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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 939
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2007
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When you see a lawn crew of mostly Mexican guys in southern Florida in the summer when the temps are around a 100, they are ALL wearing long sleeved shirts, mostly in white. I guess most also wear shorts, but some wear pants. I've always fished in long sleeves and quite often in nylon pants, if I know I'll be out all day....gloves too. For me its a combination of sun protection and I also feel that shirts that have vents are cooler than anything else I've tried.
My father also does it for sun protection as he has had a few cases of skin cancer. I think about that more each day myself. You don't contract this when the symptoms show up, this is something that starts when you're young. I doubt that the trackers are thinking about skin cancer, but I would think that the PH's are concerned about it, especially considering how many days they spend outside.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,456
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,456 |
I have spent years running through the brush in S. Texas. That stuff is every bit as bad as Africa and my standard wear in the 115 F summers is 1 size large cotton ripstop BDUs held up with suspenders and open weave Khaki shirts long or short sleeves, most recently from Long Grass Outfitters. Boots depend on terrain but many times they are 17" tall top pull ons inside the BDU's because of the rattle snakes. The BDU's, in olive or sand, are loose and move air/don't cling and after a few washings very quite. Cheap to replace also.
If Africa ever comes up on my radar that rig or in poly/cotton mix for cooler temps. will be what I wear with appropriate footwear.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 360
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 360 |
I can move around much easier in shorts. It's what I wear in the summer in Louisiana including when I am walking on my property and frankly the thorns, heat, and humidity are much worse here than in Africa.
I hunt, not to kill, but in order not to have played golf....
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,796
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,796 |
I've lived and worked and hunted in Africa for many years and anyone who wears shorts is a moron or more concerned with fashion than his own safety. If shorts were so good- then why aren't all the military in them wars all over the world wearing shorts? There is sun burn issue, leeches, ticks, cuts than yes can get infected that will end you up in one of them hospitals over there which will probably finish you off.
It is better to be judged by 12 than to be carried by 6.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,640 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,640 Likes: 4 |
Thinking back on the two Safaris I've taken..... I don't recall any of the black Africans wearing shorts. As a matter of fact, come to think of it, I don't even recall seeing any of them wearing shorts in the hunting reports photo's posted here and on AR over the years.... I have seen trackers strip off their coveralls and hunt in shorts in the heat in October and November in Zimbabwe. And damn it was hot too. Still a bit suprising, since ussually the trackers are bundled up like I would be duck hunting in January when I'm wearing shorts and a fleece, comfortable in coveralls when I'm down to pushing my gaiters down to maximize exposed skin for evaporation and where the next item removed calls for an X rating. Shorts are the way to go in my book. The scratches go unoticed after a day, but the weight, dampness, clinging and binding of long pants last from the first to the last. JPK Agree 100%, chiken legs and all. Tried wearing long pants and just like JPK say, the weight of the wet long trousers along with the clinging and binding was a pain in the ass. jorge
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,869
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,869 |
Guess it depends what you're used to. I lived in the South most of my life and shorts were everyday wear. So in Africa wearing shorts seemed the way to go and I felt comfortable hunting that way as did the PHs I hunted with. Easily removed wind pants and coat for early morning and late evening when it's cold worked out well.
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty of give me death! P. Henry
Deus vult!
Rhodesians all now
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 66
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 66 |
I agree that shorts are the way to go for comfort and the thorns and stickers are not a problem. One issue (depending on where you are hunting) is that shorts expose more skin to those pesky (but wonderful) Tse Tse flies. It can certainly get annoying, regardless of what kind of repellent you use. Other than that, getting dirty and scratched is just a part of African hunting seems to me.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494 |
Was going to comment on what the trackers wear..... thats been covered but watched a few minutes the otehr day... was thinking to myself, I"d NEVER wear shorts at home, why would i want to in Africa.... it ain't cool here... I wear long sleeve shirts and long blue jeans at home all the time in summer.
As to noise in the brush, I could see that, but there is a lot more of your body that is covered that will make noise too with the wrong clothes.... I have not seen a PH in a loincloth yet...
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
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You couldn't wear shorts here on my mule deer ranch......you'd have meat hanging, and it wouldn't be venison.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1 |
I have not seen a PH in a loincloth yet... I dunno.... judging by the hunts reports and photo's I've seen over the years, John Sharp seems to come uncomfortably close to being "Tarzan"!
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,640 Likes: 4 |
I have not seen a PH in a loincloth yet... I dunno.... judging by the hunts reports and photo's I've seen over the years, John Sharp seems to come uncomfortably close to being "Tarzan"! How's this:
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1 |
LOL, exactly!
Jorge, did you ever get the opportunity to schedule your leopard hunt with Sharpy? I initially signed up for a leopard hunt (2012), but after much back and forth with John, I ended up switching it to Lioness. The man is gung ho! Adamant that we'll do everything we can NOT to shoot one over bait.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,954
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,954 |
African PHs grow up wearing shorts and going bare footed, so they can move easily through the bush and thorns it seems..You will also notice they do not wear socks, as the grass seeds will get in the socks then work into your skin and cause terrible festering sores on your ankles..You also have the Mopani fly and perhaps seed ticks to deal with.Most Americans would be well advised to wear long pants, light long sleeve shirts and high topped hunting boots with gaitors or taped closed around the boots, and most do, depending on where your hunting of course..Mostly,I prefer blue jeans and I notice todays PHs are wearing them more than the old PHs of yesterday did.
It also depends on where in Africa you are hunting, The above would apply to Zimbabwe and since much of So. Africa is rocky mt. terrain I don't believe that does speak well for shorts IMO.
Tanzania's Selous for instance is infested with tetsi flies, and I sure wouldn't consider shorts there, but some PHs do wear shorts and deck shoes there and seem to be immune to bites. Americans get devoured as a rule even with long pants and high top boots..I might add that olive is not a good color for Tanzania as Tetsi's like dark colors so I wear Khaki shirts and and you can wear short gaitors or even duct tape the bottom of your pants.
But the option is yours and some Americans wear shorts and seem to get by with them, and perhaps they are hunting in a more short friendly location, so its a personal decision but I would be prepared to the extent that I would have the option.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,954
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,954 |
African PHs grow up wearing shorts and going bare footed, so they can move easily through the bush and thorns it seems..You will also notice they do not wear socks, as the grass seeds will get in the socks then work into your skin and cause terrible festering sores on your ankles..You also have the Mopani fly and perhaps seed ticks to deal with.Most Americans would be well advised to wear long pants, light long sleeve shirts and high topped hunting boots with gaitors or taped closed around the boots, and most do, depending on where your hunting of course..Mostly,I prefer blue jeans and I notice todays PHs are wearing them more than the old PHs of yesterday did.
It also depends on where in Africa you are hunting, The above would apply to Zimbabwe and since much of So. Africa is rocky mt. terrain I don't believe that does speak well for shorts IMO.
Tanzania's Selous for instance is infested with tetsi flies, and I sure wouldn't consider shorts there, but some PHs do wear shorts and deck shoes there and seem to be immune to bites. Americans get devoured as a rule even with long pants and high top boots..I might add that olive is not a good color for Tanzania as Tetsi's like dark colors so I wear Khaki shirts and and you can wear short gaitors or even duct tape the bottom of your pants.
But the option is yours and some Americans wear shorts and seem to get by with them, and perhaps they are hunting in a more short friendly location, so its a personal decision but I would be prepared to the extent that I would have the option.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 68
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 68 |
90-120 degrees, and you are physically active in such extreme heat. my hat off for you.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
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90-120 degrees, and you are physically active in such extreme heat. my hat off for you. Spring time weather to us Texans.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 474
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 474 |
As I was a red head before going grey........shorts are not an option for me........I get sunburnt even in an African winter! A good point was made by one poster as to the fact that the military wear longs for good reason. And I remember a hunt in May, where the PH and I were seeing a snake a day; that the PH switched from shorts to longs on day two!!!
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,640 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,640 Likes: 4 |
LOL, exactly!
Jorge, did you ever get the opportunity to schedule your leopard hunt with Sharpy? I initially signed up for a leopard hunt (2012), but after much back and forth with John, I ended up switching it to Lioness. The man is gung ho! Adamant that we'll do everything we can NOT to shoot one over bait. working with him now. Just got an email from him, he had a tough time but they finally killed a 180lb tom with a 17 1/2" skull.
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,704 Likes: 1 |
That's a hell of cat! Almost as big as the one back in '06. It appears West Nicholson and Bubye areas consistently produce some tremendous "toad" leopards.
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