Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Hindsight is 20/20, What I Would Do Different Next Trip...

This exact thread exists on another board but it's more geared for the archery hunters. As we look at the shows just around the corner, I thought it would be great to have a similar thread on here for people as they prepare to book their hunts for the years 2016 and 2017.

Some of my words of wisdom:

Get out and see the landscape! Bowhunters sit in concrete port-a-potties and miss so much of the scenery. Drive around and spot-and-stalk. Shoot some birds when you hit an afternoon lull. Francolin are excellent on the table.

If you are saving money and think you are almost there for this upcoming year, save for one more year. You don't want to be strapped for cash and on a restrictive budget when the trophy of a lifetime emerges. You will go over budget, TIA.

Buy the cheap airline ticket in coach. There is no need to pay-up for a better class ticket when you can use this "savings" towards your hunt and taxidermy.

If you find a good free-range hunt, you need to take it. Africa is changing for the worse (thanks, China) and it could be ranch hunting as the only option sooner than later. Get out and experience the real Africa while it still exists.

Most of your trackers and male camp staff smoke. Grab a carton of cigarettes at the duty-free before you leave Johannesburg. If they have unfiltered, grab those. You will be their best friend when you have some smokes for them. Don't give them all out at once, stagger the distribution throughout the trip.

Bring hard candy, if you have weight in your bag. If there are little children in nearby villages, there is nothing more precious than seeing their smiling faces as you give them candy. If there aren't any children, your camp staff will love it.

Bring some old issues of hunting and outdoor magazines to leave for the trackers. Most of your staff can't read English but they are fascinated by the pictures of wildlife they have never seen before.

RSA is fine for plains game but don't shoot a ranch Cape Buffalo. If you have a Cape on your bucket list, save for a free-range hunt and go that route. Be warned that some parts of Zimbabwe are very tough due to poaching (voice of experience here).

Lions are not crossing into RSA from Botswana. Lions are not "eating all the game on my friend's ranch" and he can get you a great deal. These are the two biggest tricks in the book for you to shoot a canned lion. If that is your thing, that's fine but if you have reservations about hunting a released pen-raised lion, this is the scam to make you think you did it the "real" way. Wild lion hunts don't take just a couple of hours!

Do not have your taxidermy done in RSA. There are numerous horror stories of people getting the wrong animal back, not getting their animals at all, and just crappy taxidermy work.

Save the back skins on some of your trophies. They look great tanned and draped over a couch or chair.

Most of your shots are under 150 yards. I have had one trip that was an exception, a river valley in Western Tanzania. Remember, you wound, you pay. This cowboy long-range fad is cool but not so much fun when you lose a kudu and are out $1,500.

Shoot a Barnes TSX or similar bullet. Sure those Bergers and others hype the shock and knock-down power of their bullets but these aren't whitetail you are shooting. Penetration is key here. Your trackers will find it if you hit him right. Penetration, penetration, penetration. Got it?

Bring a soft gun case for your firearms. It would suck to have a nice rifle riding around exposed in a truck gun rack.

Buy a copy of Kevin "Doctari" Robertson's book, The Perfect Shot. Kevin is a vet and PH. His books discuss the anatomy of the African animals and some facts about them. Just about every PH has his Mini Edition in the truck.

You do not need to pack a bunch of clothes. Your laundry is done daily. Two sets of hunting clothes and a light jacket will suffice for most hunts. If you are going to an area with lots of Tsetse flies, don't bring shorts.

3M Ultrathon lotion is great on Tsetse flies. Avon Skin So Soft is great for Mopane Bees. Ask your PH if you are in an area with either one of these insects. They are terrible.

You will be hooked on the Dark Continent. You will be back. Consider yourself warned that it's addicting.

I'm sure others will come to mind and I will edit as I think of them. I am anxious to see what others can contribute to this discussion, as I know the similar thread benefited many hunters as they prepped for their first hunts.

Take all the money you can and then take some more. I will forever regret turning down a leopard that was feeding on bait because I was short on funds, and as it turns out, my PH would have let me just send the money. I can't for the life of me figure out how some folks spend big bucks on a hunt, go ALL the way to Africa, and come back with just a couple of trophies.
I can see that if you are on your fifth or tenth safari, but for the first or even the second time, you really should take a BUNCH of animals.

Lots of valid points here.
I have been there three times.
Twice archery and once combo rifle and archery.

I enjoyed immensely sitting in blinds and seeing numerous species of birds and mammals at ranges from feet to 30 yards or so.

I sure do echo the point on hard candy for the trackers and kids that you run across in remote villages.

I certainly echo the issue of some area in Zim being shot out on buffalo. Been there and done that in a very expensive way.

dale06, do you have any broadhead recommendations for bowhunters? I'm sure they would find your advice on grain and brand helpful.

That's some good stuff kscowboy. I've been over 3 times now, and wholeheartedly recommend the economy comfort upgrade on Delta over the coach seat rec though. Stretching your legs out makes a 15hr flight more tolerable IMO. Also, I've not found African plains game to be exceptionally tough when the bullet is put in the right place. My 30 or so head all died rather quickly, except for a horrid shot I made on an oryx. AB's and partitions do quite well in this arena too.

Include a few extra "non hunting" tourist/sightseeing days. You've already spent the money on airfare and a few days sight seeing will really add to your experience. Every country has some kind of special historical/scenic place and a little extra time research of the country/area you go can add huge rewards to your overall experience

.

Accubonds and Partitions are very good bullets for Africa. I have shot Accubonds over there and have no complaints. I would definitely recommend a heavier grain bullet for over there. I shoot 165 grain Accubonds in my .300 Jarrett and 180 Barnes X in my .308 (also have a 150 grain Accubond load for it).

The Jarrett made its first trip over on the July trip to Tanzania. It performed very well on leopard and hippo and other plains game. My father used a similar round on his .300 Jarrett for Sable and Roan. That being said, I had about a 250 yard shot on a DeFossa Waterbuck and nailed him right in the shoulder. I was slightly under-gunned with the 165 grain Accubond, as it was a tough tracking job on a well-hit animal. My Liechtenstein Hartebeest was hammered through the shoulder on a 220 yard shot and managed to go close to 200 yards before piling-up.

I will continue to throw my 165 grain Accubonds on elk and whitetail but would definitely up the grains for my next trip to Africa. My .308 was heck on African game with the 180 grain Barnes X. My favorite story on the .308 was when I took a zebra head-on and had the bullet under skin in his hindquarters on a 150 yard shot. It really hammered him.

The Barnes 400 grain TSX in a .416 Rigby is great medicine on buffalo. However, there is a new bullet on the market that I'll mention below.

This all being said, there is a new bullet that we tried while in Tanzania. Our PH is frequently on TV and was responsible for some of the field testing. The company is out of RSA and was very impressive. They are called Peregrine Bullets. I expect them to gain a massive following sooner than later.

Here my experience and thoughts-
I went to Zim once and SA twice, in 12, 13, and 14.
The places I hunted strongly discourages mechanical broad heads. I don't use them so that was not an issue.
In Zim, I used 100 grain Muzzy MX4 heads. They worked ok, but penetration on a couple animals was not great.
In SA, I used Slick Trick 100 mags. They worked better than the Muzzy. Also, I shot a couple animals with 100 grain Magnus Stinger four blade. Both the ST and Magnus worked well, with the Magnus penetrating the best. I am a fanatic about sharpness. I sharpened all of these on a Lansky sharpener before using them.
It also depends on what you plan to shoot. The smaller stuff, I think pretty much any head that works for whitetails should do fine. The stuff like wildebeest, zebra, and similar size animals are "tough." In my experience a very solid deep penetrating head is important.
If I were going back, and I hope to do so in 17, I probably would use a 125 magnus four blade or Slick Trick Mag in 125 grains.
I used a 70 pound, 31" draw, 460 grain arrow. I believe the velocity was about 270 FPS.
Good luck, it is an awesome experience.

I forgot to mention that I shot a cape buffalo on my last trip.
Grizzly sticks arrows, 315 grain Ashby two blade BH. Total arrow weight was 980 grains. And 75 pound bow. I would not recommend that set up.

The OP has offered very sound advice. A couple of more points.

1. Take some E-books on a Kindle.

2. If they don't have cell phone coverage (most places didn't during my three trips in 2006 through 2011), rent a satellite phone.

3. Take only one rifle after checking to make sure the PH has a spare if you need it. .300 magnums are fine for all non-dangerous game. Otherwise take a .375. Contrary to what some may think, it's good for elephant, lion, hippo, and cape buffalo and also good on the plains game.

4. Only take one type of ammo unless you take solids for DG. The solids should weigh the same as the softs and shoot to the same point of aim. I used 180 partitions in the .300 and 300 grain bullets from North Fork in the .375.

5. If you take a .458, use 450 grain bullets instead of 500 grain for DG. They kick a lot less and 450 grain flat point solids penetrate more than enough for elephant.

6. Take a good and light weight camera. Take lots of film chips and batteries and take pictures of everything.

7. Book your travel through a firm that specializes in African travel, such as Gracey Travel. They have an employee at the J-burg airport who will smooth everything over for you.

8. Get in good physical shape in advance. Then get in better physical shape.

9. Before you book, check with at least five references who have hunted with the same outfitter.

10. Douse your clothes with pyrethrum before you go. It kills ticks and stays effective for six washings or more.

11. Bring shorts to hunt. I disagree with the OP about this but found that Ultrathon keeps off the tsetse from your legs.

12. Don't wait too long. The game herds are diminishing, unlike North America. I shot lion and bull elephant in 2011. Already the Obamunists have
outlawed elephant part importation from most of their range and, it looks like, have just severely restricted or eliminated importation of lions. Leopard and kudu make very fine trophies at least for the present.

This is good advice.
With the new USFWS regulations on lion hunting, you'll need to get a special permit (in addition to a CITES permit) to import a lion trophy into the USA. There is still a lot of uncertainty on exactly how the regulations will be implemented, but it is a good bet that USFWS will not issue import permits for captive bred lions.

http://huntforever.org/2015/12/28/h...t-lion-trophy-importation-into-the-u-s/

Very good advice. I will re-read this before I book my buff hunt (tentatively scheduled for sometimes next year -2016).

BH63

Good stuff.

There are a few good taxidermists in RSA...you just have to be very careful!

Relive in Port Elizabeth does great work at good value.


Tim

Take half the ammo, 1/4 of the clothes and twice the money that you think you need. Ignore the first if you want to give it away. If you do end up taking the airline limit, put half of your ammo in your friend's luggage and take half of his. That way if you lose your luggage you'll still have more than enough.

Travel in footwear you can wear hunting. It doesn't hurt to travel in huntable clothes either. Have at least enough clothes in your carry-on that you could get through if you had to.

Scan every scrap of paper, every document, a note from your mom, your passport, your ticket and anything that could conceivably be needed and email it to yourself. That way if your are standing in Africa with nothing but the clothes on your back and a money belt, you can still go hunting with a borrowed rifle. More importantly you can get home, and if some of your stuff eventually shows up you can get that home too.


Never smile at the local girls. Ever.

Sage advice indeed!

Just curious, why you are so adamant regarding this statement.

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.

Visit your Doctor a month before you leave

Tell your Dr you are going to Africa for 2 weeks or 1 month....whatever your trip length is

Have your Doctor write scripts to cover several possibilities

Sleep aid....airplane sleep issue or jet lag trouble after you arive
Motion sickness....jet taxi and stormy weather
Diarrhea.....this happens for several reasons be prepared
Nausea.....same
Antibiotics....broad spectrum to fight off an ear infection or sore throat ect ect

In 2014 my wife made such a bag of meds

She also included Ibuprofen Tylenol Pepto tablets and a couple other things I can't remember

Of the 8 people in our group there wasn't anyone that didn't benefit from this medication assortment

PH's and staff included

Also for the 1st timers

Set aside about as much money for the back side of your safari

Nobody talks about this much but I take every opportunity to warn those of the large cost after the last handshakes and goodbyes

Dip
Pack
Ship
US Brokerage
US shipping

These cost often vary from area to area but South Africa is becoming famous for over charging clients or threatening large and outlandish storage fees on DP&S

I used Steve at TWG last may for a Namibia trip. Service was A++. They can also book you at the Africa Sky Guesthouse (I highly recommend it),and they can handle your meet, greet, SAPS, transfers, and walk you back to the airport the next day whisk you through SAPS again, and to your gate no problem. Fantastic service, and Africa Sky is a fantastic place.

I would add to this ( if your Doctor is open to it...) some high octane pain killers if you are going to hunt Dangerous Game.

I did and I thought we were going to need them during a wounded leopard follow up. Turns out we didn't, but my PH needed them for a killer toothache 1000 miles from a dentist he could trust....

I wouldn't do a dang thing different, I had a blast and will be trying for a repeat my next trip over!

I wouldn't take 1/4 the ammo

I would take more next time.....I took 70 rounds last time for my wife and I

I enjoyed shooting hyrax, vervets and baboons with my wife and PH and as a gift we left our brass and un-used rounds behind.....this ammo was greatly appreciated

This though only take 40 rounds when I go.

I respectfully disagree here. If your scope gets knocked-off, you don't want to be trying to get it back on paper and burning a limited amount of ammo. Plan for the worst, TIA.

Granted, I shoot a .300 Jarrett and doubt a wildcat such as this can be found on the continent. I always haul this back home with me and realize that if my ammo doesn't make it, I am borrowing a rifle. My .308 and .416 Rigby ammo was left as part of the tip in Zim and was greatly appreciated. The extra shotgun shells we left in Botswana (back when you could hunt free-range there) was greatly appreciated.

A lot of us take for granted what we can go to the store and purchase today (lipstick for the wife, fishing lures, etc.). For some of these countries, if the natives don't use it, you can't find it. Ammunition in some countries is a precious commodity. Heck, Obama made it like that here for a bit!

Since you only took a fraction of what you could have..............

That's fine. I have zero issue with disagreement.

Take a laid back attitude if something in your schedule go awry. Missed connections, suitcase shows up late, whatever. Remember it's AFRICA, and things are different. It is the Third World for a reason. Small inconvieninces are part of the experience so don't let something minor tick you off and ruin your day. Some of your best campfire stories may come from those things.

Donated Hunts

With the banquets and auctions being just around the corner, I would caution you on getting the details before the auction. If you are really interested in the trip, contact the donor before bidding. I'm not saying everyone does this but some PHs donate hunts and jack-up the trophy fees and daily rates to reimburse themselves for the donation (this is very common).

Be familiar with everything before you bid. What trophy fees are included? Are daily rate fees included? Are there any air charter or transportation fees? Is there a price list for other available species? These are some questions that one should ask. Also, have an idea of dates for when you plan to make the trip. They may have your target month already booked before the auction takes place.

If anyone has any advice here, feel free to chime-in on auction hunts.

If your are interested in RSA, the thread "2016 Discounted South Africa Plains Game Hunts" offers some very good, well-priced hunt packages. I have not hunted with this group nor have I met them.

I've done auction hunts and it has turned out well for me. If you get a super bargain and have a good time, tip generously since the host is losing his shirt making sure you're having a good time.

Read the fine print before you bid!!!!

Don't win one and then try to make it something its not.

( I know the hunt is for oribi, but can I add leopard and elephant for the same rate??)

Great thread, Hatari!

I agree almost completely with your OP. There are a couple things I'd say differently, though:

1. Bullets: Barnes bullets are all the rage these days, but premium lead-core softs like Woodleigh and Swift A-Frame are still the "gold standard". I shot all my game this past August with 300 gr A-Frames.

2. If you are saving money and don't think you're quite there yet, consider borrowing the extra $5000 you need rather than waiting another year to go. I've heard dozens of guys tell me how they almost made it to Africa, but then something came up (usually a health problem) and their dreams were dashed. Go as soon as you can reasonably afford to.

3. If you have the chance to hire a professional videographer, do it. My only true regret from my safari was that I failed to do this. I can't state this strongly enough.

As for these characters and their "medical" advice:



I heartily concur with this advice. Get a bag of Rx and non-Rx meds, to include:

1) Cephalexin (or Bactrim if you're allergic, and vice versa)
2) Ciprofloxacin
3) Imodium
4) Zofran and/or Phergan suppositories (you can't puke out a suppository, just sayin'...)
5) Melatonin +/- Clonazepam for the flight
6) Ibuprofen AND Tylenol
7) Benadryl (tablets and topical cream) for bites and allergies
8) Afrin nasal spray for sinus congestion. Take it in your carry-on. It can be a life-saver during the descent into Africa.
9) "High-octane" pain-killers. Hydrocodone 5mg is a good standard choice. Oxycodone 5mg is stronger, but fewer doctors will prescribe it. You probably won't need it, but if you DO need it, you'll need it very, very badly.

Oh, and when you pack to go home, leave your meds with your PH. He will thank you for it.

#9 is asking for trouble.

The last day of my hunt, my PH and trackers shot the rest of my ammo. It was great fun and a very rare treat for them.

I went to the eastern cape in July (winter time there) I wish I'd packed some flannel PJs and a pair of slippers!

Yeah, a few layers of clothes can be handy almost anywhere in Africa. whether for hunting or sleeping, but I always take some light slip-on shoes for around camp. But there's still no need to bring a huge duffle of clothes.

I don't ship nearly as many heads and skins home anymore, instead just take photos.

Iron-sighted safaris are a lot of fun, partly because not worrying about dust on the scope lenses, or whether scoped rifles are staying sighted-in after a bunch of bouncing around in the safari vehicle. (Have also seen several scopes go completely out on safaris, not just a couple of mine but those of companions.) Anybody who's a decent shot with irons will do fine in typical bushveld hunting, especially with an aperture-sighted rifle.

Africa also has very fine bird hunting, and anybody who likes wingshooting will find opportunity on almost any safari. But I finally did an all-bird safari in 2013, which was GREAT!

Bring your wife so she can get cool photos of you.

Take pictures of not just dead animals but everything else Africa has to offer. Some of my best memories were not of hunting on the trip, so take pictures of them.

WALK
-Driving is great to get you from point A to point B, but you see a lot walking and climbing to the top of hills to glass.

Never pass on a gift from the bush. Over the course of several safaris I've let good bushbuck, nyala, duikers, steenbok etc... walk because at the time I had no interest in shooting them. It is cheaper to take them when you see them than it is to go back.

Don't pass on opportunities for bonus type game. I've let caracal lynx, african wildcat, civet cat, bushpig and jackals walk because we were after "better" game.

Listen to the PH. Once when I was after zebra we saw a really big springbok. The PH kept telling me I should take it but I had already shot one and wanted the zebra. He finally asked if I would loan him my rifle and a bullet and he shot it. It went #4 or #5 in the Rowland Ward book!

Good points gentlemen;

Medication; even when I was in the NWT guiding I brought enough stuff the other guides called me Dr Feelgood. Rarely needed any of it but when did it was very valuable. On previous trips to Africa Namibia 2009 Eastern Cape RSA 2015 I had a lot of drugs/meds. Left it all behind unused was glad to have it none the less.

Pirate the listen to the PH is good advice, I have also had a lot of fun listening to the tracker. My short time guiding give a rating system;
-don't shoot it
-only shoot it if you really need to
-good mature animal shoot if you want
-shoot it
-shoot it or I will

Other advice I have had from friends experienced in Africa which I have taken; minimal taxidermy skulls and horns some hides lots and lots of pictures and more money into trophy fees.


I hope to take my "learnings" into my next trip.

All the best

GRF

Indeed, and well-summarized!

It was back in 2008 I think, but might have been 2007. We were in Zim hunting buffalo and had been stopped at yet another of their pointless road-blocks. There were any number of uniformed, and safety vest wearing people there, though whether their actual function was police, military or just holding up a uniform was never clear to me. Anyway, I'm waiting our turn to go through and looking around like a partly bored, partly interested but trying to look casual tourist would. As it happened I somehow locked gazes with a bright eyed uniformed black girl and returned a friendly smile with one of my own. I wasn't expecting her to consider that all the invitation she needed to try to jump in the truck with me, much to the howls of mirth of the trackers and skinners. Now I had to try and look casual in another direction while the PH talked us out of the situation, perhaps explaining that I didn't want to be sole or part owner of a local girl with limited options. Times were tough, and perhaps jumping in with the first remotely friendly white foreigner seemed one of the better of her limited options. When driving away the PH offered his understated opinion that it was probably best if I never smiled at a local girl again. Ever.

Model70guy; thanks for the clarity, story seems funny since it wasn't me that it happened to. Would be quite different if I was sitting in the truck. I will keep this mind on my next trip.


Thanks GRF

Figured I'd bump this with the first timer advice inquiry.

Safe travels to everyone on their way over the next couple of months.

Tag.
Glad I found this.
I'm to the "looking at tickets" phase for next May.
I found out real quick Delta "business class is outrageous.

I highly recommend the front row Isle seat of coach comfort just behind business class.

If you are over 6' tall you will be much happier after the 16 hour flight with footroom to stretch out.

This is nice for $150

Thanks for the heads up.
I found out today I can use my AA miles on Delta and they quote 160,000 miles roundtrip to Joburg.
Business class.
That's more like it.

The Airbus 777 business class seats turn into a bed

I took 40 and we must have shot up 30+ rounds at the range after the safari, ammo was no good left behind, no one there had ever seen a 45 cal Sharps paper patch load or a 400 Whelen.

Generally good advice, though I must respectfully take exception to two points:

1. If you can afford to do so, upgrading from coach to 1st, or even Business, Class is worth every cent if, like me, you're in your 60's or older.

2. Bring more, not less, ammunition than you think you'll need. When I hunted on the Selous, it happened that another hunter from a camp many miles upriver arrived sans ammo because his airline lost it in transit. Fortunately, he was shooting a .375 H&H and I happened to bring a spare box of ammo with me, which I gladly conveyed to him. Aside from such eventualities, your PH will appreciate your giving him such ammo as you have left over following your safari.

And then add Taxidermy and you have quite a bill.

I will add to this even though this safari is over

Hire your USA taxidermist before you leave.

A reputable one with lots of experience with African taxidermy and everything about it

Use the USA taxidermist D/P/S people and not your African outfiter/host D/P/S guy as South Africa is getting a reputation for putting the old flip side whammy on the American hunter

Bump. Re reading threads as I plan my second trip in August. Good stuff.

Heading out for our fourth in August -- forget videos and TV shows. Make up your own mind about what's important (out of the exhausting list produced so far.)
Forget about a shopping list. Hunt and "take what the bush provides."

Listen to previous hunters where you are going and -- decide now to shoot again, even if the PH says, "You hit him hard!" It's your money and you pay either way.

Tip #1: Go!! It's great hunting. Make the hunt what you want. If you want to ride around in the truck, fine. If you'd rather spot and stalk, tell the PH. Mine were happy to do whatever I wanted. I had one of the greatest hunting days of my life stalking Kudu through the lowveld bush.

Tip #2: Consider doing less taxidermy and instead taking great pictures and having them nicely framed. Taxidermy really adds up and you could shoot more animals vs. having more taxidermy. Tough call, but the taxidermy really ended up more than I anticipated. I could have shot a couple more bigger animals such as Kudu, or many Impalas.

Tip #3: Either shoot or dry fire A LOT prior to going. Easy to do, and it will make your life easier. Bad shots are expensive. I used printed targets set up across my basement and loaded three blanks to practice shooting off sticks and cycling bolt. Really helped.




Tedthorn; great idea on the medical kit.

Take even MORE money. Passed up on a leopard on bait because I was short of funds (the PH later told me I could have wired him the money!) and here I am over ten years later and who knows when I'll have another cat opportunity like that one..

Take a couple extra TSA locks packed in your luggage. I now only use the cable style. Every trip I've been on my locks are bent or lost so having a replacement, especially for my rifle case, has been beneficial.

TSA locks are ILLEGAL for gun cases.

I also carry an extra lock for my gun case.

On taxidermy, I am leaning more and more towards Europeans. Short of my buffalo and bushbuck, last years take in Zimbabwe will be Europeans. Same for our up coming trip to Namibia in June. Next years trip to Burkina Faso will only see my roan and bushbuck in a shoulder mount, the balance will be Europeans. Having the Europeans done in Africa is pretty inexpensive.

Sitting in a lodge in Limpopo reading this and chuckling. Thus far 7 zebra, 4 wildebeests, 5 impala. 270 Federal 130 TB Tipped. Perfect.

Oh and the most popular ctg in new rifle purchases...6.5 CM to the exclusion of all others.

You'll never see me with that uber-gay caliber, that's for sure

Nice, that is great Rick. Any recovered bullets?

Boeing builds the 777.

Scotty most bullets full pass thru. Good destruction. One shot for each except a really big old bull wildebeest who managed to stay on feet for three. He looked like a small buffalo. That said I do have a few from quartering shots.

Oh and Business class is really really nice.

Another thought; have the hides tanned and have them shipped with your trophies. I have done this on all three of my trips and the resulting product makes for great "trophies". To date we have had made briefcases, purses, carry on bags, tote bags and boots.

When people ask my daughter about her purse she tells them "my dad shot it", then goes on to explain from whence it came.

RinB; sounds you're having a grand time. Please post pictures when you return.

Are they actually illegal or just can't be the main locks? It's a minor point but is there an actual U.S. rule that says you can't add TSA locks in addition to your regular locks? My case has four locking points. Last trip I put two regular locks at each side and added a couple of TSA locks in the center.

Taxidermy costs if done in the U.S. consist of:

1) Dip and pack at African taxidermist

2) African exporter

3) Shipping

4) U.S. importer

5) Shipping fee to your taxidermist

6) Taxidermy

If you use an African taxidermist you don't have the expense of the dip and pack

But except for the taxidermy, these are all fixed costs regardless of whether you go with shoulder mounts or euro mounts.

Very cool Rick. Sounds like they worked excellent, but I sorta figured they would anyhow. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of them.

TSA regulations state that you must transport firearms in a locked, hard-sided case and that "only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock." Since TSA agents can open TSA locks, this means that they can't be the main locks securing your case. It doesn't specifically state anywhere that you can't use a couple of TSA locks in addition to other locks. Since you didn't run into any problems when you mixed regular and TSA locks on your recent trip, it's clear that some TSA agents don't see that as an issue. On the other hand, I also wouldn't be surprised if you had a different agent at a different airport give you a hard time for doing that. For that reason, I'd say it's a much better idea just to fill all the holes on your rifle case with regular locks and carry a spare or two.
For more information on flying with guns, check out: http://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/2016/06/how-to-fly-with-a-gun/


I recently did an analysis of the total cost involved with shipping a kudu, blue wildebeest, impala, and warthog to the USA from South Africa. My goal was to do as close to an "apples to apples" comparison as possible of the cost difference between doing taxidermy in South Africa and shipping those animals home as shoulder mounts vs getting them dipped & packed and finishing the taxidermy in the USA.

Generally speaking, taxidermy prices in Africa are cheaper than in the USA. Also, as postoak pointed out, you don't have to pay dip & pack fees if you elect to get your trophies finished in Africa. However, because they physically take up much more space (thus requiring a larger & heavier crate) shoulder mounts are much more expensive to ship than raw trophies.

On the other hand, it's generally more expensive to do taxidermy work in the USA and you do need to pay dip & pack fees if you elect to go that route, but that's offset somewhat by the lower shipping cost.

When all was said and done, I found that the total cost of everything involved (dip & pack, shipping, taxidermy fees in the US, etc.) was sightly higher to ship those four animals home as "raw trophies" and to get the taxidermy finished in the USA. That being said, the cost difference was very small (on the order of a couple hundred dollars).

European mounts are a different ball game though. It costs about the same to ship a European mount to the USA compared to the same animal as a raw trophy. However, you can avoid the dip & pack fees by getting your European mount(s) done in Africa and maybe save a little money. So, purely from a cost perspective, it's probably a better idea to get your taxidermy done in Africa if you only want European mounts. Keep in mind that you cannot ship finished and raw trophies in the same crate, so this advice only applies if you want to get all your animals finished as European mounts in Africa.

Of course, the exact cost varies depending on animals you're getting mounted, the taxidermist/dip & pack agent you use, and where you're shipping your trophies to and from. This conversation also does not take into account the quality of work by taxidermists in Africa vs the USA.

So what's the big takeaway here?

You can probably save some money if you only get European mounts and you do the work in Africa. On the other hand, there isn't much cost difference with doing shoulder mounts in South Africa vs the USA when you take everything into account, so don't worry too much about trying to save money in this area.

Instead, if you want shoulder mounts done, focus more on finding a quality taxidermist that's very experienced working with African animals and get that person to do your work.

TAKE MORE MONEY

Excellent thread. Just did my first trip last year (SA, both Limpopo and Kalahari) for plains game. Below are only the things that weren't obvious to me or haven't been discussed at length already. Trust me, I have a 7500 word journal from my 10-day trip and a huge, detailed spreadsheet with all the costs, packing list, etc. that was invaluable *to me*. Yep, I'm *that* guy.

• Bring less sets of hunting clothes than you think, but bring layers. Including a skully/warm gloves. It can get very chilly early in the AM or on that last ride back into camp.
• Hire a meet-and-greet for Joberg. They get to use a different line through immigration and customs. Must quicker which is really, really nice after a 17 hr flight.
• Keep a daily journal. I kept mine on my iPad, which is also handy for ebooks, etc.
• Things I used every day that weren’t obvious – sunglasses, scent-free lotion (it’s dry over there), chapstick, and Nuun tablets. Also sunscreen.
• Ask your PH about gifts before you go - most times I think the PH/trackers/drivers/skinners, etc. would prefer you add the $50 you spent on gifts to their tips. Cash is king. But do ask what they need before you get there - I brought some batteries that were difficult to find/very expensive in SA that were easy and cheap here after a last minute catch up convo with my PH before I left home - you'd have thought they were gold by the reaction.
• Take cash for a tip. In most places US$ is fine/preferred. Take more than you think you'll need. It's easier to come back with it than want it and not have it.
• Hire a US importer/customs broker before you head over and let them handle your trophy imports/shipping. I tried to do this on my own last year (I live in the Atlanta area) and it's a nightmare. US FWS was terrific, CBP a nightmare. I ended up getting help from Coppersmith at the last minute and would highly recommend them. I promise you that it is $500 well spent. I couldn't bring myself to spend it on my first trip and that was a huge mistake.
• Speaking of costs, I did a very thorough spreadsheet (did I mention I'm one of those guys?) with all the costs listed by line item. Therefore, I knew what the extra cost of another animal would be including trophy fees, tips, D&P vs European vs shoulder mount, shipping, etc. Therefore, when we saw a huge impala after I'd already taken one, I knew it was in my budget and he's now on my wall. Same with my 5" steenbok.
• +1 on costs. My 10-day $7000 plains game hunt ended up at around $15k after tips, extra animals, a charter flight from Limpopo to Kalahari, taxidermy, shipping, etc. It all adds up. Thankfully, given my spreadsheet I knew all of this in advance and had planned for it. And there wasn't a dollar I spent that I regretted spending.

I love European mounts and it is cheaper to do them in SA and have them shipped. Contrary to a previous post, my crate home included Europeans and shoulder mounts, along with pillows, backskins, and rugs all together in the same crate. Shipping is expensive - I think mine was about $1700 for a 130kg crate that barely fit in the back of my F150. My shoulder mounts and full body for my steenbok that were done in SA were very good quality but not excellent.

My experience with CBP in ATL when I returned was a nightmare. Landed and through immigration/customs and had my checked luggage 30 mins after we landed. Left the airport 90 minutes after that thanks to CBP and I had all my paperwork in order. Just really rude/indifferent CBP officers who didn't know what they were doing on duty at the time. Be patient and be prepared.

I had a Cape Buffalo mounted in Zimbabwe and NEVER again!!!

After getting 5 backskins tanned I recomend NOT doing this.

Backskins are readily available in the USA for purchase and are cheaper then the cost of bringing your own home and getting them processed.

Same goes for capes for shoulder mounts.

Of course.

Bump and a question I haven't seen asked yet: Hunting pack, yes or no? I'm thinking of one of my smallish packs to stash extra ammo, gloves, snacks, wipes, etc. Or do you just throw it all in the truck? In all the Africa vids and pics I've seen over the years, I don't recall seeing a hunter with a pack.

We'll be in the Limpopo province in late August.

Thanks!

I had a pack in truck with me each day...ammo...snacks...extra camera....etc. Came in handy several times. Would do it again.

I always take along a smallish North Face day pack, for carrying stuff on the airlines, and for hunting. Keeps everything with you, and organized, Plus, if you need to 'bug out' for a day or two of hunting in another remote location, it's easy to throw in a few items of clothing. While hunting, it helps to keep a camera, spare ammo, allen wrenches,etc. always handy.

I will have to disagree and say get the best airline tickets you can afford. I'll never travel coach again.

36+ hours door to door can be taxing: try to diminish salt intake, wear TED hose and take baby aspirin as DVT prophylaxis and diminish leg swelling.

If you have to travel coach, ask your travel agent for the longer leg room seats.

If you can't afford a nice hunt, don't short change yourself and do a half assed low budget hunt. Remember, you get what you pay for! Unfortunately throughout the entire hunting industry there are a lot of scheisters out there.

Material things in general (eg trophies) can always be replaced, memories last a lifetime. Don't short change your memories.....it ain't a dress rehearsal.

Don't forget, Africa can get cold at night......

Lot of pretty good advise but: Flying business class makes it a much nicer trip.

Regardless of what you do or don't do-- you are gonna want to go back
Plan for it--
It is as much fun as you can have with clothes on!!

Didn't read all the thread but determine what trophies you will bring back before hand. I know many experienced hunters who don't bring back anything. If not doing a skull or Euro mount have the horns sawed off and the skull cap separated at the suture line. Shipping is by weight and bulk. Buffalo skulls are heavy, take measurements and then do the same treatment. The only time that this is not a good idea is if you want to enter the horns in the record book as this can disqualify them.

I am not sure what I paid for bringing hides back but it was about four times more than what I could buy an already made rug for. Same with pillows. But if I had shipped less I could have taken two more trophies.

On the next trip, I'm going to shoot 2-3 trophy's and a bunch of culls. I almost could have made another trip for what it cost to get it all back and mounted. I'd rather spend that money on hunting. Also, I will look into other airlines. I flew Delta but have learned there are often better options for cheaper. I will also check into using one of the camp rifles. I didn't have any issues but it just seems easier.