Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa 2027 trip

I'm planning a plains game trip for 2027 to Limpopo RSA. It has been 30 years since I have been to Africa, and that was to Egypt as a tourist. I'm sure I'll have more questions, but I'll start with 2.

What time of year is the least "buggy"?? I am spoiled living in northern WY at higher elevation and have not had to deal with a lot of insects here. I would prefer to go when there is a reduced number of insects.

Shooting Sticks. I shoot prone, kneeling or even offhand here, but the sage and grass are shorter. What are good features to look for in a set of shooting sticks?? I have never used sticks and will have plenty of time to practice with them.

Links appreciated

Bart; my experience is a little limited so please take my advice for what it’s worth.

I’ve made three trips in April May to try to connect with the Kudu rut. Central Namibia, Eastern Cape, Limpopo

One trip in September, Namibia the Caprivi / Kavango area.

On none of those trips were insects a concern at all. The tics (whom I believe are arachnids) were far more of a concern, although not a major problem. On the trip to the eastern Cape they were especially bad and I ended up with Tic bite fever, a very minor affliction easily handled with doxycycline (a great thing to have in your Africa travel kit)

As for shooting sticks, you will use them a lot in Southern Africa. Of the 32 animals I shot there was one shot prone, one shot from a squat (both knees on the ground butt on heels), and two seated with the sticks, all others were standing with sticks (some follow up shots were offhand, I’m a fan of keeping shooting as long as the animal is standing and offering a shot)

Your outfitter/ PH will have a set of sticks ask him if he has any preference. My practice sticks I have used prior to every trip to hunt in Namibia or RSA are three pieces of dowel connected with brass wire and rubber tubing. They are a little springier than sticks used by the various PHs I hunted with but that just made their sticks seem so much better. I found it easy to adjust to different sticks after having practiced a lot on my ones at home.

If your PH does not have preferences for shooting sticks I would suggest making your own. The more rigid the stick the better. A bit of padding in the cradle area is nice as well.

Do some google foo for ideas on how best to use sticks, there are some good ideas out there. Practice lots and find out what works best for you.

Practice quick aimed repeat shots. If you don’t already reload after your first shot please learn to do so as every PH I have hunted with says “reload “ automatically after every shot.

Congrats on planning your first hunt!!!

A bit of unsolicited advice, make sure Kudu are on your “list”

I hope this missive proves helpful.

Thanx for the reply. I don't differentiate bug types. Anything that can crawl or land on me is a bug. Anything bigger is an animal;-)
Kudu wasn't on my list, but I may consider it.

Kudu is an awesome beast to hunt! 😃

June - july & august is the winter months for south africa.

try and get a line up of animals you want to go after and that could help narrow down the better time period to shoot for.

i am guessing that you are talking rifle hunting.

so you need to learn to shoot off a try pod.

Standing up shooting of try-pod is the way to go. unless you are shooting from a blind.

For shooting sticks, I strongly recommend you get a set of Gunstix, rather than traditional tripod sticks. They take a bit of getting used to, as they’re very different than tripod sticks that only support the front of your rifle. Gunstix, with two points of support, make accurate shooting from a standing position much easier.

Last February, I brought mine to Cameroon while my PH, Alan Vincent, brought his usual tripod sticks. I’d used the Gunstix very successfully with Alan six months earlier in the Selous, but he still wasn’t convinced. After making a great shot off the Gunstix on a Lord Derby Eland, through branches at about 225 yards and dropping it in its tracks, Alan took them a bit more seriously. By the time I left, shooting a total of 6 animals off Gunstix, Alan was sold and asked if I’d mind leaving them behind for his next hunter to use. They ARE that much better than tripod sticks.

N/M. Duplicate post

So, are tripods and tripod sticks the same thing?? I have a BOG pod (Great Divide model) with a Death Grip top on it. Is this what you are referring to??

OK, I went to the Gunstix site. They look like they would be effective, but they also look cumbersome.

I took my BOG pod to Africa last September and was very successful. I've used it all over NA and now Africa for the past 15 years.

I had mine set up to shoot sitting (my preferred shooting position). My PH carried his sticks set up to shoot standing if needed.

Take the gun, the optics, the shooting sticks, the ammo, the clothes you are accustomed to.

Don't over think it.

I’ve only ever used sticks made from some kind of rigid wood bound with innner tube in Africa. If you have the bog pod abs you’re comfortable with it bring it.

Once you Bog Pod guys try Gunstix, you’ll switch. They really do make shooting off sticks steadier. I know a number of hunters who’ve switched to Gunstix. Don’t know anyone who’s gone back to any of the tripod sticks.