Model70Guy, that is good advice. Yes, always travel in clothes and footwear that you can make work for hunting, should your bags not make it. I too am curious of the local girls comment. I'm not one to answer the drums:).

Pack your binos, range finders, and anything of value in your carry-on luggage. Things have a tendency to disappear during a layover in RSA.

We have always had success traveling out of Atlanta versus the Northeast with firearms. I don't know if it's a cultural issue or what but customs and airline personnel are just more tolerant of hunters and firearms in the South than in those Blue States.

Do not travel through Europe, if possible. I think Germany is okay but I remember meeting some guys during a layover in RSA who have their own rifle company and TV show. They were obviously there to promote their guns on their show but had to use borrowed rifles. Their mistake was a connection through Amsterdam.

Travel with Guns did my father's last trip. Steve used to be at Gracy, I believe. Gracy has Bruce in Joburg who no one can top when it comes to making sure your firearms get to the appropriate destination. It has yet to be seen what Steve is going to do in Joburg for firearms transfer.

We used Gracey for years but as of late, they have been less responsive and their attention to detail has gone downhill.

If you have an overnight layover to another country (exit airport and have to re-check luggage), use Gracy because of Bruce. If you have a connecting flight in Joburg that is not an overnight layover (never exit airport and re-check bags), use Travel with Guns. My father had a medical emergency with his 2 month old hip replacement getting infected during an October hunt in Zim. Steve at Travel with Guns got him out of there promptly.

Be careful at the ticket counter here in the US. I tried to check my bags and firearms through to Harare and the lady at the counter told me that I could just re-check everything once I got to Joburg. No! It doesn't work this way and you could really find yourself in a pickle when you "enter" RSA without any paperwork. Check your firearms all the way through to your destination, if you have a layover that does not require you to have to re-check bags! Example: Atlanta to Joburg, 3 hour layover in Joburg, Joburg to Harare--check all the way to Harare.

Last edited by kscowboy01; 01/02/16.