Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa advice for first time Africa hunt?

This has probably been asked many times before and feel free to refer me to other threads/sites.

A hunting pal and I are hunting the eastern cape w kei river hunting safaris for plains game the last week of July. I've hunted the US for 40 years: scores of whitetails, one mulie, caribou, elk, black bear and moose. I've traveled internationally a lot, even capetown once but that was just for a conference. So this is our first African hunt and we'd like to minimize ignorant mistakes!

What Africa-specific advice would you offer? Especially eastern cape in July specific. Footwear/clothes, interacting w PH and other staff, shooting off sticks, expectations, tips, photos, taxidermy/shipping, etc etc.

We are mid-60s, fair but not great physical conditioning, no big health issues, reload and know our rifles, not looking for ego trophies but an enjoyable and successful experience overall.

thanks. garCH

Well I was in Eastern Cape in early Jul last year. Lows were in the mid 40's -lower 50's except one night got down to 33. The daily highs were mid 60's to lower 70's except only to 54 the day after the 33 night.

You need rugged foot wear. The terrain is rocky. It rained a few times. The worst was that 54 degree day.

As far as tips ask the outfitter or owner. Our taxidermy came in below estimates given us by the outfitter. Head and shoulder mounts of Kudu, Black Springbuck, Duiker, and Impala plus skull and horns of Blesbuck was actual: $1,166.00 to JFK, $579.00 from there to my door - import fee, taxes, shipping etc. The taxidermy work was $2,503.00 again these were all actual charges the estimated came in higher.

I assume you know the import and travel requirements for your rifles and ammo. If you don't ask me again. I highly recommend pre approved permit from riflepermits.com

garCH, I'm hardly an expert, but have been 3 times. These would by my personal recs, so take it FWIW:

1. I you're unsure about booking tickets, use Steve Turner @ Travel With Guns. They will do your flights, gun permits, etc.

2. If you're comfy with doing it yourself and have to spend a night in J'burg upon arrival, I cannot recommend Africa Sky Guest House enough, and they can handle your gun permits as well.

3. If you only need rifle permit service, I hear great things about riflempermits.com

4. Use the same clothes you hunt with here in the US. I wear Carhartt stuff, leather boots, and it all works just as well over there as it does here.

5. Take hard candy for PH's and trackers. They love the stuff.

6. I rely on the outfitter to give advice on amount of tip to give. I do like tipping on the high side though because those people work their butts off for you. Mine has been in the $600 range the last two times.

Savor every moment. Africa is a special place.

Andrew Renton?

All absolutely excellent advice.

You most likely will be shooting off of sticks. I told the PH at the rifle range that I never tried shooting off of sticks. After we confirmed my zeroes he had me take a couple of shots off of sticks. If you have some practice with them but if you don't be honest about it and they will most likely bone you up a bit before heading out. You are so steady with them it is almost like cheating!

Andrew Renton?

yes andrew renton. experience w him?

Yes

I will PM you first thing in the morning regarding Andrew Renton and Kei River Safaris

We had a great family (wife and three sons) trip with Andrew in 2012. He will treat you right in every way.

Bring medicine specific to your needs and potential needs. You should be past tick season but check with the PH. Ticks can be really abundant at certain times of the year. There no nasty tick born illnesses in the eastern cape but the pepper ticks can transmit what they call tickbite fever. Low grade fever and headache. Doxycycline clears it up fast.

The oft quoted more money and less clothes is also true.

If you don't have a good pocket camera get one. Takes lots and lots of photos.

The other comments above are well thought out.

If your PH and / or tracker get real excited about an animal that's not on your list seriously think about shooting it.

All the best.

appreciate all the input! thanks tedhorn for your report and congrats on your fine hunt!

my air tickets and overnite in joburg are already booked.

certainly if we encounter a good animal not on our list we'll go for it!

recommendations on taxidermy done there or in US?

Make sure you have your SAPS paperwork in order, and consider having Afton House do your meet & greet. Almost all shots at game will be off shooting sticks, and we don't normally use them over here. Make a pair from a set of dowels and practice. Don't wear camo, it's for military only in most of Africa. Dark green or khaki is good. You'll drive and glass more than you'll walk, and they'll accommodate your capabilities. Don't bring lots of clothing, as they wash and iron every day....3 sets is fine.

Have fun...I leave for my 16th time in early July...Zambia this time!

Biggest/Most Expensive mistake American hunters make on African PG is shot placement. Virtually every PG species have the broadside "vital triangle" that is forward of the front leg. African PG species front leg bone structure is just a bit different than WT and the heart is farther forward in the chest than American WT. Most American hunters that have shot a lot of deer "tend" to shoot "in the crease just behind the front leg" on full broadside shots. If you do that on African PG you are likely to hit nothing but lung/liver/guts and have a long and uncertain tracking job ahead. Can be very expensive if you don't recover it.

General "rule of thumb" on African PG on full broadside is straight up the front leg, 1/3 of the way up the body. If you're a little low, you hit the lower part of the heart. Dead on, you'll center the heart. A little high, you'll take out the arteries at the top of the heart. If you're a little higher still, you'll likely "spine" it. Just don't hit behind the line of the front leg. Of course you need to adjust for quartering shots and use the same "rule of thumb" but use the "off side" front leg.

16 trips, one down this year (Apr) and two more on the books (July and Sept) and PH school in KZN in 2011.

Chapstick and sunscreen. Their winters are like those in the US desert southwest....dry and low humidity.

More money... Beg , borrow or steal...

Take a target pre-shot at 25 and 100 yards for post-flight check comparison. Keep track of any scope changes made due to PH instructions (so you can move them back if you don't believe the scope moved). Some PH's check at 25 yards. Also, practice off short sticks -- seated vs. the usual standing tripod/sticks.

Keep extra glasses in take-along pack. Sun setting while you have sunglasses on doesn't work, and the sun sets fast!!

Drink water from the time you get on the plane. Keep a small bottle in your pants pocket and work it during hunts. Refill from your room supply. Bottled water only!

Take soft guncase/sleeve along for time rifles spend in gun racks during transport.

Hunt, don't shop a list. "Take what the bush provides."

Photos are all you will have in hand for a year afterward. Taxidermy can ruin the experience -- separate that from the hunt,

Money for tips, M&M's for friendship.

garCH,

Congrats on your upcoming hunt booking! Wish I were going again.

You have already gotten some good advice. I have been to Africa 4 times, once on a bow hunt. Here's my 2 cents worth-

Don't overpack. Laundry service is almost always available, two or three sets of hunting clothes is usually plenty. If hunting in July, a sweater, vest, or warmer jacket and light gloves is not a bad idea, as it can be cold at that time. On our last trip to SA, one morning we had to scrape heavy frost off the vehicles. A good pair of hiking boots work just fine for hunting.

Be sure to take along all of your meds if you take them, as well as any stomach aids you might anticipate needing, like Rolaids, Pepto, etc., in case some foods don't agree with you.

If you take your cell phone with you, make sure you have an International plan set up with your provider, and fully understand how charges are racked up on that phone, like if data roaming is left on. It is possible to chalk up hundreds, and thousands, of dollars on unneccessary charges if you are not careful.

The first trip over was a disaster in terms of paperwork- I tried to do it all myself. I highly recommend using one of the many good services to handle SAP paperwork, permits, etc. I have used Gracy Travel, and was highly impressed with how smoothly things went.
Many people have given up taking their own firearms, due to the hassles involved. I do not recommend this- I did it once, with near-disastrous results. IMO, the advantages of using a firearm you are totally familiar with outweigh the disadvantages. Sounds like you are going to use your own stuff, anyway.

Do yourself a favor, and do lots of shooting off of sticks before you go. I usually use a rifle like .223 or .257 for practice, and like shooting at gongs at 200 yards. You will be shooting off sticks in Africa!

I usually take along a lot of small envelopes for distributing tips. Most outfitters really appreciate it if you personally tip the staff, trackers, cooks, etc.- it takes some of the burden off them. Don't be afraid to ask your PH or outfitter about their expectations regarding tips, and use them as guidelines.

Take lots of photos- in this digital age, it doesn't cost any more to take lots of them, and they help preserve the memories of a very special hunt experience.

Wish I had some good advice on the best avenue for shipping heads, hides, etc. back to the states. I have never had a problem eventually getting everything, but on a couple of occasions, there were hangups do to a lack of communication. Unfortunately, the cost of getting your stuff here continues to skyrocket, so much so that I doubt I would send anything home in the future for mounting. (plus the fact that my house is so full of stuff that there's no more room.) I have always used my taxidermist here in the US, as I can communicate directly with him as to how I want things done.

Lastly- if you have enough travel miles built up to upgrade to Business class flight, by all means do so. It makes a world of difference in how you you feel once you arrive at your destination.

Relax and enjoy your hunt!

continued thanks. shooting sticks are usually bipod not tripod style? just tied together? wanting to know how to rig a set for practice.

i love my ecco trak 6 hiking shoes/boots, come up just over the top of the ankle. sufficient? goretex, good tread, solid and comfy.

Afton House already arranged.

apparently taxidermy can be a nightmare.

The PH sticks I have used in Africa have been wood, tripod style. I use a Bog Pod tripod, for my practice and for hunting here in the US.

Andrew Rentons crew uses the Primos tall trigger stick tripod

Taxidermy was not a nightmare as long as no Warthog or CITES permit animals. I was there in July 2015 and my mounts have been on my wall for a month. I listed the fees in first post. I used Coppersmith as the importer.

Also I had no guidance about not bringing/wearing camo clothing. I wore camo as did some of the hunting party. I also wore camo in ADDO National Elephant Park without question or comment. I spent all my time in the Eastern Cape and that is where the OP is hunting.

That is good advice about a soft case for your gun. That is one big change that I would make. Take one gun instead of two and pack the gun in the soft case inside the hard case. I would rather have one gun and the soft case if there wasn't room for the second gun with the soft case in there. I took 2 pre 64 Win 70's, a 375 H&H and a 30-06 Fwt. I would be comfortable with either for the trip. I would take my 375 H&H because my 375 talked big over there!

The Eastern Cape is a large area

The Kei River Safaro hunt area is usually the coastal mountans of the Komga area

Who was the taxidermist as those prices are very inexpensive

I pack my trip paperwork, passport, snacks, binoculars, cell phone, camera, medications and a complete change of clothing and my BOOTS in my daypack/cary on bag

I will at the very least have all of my important paperwork a full change of hunt clothing and my BOOTS if everything else is lost in transet.

70 rounds of ammo in a TSA locked Pelican case put inside my TSA locked checked bag.

My Pelican rifle case holds one rifle inside a soft case and another complete set of hunting clothing along with my bipod, knife, and shooting sticks....Primos tall tripod.

All locked up with 4 NON-TSA old fasioned combination locks.

I enclose a copy of my hunt destination address and all of my paperwork inside every single bag.

Camo or lack of is not an issue

I use a mixture of some to none

Enjoy the mountains near Komga they are bigger than most expect

Don't forget to bring a sling for your rifle

Take a lot of pictures to remember and share

This is just my rifle and binoculars on an ant hill but I like it

This picture might be tough to duplicate though

You may have a list but as others have said....

If a very good animal presents himself and your PH tells you it's big....kill it

African Wildlife Artistry was the taxidermist. Kudu head and shoulder $780, Black Springbuck and Impala was $480 head and shoulder, Duiker $380 head and shoulder, Blesbok skull and horns was $120. They do great work, are highly regarded, and do what they say they are going to do in the time stated.

Pictures?

The OP's African host "Andrew Renton" will use his own team for dip/pack/ship or taxidermy

His guy and silent business associat is Karl Human the owner of Human taxidermy

The shipping agent he will use is Francois Benson......another business associate

I had my stuff D/P/S to Dennis Harris of the Artistry of Wildlife


It will cost me a lot more but I'm OK for paying for that kind of quality

Thanks Bighorn

Guys I deeply appreciate all this advice and the photos!
More is also welcome.

Some advice on drinking water.

It's not uncommon for the PH to carry bottled water in a cooler for everyone on the truck.

Be careful and ask but sometimes they re-use old bottles and fill them with local water that will not bother them but might tear you up!!

Drink only bottled water that "cracks" the safety seal when you open it.

You will need to visit a US customs office to complete your re-entry paperwork

Anything you take over like binoculars, cameras, computer, rifle, scope....anything with a serial number I suggest you put on this form.

Make copies of all your paperwork and keep them handy

Here is a link to the US Customs page

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/368/~/registering-equipment,-computer,-camera,-laptops,-etc.-prior-to-traveling

thanks tedhorn, yes we have completed those forms

So true! I realized my PH was doing this about day 3...of 7
and was not happy! For what I paid, was it too much to expect
new water? Really? I would have paid him for a case of water in advance! Just one of the reasons I most likely will not go there again. And it wasn't hundreds of miles out in the bush either....Zim...Botswana...etc I might understand...but SA??

Hi there,
Good luck on your African adventure. This is my third trip to Africa for hunts. One trip to South Africa and two to Tanzania. Of the two, I enjoy the Tanzania experience much more than the lodge hunt in South Africa. However, I recommend that you start your hunting plan with a species list. Figure out. What you want to hunt. If that species is not located in a certain country, then by all means, don't choose that country.

The next step is to determine what kind of hunting experience you want. If you want to stay in a lodge every night, then choose a country in which this type of hunt is more common, such as South Africa. Same issue with respect to free range vs fenced hunting areas. If you want at tent or tent cabin hunt in the bush, then perhaps Tanzania is a better choice. I don't know about any other countries, so perhaps others can chime in.
The next step is to choose an outfitter. If anyone offers you a certain species with a certain score, then you can presume that the hunt is for auctioned animals and that it will be in a fenced area. The issue of hunting areas and wild game are issues that you will need to have a frank discussion about with your outfitter.

Selecting an outfitter can be a daunting prospect. Fortunately there are a few tools available. First and foremost, there is a subscription based service called The Hunting Report. You can pay for a subscription and get online information at The Hunting Report Website I subscribed to it for two years, It is worth it's weight in gold as it is based on hunter reports, rather than on professional writers, who owe their next story to whoever gave them a free trip. I suggest that you give serious consideration to a paying for a subscription.

If you want to know who I have used in the past in South Africa and in Tanzania, please message me. I will get back to you.

I've only been to Africa once (so far), so take this for what it's worth.

1.) take less cloths, and more money....

2.) taxidermy: After having it done in Africa, I will never have it done there again.....dip/pack and have it done in the states.

3.) Don't know about your area, but I took tick repellent, and was glad I did.....the dang things were literally attaching to my boots for some reason.

4.) In addition to any meds you have prescriptions for, I would advise that you get some doxycycline (antibiotics)for treating tick fever, should you get it.

5.) place anything valuable (binos, cameras, laptops, etc) in your carry on.

6.) +1 for whomever mentioned chapstick and sunscreen.

7.) I made sure I had some Rand prior to going over, for tips & small purchases and stuff.....everyone says "just use the money machine at the airport", but what if it's broken? Or you don't have time?

8.) as far as taxidermy cost, I will be more selective next time as far as what heads go on the wall, what will be skull mounts, and what will be photo only. Just remember that if you leave the trophy in country, you will still be required to pay the VAT on the trophy (its still cheaper in the long run).

Have a great time, enjoy the hunt, don't get caught up with tape measures and such, and don't forget to post photos when you get back............

Arange dip pack and ship of your export through a well known and professional USA taxidermist

They will arange pick up of your salted hides and skulls and keep the d/p/S charges to a reasonable price.

South Africa is becoming famous for ripping into the wallets of happy safari clients after the last handshakes are well over. The happy clients are not uncommonly billed at a much higher than expected rate months later.

Use a USA taxidermist such as The Artistry of Wildlife or Jerry Huffaker and they will arange literally everything for you and at the lowest rate possible....no surprise bills

Do this BEFORE you leave!!!! for your hunt.

that helps a lot on an important consideration!

Ted,

I'll say it again, this is one of the coolest African game pictures I've seen! Love it!

I borrow rifles on all my overseas hunts. No hassles, no firearms control, no overweight baggage or second bag...whatever. I've heard too many horror stories about getting guns through security to want to deal with it. I paid $50 to rent my PH's 30-06 AI when I went to RSA. Well worth it, unless you're just dying to use your own. On 5 animals, my longest and hardest shot was about 100 yards standing still...hardly worthy of "knowing your rifle", though the possibility of a long or hard shot is always there, and I did shoot that rifle several times before going hunting.

As far as the other suggestions, it is all spot on.

More money, less cloths.

Carry everything valuable in your carry on, plus a change of cloths and your boots. You can continue your hunt with the bare essentials if things get lost.

I had my stuff mounted by Highveld, (4 Euro mounts and an impala mount) and do not regret it, though next time I likely will have it things shipped to my taxidermist in the US instead.

I stayed at the Afton house in Joberg, and really enjoyed it, but it seems others have had issues there.

If you are a rifle looney, like most folks here on the 'fire, you will want to take your own firearms. For me, the planning of bullets to use, practice with my own firearms, and the satisfaction of harvesting game with your own stuff, makes the additional hassle well worth effort.

I have in the past used an outfitter's firearm, and in one instance, it ended up in a near disastrous result, this on a Beceite Ibex hunt in Spain. Never again!

Thanks again to all!
taking my Tikka 695 300 WM because I'm familiar with it, confident in it, great trigger and accuracy, synthetic stock, weaver superslam 2.5-10 scope. enjoyed working up the load: norma brass, 180 gr accubonds, R22, CCI 250; it's about 1/2 MOA at 100, have practiced to 300 where it's 6"low. nothing fancy but effective.
now I have a couple weeks to practice on the primos tripod

Take along a small flashlight for getting around camp at night.

Also....don't forget to take an electric plug adaptor for South Africa

We took a all-in-one adaptor and it didn't work in SA

The 3 prong was the dominant one we encountered and was able to borrow one from our host family

Thanks: have small flashlight laid out to pack, and have that adapter but didn't know it was the one I'll need

Most definitey take a 3 large prong adapter. Most newer electronics are multi-voltage.

Many thanks to all. Nick and I had a great hunt in the Eastern Cape arranged by Wade Derby!!
hope to go again

gar

Wadecrosshairconsulting.com

Wade is a top shelf booking agent!!!

Awesome.
I want one of those.

+ 1 on a small flashlight but you might also want to consider a headlamp so you can have both hands free as the need arises. I carry a small flashlight and a headlamp in my person in the event that I have to walk back to the vehicle or camp after sundown.

Although it's very true that most electronics are multi-voltage, please be aware that voltage is Africa is 220 Volts. Would not hurt to double check the voltage of your appliance/device before use.

I had a GREAT hunt in Eastern Cape arranged by Crosshair Consulting with Kei River Hunting Safaris. I bagged fine kudu, nyala and reedbook and my pal gemsbok, blesbok, hartebeest, reedbok and impala. all the advice helped!

Congrats! Glad you had a great time!

So.....now that you've been infected.....when ya go'n back?

Great. Andrew and gang do a fine job.