Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Booking my 2011 Zim. trip, this week.

Was going to wait until the deposit money was sent, you know that makes it official but I'm pretty excited. As some of you know, I was laid off work, last year for about 10 mos. Well, got back to work, June 1, and my son and I started talking seriously, again, about going back to Africa. Sent inquiries out to about 5 companies. Got it down to 2. Both outfits would have been great. However, one couldn't come up with quota, next year, and the other one could.

So, the boy and I are off to Zimbabwe, next August, to hunt with Martin Pieters Safaris. I'm going to hunt tuskless cow elephant, and cow cape buff. My son is going to hunt cow cape buff, and most likely hippo. We are gonna do it 2x1, so that we are in on each others hunts.

He comes up this week, and we fill out the contract. Hope to get the deposit laid down no later than a week from Mon. Boys, I'm getting excited!


maddog

I know your joy. I'm booked and, for my June 2011 hunt, the return flight back from Africa has just begun being opened up for booking by the airlines.

Since I am trying to get a bit more leg room, I'll probably have to jump the moment my agent calls. Since I'm taking Karen and because of a trip to Cape Town afterwards,coupled with June being a prime time month, I'm looking at about 5K to book,unless I royally screwed up.

No regrets!

isaac, I feel your joy! One of the reasons this trip is doable, is because the boy has enough frequent flyer miles to get us from the states to Johannesburg. That's a serious chunk a change we are saving, right there.

We aren't shipping any trophies home, but we are going to have the hunt filmed.

maddog

Maddog,
Just listening to you guys talk about the hunt is getting me excited. I just got back from my hunt and may dad and I are talking about returning in July 2011. I think the 2x1 father and son deal is the way to go.
Let me know whay you come up with as far as airfare deals to JNB. I think it's a little soon right now as none of the searches are coming up with flights more than 11 months ahead.
If anyone finds any deals, please let us know.

thanks
mike

That's great news to hear.

I'm fighting the unemployment end of things right now; and even someone elses' news provides hope that I will get back there.

I think you have made a terrific choice in a hunt without the post hunt complications and expense; given the chance I will be following that example from now on.

Almost time to start counting the days! LOL

It sounds like you will have a great time. I wish I could convince my dad to hunt Africa with my brother and I.

Jim

I suppose I can share in the joy as well!

IMHO, about the only way to make a 2x1 work properly is for father and son. I hear hunting tuskless ele is quite exciting. I hope to one day be able to hunt for them as well!

My youngest boy (age 12) and I will be on Safari for three weeks next year. We'll start off in RSA on some free-range/fair chase hunts (Baviaansriver, Stormberg Mountains, and the Umkomaas valley) for PG. Then we're heading to Zimbabwe for leopard.

Wife told me to get Africa "out of my system" as she wants to do some traveling.... so I'm also scheduled to hunt Lioness and Sable with John Sharp late summer of 2012, and I'm hoping to work in a few days with our very own JJHack in RSA for Nyala.

Good on you man, but fair warning, it does not get out of your system, it gets into it.

Randy

Africa NEVER gets out of your system...



maddog

Oh, I know ALL to well!

I've hunted Namibia for PG twice before already. After my 2012 hunts, I'll give the wife a breather for 2-3 years before I start bringing up Africa again...

Yeah......right.........


Ingwe

Why are you shooting all girls?

I must be missing something here.

Trophy fees are way cheaper. We get the hunt experience, without the high end $$s. ie cape buff bull, TF $2750, cow buff $1300. Tuskless ele[technically could be bull or cow], TF, $3500. Tusked bull, TF $12,000.


maddog

I totally get the hunt experience thing and of course being with your son on the hunt, but I would shoot plains game and bring some trophies home. Anyways, none of my business.

We did that last time. Bringing trophies home. This time, just pics and video tape.

maddog

FWIW Tuskless cow elephant are the most dangerous sector of the population to hunt....and a cow buffalo can kill you just as dead as a bull...

Ingwe

I'm not finding any more direct flights straight into Windhoek from Europe any longer. Maybe it will open up some more on the way to my June 11th hunt but everything I'm finding now stops in JoBurg.

Anyone know what's up or am I just a dumbass?

Bob...wait and watch..if you get really lucky they might put an Atlanta/Windhoek flight in.....

Ingwe

While that would be sweet, I wouldn't bet on it, unless there is a lot more of the non-hunting sector vacationing in namibia, from the states than I guess there would be. If you do a meet/greet service in JNB, and overnite, I don't think it would be that bad. In fact, that's what Dan and I are going to do, for our trip to Zim.


maddog

Well, don't know about deals. My son has enough FF miles to get us to JNB, for free. We'll just pay for the tickets to Zim from RSA. The only way to save $$s that I know about, is to go over during the shoulder or off season. You'll just have to keep an eye out.


maddog