TerryR:

I read your post with interest and it started me thinking.

I had been hunting in the States since I was 12 and in Canada since I was 18. I hunted in some 8 states of the US,3 provinces of Canada and in Panama (Darien). When I came to Africa to hunt in the Chirisa safari district of Zimbabwe, I was astonished at the easy walking ground, the pleasant climate (I was there in May) and, of course, the profusion of animals and birds.

At this point I have to separate myself, nonetheless,from your idea that Africa could be a beginning hunting ground. I went for Cape buffalo. I paid my adversary the sufficient compliment that I feared him on his own ground -and my PH who respected my abilities as an experienced hunter - but in another place - made it clear to me that he too feared and respected the Cape buffalo -even as I had total respect for him. (I told him after I had my buff and we were talking - that a PH in Africa is not a "guide". He is a bodyguard!) What I want to say in a roundabout manner is that I know of one DG that it would be much better to prepare for by having some engrained attitudes of mind about hunting before confronting him. My PH trusted me and gave me a real experience. It's one thing to shoot a Cape buffalo at 100 yards (it must be something like shooting a Jersey or Holstein cow in a herd) and quite another to shoot him at 30-35 yards where he is giving that "look". Africa, as far as I'm concerned, is the World Series of hunting. After that, all other hunting of big game seems tame. I can't explain it but it was true for me.

Sunny skies, short sleeves, someone to hold the shooting sticks while I videoed. I can't think of a better place to have introduced my wife to hunting.

I was just on the African Hunter forum and came across a post which got my attention. The poster had been on a hunt in Africa and his guide was pulled off of his group and assigned to a hunter who had no prior hunting experience at all. I assume that the guide was replaced with an acceptable substitute because the poster had no complaint about losing his origional guide, what seemed to bother him was that someone who had never shown an interest in hunting before, someone who even had to borrow a gun, choose Africa to be the start of his hunting career rather than the pinnacle of it.
My experience was similar to that of the dentist the African Hunter poster referred to. In 1998 at the urging of my Brother I went to Botswana. The first animal that I shot that didn't have feathers on it was a Cape Buffalo. That trip and a subsequent one with my two sons, also rookies, was wonderful. Rather than being something reserved for only those with extensive hunting experience, I believe that Africa is a wonderful place to begin a hunting career. The enveronment is pleasant,at least compared to a deer stand in the cold rain, the opportunities are numerous, and you have a PH to guide you through the process. As long as he/she has mastered the basics of shooting and is comfortable with his/her rifle, I can think of no better way to introduce someone to hunting.
Any thoughts on this?

Robert Ruark would certainly agree with you.

I didn't start hunting until my mid-forties although I have played around with handguns and rifles since I was in my early twenties. I just never got around to hunting for some reason. The first big game animal I ever took was an Impala in South Africa in 2000.

-Bob F.

I'm sure it would be a good place to start someone ... but it would probably never have the meaning of the "dream come true" it has had for some of us who started in more humble surroundings.

I'd not suggest that an interested person not do it, but I might hesitate to drag someone who has never expressed any interest at all.

I would not drag anyone hunting be it in Africa or any where else. My son showed no interest in hunting until he was 27 and I never presured him to hunt. First I am against presuring any youngster into sports and hunting is dangerous be it whitetail in Pa or anything else. I am so happy that Africa was the crowning glory to my hunting years. I still like other hunting but Africa is Africa and nothing (in my opinion) else compares.

Die Ou Jagter,

Please forgive my use of the word "drag." It wasn't the orginal poster's word, and it was probably too strong a word when I used it.

My apologies for potentially defocusing the thread!

I have to admit something: The first time I was in Africa I�d never been there before. Same goes for hunting -never killed my first animal before I did it. Same goes for girls and booze and all of lifes good things.

There has to be a first time for everything.

A significant percentage of our past hunters hunted their first animals in Africa. I can�t say that the experience or lack thereof, had a corresponding effect on the outcome of our safaris. In fact those hunters that were frank about their lack of experience, and maintained a good humor and attitude during the safari, often had the most successful hunts.

Africa can be a fun place to start a hunting career. I started mine here.

My wife took her first game animal a Zebra in RSA in 1998. Since then, she taken several big Bucks, a bull moose, Pronghorn, and many more African animals.

I don't think going to Africa for a first hunt would be any problem at all, though I did discuss this issue with my PH when hunting in Zim. It came up because I hunt all the time and have grown up doing so. It's certainly one of my passions. When a PH hunts with someone that clearly comes to the table with experience and confidence with a rifle while hunting big game, I believe it does give that PH a degree of confidence when heading into the bush. My PH did tell me that he frequently has hunters show up that only hunt when they come to Africa. Of course that would also include the hunter that has never hunted at all before their first African trip. I could tell that he was not as happy about that sort of venture, but in his business, you have to be prepared for every range of hunting experience.
The advantage an experienced hunter has can be evident when he confidently makes that clean and accurate shot time after time while hunting. The animals go down soon, without long track jobs, and without prolonged suffering. A hunter that is not deeply familiar with his gun from days in the field, or is seeing a trophy in his sights for the first time, will likely find these clean kills more of a challenge.
A novice hunter can have a great African hunting experience, but given the choice, I suspect that most PHs would rather hunt with someone that has the confidence that only experience can bring.