a few days it was very warm. I took more than one cold shower after lunch. I think the last of September will be REAL warm.

Mark,

We have just returned from Bonwa Phala, what a great place. I would think about calling them directly and asking them what they think. If you do call ask for Nickie, she WILL answer any question and the answer won't neccessarily be what you want to hear.
On the bright side if it is hot at least you will be able to get in that frigid patch of water they call the pool!!

Me, I'd go, remember the outlook could have been not good.

Dulcinea

I'm hunting with Garry the last week of Sept. thru the first week in Oct., and I don't mind hot weather.

I agree with Arts. I'd go this year and hunt while you can. You don't know what next year is going to bring!

AD

Mark if we find Leopard it can't be to hot, eh. I hunted just south of Etosha in 2002 the first two weeks of October, then went to the Potgiersrus area for five days Green Rino and Klipspringer and Mt Reedbuck. It just isn't as warm as Namibia.

Personally I wouldn't unless that's the only time you can....

RSA and Namibia should be hunted in late March, April, May in my opinnion..

Tanzania July, Aug., Sept., Oct.

Yes, Mr. Atkinson, but if October was what you had, wouldn't you take it?

Damn, I don't need this aggravation, I got deadlines to meet today and tommorow but I keep thinking about this trip. A hunting trip is suppose to be fun, something you look forward to, and right now this is turning out to be neather. Paying 10k to hunt in the heat just ain't what I wanted to do. I did a search and it looks like the weather in October will be in the mid 70s to mid 80s. Hell, it should be as cool, if not cooler, here.

I'm not sure where the hunt will be, but in Limpopo, there won't be nearly the humidity as Alabama will get. 10k is a lot of money, but if you stand to loose 3k now and decide to do it next year, that 10k hunt is now 13k. My best suggestion is to ask your wife. She's a really big part of your decision right now. What does she think?
I'll be there from the 7th to the 19th of Oct. April and May are great, as is July. My personal favorite is Oct. due to the fact that the plane won't be as full, most of the hunting areas have recovered from the high season June and July hunts and the animals are a bit easier to find. The heat in the bushveld will be nowhere near what it is in Namibia at that time of year, and will only be at its hottest for a few hour every afternoon.
One peice of advice though, if you go into this thinking you will be miserable, then you probably won't have a very enjoyable hunt. I can tell you from a bunch of past experience that I enjoy RSA in the spring, but not everyone agrees with me. If your hunt is for late Oct, you may want to pass, because the spring rains should hit many higher areas mid to late month, but early Oct. is lovely imho.