A package of over the counter cold/flu remedy like Dayquil can be a lifesaver if you pick something up on the flight over.

I don't think anyone has mentioned:

Leupold Lenspen, or similar compact lens cleaner.

Compact laser boresighter (about the size of a single cartridge).

Field guide to the local birds, if you're into that stuff like I am.

Eye drops.

A few packs of smokes, any US brand. I don't smoke them but you can use them to gain useful info and help sway people your way.

A small digital camera (Nikon Coolpix) that LIVES in your pocket from daylight to dark so that it is available for all those quick slice of life type shots as well as short video clips. I kept my big SLR/tele lenses in the cruiser for trophy shots but the little nikon was for everything else. It was the smartest thing I did on the trip!
P.S. And always have a headlamp with you.

I would agree about a second camera.

Also,not so much something to take with you but a good idea...at the end of our last rip our PH downloaded our photos onto his laptop. That way if something happens to your camera/memory cards on the way home you can still get your photos. I suppose you could also email them as a backup.

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:
In zim, they think whiskey=scotch.

And they'd be correct! Preferably of the single malt variety!

quote:

Originally posted by Jack D Bold:
Flip flops. After the day's long march, my dogs were barking. It was nice to take the boots off and let the feet cool around camp.

Yes on the flip flops, letting your feet dry out and cool as soon as you get to camp fights foot issues, and I bring and occationally hunt, if the terrain is right, in "rafters" i.e. open toed strap on sandals; I find high quality sunglasses essential enough to bring two pairs, and I also find ball cap type hats essential enough to bring two, one of which is ventilated straw the other full cloth.

JPK

I have to say boots. Last year when I went to RSA, I arrived without any luggage or rifles. All I had was the clothes on my back, my binocs and camera.

Hunting in Dr. Marten shoes for a week was not the greatest. I guess it could have been worse had I only had flip flops.

Next time, I will wear my hunting boots and take an extra changes of clothes.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:
In zim, they think whiskey=scotch.

And they'd be correct! Preferably of the single malt variety!

Todd, don't get me wrong on the topic of Scotch: in addition to two bottles of Woodford Reserve and a bottle of Knob Creek, we also packed in two bottles of Balvenie double wood and a bottle of Macallens. These took the place of sunglasses and duct tape in my critical equipment stash.

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:
In zim, they think whiskey=scotch.

And they'd be correct! Preferably of the single malt variety!

Todd, don't get me wrong on the topic of Scotch: in addition to two bottles of Woodford Reserve and a bottle of Knob Creek, we also packed in two bottles of Balvenie double wood and a bottle of Macallens. These took the place of sunglasses and duct tape in my critical equipment stash.

Alright! Hope there is some left at Pedza when I get there this October! Maybe I'll bring some more just in case!

quote:

Originally posted by LittleJoe:
I have to say boots. Last year when I went to RSA, I arrived without any luggage or rifles. All I had was the clothes on my back, my binocs and camera.

Hunting in Dr. Marten shoes for a week was not the greatest. I guess it could have been worse had I only had flip flops.

Next time, I will wear my hunting boots and take an extra changes of clothes.

My solution to the lost baggage possibility is to wear cloths I can hunt in, ussually a pair of khaki pants (though I prefer to hunt in shorts) and green or brown shirt and rafters. I bring my fleece on the plane for comfort and as an extra pillow. A pair of boots and one change of cloths in my daypack/carryon, along with my binos, anti-malarial meds, extra glasses and contacts, toothbrush.

If the duffel with my extra cloths, gun cleaning kit, etc. goes missing no big deal. But I'm a lefty so I sweat the arrival of my rifles.

I prefer MacCallan scotch, and will pick up two bottles in the international duty free in Johanasburg, along with a box of cuban cigars.

Cigar smoke will keep tse tse flies at bay, so good cigars might be considered an overlooked essential. BTW, ciggarette smoke does not keep the tse tse's away.

JPK

One thing we found to be very useful. A couple of tap on lights. I'm talking about the small 3" ones you can pick up at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Put one in the bathroom and one by your bedside. Very handy when you need to get up in the middle of the night and the generators are off. They are LED so they illuminate the room and leave your hands free. Good to read by too.

Tea lights (candles in an aluminum cup) are also nice for a romantic evening. Just be careful, there is a fire danger with them.

That depends on whos fire gets lit!

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
That depends on whos fire gets lit!

When we stayed at the Stiltz in Swakopmund she had about thirty of those suckers burning in the bedroom and attached bath with the tub you could drown in. I WAS worried the pyro was going to burn the place down.

Well, I like a good hot woman, or a cold one wanting to warm up.

One thing I always take is extra bootlaces and keep them with me at all times.

someone mentioned immodium; having some laxatives can come in handy too.

Luggage scales to make sure I don't mis-guess my bags on the way home.

The extra-extra camera to give to the PH or one of the trackers is the best idea I've heard so far.

I generally hunt alone so the only pictures I have of me in Africa are over a trophy. Kind of boring. For $100 bucks your survivors could actually see pictures of you enoying Africa after you are gone. You might even enjoy looking at them. Never thought of that.

Great idea!

a couple of packs of local smokes is a good idea. I passed them out in the skinning shed and had a good time watching the skinners work. Also good for just passing around. They usually bring smiles.
k

A compass. We got turned around chasing an Eland in heavy brush to the point where neither the tracker or the PH knew which way was which, and this was on the farm the PH had lived on all of his life. The compass answered the question. It lives in my 100-ounce Camelback Mule along with baby wipes, a small petzel headlamp, some snack food, and a pocket first aid kit. A pocket camera, leatherman, binoculars, and 5 extra rounds of ammo are always on me. If I step out of the truck or out of camp, the Camelback goes on my back.

+1 On boot laces, a small belt carried camera and lens cleaning equipment.

Most importantly for me: Extra copies of the import permit for your rifle!

I left mine in the airport trolley leaving Harare on a hunt in the excitement of my first DG hunt. I then discovered at the hunting area that the permits were gone!

We passed no less than 7 or 8 police checkpoints on the way back (just two or three days before Christmas). We were unpacked at the first stop (Gokwe) and the police officer wanted to see the paperwork, but the rifle case was locked and fortunately the focus then passed to the hunting permits and we went on our way. I had very tense moments as the thought of spending Christmas in a tin can waiting for a judge after new year did not appeal to me. I still think I was very luckY!

We were not stopped again and were waved through all the stops. At the airport I managed to find the duplicate copy kept by customs in a heap of paperwork at customs by remembering at which gate I had entered. The customs official was really helpful but it took ages and it was no fun.

If not for that the rifle would have stayed behind and I suspect I almost did too! So, now there is a copy in my luggage, one in the rifle case and a third with my hunting companions or the PH. The officials generally ask about the extra, but I explain that I've lost one i nthe past and they stamp them without objecting.

There's a lot more that I take, but that's not obvious and the most important to me.

I was going to say that duct tape is always on a PH's wish list until someone mentioned The Macallan...

quote:

Originally posted by little miss:
One thing we found to be very useful. A couple of tap on lights. I'm talking about the small 3" ones you can pick up at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Put one in the bathroom and one by your bedside. Very handy when you need to get up in the middle of the night and the generators are off. They are LED so they illuminate the room and leave your hands free. Good to read by too.

I was going to say compact flashlight...

Wasn't thinking ahead about it one night when going to the bathroom...the shut the gene off while I was answering natures call and I had to navigate in the dark...

Nearly tripped over my gun case...

My compact light was always in pocket around camp in the evenings after that...

Gaiters
Flip flops
antibiotic eye drops! (friend cut his eyeball on a reed in the Okavango! Ouch. I gave him my bottle.)

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Things that have helped me:

Body Glide (should work better than Vaseline)
Back brush for the shower (really)
Gold Bond (Orange container)
Antihistamines (saved my ass)
Scholl's blister patches (I like them better than moleskin)
Good broken in boots, high quality hiking socks with a liner sock if lots of walking is in the program.

Mark

Sheesh Mark, that sounds like a list an old man would make!

quote:

Originally posted by trophyhunter5000:

quote:

Originally posted by little miss:
One thing we found to be very useful. A couple of tap on lights. I'm talking about the small 3" ones you can pick up at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Put one in the bathroom and one by your bedside. Very handy when you need to get up in the middle of the night and the generators are off. They are LED so they illuminate the room and leave your hands free. Good to read by too.

I was going to say compact flashlight...

Wasn't thinking ahead about it one night when going to the bathroom...the shut the gene off while I was answering natures call and I had to navigate in the dark...

Nearly tripped over my gun case...

My compact light was always in pocket around camp in the evenings after that...

Check out "little miss's" post about the "tap on lights". They are great in the hut ot tent.

1 - Leatherman
2 - Binos
3 - your favorite pair of boots.
4 - Surefire.

Small headlamp!

Bag Balm. Prevents/cures chapping & chafing.

If bowhunting out of hides it is nice to have a seat cushion of some sort... I use a 2" thick piece of closed cell foam that fits in my day pack.

I am a bit surprised that all of you are scared of using the blue "Gold Bond", that stuff works wonders on everything and lets you know you are still alive with all the tingling it produces in some regions of your body.

broncoformudv
I'll donate my share of the blue bottle to you.
The blue bottle gave me the reds.

A small tube or two of super glue. Emergency repairs of clothing, shoes, even (not recommended) skin.

quote:

Which Critical (and non-obvious) Item or Piece of Equipment...?

.............................. A big stack of $100 dollar bills .........................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:
What (and non-obvious) item or piece of equipment was most critical to your recent safari, either by its presence or by its absence?

Cigar cutter.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Which Critical (and non-obvious) Item or Piece of Equipment...?

.............................. A big stack of $100 dollar bills .........................................................................

Please define "big stack"



SSR

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:
Which Critical (and non-obvious) Item or Piece of Equipment...?



.............................. Big Grin A big stack of $100 dollar bills ......................................................................... Roll Eyes



Please define "big stack"

bewildered

SSR

however many you think you could possibly need...and then another stack the same size
k

Thanks to Terry Carr, I never left out or missed a thing.

I do miss Terry.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by LeonKomkov:
What (and non-obvious) item or piece of equipment was most critical to your recent safari, either by its presence or by its absence?

Cigar cutter.

Too obvious. It would be like putting a rifle on the list.

I carry two cutters and a punch.