I have hunted non-DG in two African counties, each time for a week or less. I really love it and will be choosing yet another country for next summer. I cannot wait. Having said that, I don't find myself wanting/ needing to hunt for more than a week at a clip...I know I'm in the minority on this one...Just wondering where others are on this continuum?

As many as you can afford. I would not not want less than 8, ten is better, my budget is usually killed by then.

joester,

I always try to get my clients to book for at least ten days or more even for PG. Ten days gives you time to relax and smell the mopane smoke. I just booked a guy in Zim for a 14 day PG hunt at his request. He'll come back relaxed, refreshed and with some nice trophies.

Mark

As long as you can stay. Generally, longer trips result in less pressure, better trophies, and more enjoyment.

That said, due to ridiculous work and family commitments, I'm pretty much stuck with 10 day trips at this point in my life.

I have never gone to Africa, but if I do, I intend to spend as much time there as possible.

Forever might not be long enough.

I've been on shorter trips, but in my experience, the flight and logistics are too much to justify anything shorter than 10 days. I think 14 is much better.

I always think I can't spare the time out of the office, and then I realize when I get back that no one was really worrying about my absence and in the long run, those 14 days there will be much more valuable to me than 14 days in the office.

Now, time away from family is another matter. I think if a person goes on shorter trips because of family, it's totally understandable. I find that a satellite phone helps me considerably with that issue.

I don't like less than ten days...maybe if I lived in Europe so the flights weren't so long.

Our first hunt was eight days and swore I wouldn't do that again. I'm doing ten days this year, but all the other trips have been for 14-18 days.

I wish I could go for the rest of my life. Last time was a month between the photo safari, DG hunt and beach time. If I can swing it next time, I want to do a TR and spend a year hunting from one end of the continent to the other . Just need to get those 5 numbers plus the bonus

Even thugh my actual hunts are a week long, I always put a few days at each end for other stuff, like getting rested time -acclimated upon arrival, and stopping somewhere on the flight home. A msterdam is fun for that. So in total my trips are 2+ weeks...

quote:

Originally posted by joester:
Even thugh my actual hunts are a week long, I always put a few days at each end for other stuff, like getting rested time -acclimated upon arrival, and stopping somewhere on the flight home. A msterdam is fun for that. So in total my trips are 2+ weeks...

I agree that scheduling extra time especially at the beginning of the safari helps to overcome jet-lag and gives any baggage problems time to be resolved. 10 days is probably adequate for a PG hunt but it depends on how much game is available and how flush your checkbook is.

10 to 12 days is perfect. Enough time to take your time and enjoy the experience.

250

If I could afford it, I would spend June, July & August in Africa every year.

364

I agree 10 is about right. I have a group going this year and we have 9 days in camp..my wife and I went on a 7 day and it was much too rushed...I did 10 the first and came back relaxed, and had a great time...why 9 days this time...well just worked out that way...I'd say anyting over 9-10 days would be awesome, but I just dont have the extra time at this time!!!!

Have fun booking your trip!

Ed

I prefer 14 but most have been 10. Right now, I have 3 trips booked over the next 12 months. All three are for 10 days. If I can swing it, 2 will be changed to 14 days. The other already has the plane tickets purchased for so 10 it will have to remain.

The bigest issue for me on number of days is time away from work. You really need 21 days to do a 14 day hunt, considering 3 days to get to camp in Zim, and at least 2 to get home. Then a couple of days on the front to get acclimated and for luggage delays.

I did a 7 day hunt in 2007. The quality of the experience really suffers when you rush it like that.

I would recommend at least 10 days, preferrably 14.

Just imagine, you have travelled half way across the world, so you really do not want to cut it short.

Hunting 10 days is plenty given the diversity of plains game in most areas I think. With a bit of luck you will have everything shot in a week or 8 days so you have left yourself a decent 2-3 day buffer for some slower days, bad weather or blown stalks. The trick is to also leave a 2-3 day sightseeing/relaxation buffer on both sides of the hunting to prep and decompress so you don't feel more stressed from vacationing than work. Given that, the whole 10 day hunt should be 14-16 days on the ground and then add another day on the front and back ends for air transit.

I did 11 days ( i miscounted the days and was stuck an extra day, oh darn ).

I could have easily stayed another 3-5 days had the budget and time from work allowed it.

With the hassle and cost of airfare, permits, etc, an extra few days add very little to the overall cost.

I dont think I would even consider a 7 day trip.

I've done two 7 day trips; however, the first trip over ended up being 9 days once everything was said and done.

I've recently booked another trip for 14 days specifically for some harder to get plains game like blue duiker, vaal rhebok, etc.

Having done a couple of trips, I don't think I'll ever book another 7 day trip and will likely stick with the 14 day trip henceforth.

I usually get in at least 12 days,, if I leave on a Friday from US I am in camp by Sunday with my first real hunting day on Monday,,which m,Tu,W,Th, Fr Sa Su Mo,Tu,W,Th,Fr then start home on Saturday and at the house early Sunday,,, which gives me 12 good days to hunt,,

I've done as short as 5 days to check out a new area. Felt like I was in the air as much as on the ground. I recommend guys to book 8-10 days, depending on their work and family commitments.

For me, after considering time off work and travel, it's 10 days. I've done 5 days hunts and only taken a week off work and it's not worth it. It's really not enough time. Seven days is far, far better than 5, but I'm gone a week and a half and why not just extend it to two weeks and hunt 10 days?

You also need to consider what you are hunting. Tracking eland for example can eat up every bit of a 10 day hunt and 7 days almost wasn't enough for my kudu.

quote:

Forever might not be long enough.

Well said CHC!

So far the best I can pull off is 8 hunting days....I couldn't imagine less though. The travel is too long for less IMO.


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nothing less than 10 hunting days plus arrival and departure days if you are after more than 3-4 species. it takes a couple of hunting days just to really get over the jet lag and get a good night's sleep.

Just a thought about guidance on length of hunting stay: If you divide the total flight costs by the number of full hunting days and the result is greater than your Daily Rate, then maybe you are staying to short!

Naturally, applying this "rule of thumb" requires that guys from USA western and northern states, like Alaska and also Canadians will have to stay longer to make their greater flight travel cost worth while! Alternatively, they can choose to support those Hunting Outfitters that charge very high Daily rates!

I went to RSA for 10 days last year and felt I just arrived and it was time to go. I would never go for under 10 hunting days. For PG I think 12 would be great. The more the merrier.

quote:

Originally posted by LittleJoe:
I went to RSA for 10 days last year and felt I just arrived and it was time to go. I would never go for under 10 hunting days. For PG I think 12 would be great. The more the merrier.

My choice as well! 10 days is nice because you have some time to relax and enjoy the camp as well as the hunting!

I have done everything from 10 to 21.
The last one just finished was 15 days and that is plenty. I shot five animals in two countries and was ready to come home at the end of it all.

Ideally, 4 months. That way, I could spend 4 months in Africa, 4 months in Czech with Eva a d 4 months at home with family. Reality, not less than 10 days and as long as you can afford.

quote:

Originally posted by joester:
I have hunted non-DG in two African counties, each time for a week or less. I really love it and will be choosing yet another country for next summer. I cannot wait. Having said that, I don't find myself wanting/ needing to hunt for more than a week at a clip...I know I'm in the minority on this one...Just wondering where others are on this continuum?

Most plains game outfitters will offer a 7 or 10 hunting day packages for $ 4000 - $6000 depending on the package and no. of animals.