Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Africa-How hot is hot?

I'm down in Phoenix Arizona on my one day off running around taking care of chores. Its HOT. Reminds me of a hunt I did a few years ago in Zimbabwe. An elephant hunt. Tuskless in Dande South in October. The "suicide month" because its so friggin hot. I got my ele. I wish I could say it was pleasurable but it wasn't. At least 123ish???in the shade. So boys, how hot have you guys hunted in Africa? I am gonna go and hunt with my good buddy at the end of the hunting year for them next year and score on several leftover tags. Very cheap Maybe a buff or 2? Lots of plains game, but with the intense heat. Sucking down lots of water, and weird looks from the camp staff when I want a mopane fire in the evening at 103 degrees.

Hi Zengela,

I too live in Phoenix. Hot this week eh? 112 right now as I post this. To your question, I've been in the Luangwa Valley in November. It sure is hot but in our case, we hunted till 10ish, returned to camp, had lunch, then a nap in the deep shade offered by the lush groves of the trees in camp. Back out to hunting at 3 or so. I also have been in the Zambezi Valley fishing in late November. Hot is hot, no matter where you go.

To me, the only hard part was no A/C at night to help getting to sleep.

I really prefer the months of late August and September for temperate days and cool nights.

Monsoon is suppose to start this weekend. Gonna get humid now.

I hunted the Zambezi Valley this year in April. I arrived in camp on April 6th. The hottest day we experienced was 40C, which equates to 110F, more or less (40x2+30=110).

It was damn hot and humid, but the nights were pleasant. The days were really too hot to enjoy. Henceforth, I will limit my safaris to June, July and August.

BTW, congrats on your success. October is an excelllent month to hunt elephant in Dande South.

Having hunted Sengwa Research in November, the Republic of Congo (3 degrees North of the Equator) in June, and the Omay in April, October, and November (Shot a buffalo on Thanksgiving Day), I can honestly say that South Louisiana is just as hot, way more humid, and far more miserable at night than the valley and the rainforest.

I do love hunting late season in Africa.

Not as hot as Australia.

Negative Ghost rider. It was 120 here in Phoenix last week. I've seen 122 and they closed sky harbor airport. They didn't allow Bombardier commuters up last week because their take off data stops at 118


http://www.news.com.au/technology/e...s-story/88153fffae26219f7c3794770e19c68d

(that's 122degF)

That hunt I had brought my 500 NE DB. Was beyond itching to try it out. The classic frontal brain or side earhole head shot. NOPE!!!! PH wouldn't left me. My cow was in a herd, and he was reasoning that if I crumpled her instantly the others would get really pissy and we would have trouble. I had to take a behind the shoulder double lung shot. Well, I did, and a HUGE one tusk cow with a little baby was SCREAMING to bejezuss trying to figure us out and stomp us. We did a lot of fancy running (in super hot heat)cutting our Scent. At one point I truly did want to post up and settle her troubles for her,but,she did have that little guy with her. On a separate note, the Knyoch 570gr Woodleigh solid is still zinging towards Mozambique. Complete penetration. Did a few insurance head shots but never got the slugs back.

Geez, I thought 72 degrees in RSA was hot!

It is actually about 104F. Still good and hot though, and hard to take, especially if it is humid. It'd knock you about.

FWIW I remember an Army exercise, years ago, here in Oz, on a day when it was over 110F in the shade, but dry heat. For one reason or another I was put onto ambulance duty, and I was flat out all day as the soldiers - young fit blokes of course- were dropping like flies. Two of us drank a 20L jerry of water over the course of the day, just trying to keep hydrated.

You really need to look after yourself in conditions like that, because they can kill you.

Zengela:

As you pointed out, shooting in a herd is always twitchy for that reason. Your PH gave you good advice. A brain shot cow that drops in place is more likely to produce a charge from one or more cows in the family who take exception to the death of their sister. A lung shot cow will run off and die a bit later, giving you time to exit stage right before they figure out who or what did her in. And if you have the misfortune to have to shoot a secondary charging cow with a calf, as you know, the little fellow will require a lead pill as well, or it will starve to death without it's mom. There is no elephant rescue in the bush. Sad, but that's the reality of it.

From a hunter's point of view, it is safer to stalk and shoot a solitary bachelor bull. If he drops in place, a secondary charge won't occur as he is alone and is far less likely even if a few other batchelor bulls are close by. By comparison, the cows are quite pissy in that regard. Especially matriarchs or tuskless cows. However, since Zim ivory can no longer be imported into the USA, it makes no sense to spend beaucoup bucks on a good bull when a tuskless cow can be shot for around $4K. There are fewer tuskless cows around as a result.

Personally, I do not trust ammunition loaded by Kynoch. Next time, if you like the Woodleigh solid (an excellent bullet), try Norma. They load a 570 grain Woodleigh solid in 500 N.E. as well.

Dande South? Did you hunt with HHK? If so, which PH? HHK is a first class outfit.

Yes HHK. PH Shawn Cotton. I believe he is now living in the US. As far as Kynoch, I used it purely from a nostalgia point. Those red and yellow little packets. My belt was full of Hornady as well. I don't know much of Kynoch other than its super expensive and grouped great in my Searcy 500. When I had my 500 made, Butch Searcy and I got to talking and we said what the hell, let's chamber her for 3.25 inch, not the standard 3" that is now the norm. Superior ammo made me nice ammo.

Win70, you will sh@##$. Got that hunt, all inclusive for $2500.00. It was a SCI donor hunt auction that whoever bought it couldn't go. It came up on a thread I get from another Zim outfitter. Paid $500 a week until I paid it off. Was a nice hunt. Got my ele 1st day. Sat around for the rest of the week and shot sand grouse in the evening. I was the very very last hunter of the year. Enjoying myself. The whole camp was itching to close down and leave, but, I was like no! Its my hunt and that crappy ice machine just ain't working hard enough!! We had African wild dogs in camp, hyena and a leopard was always sneaking around. Middle of the night going down to get a cool drink(not cold) I had to tote my Rem 870 with #1 buck at 2am because of the critters. I gotta get back there. Zim ain't gonna last too much longer.

That was the deal of the century!

You're right. Zim is unfortunately in a state of serious decline. Poaching, Government mismanagement, Chinese incursion and just plain greed by the native population and their self appointed masters.

Glad I finished the Big Five when I did. Not sure I could get it done today.

Have never met Shawn that I recall. Must have been a while ago.

Camp was interesting. I was NOT the only hunter in camp as promised, but I was cool with it as nobody interfered with my hunt. There was 2 couples from the Czech Rep hunting with Janie Meyer and his brother. Buffalo and croc. They got a OK buff. A guy from Holland after lion. He connected as well. His PH was some old,mean cantankerous bastard Rhodesian ex elephant cull hunter. Was told that he got something like 4000 to his name back in the day. He hates America. Well fudge him. The Holland guy had a real nice fancy 416 Rigby that he hand loaded for. It stuck so hard he couldn't honestly use it for lion. Used his PH backup 375. I was contemplating about Dande South years latter: in less than 1 week a elephant, cape buffalo and male lion all taken. Czech was looking for sable but no dice. Not bad. I wanted caracal but was told over shot.

When I was in phoenix the temperature was 122 in the shade. They said it was a dry heat. Did not make a difference 122°F in the shade is too hot. I left and went to Colorado mountains.

I only go to Africa between May and August and I live where it's going to be 108 Deg F. tomorrow.