Per usual with those of us who've not yet been to Africa to hunt but have dreamt it all our lives and are about to spend a significant chunk of change to go for the first time, I haven't a clue where to go or with whom to hunt! Entirely too many choices and opinions. AQnd naturally nobody I know personally has ever been, either.

A quick look at a recent similar post revealed that only about 4 or 5 respondents (of maybe 40) mentioned the same area/PH/firm, and of those none recommended the same one. I guess that's good, huh? Buut it didn't help much!

Narrowed it down to Namibia or RSA due to prices, relative ease of working things out as a first timer, opportunity to hunt a fairly wide variety of plains game within tight time constraints (I can manage 2 weeks away, including travel and a side trip to a National Park for a couple days, leaving me maybe 10 days to actually hunt).

What do I want to hunt? Well, hell, the same things that every hero in every African book I own hunted! Elephant and lion and buffalo and whatever! Afford? Not too damned much of the glamour stuff. The budget calls for plains game, hopefully mature spiral horned antelope males represtntative of the species (and bigger than a whitetail, because after all it is Africa and I've shot plenty of deer). No offense to naturalists or more experienced hunters, but somehow itty bitty antelope aren't what I want to hunt my first time (and maybe only time) in Africa.

I've read about "bronze medal" and "gold medal" and whatever and haven't a clue what that means. And probably don't care. Not that I don't oooh and aahh about a nice animal or gorgeous rack, but when push comes to shove I'm pretty tickled to shoot that basket horned 8-point whitetail
if it's a good hunt.

So is my impression, based on lots of responses from US hunters with similar experience and African expectations, correct? That there a ton of good outfitters with good territories in South and southwest Africa who offer an enthustiastic (but often not wealthy) American first-timer a good hunt and African experience?


Thanks. -WSJ

Yes is the answer to your last question. From my own personal experience, however, I would recommend Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton in Namibia.

Immense, unfenced communal conservancies may be hunted, where you will find kudu, gemsbok, springbok, mountain zebra and other species in great numbers. These are the indigenous, free ranging big game of Namibia, and you will hunt them the old fashioned way, using spot and stalk methods.

Vaughan also has access to large ranches, which, although fenced, are so huge that while hunting the fences are not a factor.

Eland, red hartebeest, waterbuck, impala, warthogs, etc. may be hunted on these large ranches.

As for bronze, gold, etc., if I were you, I would just forget about that stuff. Hunt for mature, representative specimens, as big as possible of course, but do not obsess on length of horn. Vaughan knows the game and will not put you on an immature or small animal - unless you are okay with a smaller one.

Also, be careful. The last time I went plains game hunting with Vaughan, I came home with a lion as well! I cannot recommend Vaughan and his operation highly enough.

Agreed with MR...and PM to you WSJ.

You have gotten good advice here. I took my first (hopefully of many) safari to Namibia 1 year ago in May. I found getting there and back very easy, no hassle at the airports in either direction. There are lots of great outfitters there and a visit to the NPHA website will give you a good start if you don't have some ideas already. The best advice I can give you (and it is free of course so tifwiw) is to find an outfitter that matches the style of hunting you want to do. Do you want to spot and stalk or sit at a waterhole all day? Do you want to walk a lot or ride around in a truck and shoot from the back? Do you want fences or not?
Also, who will you be hunting with when you get there and does the outfitter have several groups in camp at once or will you be the only one there? From what I have heard, logistics can put a damper on even the best hunting trip, just something to think about. If you have more questions feel free to ask here or PM. I can honestly say that my safari would not have gone as well as it did were it not for the many people here that offered great advice.

I'm doing my first hunt with Vaughan in May. I did a ton of research and he comes highly recommended. I also think you should reconsider Namibia in general as I found prices comparable and it is no harder to get to than SA.

One caution. Due to the popularity of Namibia, especially this year, flights to Windhoek are extremely full throughout the hunting season. If you plan to hunt in RSA, getting to Jo'berg is not so much of a problem. If you decide on Namibia for the 2009 season, book with the outfitter and make your flight arrangements early.

Geoff

See my reply to the "communicatios with PH" thread.
In a nutshell, I suggest that you work with a booking agent, there are plenty on this thresd, to better match you up with the apporpriate outfitter and PH.

if you have 2 weeks off and want to hunt 10 days, forget any side trips . it will take basically one and a half days of travel time in each direction unless you live in Atlanta, DC or NY. some outfitters count the day you arrive and the day you leave as "hunting days" in a "10 day" package so be sure you know exactly when the clock starts. with a good outfitter the arrival and departure days do NOT count as part of the 10 day package.

If you are a member of SCI or the NRA (and if you are not you should strongly consider joining) attend their national or state meetings and consider bidding on a package hunt offered at auction. Most likely, the outfitter, PH, or a past client will be at the meeting who can give you insights into the game, accommodations, etc. Also, the organization will benefit from your bid.

My wife and I went on our first plains game safari in RSA after she bid successfully on a hunt at the NRA national meeting in 2005. Our next safari, with stops in RSA and Namibia, was obtained through the auction at the Minnesota SCI annual meeting / convention. In each case, we had the opportunity to speak with the outfitter and some satisfied customers before deciding to bid. And in each case, we were able to get the hunt at a significant discount to market value, which allowed us to spend more on other trophies of our choice.

RSA (speaking from experience) and Namibia (based on reputation and research) will each provide you with the opportunity to see a great variety of game daily and a safe, comfortable, hunting experience.

Good hunting!

Thanks all for the advice and insights. No decision yet but your responses have confirmed my choice of Namibia or RSA and you've helped me refine the questions I need to ask of myself and perspective outfitters. -WSJ

wsj

If you can swing a tented camp in the bush for your first trip, I'd highly recommend that over staying on a ranch. I've done and loved both, but, by a bit of a fluke, my first trip was in a tented camp and I am very glad for that. In retrospect I think, had I not already had the tent in the bush experience, I'd have felt that something was missing on the Namibian ranch hunt and that I wouldn't have enjoyed that hunt as completely as I did. If you find an outfitter that you like, but they don't offer tented hunts, ask them about it anyway, they may come up with something interesting.

Dean