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

=====================

Probably still get to JoBurg early enough to get a afternoon flight to Windhoek,I suspect. From what I've been reading (and only that),Windhoek appears to have a significant edge over JoBurg in the stay overnight category.

I did an overnight in Afton House after a major mess up in flights that saw us 46 hours on the road with flights cancelled out of Frankfurt. The overnight close to the airport ( ten or twelve minutes) and the four hour sleep before the best steak dinner I have ever had coupled with a ten hour sleep that night made the Joburg stay over my constant from here on in.

I am not a night life kind of guy, so not being in Joburg proper was not a big deal to me.

Good luck with your plans, I am sure you have it figured to your advantage.

Randy
Randy

It does....

Ingwe

Exactly! The level of danger is greater. Tuskless cows are notoriously the most unpredictable and dangerous (unwounded) animal to face.

Don't fool yourself, from what I have gathered, hunting a tuskless is not for the faint of heart!

Hunting in and among cow herds with their young is DANGEROUS! When a cow elephant charges it is rarely a mock charge. She's coming to kill you!


The same applies to hunting lioness. The level of danger is greater than going after a male.

Yep...and alot of them have been repeatedly tracked/hunted by both hunters and poachers..then passed up...so they tend to get a little ouchy at human intrusion....I guess they are REAL touchy on the border of Mozambique....from what Ive heard...

Ingwe

Lets face it guys, the name of the game with dangerous game is to put ourselves in harms way, and tuskless cow sure fits that bill. If we need the tusks to prove to others of our courage, perhaps it is more bravado than personal test.

I am envious and look forward to hearing your account on your return.

Randy

Well, I ain't getting any younger. I'll be 60 by the time this hunt goes off. Just put a friend in the ground, that died of cancer at the age of 57.

Told my son, "I wanna walk amoungst the elephants", and that's what I intend to do. Hope to bring back some great stories, and some cool pics. Sides, if an ele don't make white toe jam outta me, I gotta show Ingwe some pics of me and the Ruger with the "bubba buddy" on it!


maddog

Now THATS dangerous...

Ingwe