Looks like I will finally get the chance to hunt S.Africa - April 2005,Will take a SW PC 6.5" 500 Mag and 2 Encore Barrels 475 GNR and 375 GNR.Still deciding what I will hunt, but Kudu for sure .Practice ,Practice ,Practice.
Buffalo,lion ETC... not on the list to expensive.
Sean

I took 11 head of plains game and the price was not too rough. Get your practice in, take lots of photos, keep a daily journal as much as you can and have fun. My journal lets me sit on the front porch with a cup of coffe and go back on the trip until I got there next.

Thanks for the tip on the journal,thats a good idea.
I am hoping to get Kudu,Nyala,Eland Not sure yet if they are in the same area will have to look into that.
Sean

Wow, that sounds soo great. You can hire me on as your gun bearer/ action photographer/ camp boy ....

My two cents.... DO talk with your PH as to WHAT species are available and WHERE. The best plan is to set your couple of "must have" species and have a backup plan for other game IF you fill out quickly. First trip over to RSA we seemed to fill the "want list" in record time. So went to the next concession for the next species on the list.
I've talked with guys who spent as much time traveling to various ranches/concessions as they did actual hunting time. NOT what I care to do at several hundred bucks per day.

FN in MT

Sean, I took a 44 magnum Contender (ten inch, iron sights) to Africa in '97 and used it on impala, blesbok, warthog, and zebra. Loaded with 325 LBT WFN @ 1375 fps it did a fine job. As you'd expect it shot clean through everything except the zebra. You might consider putting together two loads that strike the same point of aim, one a jacketed expanding bullet for quicker kills on the smaller critters and the other a hardcast LBT for deep penetration on the thicker stuff. As for preparation, Stuart's "Field Guide: Mammals of Southern Africa" is a very handy reference as you work your way through your PH's price list. I recommend also "Perfect Shot: Shot Placement for African Big Game" by Robertson. If your PH encourages the use of shooting sticks I recommend you familiarize yourself with them now instead of figuring out how to make use of them on the first day. Shooting a pistol from sticks may seem sacriligious but depending on where you hunt the grass may be too tall for prone or sitting and many of the trees one would usually rely on for an improvised rest come covered with thorns. Good hunting! McB

good information Thanks mcb
Sean

Sean, I'm leaving this Aug. for a handgun hunt in SA. I just read a very disturbing thread on Handgun Hunt.com Seems a guy just went and was allowed only 1 handgun. He had to leave his other gun at the airport with the SA Police. NOT GOOD AT ALL!!! Nobody there seems to know the regulations either. Ask 5 different people and get 5 different answers.

That was Ed Petricca and I'm trying to get in touch with him for the skinny on the matter. You can try looking at the PHASA(Professional Hunters Association of South Africa) website. Get in touch with your PH as soon as possible and find out what he knows about the situation.



Just pulled this post by Ed off the HandgunHunt.com bulletin board.



"This is what I was told at the SA Police Office at the Joeburg airport. One handgun only. Extra barrel for Contender or Encore is OK. Starting in July Ser.# must be stamped on both side of the frame and barrel. For the most up to date information and for questions, go to the PHASA web site."

Serial # on the barrel? This is getting better by the minute. Guess my handgun hunt just turned into a rifle hunt. Maybe I'll bring my Raging Bull- or at least until that is prohibited. This will definately be my LAST hunt in South Africa!!

TJC,

I may be wrong but I believe that in RSA they serial # the BARREL not the frame like we do here in the US of A.

When I was going through RSA Customs back in 2000 the Agent mentioned that to me as he checked my M70 for its serial number. N

FN in MT

I heard back from Ed and he had no problems getting his second handgun back when he left RSA.

Still not a very promising situation for handgun hunters though.

It sounds like handgun hunting in South Africa is over with after July 1. I just got an email from Anne at Air 2000 who told me that my Taurus Raging Bull will not be allowed because it is not a "custom made hunting handgun" Are you kidding me????? Sounds like my trip just died less than 2 months before it was to start.