Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Time for positive thinking - Post "Pandemic" Plans

Gentlemen and ladies:

I'm sick and tired of all the "doom and gloom" being pushed by the media. This current "pandemic crisis" will end. New short term treatments seem to be working out, at least in these early stages/tests and undoubtedly there will be long term solutions/inoculations for next year's flu season. In using the quote from ol' Rham "Dead Fish" Emanuel, "Never let a crisis go to waste". let's turn that into a positive. For some, this might be a bit of a wake up call as time waits for no man and we're never going to get back any second that passes. I've also spent enough time in several African countries to see the changes from year to year - some good and some....not so much. So......

Let's turn the corner on this and start thinking of future African adventures, travels and hunting destinations. Post up where you'd like to go, and what you'd like to be "on the hunt" for when all this gets back to "normal" - and it will get back to normal.

Me: I'm still planning on making both the Jun and Aug trips to Botswana THIS YEAR! Airline tickets are bought for the Jun trip and worst case, I've confirmed with the airline that if the route or the country is still closed, they'll allow me to reschedule or refund 100% of the ticket price. The Outfitter is more than willing to allow us to rebook as needed too. So, for us it's still full steam ahead until the day we're scheduled to depart.

There could also be some smok'en great deals being offered due to the shorted season and unsold quota yet this year.

Keep positive ideas and outlook and looking forward. Think of it as when you're hunting - do you keep your eyes down looking at your feet or do you keep your eyes up looking for game.

I have no plans yet, but Nyala, Bushbuck, steenbok, bush pig, impala, kudu, springbok and red hartebeest are on the short list. Leopard, hippo, or another buffalo would round out my dream list. Would like to see Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Botswanna yet.

Will have to see how everything plays out over the next few years.

CRS - great list and great places. You know the ol' Afrikaan's saying, "ek sal plan ge maak" (I will make a plan)!

Come on guys.....anybody remember the Clint Eastwood movie "Kelly's Heros" and the character "Oddball" played by Donald Sutherland?

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?

Just trying to bring back a bit of fun and optimism to this whole thing. Has to be some more of you willing to think/look forward to maybe later this year or next. Don't let all the "negativity" get you down.

The reality is that there is a biologically based crisis impacting the human population worldwide. Our human feelings don’t make a difference. However, our actions do.

This situation has forced me to postpone a Yukon Dall’s hunt and a trip for multiple Cape Buffalo. I can’t enter the countries. That said, the animals are doing well.

I predict that there will be some great opportunities throughout Africa in about a year. I would be making plans to take advantage of those deals. Actually, I am doing that. This year, I wouldn’t be planning to go.

I have a plains game hunt in RSA booked in late Sept to introduce my 30 yo stepson to hunting. If it doesn’t happen, I will take him on that hunt and accompany me on a buffalo hunt in the Caprivi in 2021 that is already booked.

RinB - concur that a boat load of this is beyond our individual control - boarders closing, airlines cancelling flights etc. However, how we each choose to react to things can be well within our individual control. While this particular virus is "new" and has a few as of yet "unknowns" surrounding it, it is probably prudent to exercise some extra degrees of common sense precautions. However, we can also choose to not over react to what I believe is very media driven panic/hysteria. Example, why the hell are the sheeple rushing out an buying hundreds of rolls of TP for a RESPIRATORY infection or cases of bottled water when the water coming out of your faucets is fine.

My only intent in starting this thread was/is to get people to start focusing on the future with some optimism. A lot of us are "old heads" with the Africa thing and familiar with the TIA (this is Africa) mind set we kind of need to always have when there - in good times and bad. Maybe we just need to step back a bit and expand that a little to each of our current situations.

Some hunts for early this year are clearly "off the books" for now. As I mentioned, I'm personally still hopeful and planning our June trip to Bots is still a go and will keep a positive outlook about it, but will also keep monitoring everything right up to a few days before we fly out. Already contacted the airlines about refund/rebooking and all is fine. Same with Gerhard, the Outfitter, rebooking/rescheduling is fine etc. And like jdollar above - just roll'n with the flow or TIA.

Even in "normal" times, there are usually some smoking good late season hunting deals that come up - always. For those who have the good fortune to be able to take advantage of them on relatively short notice there can be some really, really great times ahead to look forward too. I think this year is probably going to have some of the BEST deals come up to be seen in a VERY, VERY long time because the WuFlu pretty much shut down the first part if the season completely.

Point being, don't give up on an Africa trip yet this year.

I wish I could post videos. Friends of mine in Namibia Whatsapp'ed me a great video from the MET (Ministry of Environment and Tourism). If someone would be willing to post it up, send me a PM with your your email address and I'll forward it to you.

"Oddball: Crazy… I mean like, so many positive waves… maybe we can’t lose, you’re on!"

I have a new mex archery elk hunt planned late Sept. it’s mostly paid for. Sure hope that it happens as it’s with my son, his first elk hunt.

I remain hopeful that some miracle will occur and my August hunt in Zambia happens, but realistically I suspect it will be rolled over to next year.

The trophy barn I was planning for this summer is on hold until they let the construction thugs go back to work! But it will happen!

My taxidermist is backed up so I'm hoping he can get caught up and when the building is ready, the mounts will be waiting!

Then it will be another trip back to Namibia to hunt with some old friends or a trip to northern Tanz or maybe Uganda or Bots.

I'm 59 and healthy. Still a lot of places I want to go to and hunt. I refuse to let this annoying "bump in the road" decide my attitude.

As they say, "This too shall pass."

Good Thread subject M3, decided I would chime in.
Some of you may remember a thread I started a few months ago, maybe not or you didn’t see it. No matter, it can be summed up by simply saying 2019 had enough negative for me personally, more than I would really wish on anyone. So sometime late in December I decided that
#1; it was time to quit putting a few things off
#2 I really needed to get moving forward again and the best way to do that was to refer to #1 and start plans for a trip to Africa. Serious plans, not just day dream stuff like I have had since 6 or 7 yr old (will be 59 next month)
So I signed on for a trip in August to Botswana. It will be my first. On the list right now are Impala, Warthog, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Kudu and Eland. Plans to have a little padding in the checkbook are already in place “just in case”. The .338 RCM is tuned, at least for now, have to wait for the weather to warm a little here in Michigan before the load is finalized. Figured a trip like this was as good an excuse as I was going to get to update the camera equipment. A custom knife Dad brought me from Norway years ago is on the Do Not Forget List, along with a couple other items from times or people past that really just need to make the trip....
SO the current worldwide situation is a speed bump but nothing more right now. Continuing to plan here, if it ends up that things have to shift a season they will. But I am for sure going to be ready for this year, cause plans can be delayed if forced but you can’t make up time lost. Sitting around and waiting for “Blue Skies and Sunshine” just doesn’t get it done.

I’ll wrap this up with these daydreams. It is about 8:30 pm in Botswana as I write this. The sizzle and aroma from the Braai are really making my mouth water.The cook has said there is still a bit of time before we eat so pull up a chair here next to the fire, pour yourself a sundowner (make mine a Bain’s Cape Mtn) and I’ll tell you, again, about the Kudu that is now at the skinning shed.....

Kevin

ps: that quote from Oddball is my signature line on a couple of boards.

M3Taco: I was hoping to schedule my sixth hunt in 2021 in Namibia with our mutual friend Jan du Plessis of Sebra Hunting Safaris. With the tremendous crash in the equities market, my wife and my IRA’s have lost the equivalent of 15 trips to Namibia, all costs included (Day rates, Trophy Fees, Air Fare, etc.) Unless the stock market stages a miraculous rebound, it may be 3-5 years before I can return. By that time, I’ll be 76-77, and may not be physically up to climbing kopjies and tracking Eland for 3-5 miles at a whack. The desire will be there if the $ and health will allow it. In the meantime, I’ll be turkey hunting in Michigan starting in 2 weeks. The guy I hunt with is a Turkey Assassin, and I’ve gone 3/3 the last three trips.

There is plenty left in those equities to go anyway. At what point will u not be able to go and regret not going because of this market adjustment. Cant take it with you sir. Good luck with your decision.

Bullet Bud

If your market loss is equivalent to the cost of 15 trips then you have plenty remaining. You are going to get older and then die or you will just die. Dead either way.

You are old enough to know better. Plan to go in 2021.
Best to you.

As mentioned on a previous thread, I am planning on going to Namibia on June 2021
Kudu, Impala, Gemsbok, warthog and probably zebra at recommendations from the fire.

We bailed on our 2020 plan to spend about a month in southern africa. We cancelled Jan 2nd.

Instead, "Plan B" includes Idaho elk, Wyoming antelope, and Montana antelope.If any of us are really, really lucky we'll have a moose tag to fill in either Idaho or Washington. Whitetail and muley hunting in WA, then head back over the Cascades for a shower.

Even if it's not a Friday.

Just got back from an April 20 and 21 Turkey hunt in Huron County, MI. Saw more gobblers in two days than ever before. Shot a 21 lb Longbeard with a 10” beard, 1” spurs and beautiful full fan tail.

As you guys can probably see from my other posts on Botswana, even though the our June trip didn't pan out, it's looking like the Aug trip might be a go. The air lines allowed us to book tickets and RSA is allowing PAX to transit J'berg and Botswana is slowly waking up and might open its boarders by 1 July if things stay on track.

Looking farther ahead into the future, 2021, I'm hoping to do at least one small group trip to my friend's place in Namibia and at least one to my friend's place in Botswana. Dates and who's going is still TBD but, here is the general plan.

Namibia - Later in the year is better because the water from the rainy season will be pretty much dried up in the mountains and the game will have to make trips to the permanent water holes to drink. Group size will be myself and up to four others. Their accommodations are three private rooms and baths that are normally set up with a queen size bed in each or can be set up with two twin beds in each. So, if you don't want to share a room, then the group would be 2x plus me or 3x if you don't need me to go. It will be a "closed camp" with just this group on the property for the entire time. Also willing to do a couple of groups or anyone is more than welcome to set up their own trips.

Botswana - Because the area is in the Tuli block and along the Limpopo river, pretty much anytime during the hunting season is fine. Even though they can accommodate more, I want to limit the group to a max of 4-5 plus myself. Larger groups than that tend to be like trying to herd cats. At that group size, we'll also have private rooms and baths set up with queen size beds. More people than this again means sharing rooms with twin beds. These will also be "closed camps" just for our group for the entire time and again, I'd be willing to put together more than one group or anyone is more than welcome to set up their own trips.

Whether I go or not is entirely up to the group. Either way, in one of the groups or on your own, I'll help sort out your airline tickets, lodging (if needed) along the way, make sure you've got your paperwork together and help get your temp firearm import permits in place. As always, IF I go, I pay my own way.

I've already confirmed with both of my friends that the prices for 2021 will be the same as they were for this year.

Know it's early for thinking about next year, but I also know that a lot of guys had plans for this year that didn't work out. Most hunters and Outfitters/PH's are just rolling deposits to 2021 and still waiting to sort out booking dates based on the final outcome of the WuFlu.

If I get a few people interested, the first ones "in" will kind of drive the dates. For PG hunts, the best time is over the full dark of the moon. Best months in general are from late May to end of Sep very early Oct. Earlier or later than that the daytime temps just got too hot.

As always, feel free to PH for greater details.