Curious, if folks had the ability to start their African hunting experiences all over again, what would you do differently? A chance at a do-over or Mulligan, albeit only theoretical.

I'll start.

If I could roll the clock back, I would do two things differently. One, I would not have waited until I was in my early 40's to make my first trip. I would have found a way to start at a much younger age. Two, I would poured far less money into taxidermy and would have focused on European mounts, rugs and hides, maybe even non-exportable trophies, not shoulder mounts and full body mounts. Then I would have used the money spent on taxidermy to spend more time in the field.

1. I agree with your outlook on taxidermy/shipping and non-export animals (i.e. plains game cull hunts, tuskless and managment elephants).

2. I would have just stuck with my orignal 375
H&H and not spent more money on the various big bores I have bought and sold.

3. I intend to follow the above and do more hunting than I otherwise would have been able to do.

The one thing I would have done is to have delayed every thing worked for a year or two out of high school and have gone of Africa in the early 70's when you could just buy a general license. Then I would have started the work grind.

I would have done a better job of choosing my parents.

Maybe there's still time to have Craig Boddington adopt me!!

I fought my family's wish that i join the family business straight out of varsity and went and joined a large outfitter as apprentice PH/camp builder earning hardly anything but having the best life any single man with a passion for Africa could wish for. I slowly earned my stripes and became a full time PH and was blessed to be able to hunt in many different areas and countries over a period of a few years. A few years back i had to make a big decision on leaving the option at home for good or being a PH for life. I chose to pack in the hunting and join the corporate rat race. There are days when i regret the decision and days when i dont, in the cold light of day in the long run it will have been a good decision to move on. Those years are without a doubt some of the best of my life. I now hunt for myself (on a small scale) and with hindsight and thinking back these are the mistakes that i think many clients/foreign hunters make when coming to hunt in Africa

1) Making your safari an inches related success or failure. Hunting exceptional trophies has its place but focus more on the experience than the inches.
2) Expecting to shoot everything that is available on quota on 1 safari, rather concentrate on specfic species and let the non essentials be cherries on the top.
3) Using too many different types of rifles/calibres/scope combinations. Double rifles excluded, 2 rifles is all that anyone needs to shoot everything from a springbuck to elephant. Get good ammo, learn what your limits are with the rifle, learn the trajectories and become as proficient as possible with those guns.
4) Leave the gadgets at home. What you need and what you want on safari are 2 very different things. Keep it simple, test what you have and know what is necessary and what is not. You do not need a large backpack of gadgets when hunting on foot. How often do you ever use them?
5) Competing with other hunters in camp. Whether it is shooting ability,inches of horns, number of species, courage, experience....there is no positive outcome when there are guys in a camp trying to prove themselves better than another. The fact is that we all have weaknesses and shortcomings as we have strengths, hunting is not a competition and generally there will always be someone who is better than you at something so rather keep it to yourself.
6) Cheap can be nasty, do your research properly and book with reputable agents/outfitters. They may have faults but they have stayed in business for a reason and they probably get it right a whole lot more than they get it wrong.
7) Dont delay booking that hunt, life changes too quickly

300m duck walk or 30min of still crouching were things I wasn't prepared for - then. Now those are basic excersises when getting into shape prior the hunt.

I wouldn't change a thing. I waited until I was 60 to do my first safari in Africa. No mortage to worry about, childeren educated , funds put aside, great retirement plan (work till I die) and I am enjoying each year of my life. I am watching my grandchilderen grow and become good youngsters. I look forward to each Africia trip with gusto, be it to Zimbabwe, Namabia or RSA. Maybe some day I will be able to hunt other African countries, but until then I will enjoy southeren Africa.

Don't look back with regrets it only frustrates you, look forward and enjoy today..

Greatest sight in my life is my bedroom ceiling each morning.

I've been fairly happy with my hunting trails. Of course there would be some things I would have changed like never spoken with Bill Burwell of Ram Creek Outfitters in Alaska...

I agree on the gun assessment. Get one light rifle with an excellent scope and one cannon.

I could have wished for more money when I was younger or different parents but am exceptionally happy with the outcome of both.

Heck, if I'd shot everything by now, I'd have nothing to look forward to.

I would have invested in Microsoft stock when it was an IPO and sold it in 2000. I would go to Africa hunting at least 3 times a year.

quote:

Originally posted by RAC:
I would have invested in Microsoft stock when it was an IPO and sold it in 2000. I would go to Africa hunting at least 3 times a year.

I was going to post the exact same thing.....

I agree with mouse93. Core body exercises would have been helpful for those 2 hour duck-walks. I did only have one rifle and it fit the bill for everything from bushbuck to lion. However, in the future I will have at least 2 with me. It seems no matter how much you prepare the culture of Africa takes some getting used to. I adapt pretty well but there are always these new experiences that make the trip worthwhile and provide stories for your grandchildren.


Dutch

I would have left the tape measure at home, or only used it to confirm only truly exceptional trophies.

Not everything has to be measured.

Pretty much the same as others have posted

1. One rifle and stuck with it

2. Not mounted buff, leopard, eland, kudu, nyala etc. AND just had one or two of each species euro mounted- period- really reducing taxidermy and transport costs.

3. Rather than quite a few shorter PG hunts that were in the 8-12K range, opted for fewer, longer (21 day) hunts in more remote places

4. Plan more and go with only top flight outfitters, regardless of the cost.

5. Planned for a one or two day rest after arriving, rather than pushing to get out in the bush- resulting in me becoming ill twice while hunting and twice upon my return...too hard to prepare to leave, working long hours, not resting, then the long flight, then arrival and up at 4:30 the first day of hunting- really wears a body out...

6. Not taken any relatives/friends on hunts, who do not share the same passion for hunting.

I don't like many mounts or tons of taxidermy.I like a buff shoulder mount and plains game shoulder mounts but not many-two or three.If I ever hunt and shoot a lion,I will go with a skull mount only.If I ever hunt and shoot a leopard,I will go with a huge mount like the one Mike did.I like to keep all my rifles and display them along with their cartridges in a nice wooden cabinet.If I were to shoot a buff much better than the one I have,I would replace the mount with the better one.

Good thread, Mike.

I suspect that most of us continue to evolve in our approach to our passion. I take pride in packing the least amount of stuff I think I'll need, yet every trip I find something I don't, and it gets tossed. I get all my stuff into one medium sized, soft duffle.

I'd stick with two rifles, one well scoped medium and one heavy with irons. I have thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with various rifles, calibers and loads, but from now on I'm going back to the basics.

Ditto on what others have said about taxidermy. This year, unless it's exceptional, it's getting donated to the camp as fire pit decor.

Learn more about photography. Practice as much with my cameras, maybe even more, than with my rifles. I've also invested in high quality photo software and printers.

Spend some time attempting to learn light conversational phrases in the dialect of the local staff.

And....back in 04 I'd have waited just a few more seconds in order to let that huge Sengwa buffalo bull complete his turn...I think about that lost bull everyday.

Excellent thread. I'm going to RSA in 2010 for plains game with two friends I've known since I was 13. This will be the first time any of us has visited Africa. This thread has givien me some stuff to think about. What is needed & what is not. I was already planning on taking one rifle but the comments on gadgets & packing too much stuff has got me thinking. What do I really need? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

For me, I would not have wasted the first 34 years of my life, I would have studied harder in school and worked harder when I got out.

I would have hunted africa long before my 34th birthday.

I would have started earlier, not at 63. In my early to mid 50's, by which time income was sufficient, could have done a trip per year for what I pissed away on heaven only knows what. Now, like many, I feel I have to watch carefully, worry about running out of $. I admit, such a thing absolutely should not happen....but the worry level is there and restricts plans.

quote:

whitehorse121

You have a PM regarding first African safari packing list.

I would have read a book or two on African Hunting before I was plopped down in the middle of Tanzania.

I met some of the truly great PH's and didn't have a clue who they were at the time.

And only a couple made it a point to tell me.

I would simply keep going back for the first time.

quote:

Curious, if folks had the ability to start their African hunting experiences all over again, what would you do differently? A chance at a do-over or Mulligan, albeit only theoretical.

Well, I guess all things are relative, as my continuously drunk friend in college used to say.

If I had all the, or more, money than you Texans I would have started about when I was fifteen. But, unfortunately, I had to work for a living and put my two kids through college, and work long hours consulting to get to Africa.

But for others life continues to be a bitch, while flying first class to Africa, spending untold ten of thousands on tips and trophy fees, shooting fine doubles, and generally having a hell of a good time.

Here's two:

I never would have purchased a .375H&H but rather would have gone straight on to a .416Rem.

I would have hunted more DG sooner, when it was less expensive.

I worked in Africa from 1987 until 1998, off and on. Mostly, I saw the really grim side of Africa, which really burned me out on the place. I only did my first hunt in 2005. This gave me a very different perspective.

So, if I had it to do over again, I would have taken some time to hunt after completing a tour, or before beginning one, and hunted during my earning years, instead of after retirement.

I don't spend much on taxidermy and I never take a tape measure, and I only take one rifle, my .375.

The answer to the question is not much really. Knowing what I know now I would have skipped my 2008 Zimbabwe hunt in the Dande altogether. But besides that one hunt I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every trip to Africa.

I really enjoy hunting DG with a double for me it adds to the experience exponentially.

Guys talk about using a 1.5 to 4 for DG game.. To me not enough magnification... Was shooting my first buf and ph says shoot him between the eyes and I say I see it in the shadow.. I hit the bud right between the boss with my 458 Lott and give him a brush burn and I have a pic to prove it... Ran after him and got him in the open at 50yds and next X bullet flattened him...

Mike

I'd not have waited so late to start hunting in Africa.

Would have saved more monies to put to the purpose and taken better care of me along the way.

Would have been more careful about the taxidermist to whom I shipped my one and only (so far) buf.

Would have skipped the .375 H&H as a DG rifle and gone to a .416 or .458 chambering but kept the 9,3s for general use.

Retreever,

I agree about the low power scopes.


I also did not like the first taxidermist I used.

I would have shot more buffalos when they were offered for a low price on late season hunts.

No more 10 day DG hunts one was enough and too short.

I would have shot the 47 inch buff instead of telling my wife it was her turn.

BigB

I would have never spent a dime on plains game, we have plenty of ungulates(sp?) here to tip over. I would never pay for any taxidermy work, and the last hunt to Zim. I did not. Would have skipped the bolt guns, no scopes, Double rifle, never take a shot over 50yds on buff and 25 yds on ele's and I'm a happy camper.

Dirk

I would have practiced shooting off sticks and free hand before my first trip. I had never shot off sticks and was funmbling with them. I wounded and lost the very first animal (Kudu) I aimed at off sticks on the first day of my first safari. It took me a few days to shake that off.

Shooting off sticks is way over done. The PH usually thinks you have done it before. The tracker always sets them up at the wrong height and sticks are just generally a pain in the ass.

Figure out who the local witch-doctor/Muzimo is, and avoid under-tipping him. Avoid giving him any personal items.

1. My view is a little different than some others. I would have taken the time to enjoy hunting the plains game more - especially some of the small stuff. On my first safari I could not figure out why the PH got so excited about a big steenbuck. Now I get it. I enjoy the quest for a 16" bushbuck as much as one for a 40" buff.

2. I would have spent more on top quality optics right up front. If your budget is tight, save money on the gun and spend more on the optics.

I like the fact that I didn't always get it right. It gave me perspective. I learned and appreciated things more.
The first animal I killed there was a monster black springbok. I couldn't understand all the fuss over that animal, I've learn why now.
That said, I've earned everyone of my mistakes and I don't want to give them back.

In high school I knew a pretty gal named Victoria. When we graduated, she went to art school and went to Africa, with a cigar box full of dubies. I was responsible, went to college, got married, raised kids, finally went to Africa about 40 years later. Remet Vic just before I left. She died from a surprise brain tumor while I was gone. Should have been irresponsible.
Bfly

Africa has never taught me a hard lesson. Would that all of my teachers had been so able and amiable!

I have fed on my lessons as the famished on food. Always ready for more!

quote:

Originally posted by Black Fly:
Should have been irresponsible.

AMEN TO THAT ! ! ! !

Black Fly and mrlexma: those were two of the best posts I have ever seen...and one right after the other!

John

I wish I had spent money I did not think I could afford to spend before the market proved me wrong.