Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Back to theTuli Block Botswana Jun 2020 and Aug 2020

OK gentlemen, I realize the various hunting seasons are upon us throughout the US but, I still want to let all of you know that Bob and I are going back to the Botswana Tuli Block with Gerhard Koch Safaris in Jun 2020 and I’m planning to organize another trip for Aug 2020 for anyone wishing to go. I’ve already reserved the prime dark of the moon dates as follows:

June 2020 – arrive at camp early afternoon of 16 Jun followed by 9-10 FULL hunting days and start travel back home on 26 or 27 Jun 2020

Aug 2020 – arrive at camp early afternoon of 14 Aug followed by 9-10 FULL hunting days and start travel back home on 24 or 25 Aug.

The reason I’m leaving the total number of days a little flexible is you’ll notice below in the list of Gerhard’s most popular “packages” are from 6-8 days in length. However, I highly recommend you add a couple of extra days. It will be less hectic and you can relax and take your time to truly enjoy the experience.

June - Since Bob and I are absolutely going back in Jun, I currently have 2-3 spaces available for the June trip. Bob is having Gerhard put together a bit of a specialized package for himself that may include species that are out of the Tuli block and maybe require going across to RSA. I’m only interested in staying in the Tuli. So, what I’m willing to do is if someone wants to go and split one of the below 2x1 packages, I’ll take the other half or if 3 shooters want to come and split Package #4, I’ll fill in one of those spots. If it turns to be just Bob and I, then I’ll just to a cull only hunt right there.

Aug - I am going back in Aug (alone or with others) and have as of this post, one gentlemen and his wife (observer only) are tentatively interested in going, so this leaves 2-4 spaces available for the Aug trip. Same deal, if a couple of hunting friends want to split a package or just individual hunters what to come I’ll try to split a package or even ask Gerhard to do something special to accommodate everyone’s wishes.

General Plan – We’ll all meet in Atlanta and take the overnight Delta flight to J’berg and stay overnight at the City Lodge Hotel right in the airport complex. Next day we’ll fly Air Botswana to Gaborone. I’ll coordinate all the airline tickets and hotel rooms. I’ll sort out all the firearm transit permits thru J’berg and temp import permits for Botswana.

As I’ve mentioned before – I don’t get a “cut” or a “commission”. I pay my own way. I do this just because I honestly love going and also helping others who may have always wanted to go but don’t have anyone else interested or thought it was too difficult to do on their own. So, here are the four “usual” packages Gerhard has. You can also contact them directly inquire about other options you’d like.

2020 PACKAGES: (All prices are in U.S. Dollars)

PACKAGE # 1 – 6 Trophy Animals – 1x impala, 1x warthog, 1x blue w/b, 1x kudu, 1x gemsbok, 1x waterbuck. Includes 7 nights, 6 full hunting days all inclusive. Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 1x1 (each hunter will have own PH) $7800.00 per client.

PACKAGE # 2 – 10 Trophy Animals – 2x impala, 2x warthog, 2x blue w/b, 1x zebra, 1x kudu, 1x gemsbok, 1x waterbuck. Includes 8 nights, 7 full hunting days all inclusive. Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 1x1 (each hunter will have own PH) $8900.00 per client.

PACKAGE # 3 – 20 Cull Animals – 10x cull impala, 10x blue w/b. split between 2 hunters. Includes 7 nights, 6 full hunting days all inclusive, Minimum of 2 hunters hunting 2x1 (2 hunters and one PH) $3000.00 per client. Up to two of each species can be taken as trophies at no extra charge.

PACKAGE #4 – 24 Trophies and 60 Culls – Must be a minimum group of 4 hunters. 40x impala ( 1x trophy & 9x culls each hunter), 12x warthog (1x trophy & 2x culls each hunter), 20x blue w/b (1x trophy & 4x culls each hunter), 4x trophy zebra (1x trophy each hunter), 4x trophy kudu (1x trophy each hunter), 4x trophy eland (1x trophy each hunter). . Includes 8 nights, 7 full hunting days all inclusive. Each hunter will hunt 1x1 with own PH, tracker and truck. The trophy kudu and trophy eland can be exchanged for any other trophy or cull animals at the same prices listed below. $6375.00 per client. Note – extra shooters can be added to the group at the same rate.
Extra cull animals can be added at: Impala - $100.00 ea., blue w/b $200.00 ea., zebra $350.00 ea., and giraffe $1000.00 ea.
Extra days can be added to above packages at a cost of $350.00 p/p/p/d 1x1 or $250.00 p/p/p/d 2x1. Non-hunting observers $150.00 p/p/p/d. In addition to the above all inclusive packages we will custom tailor a package to your specifications and requirements.

2020 STAND ALONE AND ADD ON TROPHY FEES:

Trophy animals can be added to any of the above packages on an al a carte fee basis at the following prices per animal.
Giraffe $2500.00 Eland $1600.00 Impala $400.00
Kudu $1500.00 Gemsbok $1000.00 Warthog $350.00
Bushbuck $1000.00 Blue b/b $600.00 Red h/b $1000.00
Waterbuck $1400.00 Steenbok $200.00 Duiker $200.00
Baboon $50.00 Vervet Monkey $20.00 Jackal FREE
**Other species may be available on request

I'd love to do #4. I'm going to see if I can find a couple of buds who may be interested. What airlines are you targeting? Does this require using your own rifle or are their loaners?

It will be Delta 200 over. Arrives J'berg at 5:30pm or so -Too late to catch any flights to Botswana and Delta 201 back to Atlanta. 201 arrives back in ATL around 6am and still have time to make connections to just about anywhere in the US and be home that same day.

City Lodge has nice rooms, easy walking distance right inside the airport complex, so safe/secure. GREAT breakfast buffet!. The Air Botswana flight leaves at 10:30 the next morning and arrives a little before noon in Gaborone. There are earlier SAA flights into Gabby but their track record for loosing luggage/rifle cases is seriously not good.

Gerhard does have loaner rifles but he won't have enough to cover 3-4 guys. I know you've done Namibia. I can do the SAPS 520 form for J'berg nearly in my sleep and the permit for Bots is even easier than Namibia. I take care of all the paperwork. I just need current 4457's and passports.

If you're interested in Package #4, SERIOUSLY think about adding a couple of extra days. Reason is, culled animals are field dressed and moved to the shade. Position is marked on GPS and you continue hunting. At noon or the end of the day, you backtrack and pick up the carcasses and make one trip that morning and that afternoon. Temps are cool enough the meet is fine. When you take a trophy, it is taken directly back to the butchery for skinning/preservation. Lots of time is "lost" going back and forth

I'm good with #200, as that's the only way I've been. Never had any issues, and City Lodge was fine too. I was just curious. I always like the culling + trophy hunts. Sounds like a blast, and I hear trophy quality of kudu and eland is ridiculously good.

Since you're hunting 1x1 even with package 4, how do you get extra days at 2x1 price?

Man that would be fun. Is the meat shipped back on the plane?

The meat stays in Africa - Can't be imported into the US. It is properly butchered and sold to the markets in Botswana but, you can eat all you can hold while you're there.

In both trips last year we weren't after kudu. Did see a couple upper mid 50's bulls while just transiting between camp and the hunting areas. Did have some "bookable" eland on the property.

Check your email M3
Kevin

These are some pretty decent packages, and I also like #4.

I may have a couple of other hunters who are interested as well.

Let me check with some guys.

You don't. If the package price is set at 1x1, then extra days are added at the 1x1 rate. If the package is priced as a 2x1 hunt then extra days are priced at the 2x1 rate. This is because he has to hire the extra PH's and each hunter has their own PH, or each "team" has their own PH, tracker and own hunting truck.

One last point I need to put out up front. If you don't shoot all the animals in the package, you don't get a refund of the un-shot animals. After being there twice I can positively state that if you don't shoot all the animals on your quota in your package, the ONLY reason will be because you weren't fast enough on the trigger and/or the sticks. YES, there are that many animals on the property. If Gerhard puts you on mid 50's trophy kudu or better for example and YOU decide not to shoot hoping for something bigger/better and one doesn't materialize, don't even think about asking for a refund as the answer will be NO - period. The primary reason I strongly recommend adding a couple of extra days is if you're looking at any trophies, the extra days will let you be a bit more selective on the trophies you do pull the trigger on.

What you can do is exchange trophy animals for culls or vice versa, but again, if you don't shoot them all NO REFUNDS. You can also add extra trophies and culls to a package at the stated individual ala carte rate.

If this is not someone's particular "cup of tea" but would still like to hunt there, you should probably go with a straight daily rate hunt and pay for each individual animal, cull or trophy, you take. If you "do the math", you'll pretty quickly see that he has these packages priced pretty reasonably even IF you leave a couple of culls alive in the bush.

Between my Jun 2019 trip with Bob and the Aug trip with my wife, between the four of us we took 55+ head of game in a total of 13 hunting days. Some were trophy and the bulk were culls.

Thanks for the explanation. For the most part it makes sense, unless for some unknown reason a guy never sees a trophy kudu? Any particular reason you don't price Emirates, or Qatar air fares? Just curious.

If you don't see a mid 50's or better kudu there...your blind.

Other routes are possible as you say with Emirates, Qatar and even Ethiopian Air, but also means and extra calender day of travel to get to Gabby or from Gabby to Sass Post (name of Gerhard's property). All three above are 1 overnight flight to Dubia, Doha or Addis Ababa, then a long 10-12 hour layover there and another 8-10 hr overnight flight into Gabby that lands late in the afternoon so you have to spend another night in Gabby and would be at Sass Post by mid day of the FOURTH calender day traveling there.

I hate going through J'berg but, Atlanta is a pretty easy central hub that just about everyone in the US can make it to in time to catch the 8pm Delta departure. Overnight flight arrives about 5:30pm the second calender day. You have to collect your luggage and rifles in J'berg and take them to your room, but at least there is much less chance of things being lost or stolen in J'berg. You have 12 hrs + to have a little dinner and drinks at the hotel, a long hot shower and comfortable bed, a killer buffet breakfast the next morning and your actually out hunting by late afternoon of the 3rd calender day.

Even though Qatar is now offering what they call a "direct flight" from Doha to Gabby, it still makes a stop in J'berg for one hour for PAX and fuel then goes to Gabby but arrives after 5pm. To late to make it to Sass Post before dark and since you've done Namibia a few times you KNOW it's not a brilliant idea to be driving after dark there or in Botswana. So, your stuck in Gabby for an extra night.

Coming back on Delta, you catch an early afternoon flight from Gabby to J'berg, bags and rifles checked all the way back to Atlanta. Have 5-6 hour layover in J'berg and spend it at the Bidvest Lounge, 8pm overnight Delta flt back to Atlanta that arrives around 6am and still plenty of time to clear immigration/customs and be "home" most anywhere in the US the second calender day.

Anyone who wants to join one of these two trips are more than welcome take any route they want. Can join up in J'berg or Gabby. Big thing is Gerhard doesn't have the capacity to be making multiple trips to the airport over successive days. The "group" needs to pretty much agree on the total number of FULL hunting days (9 or 10) and arrival and departure dates in Gabby. Everything else can be sorted around that.

Thanks again M3. I wasn't , second guessing your experience, but was checking flights and noticed layovers on Emirates and Qatar out of Dallas are 2-4 hours and get into JB later on that evening and were $1000 cheaper. Could be and option, and as you say we could always meet up in JB and take same flights next day to Bots. Any shots required for Bots?

Usually always more than one way to get from point A to B. While I've been through Doha a LOT while on active duty assigned to HQ CENTCOM (Qatar is the Forward HQ), I haven't been thru there since 2009 or so. Was and as far as my still active duty friends say, it is still safe. I've looked at using Qatar Air for going to Namibia but haven't actually done it yet. The upside for Qatar Air for Namibia, is it's one overnight flt to Doha, a long 10-12 daytime layover in Doha and then a 10+ hr overnight flt direct into Windhoek that arrives I think early-mid morning of the third calender day of travel.

The down side of Qatar Air into Gaborone Botswana, while your particular departure flt from DFW gives you specifically a shorter layover in Doha, others trying to connect with Qatar Air US hubs may have longer connections/wait times at those hubs and at Doha. Then too, as of now, the Qatar Air flt doesn't arrive in Gabby until after 5pm so you'll be spending the night in Gabby before being picked up to meet the others coming in from J'berg on Air Bots just before noon the next day.

Shots - none "required". Is a non-malaria area so no malaria meds required. No testee flies. No GD mopone bees. Hell, only saw just a few bot flies. There are a few ticks and a few scorpions. Only "shots" I usually recommend it making sure you've had a tetanus booster in the past few years because like ol' Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) said to Ms. Eula (Kathrine Hepburn), "be careful out there Sister. Everything out there will either bite ya, stab ya or stick ya!". I always take a 60-day supply of doxycycline just in case of maybe tick bite fever. In 14 years, only caught malaria once and that was in Windhoek in early April during the rainy season.

Since Gerhard's website seems to be down, if anyone is seriously interested in taking a spot on one of these trips, PM me your email address and I'll send you a video my PH, Basjan Bakker, put together on our Jun trip and some photos of the rooms.

Hmm, this has me thinking. Was just talking about going back the other day.

Want to post an update for available slots:

June 16-25 - Ten full hunting days (flexible) – still time to add or subtract a day or two if ALL going in the group agree. Means we’d start travel over on 13 Jun, arrive J’berg 14 Jun and arrive in camp mid afternoon on the 15th. Start travel back on 26 Jun and you should be home on 27 Jun.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Confirmed (Bob)
Slot 3 –
Slot 4 –
Slot 5 – Optional
Waiting List -

Aug 15-25 – Ten full hunting days (flexible) – still time to add or subtract a day or two if ALL going in the group agree. Means we’d start travel over on 12 Aug, arrive J’berg 13 Aug and arrive in camp mid afternoon 14 Aug. Start travel back on 25 Aug and you should be home on 26 Aug.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Committed
Slot 3 – Interested but not yet 100% committed (hunter/observer)
Slot 4 –
Slot 5 – Optional
Waiting List -

At this point, there is no need to commit/confirm by paying (to Gerhard) a deposit. I know there are a few guys who are interested in going who are going to go to either DSC or SCI etc this spring. My last contact with Gerhard is that he is intending to be at both. He will be sharing a booth with someone but not 100% sure who/what booths he will work out of.

I don’t handle/deal with any of the money. Gerhard is planning on opening a US based bank account while he is here this spring. This way he can give clients his account number and they can make initial payment deposits via personal check directly into his account to confirm/lock in a booking. When you complete your hunt, you can either settle your account balance in cash or via credit card right there at their house. If you want to confirm/lock now, you’ll have to wire funds to his account in Bots.

At this point, if someone wants to commit to one of the open slots, just post so here in the open or a PM and I'll update the post with your log-in name. The optional 5th slot is in case two hunting buddies want to go or three guys want to try Package #4 and need me to fill the 4th spot. I’ve also put the “Waiting List” on just in case someone says they want a slot and then back out before the deadline for making the deposit payment to “lock in” their spot.

Slots will be considered a “committed” on a first come first serve basis based on the date/time stamp on PM’s and open forum postings.

You don’t have to decide on a “package” yet, but if you’d like me to split a 2x1 with you it will be on a first come, first serve basis as I can’t do two 2x1’s at the same time.

The deadline for “locking in” a Jun trip spot is 1 Mar 2020
The deadline for “locking in” an Aug trip spot is 1 Apr 2020

Who do you use for booking flights?

Couple of quick updates:

1 - I was mistaken about Gerhard being at the DSC and SCI conventions. He will only be at the Houston Safari Club Convention. Still working out who/what booth he'll be working out of.

2 - If none of the package hunts suit your particular goals and desires, please feel free to contact Gerhard directly at: gmkochbotyahoo.com Tell him exactly what you're interested in and let him quote you a price. IF you're wanting to go with one of these groups make sure you tell him that and you want the ten full hunting day dates I've given above. IF you don't want to go as part of one of these small groups you are more than welcome to set your own dates with him if he has them open.

3. For those guys who've expressed interest in doing Package #4 above. If you are seriously interested in this, I would HIGHLY encourage you to take one of the remaining spots in the Jun hunt. Bob will be a few days off Sass Post 1x1 hunting over in RSA and I'll be doing a 1x1 cull and will gladly fill the fourth spot minimum needed for the other three to get Package #4. If another person (5th) wants to go in the spot for Package #4, they still can as Package #4 needs four trigger pullers as a minimum. A 5th trigger puller on Package #4 will still be the same 1x1 hunting and the same individual package price and their own individual cull/trophy quota as everyone else.

4. The only reason I'm RECOMMENDING we meet in Atlanta and take the Delta flights with the overnight in J'berg is a of matter of convenience. Everyone in the US can get flights to Atlanta in time to make the Delta night flight over. The Delta flight gets back to Atlanta early enough in the morning you can still get home from there that same day. Second, for those who've never done any overseas flight/travel or at least never with firearms, going with a small group with one or more who've done it before, takes a LOT of the "fear of the unknown" out of it.

5. For those who'd like to go, but maybe want to take other routes via other airlines like Emirates or Qatar, because they might cost a little less or are more convenient to their home, by all means you can route however you'd like as long as you are in J'berg the same night the rest of the group is there so we can all be on the same Air Bots flight to Gabby, Gerhard doesn't have the capacity to make multiple trips to the airport and back.

6. This will be a "closed" group camp. Means will just be "us" for the duration of the hunt. No others coming or going while we are there.

7. For those who want to use other routes and airlines like like going via JFK, Dulles, Amsterdam, Dubai, Qatar, Frankfurt or Zurich, just be aware that each airline or transit city like JFK or Amsterdam has it's own process or advanced notifications and transit permits for traveling and just transiting with firearms. The Amsterdam transit permit for example, needs to be applied for 8-weeks in advance. Also, be 100% sure when you book these flights, due the the number of "calender days" you'll burn up on overnight flights and layovers, that you are 100% sure you get to J'berg on the correct day and you are flying out of J'berg home on the correct day. I'll gladly review your tentative plans BEFORE you book and give my recommendations if you'd like.

RinB's Question: I use a specific guy at a company called SkyLuxTravel. Been using him for maybe 8 years or so. Started using him when he was actually working for another booking company and followed him when he moved to SkyLuxTravel. They do not specialize in the "traveling hunter" like Steve Turner and Travel with Guns, etc, and they don't offer a "meet and greet" service in J'berg nor doing your RSA SAPS 520 for you. That's what I do for free and actually travel with you all the way there and back to ATL I've worked with this guy a LOT and always contact him and give him a shot at the pricing whether werre going to Africa or Europe. When it's just my wife and I, I still give him a shot, sometimes he can beat what I can find on-line. Most of the time he can at least match what I can find. I've used him for putting flights together for several small groups like this I've taken to Namibia in the past. When traveling with multiple people from various destinations, it's easier to book flights thru one travel agent, each pays for their own ticket directly and we can be pretty much guaranteed seats on the flights we all need to be on together, like the Delta Atlanta to J'berg and J'berg to Gabby.

Who wants to join M3 and myself in August and have a part in a History Making Event, My First Trip to the Dark Continent???

Gerard s PKG #4 is calling you guys, we are half way there,,,,,,,,,,

Just a gratuitous Sat evening bump.

Need at least two more to go on the Aug 2020 trip and and take Pkg #4. If we get three total to go, I'll take Pkg #4 as well to make the fourth shooter min. required.

As a side note - if you're interested in Pkg #4 but not necessarily the exact mix of species, and numbers of culls and trophies, I know Gerhard will do some exchanges of species and culls vs trophies for the same price and we'd all still the a hell of a deal on a lot of animals. If this would interest you, send Gerhard an email and tell him your interested in going with one of these groups and what you'd like. gmkochbotyahoo.com

Know a number of guys are either at DSC this weekend or going to SCI in Feb. Just to give all of you a little look at what the "celebrity" operators Jeff Rand and Johan Calitz are offering in Bots for 2020, here are links to their price lists.

Jeff Rand Bots 2020

Johan Colitz Bots 2020

Not sure how they are pricing, elephant, buffalo and leopard or even the areas since the govt hasn't released tenders for any areas or quota for all three yet. I'm guessing they are just guessing and using the disclaimers in both that prices and areas are subject to change due to various "government" excuse reasons. Leaving the DG part out, just take a look at what they are charging for PG and all the other "extras".


For those that are actually interested in going with us in either Jun or Aug, airline ticket prices start to rise rather quickly after the DSC/SCI conventions. The earlier we can book the better. Next reason, in addition to price increases, seating my become limited as well. With most airlines, Delta included, only offering one flight a day across, once seats are full, they are full. It may mean that our small group, we may have to slide one day earlier or later over or back to all make the same flights.

Package #3 sounds interesting. Are cull animals mainly females? Could one do such a hunt just for non trophy males?

Labman:

No, culls are both. On both trips there last year most (50%+) of the impala culls were rams with just a few ewes and the blue w/b were mostly (50%+) cows.

My wife and I did pkg #3 on our trip in Aug. I let her do most of the shooting since I'd already been there once. As many animals as there are on the property and this was a true walk and stalk hunting and not just riding in the back of the bakkie all day or sitting at a waterhole (not legal under Bots game laws), taking that many in just 6-days is still challenging. The story I mentioned about her taking 3 impala the first morning not the norm for the trip. Has NOTHING to do with her hunting or shooting skills, she's routinely taken dozens of 250yd headshots on gemsbok, blue w/b and red h/b. It's this is true hunting and we got busted more times than not due to the number of game. We'd see a herd, start the stalk thru the bush and get busted by another herd we didn't see, or giraffe or birds or monkeys or baboons etc.

If you want to add a few trophy species to pkg #3, I'd highly suggest you add a couple of extra days too. This will give you more time to really look over the herds and pass up a few and be very selective about what you do take. And as I've mentioned, when shooting culls, they are quickly field dressed, position marked on GPS and you keep hunting till noon or dark. When take a "trophy" the hunt pretty much stops until the animal gets back to the skinning shed to ensure the skins get properly taken care of quickly. The property is so large that you could loose a couple of hours going back to the skinning shed and then back out hunting again. Since pkg #3 is done as a 2x1, this means both hunters stop for either ones trophy animal. IF you and a friend decide to go and do #3, make sure you both understand this and discuss if either of you want to add extra trophy species and extra days.

Still room for two more in Jun and Aug but you'll have to add extra days. Since Bob and I are each doing 1x1 in Jun, IF someone is interested in #3 but no one to go with to take the other 1/2, I'll fill that with you as long as you add the extra days. I can't do that for the Aug trip since the first gentleman to commit wants pkg #4 and I've committed to taking one of the four spots for that one to help make sure he goes. Just need two more to sign on to pkg #4 for Aug. IF someone is even remotely interested in #3 and adding some trophies, I strongly suggest you "run the numbers" and you too might find pkk #4 is a hell of a good deal.

Quick Update:

A gentleman who hunted with Gerhard last Aug also, David, had such a good time, he saw Gerhard at the Houston SCI show and will be joining the Aug 2020 trip. So, here are the open spots.

June 16-25 - Ten full hunting days. We start travel over on 13 Jun, arrive J’berg 14 Jun and arrive in camp mid afternoon on the 15th. Start travel back on 26 Jun and you should be home on 27 Jun.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Confirmed (Bob)
Slot 3 –
Slot 4 –
Slot 5 – Optional

Aug 15-25 – Ten full hunting days. We start travel over on 12 Aug, arrive J’berg 13 Aug and arrive in camp mid afternoon 14 Aug. Start travel back on 25 Aug and you should be home on 26 Aug.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Committed - Kevin
Slot 3 – Committed - David
Slot 4 –Interested but not yet 100% committed (hunter/observer)
Slot 5 – Optional

If these dates don't work for you, you are more than welcome to contact Gerhard directly via email, gmkochbotyahoo.com or via Whatsapp Messaging service +267 75 414 214. He will be at our home here in Tampa 5 & 6 Feb. PM me and I'll give you my cell number and you can call and talk to him directly.

Here is a quick update on open spots for the trips.

June 16-25 - Ten full hunting days. We start travel over on 13 Jun, arrive J’berg 14 Jun and arrive in camp mid afternoon on the 15th. Start travel back on 26 Jun and you should be home on 27 Jun.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Confirmed (Bob)
Slot 3 – Confirmed (A.D.)
Slot 4 –
Slot 5 – Optional

Aug 15-25 – Ten full hunting days. We start travel over on 12 Aug, arrive J’berg 13 Aug and arrive in camp mid afternoon 14 Aug. Start travel back on 25 Aug and you should be home on 26 Aug.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Committed - Kevin
Slot 3 – Committed - David
Slot 4 –Interested but not yet 100% committed (hunter/observer)
Slot 5 – Optional

Gerhard also has the prime PG "dark of the moon" dates open in July. Contact him directly for dates. I'll still help with your airline planning and paperwork if you can't make either of the trips above and book separately/directly with him.

Which hunt is the June slot #4? meaning: which game animals would that person be choosing?

You have a couple of options:

1. You could take 1/2 of pkg #3 meaning 5 cull impala and 5 cull blue w/b and add extra days to make the 10 full hunting days at the 2x1 rate and either extra individual culls or trophy species as you desire.

2. Since you would make the 4th going in the group, you do pkg #2 or #4 and just have to add the couple of extra days at the 1x1 rate to make the 10 full hunting days and add culls or trophies as you wish.

3. If you have someone else coming with you to hunt, then you and your hunting partner could split pkg #1 and add extra days needed at the 2x1 rate and add extra culls or trophies as each of you desire.

4. You could contact Gerhard directly and ask him to put a custom package together for you on either a 1x1 or 2x1 (if you have someone else interested in going with you). Just tell him your interested in making the Jun trip with me, tell him the species your interested in, number of culls or trophies of each and let him work up a price for you.

David, who's confirmed on the Aug trip, came in the day my wife and I flew out last Aug. He loved it so much he's going back with us in Aug again. In Aug, we are all doing pkg #4 with all of us adding a few days (1x1) to extend it to 10 FULL hunting days and a few of us exchanging trophies for more culls.

PM me if you'd like to call and discuss options or greater detail.

I'm the David who will be joining the August hunt. I met Gerhard at the Houston Safari Club show last year, and was introduced by a friend who had hunted at Gerhard's other location. He shot an Eland that won him Archery Trophy of the Year for African Game at the HSC convention. Very impressive animal.

The trophies I was able to take were 2 zebra, 1 each eland, waterbuck, and bushbuck. I also killed 8 each cull impala and blue wildebeest. I scheduled a 9 day hunt, but had some luggage issues with South African Express, so lost over a day due to that. The size of the hunting area is immense, with diverse terrain due to the 15 miles or so that it borders the Limpopo river. No domestic animals on the place, but it's loaded with a great variety of game. Gerhard also has access to other areas, including one an hour away where I got my bushbuck, and an area next door that is so overpopulated with animals that they had to feed them hay to keep them alive last year. I was amazed at how many giraffe Gerhard has.

I've been to Africa 6 times, and have stayed in tented camps and 5-star lodges. The accommodations in Botswana were clean and comfortable, but more of a camp than a lodge. Maggie fixed excellent food, much of it being bush meat cooked on open fire. I ate wildebeest tongue, burgers, backstrap, even the tail. Dining was outdoors, with a fire in the firepit, and great wine every night. Lunches were also in camp, followed by a nice nap in a real bed. No internet, big screen TV, fancy bar, etc. But if you're there to hunt, you'll be very happy.

My main hunting partner is over 80 years old and unwilling to travel such long distances to hunt, so I'm looking forward to meeting up with the group and making new friends. My plan for this year is to take only cull animals.

Just a quick update:

Aug 15-25 – Ten full hunting days. We start travel over on 12 Aug, arrive J’berg 13 Aug and arrive in camp mid afternoon 14 Aug. Start travel back on 25 Aug and you should be home on 26 Aug.

Slot 1 – Confirmed (me)
Slot 2 – Committed - Kevin
Slot 3 – Committed - David
Slot 4 –
Slot 5 – Optional

The gentleman and his wife who were interested in the fourth spot have decided not to make this trip. They have their anniversary in Oct and have decided to go to RSA for their anniversary trip then. Happy anniversary to you both. Turns out they will be hunting just 100 miles or so NW of us but on the RSA side. I'm sure you'll have a great time there as well. Their hope is to join in one of these trips next year. So, still room for one or two more for Aug and still one more for Jun.

Have been asked if these trips are still "on" and the answer is "yes". In fact, booked two r/t ticket for myself and A.D. last week on Qatar Air. Miami to Doha, with a 15 hr layover there and $25 for the overnight there in a 4-star hotel then the direct flight from Doha to J'berg with just a 1hr fuel stop there and same plane into Gabby. Arrive at 5pm and will be "in camp" that evening in time for sundowners and dinner. $1850.00 total for both tickets with upgraded "comfort" seating. Just have to buy two r/t tickets from Tampa to Miami - less than $200.00 total.

Bags and rifles will be checked all the way to Gabby and don't have to mess with J'berg or SAPS at all. We, bags/rifles, stay on the plane during the fuel stop.

Worst case scenario is IF the airline cancels the flights then the airline will ether reschedule or refund 100%. Gerhard will just let us reschedule dates with him accordingly.

I personally believe the COVID-19 is way over hyped and will pretty much run it's course by the end of May or sooner.

Sounds good M3, interested to see what you think of that route.

Today is Day 154 for me, tomorrow 153, etc etc. Excited? Who me?? Naaaaahhhh.....

Kevin

A quick update on this year's trip plans.

Two of the three of us on the June trip had airline tickets purchased (Qatar Air) and the third was waiting to purchase on Delta. Then the WuFlu hit. A few weeks ago, Qatar Air emailed and said all International flights were cancelled for the foreseeable future and gave us the option of rescheduling for later within the next 12-months or a full refund. We had up to the day before our scheduled departure to decide.

Been patiently waiting and watching the news and keeping in daily touch with my friends in Botswana. While it's looking like things might be opening up a little INTERNALLY in the country around the end of this month and LOTS of other key pieces involving two other countries we'd have to transit thru, Qatar and RSA. The three of us kicked it around and talked to Gerhard and it was with a heavy heart we decided to CNX the Jun trip. However, the Aug trip is still on!

Bob decided he could adjust his schedule but AD could not take anymore time off. Will now be four of us going in Aug and could likely take one more if anyone might be interested.

One of the "Aug Four" already has his ticket, Bob, Kevin and I will probably see what is available on Delta from ATL to J'berg (JNB), overnight there at the City Lodge Hotel right in the airport terminal complex and out the next morning on Air Botswana. Maybe book tickets around the end of Jun first part of Jul.

I would love to go on one of these with you guys. Just a lot of money for a young buck like me. #FUTURE GOALS

W/4 - would love to have you be able to make a trip. I plan to keep doing these every year. I'll be putting together at least one trip to my friend's place in Namibia for myself and two others that would like to come and at least one trip of four others that would like to go to Botswana. Gerhard has a friend with a place on the western side of Botswana that I would like to hunt next too, so maybe two trips to Bots next year. If I get more than 2x for Namibia or 4x for Botswana, I'll just make another trip!

One of my small regrets is that I didn't get to Africa sooner in my life. Like a lot of people, I read ALL the books and watched ALL the movies etc. I just presumed that an actual hunting safari was MUCH more expensive and than it currently is. While yes, you CAN spend huge amounts of money on "full bag, Big 5" or "Dangerous 7" out of old style tented camps (the sky $$$ is the limit), there are also 7-10day multi planes game species hunts that can be had for similar prices of some guided US/Canada deer, elk, bear and moose hunts. Only difference is you still can't drive to Africa or bring the meat home.

Another small regret is how fast it all is changing, some for the better and some.....not so much. Just in the last 15yrs and getting back a couple of times a year I can see it. Just in the last year for example, the paved road was completed from Gaborone passing by Gerhard's main gate. The amount of new housing developments and shopping malls all around the Namibian capital of Windhoek and the main tourism/vacation cities along the coast is staggering. The huge influx of Chinese all over Africa (generally turning out to be a bad thing even before the WuFlu).

If some guys actually start putting pencil to paper and figure out what the cost of buying into a hunting club lease, planting/maintaining food plots, ATVs etc., a lot of times they could actually afford a trip to the "dark continent". Sure, there are advantages to hunting in the US too, no question, but once you make a trip to Africa.................

M3 you are right. Unfortunately, I don’t even do any guided hunts here in the US. I just guide myself and pack my stuff out all myself. There is a local guy here in Wynnewood, OK that goes to Africa all the time. There’s also a Cuban guy here locally that is a guide over there. I cannot remember his name to save my life. I don’t care to kill a dangerous seven and stuff. Just the good ole plains animals is fine with me.

Based on some news from Gerhard about restrictions slowly being lifted in BOTs and that the general feeling is the country will be open to International travelers before then end of July, we went ahead and booked our flights for the Aug trip yesterday.

We decided to go via Qatar Airways as they were so good about giving a total refund for the CNX's June tickets for one. And, since the all legs from Chicago to Doha to J'berg and into Gabby were on the same Qatar Air ticket, IF something goes south or BOTs isn't open as hoped, then they will refund the again. Lastly, r/t from Chicago all the way to Gabby with upgraded seats were less than $1K. Just have to wait and get tickets for us from Tampa to Chicago and Keven from Detroit to Chicago. Those will be under $200 ea r/t. Will wait a few weeks on those, till maybe late July.

So, we've got four going and I'll hold the elevator for one more that might want to go.

This was a quote from one of the directors of DSC, from another forum.......

Got an email notification that Qatar has suspended all flights from Houston, Philadelphia and Chicago until after December 31. Changed our flight late July out of DFW, too.

JG - that's odd. Just logged onto the Qatar Air website. All reservations are still confirmed. Just got off the phone with Qatar Air's call center and all of these flights from Chicago are still on. The call center said the ORD, DFW and PHL were going to stay open "through at least 31 Dec".
Now one of us going was originally flying out of Houston and THAT got CNX'd on him and he had to rebook out of DFW.

That's not to say with all the rapid changes happening and everyone scrambling, things won't change tomorrow or next week etc. But, as for now....still green light.

Still 90-days out and just time to practice the ol TIA. If the flights go, great. If not, tickets will be refunded, deposits paid for the hunt will either be refunded or rolled to next year. Only thing lost is a trip this year, but nothing really financially.