I was think about doing some sort of African fire pit set up at the house this spring and I was wondering if any of you guys had some pics for inspiration. Thanks

Does this one help?

When I was hunting with my good friend Vaughn Fulton in the Caprivi. We came in one evening and the camp manager has made a fire pit from termite mound dirt and buff shit. Vaughn was so proud. I had a ball giving him shit about it. no pun intended. After a couple of fires it cracked all up.

David,

That is killing me...I am sitting here having a drink waiting to go out to dinner with 10 friends in winter in a city in KY (not very exciting)...that photo makes me remember after dinners having a drink and listening to lions roar in the distance while eles are cracking branches just below camp. Sure beats my seat right now!

Tim,

It shall happen again very soon my friend.

David

This is probably no help but... A picture taken while camping in the Caprivi Strip.

Great pictures. Brings back fond memories. Keep em coming.

This one is on a flat concrete and stone patio. It is not recessed but is flush with the surrounding surface.

When I asked why they did that instead of recessing it they explained that it is easier to scoop out and brush off the ashes the next day. It made sense to me.

I built one at my reloading room which is recessed and it is a pain to keep it cleaned out.

Also the rain and snow will partially fill them up even if you leave a hole in the bottom because it plugs up with ashes.

PS: If possible have a hose bib located near the fire pit. Its handy to wash the area down but also to spray the fire when you are ready to leave it.



(The one I built outside my reloading building. It has a bowl shaped recess with rocks set in the concrete around the perimeter. After my experience with this I would not recess it next time - in fact I will probably fill it with concrete to the top of the rocks this summer)

Actually the best fireplace in the bush is not a pit, but rather a raised round flat surface that distributes the heat better to those sitting around it and is easier to clear off.

Regards


That's a pofadder on the grill...

I am looking at putting in a fire pit at my new place.

Most of the fire pits I have seen in Africa are made of concrete, either flat or slightly dished. They are easier to clean than a it dug in the ground. Every day all the ash was cleaned up.

I might get one of the metal fire pits on legs and put rock or brick under it, as I think it would be easy to keep clean as well, and it could be moved if necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
Actually the best fireplace in the bush is not a pit, but rather a raised round flat surface that distributes the heat better to those sitting around it and is easier to clear off.

Regards


That's a pofadder on the grill...

that poffadder looks delicious

+1 Tim

God I want to go back! I have cabin fever so bad right now I cant stand it. It has been a long cold winter. I can almost smell the mopane and lead wood. Only way to get something resembling pofader here is to make it myself. Since I am about the only one who eats it dont do it very often. I can however get everyone to try the boerwors. You guys are not helping my withdrawl.

GeoffM24,

Hope this helps, its big enough to get plenty of guys around it and kink their feet up on it.

Great pics and ideas guys thanks!

The real question is...Where can I get mopane in firewood quantities?

Monduli



Moyowosi

the night is still young


after a few beers and a heated discussion


one of the perty animals in the bush that alwys visit the fire place

Don't stop the pics! Oh, for the smell of a leadwood fire burning, with the darkened sky brilliant with the Southern constellations, and the familiar night sounds of Africa!

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:

My wife loves this one!

My leopard trip in 2007 was over our anniversary, and my wife was resigned to it being "my" vacation. My PH was recently engaged, and his fiance would have nothing but the best for us.

Little did my wife know that my friends had thought out the perfect African sunset experience, and prepared an evening for the two of us. This was the kopje that he proposed on.

Leaving us to ourselves, my rifle wielding tracker retired to the darkness with the Jack Russel, and we found a quietness together we had forgotten existed. Words failed me at the peacefulness of the occassion.