I placed my deposit to go and hunt South Africa for April 2025! THe culmination of a 15 year long dream is gonna happen.

My package includes 7 days with a Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, and Warthog. I may add a Kudu but have plenty of time.

SO DAMN EXCITED!!!!

The site is part of it and I will update as I go and cant wait to post a hunting report when done.

Congrats! My advice- sell a gun if you have to, but you will never regret getting a nice Kudu! It is a lot cheaper this time, than to have to go back to get one later, and with this world, later may never come!

Congratulations on putting a deposit down on your first safari! Now the planning and dreaming can begin in earnest. Enjoy every minute... nothing like your first safari.

Congratulations and enjoy the excitement
There is a saying by Richard Mullin
The only man I envy is
the man who has not yet been to Africa
for he has so much to look forward to

Definitely take a Kudu and ask about cull animals.

Congratulations, that's awesome!

For Pete’s sake, add bushbuck

Good for you crackerman,

A 7 day safari is nice, I have taken one of those and the rest have been 10 days or longer. However, the jet lag after traveling for over 30 hours and then to camp. I do not sleep well on the long flight, and land tired.

If you have the funds availabe you may want to consider some of these. That is if they are available on the property you will be hunting.
1. Kudu
2. Nyala
3. Red hartbeest
4. Black wildebeest
5. Blesbuc
6. Bushbuck

These are in no order, and all make great additions to your hunt.

Working with your PH try to find a nice kudu in the mid 50" range. Look for tips pointing out and showing some ivory.

If you go the Nyala route, you are looking for ivory tips point out and ask the PH for something in the 27' or longer range.

When you return you will never be the same.

Two types of trips to Africa. Your first trip and all the other trips. Nothing compares to the first trip. Enjoy every aspect, e.g., all the planning, reading about Africa, etc.

Howdy,

What BakerB said. You'll be scheming on the flight home on how to fund your next trip.

Mark

Don't ignore the relatively inexpensive animals like the gray (bush) duiker, springbuck and steenbuck. They offer tremendous hunts.

Congratulations!

Add the kudu and 3 extra days, if you can.

The first trip is the best.

Cracker, you'll be planning your next trip over before you even board your flight back home. African hunting is addicting. I've been 16 times and I don't know if I'm done yet.

Biggest tip? Do all your practice shooting off sticks, because that's how everything is done over there.

I’d definitely add a Kudu and a Gemsbok

If you can work it out try to add an extra day or 2 for sightseeing. I usually arrive at least a day early just in case the airline connections get messed up. I would much rather miss a day of sightseeing than hunting!
Have fun and don't worry about trophy scores.

One sage word of advice received from Wayne Grant -

"Never look through your binoculars when you need to be looking through your rifle-scope."

Congratulations on booking your first safari!

Greater kudu are special animals, one of the greatest of the spiral horned antelopes.

Best wishes for a great trip.

Thanks all.

It feels so weird to actually have taken the active step to go do what I have read here and in books.

I picked 7 days which I know will go quick but for my first (yes already planning a second when my son is 15 or 16) I want the experience of waking up to the sun coming over the hills and veld similar to being in the Southwestern US desert. I have an image in my mind and everything I have read and people that I have talked to say that it will still be better than a deceade+ of expectations.

I do plan on taking other animals, especially some of the "tiny ten. I actually have a place on top of my credenza picked out for a full body mount. And will get to replace my zebra rug for a real one.

One thing for sure I have noted is to practice, practice, practice. I am going to take my CZ600 lux and conveniently CZ makes a .22 that mimics the gun almost exactly. So I will be able to practice of sticks with a .22LR for form and the .30-06 for real work.

Already told the family and extended family this is my goal so all christmas and birthday presents are to be dedicated to Africa, shooting sticks are one of the items on the list.

It just awesome to post this now as a follow along to the "One day I will post".

Welcome to the addiction. You'll have a great time, but will probably be planning your next trip before you are back from this one. Enjoy!

Congrats on your upcoming trip! It will be better than you can imagine!

I made my first trip to taste the waters of Africa in 2003. After much discussion, I persuaded my wife to go along. In the airplane on the way home she asked me, "When can we go back." We did it three more times. My only regret is that we stopped at that.

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
Congratulations!

Add the kudu and 3 extra days, if you can.

The first trip is the best.

Do this!

Congrats on your upcoming safari! The time will pass slowly, like a kid waiting for Christmas, the day after Thanksgiving.

Depending on your desires, you may want to hunt DG after your first safari. My first safari was a PG safari back in 2001 in South Africa. My wife and I together took 17 animals. Basically shot anything that looked good. After that, my wife and friends went to Zim to hunt Buffalo mainly, and other PG. If you get bit by the Africa bug, like many here are predicting, you may consider something like Buffalo next, but that’s far down the road, so enjoy this one first.

Here’s the hook: after your first PG safari, if you choose Buffalo next, you’ll need to buy a big bore rifle. Lord, this is addicting, but it will give you (and perhaps your wife), a real reason to start looking over all of those DG rifles in the racks and on the ‘net. Enjoy.

Good luck on your first safari, and post pics here on your return, if you have those skills. I do not…

I try my best not to be envious of others. However, I am always envious of those headed on their first safari!

There are many great writers (including many here on AR) but not even the most articulate can accurately capture the full essence of safari on paper. It is a wonderfully overwhelming experience!

As others have stated, try to save a little extra for a kudu. When you see your first bull, just remind yourself to breathe as I promise he will take your breath away! All the best!

Have fun! You will have a GREAT time! Take LOTS of pictures. Enjoy the sounds and smells! They will stay with you forever! Aim low and slow!

This how it will go: You will be planning your second safari three days into your first. Definitely take the kudu NOW! Plan to spend a little more on other animals. Add three to five extra hunting days. Do whatever you need to do to make these thing happen. It's a lot cheaper once you are are already there.