As most of those who have hunted for Elk in the Rockies of the U.S. know. A person must be in good physical condition to enjoy the hunt. Strong legs and good wind being the most important.

What kind of conditioning is needed for an enjoyable hunt in lets say RSA or Nambia? Is there a lot of hill climbing, running/jogging required to get into position for a shot? Or is it more of just a moderate walk and stalk for a mile or more?

In my experience it was the later with some stalks being longer than that. I sure would think tracking Buffalo will be a longer ordeal?

Every hunt and every area is different. - but a good PH should assess the client and never expect him to do more than he is able or comfortable with.

Honestly, in RSA, the hunting generally entails a lot of "diesel stalking" and short stalks on foot.

Hunting buffalo or elephant can entail long stalks on foot requiring a decent level of physical conditioning. The pace is generally not that fast when tracking buffalo or elephant. The distances, however, can be long (seven miles is my longest). But you may do three to five miles in the morning (or longer) and another similar stalk in the afternoon. So stamina is important.

Regards,

Terry

Terry is spot-on. Assuming a REASONABLE level of conditioning, physically the most difficult part of typical PLAINSGAME hunting in S/E Africa is just being out of your element - long flight, different time zone and sleep schedules, possibly taking anti-malaria meds which can effect one's mood, new/different food, hot sun, sometimes long truck rides, etc. Parts of SA and Namibia can involve rocky hill climbs, but typically not unless you seek out such a situation (ask the outfitter). Of course you can make most any PG hunt more challenging as long as the PH is agreeable.

I personally find elk hunting in the rockies at 9 or 10K ft as difficult as anything outside a jungle. The element that you should also prepare for is the possible heat. Depending on the time of year and the place you hunt it could be hot to very hot. Some winter months are managable in much of southern or eastern Africa but come august and september things start to warm up and heat and dehydration quickly become a factors in your success or failure. Prepare to deal with a warm climate as part of your conditioning.

the better shape you're in the more you are capable of doing, however I've also see quite a few guys there are very out of it or to old to walk enjoy the experience as much as a young weightlifter.

More than real endurance fitness, I think flexibility is key.

You don't need to be a marathon runner or mountaineer (doesn't hurt!) but do some stretches, be able to crouch, squat, bend over easily without to much cracking, crunching or groaning. Be able to crouch and still move or bend over and still cock your head up to see and stalk.

Basic yoga or pilates is an amazing excercise and no, its not just for lefty lib types and you don't need to wear tights, get a introductory DVD and do it in your living room for a few weeks, the difference will amaze you! As cross training for paddling /climbing I find it is second to none and for all round flexibility and strength through range of motion it is great.

quote:

Originally posted by Devildawg66:

What kind of conditioning is needed for an enjoyable hunt in lets say RSA or Nambia?

Be able to walk 5 miles at a VERY fast clip. Not necessary, but your opportunities may increase if you have that ability.

Be able to crouch and stand motionless for a few minutes.

Be able to shoot accurately from a variety of field positions, including offhand.

Be able to put away the beers at the end of the day. (optional)

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:

quote:

Originally posted by Devildawg66:

What kind of conditioning is needed for an enjoyable hunt in lets say RSA or Nambia?

Be able to walk 5 miles at a VERY fast clip. Not necessary, but your opportunities may increase if you have that ability.

Be able to crouch and stand motionless for a few minutes.

Be able to shoot accurately from a variety of field positions, including offhand.

Be able to put away the beers at the end of the day. (optional)

I think number 4 should be mandatory and not optional.

A few weather comparisons yesterday:

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 57 - 79F
Las Cruces, New Mexico 58 - 88F
Mumbai, India 78 - 90F

The one thing I've not heard anything about is the humidity hunting in Zimbabwe. High temperatures don't bother me if it's not humid.

I found hunting in RSA as pleasant as hunting in Central Texas.

In a book about preparing for a safari I read recently (by Dr. Pierre Corson, French of course) he suggests that someone going on a hunt in Africa have a professional pedicure a couple of weeks before leaving. Now, I don't how many of us have ever had a pedicure, but it is a fact that sometimes one's feet slow one up more than one's general physical condition. Make sure those boots and your feet have had some break-in before going.

Kensco,

Last Oct in first the Zambezi Valley and then the SE Lowveldt the temp were hot and occasionally very hot, little humidity most days and only a bit more on the most humid days, but you could feel the difference. Cooler, but more humid in the lowveldt.

Tolerable either way after our summers of 90* with 90% humidity. Some mid days had you moving really slow though, just like at home.

JPK

A beer taste really, really good after a hot day of walking.

I think Bill C is bang on! Jet lag, different diet, excitement, being out of one's general element and different germs.......the better shape you are in the better you are able to handle all these stresses on your system. Sitting in an airplane for two days will expose you to more nasty germs than a maggot convention. You can't enjoy yourself if you are sick. You invest a lot of money to go on safari, the best (and cheapest) insurance for success is fitness. That goes for any hunt.

Iceman

If you can possibly spare the time spend at least the first 4 days doing the tourist thing- go and see vic falls, mana pools etc. Go an look at elephant, buffalo etc close up in a non hunting area. a) it gets you used to them, b) almost every client gets sick on their first trip to africa. (same as every PH goes down with a bad cold on his first trip to the SCI shows) Different bugs etc. I could never understand why anyone would pay 800 a day to be sick in camp. Rather spend 50 a day where you don't HAVE to walk anywhere until you are acclimatised!

Ganyana brings up an important point. I make about twenty trips to Africa per year and lived in various African countries for about sixteen years. I have now acumulated a bunch of antibodies relative to local "germs" and have a very good idea of my body's reactions to long flights, different food, rapid changes in temperature and humidity, etc. But, and this is my point, there is an emotional stress on you when you go for a hunting safari and this also has an effect on your body. The expectations are high, you want everything to go right more than anything else (no lost luggage, lost rifle, lost ammunition, paperwork in order, missed connections, firearms control, will the weather be good, will the PH understand you and your goals, etc.) This is enough to make almost anyone have an upset stomach at the least and in some cases produce an anxiety attack serious enough to cause disappointment and regret in some people. Get all the details worked out far ahead of the trip and try to relax; for type A personalities who spend most of their time at 100 miles per hour in their professional lives, it is good to wind down before you get on the plane rather than expecting that something will be screwed up and ruin your expensive vacation.

I didn't have four days to tour as Ganyana recomends, but I did schedule a day following arival in Harare to catch up on sleep, adjust some to the time difference and to allow a leisurely move to camp. It worked out very well.

JPK

We always spend at least night at Afton Guest House upon arrival. This season, because of scheduling, we are spending our first two nights in Africa at Afton Guest House. Gives one a chance to get over that long flight and also allows time for any lost luggage to catch up with you.

We also spend one night at Afton before departure back to the US.

Regards,

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Be able to walk 5 miles at a VERY fast clip. Not necessary, but your opportunities may increase if you have that ability.

How fast is that in MPH? I spent some time on the track at the Y this afternoon but I am sure I am far from the speed you mention.

N.B. When I was in Namibia there was a reason to climb something steep pretty much every day, so if you want to maximize your opportunities there you should be in better shape than I was!

Buzz Charlton, in his video, mentions that the average elephant traking job is done at 4 kph, which is 2.4 mph. This is average, including the occations when the trackers must sort out confused tracks. He also notes that the average tracking job, to catch up to a bull elephant is 5 hours.

To me the speed seems slow and the time long, but I didn't hunt an elephant bull. The faster and longer you can walk here at home, the more relatively easy (or maybe best said - the less relatively difficult) any tracking or walking will be when it really counts. This will make the hunt more enjoyable, period, no matter how much you end up walking or at what speed.

According to my PH, I was the second fittest client he had last year, well behind the most fit and yet well ahead of the next contender and the rest, and I was his last client, in Oct. I felt that my fitness was marginal at best. This should sound a warnng bell!

JPK

JPK - thanks for the information. The problem becomes how many times can you practice a five-plus hour tracking job in a week when you also have to keep the job that allows you to make the trip and be a parent to your kids?

I will keep going, gradually increasing the amount of time I walk, and we will see. I will be in better shape when I am done than I am now in any event.

Charles, we all know that jobs and families are a hindrance on hunting, but I suffer from the same problems.

Charles,

Another bit of wisdom from Buzz's video is his suggestion that clients walk four miles a day five times a week for one month before his or her hunt.

I figure that this amounts to 1hr 20min of moderate paced walking each of the five days, 1hr of fast paced walking.

Buzz also suggest making a simulated rifle for your walks by weighting a peice of metal pipe to weigh what your rifle weighs. This is good advice, I think. I actually do a series of wrist curls with 12.5lb weights and try to remember to use a soft grip enhancer - the squeeze things - to make handling my 10.5lb rifle easy from beginning to end of day.

I will pass on my experience that walking on flat surfaces such as sidewalks or tracks or even well worn trails is inadequate preperation for some of the broken country walks or for walking in the soft sand of some dry rivers. At least try to find some rougher trails to get you ankles and calves acclimated.

To perhaps cut down the time required for adequate walking prep or to increase fitness within the prescibed time I use a day pack weighted with water in jugs or bottles.

If you try, its not too hard to find an hour a day to get in the walking.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
Charles, we all know that jobs and families are a hindrance on hunting, but I suffer from the same problems.

Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way -- I just have to limit the time I spend on me, like everyone else. My wife would say I don't limit it very much...

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Charles,

Another bit of wisdom from Buzz's video is his suggestion that clients walk four miles a day five times a week for one month before his or her hunt....

I will pass on my experience that walking on flat surfaces such as sidewalks or tracks or even well worn trails is inadequate preperation for some of the broken country walks or for walking in the soft sand of some dry rivers. At least try to find some rougher trails to get you ankles and calves acclimated.

To perhaps cut down the time required for adequate walking prep or to increase fitness within the prescibed time I use a day pack weighted with water in jugs or bottles....

JPK

Good ideas, some of which I have been turning over in my mind (walking with a day pack, for example). I'm trying to work up from 45 minutes a day to an hour right now -- if my schedule stays flexible. My copy of Buzz's DVD arrived today, so I will try to watch this weekend between family commitments.

And I hate walking in that soft river sand. But you do what you must.

Not too many trails here in the concrete jungle, but we will see...

While doing your 4 mile walk in preparation for a hunt, you can also get used to tse tse flies by carrying a pair of needle nose pliers on the walk and pinching yourself with them every 2 or 3 minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
While doing your 4 mile walk in preparation for a hunt, you can also get used to tse tse flies by carrying a pair of needle nose pliers on the walk and pinching yourself with them every 2 or 3 minutes.

In my experience:

If you are hunting elephants, you need to be prepared to walk and walk, and walk, and walk, and walk, ALL DAY, and shoot.

If you hunt cape buff you need to be able to walk, and walk, and run, and shoot.

If you hunt giraffe you need to be able to sneak, shoot, shoot, run, run, shoot, shoot, run, shoot, shoot, run, shoot shoot, walk, [cause you cannot run anymore] and shoot.

Lots of walking will test your feet and uncomfortable shoes never helped anyone. I took a pair of Danner Radical hiking boots last year to Zim on recommendation and they were fantastic....purchased them through Cabela's for approx $125.00.

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Buzz also suggest making a simulated rifle for your walks by weighting a peice of metal pipe to weigh what your rifle weighs. This is good advice, I think. I actually do a series of wrist curls with 12.5lb weights and try to remember to use a soft grip enhancer - the squeeze things - to make handling my 10.5lb rifle easy from beginning to end of day.

I think this is very good advice. I carried a 4.5kg dumb-bell with me whenever I walked for the last month or so before going ele hunting last year, and had no problem at all carrying my rifle in my hand all day long for the duration of the hunt (I don't like carrying my rifle "african style" over my shoulder). I got some weird looks from people I met while out walking though.

I have been rigging up a pipe filled with sand that weighs around 15 pounds to walk around with but am slightly afraid I will get harrased by the cops because who really walks around with a pipe if you aren't planning on hurting someone.

I have decided to use PVC pipe in an effort not to look too much like someone out to do bodily harm.

I'm 37 years old, and 5'6" (66") short. In February 2005 I weighed 215 pounds, mid-March 2006 I weighed 173 pounds. So in a year I lost 42 pounds. That's not all that remarkable until you figure I lost 20 of those pounds from mid-January to mid-March of this year.

For the first year I was "working out". The work outs were three days a week and consisted of:

5 mins - stretching
5 mins - warm ups (jumping jacks, windmills, etc.)
20 mins - excercises (push ups, situps, etc.)
30 mins - jog/run (timed run once a month, 1 1/2 mile/s as fast as possible)

30 mins of jogging is a long long time at first, but you can build up to it fairly quickly.

That only lost me 20 pounds in a year, so I must have changed something drastically in January right? No, not really. I realized (obviously) that I was building muscle and improving my cardio-vascular fitness (heart and lung stamina), but I wasn't losing much fat. To keep from stringing this out too long, I'll just tell you what I did.

1) I quit eating until I was stuffed. Now I eat until I'm comfortable and quit eating, period. The biggest surprise from this was that it took just as long to get hungry again.

2) I started walking back and forth to work 3 days a week. 20-30 mins one way, so one walk in the morning and one in the evening. I enjoy walking, so this wasn't a problem at all. Yes, it adds up to another three hours total to the week, but I personally didn't notice it and it's something that you can involve the family in.

3) If I'm going to eat something "fattening" I do it right after a 30 min jog/run. My heart rate, metabolism, etc. is way up and it burns off those calories very quickly. Besides it's a good way to keep from feeling like I'm denying myself anything.

I'm convinced that even if you don't do the "workouts", as long as you do the first two of my extra steps you'll lose weight. I'm not a doctor or physical fitness expert, but I'm telling you it'll work.

Some advice for the workouts. Use the three days for a different part of the body. Arms and chest one day, abs one day, and legs the last day, or whatever order you want. On legs day you'll probably want to adjust your jog/run. Maybe walk/jog a few flights of stairs and call it a day.

Warning: If you do a hard leg workout and try to do some stairs to finish it off, be very very very careful. Your legs will get to feeling like jello and it would be very easy to fall and sustain a horrible injury or die. Push yourself but know your limits.

Again I'm not an expert, but as you always see, check with your doctor before starting ANY workout program.

I hope someone gets something out of this.

From my first safari, there was way too much diesal stalking. My next trip I have already communicated my desire to do a lot less of this. We are going to be using horses and going on foot a lot more chasing a pack of hounds. I still doubt it will require much physical conditioning compared to elk, but I will prepare anyway because it gives me some motivation to get off my butt.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
In my experience:

If you are hunting elephants, you need to be prepared to walk and walk, and walk, and walk, and walk, ALL DAY, and shoot.

If you hunt cape buff you need to be able to walk, and walk, and run, and shoot.

If you hunt giraffe you need to be able to sneak, shoot, shoot, run, run, shoot, shoot, run, shoot, shoot, run, shoot shoot, walk, [cause you cannot run anymore] and shoot.

You just scared off everyone who was thinking about writing the next Africa book. That pretty much sums it up.