Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Father/Son Plains Game Safari

I'm heading to SCI in January and want to meet with some outfitters to discuss a plains game safari for my son and me. Mixed on the need for multiple trophies as Mom is not open to heads in the house. Thinking we would go for a kudu and maybe one other trophy each, look for management or female for the rest of the hunting. Main focus is the experience, really want to have that great African adventure I've read about. Great lodging, countryside, and friendly PH and staff are really important. Want fair pricing, but I'm open to paying more for a tremendous experience.

Couple of questions:

- Would be great to get any recommendations on outfitters from folks that have had great experiences, especially with kids (my son is 15).

- Best animals to hunt for rookies looking for great experience?

- South Africa or Namibia?

- Would a .260 or 7mm08 be ok for my son?

- Any outfitters that are better set up for a mixed trophy/management hunt? Not a requirement, could shoot trophy animals but hate to do it if we don't want mounts.

- Any advice in general from those that have done similar trips?

Thanks very much in advance. Appreciate any insights.

I will send you some information. I have a fantastic outfitter in Botswana offering specials to parent/child hunters.

Good day Sir,
Welcome to the forum. I have sent you a personal mail. Please see your flashing envelope message, under "My Stuff" on your page at the top.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

-I hunted at Orpa Hunting Safaris in Namibia with my father several years ago. While I was older than 15, it was still a great experience to go with my father, one I wouldn't trade for anything. A very large number of the clients that hunt at Orpa are family combinations. The accommodations there are great and it's truly a family business. The PH is a great guy and will take very good care of you.
http://www.namibian-safari-hunts.com/default.htm
-I've never hunted in South Africa, but Namibia was a great experience. The country gets a great deal of income from foreign hunters, especially Americans, so they go to great lengths to make it easy for them to hunt there.
-While my personal favorite is the kudu. Warthog are a great animal to hunt, especially for rookies. They are plentiful in many areas of Namibia and are reasonably priced enough to shoot more than one.
-While both the .260 and the 7mm08 both meet the minimum energy requirements, and would work great for the animals you would likely encounter if you use the right bullets, technically the .260 cannot be used in Namibia. The minimum caliber is 7mm for plains game.
-Orpa Hunting Safaris does have management hunts from time to time. They also have reduced prices for females. You'll just have to contact them and see what they are offering.
-It may be worth your time to take a day or two after the hunt and visit Etosha National Park in Namibia. There you can see virtually all of the animals synonymous with Africa, especially the members of the Big 5 that you couldn't see while hunting.

Hope this helps!

Another Namibian place is Sebra Hunt . Been going there for the past six years. You and your son would be the only hunters on the property - 20k low fenced US acres plus his fathers adjoining 30K acres. His daily rates are $250 per day for the primary hunter and $100 per day for an observer. He also offers cull animals at half or less of the normal trophy rates. They are about 1 1/2 hours south of Etosha NP and close to a Himba village and offers day trips to both.

If you decide to go to Namibia, take an extra day or two in Windhoek or rent a car and drive over to the coastal cities of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay to see the Namib Desert and either do a ATV tour or 4x4 tour of it and surf the sand dunes.

I did a Father and and three son hunt with Kei River Safaris (South Africa) in June and we had a great time. Wade Derby at Crosshair Consulting is the contact. Great trip in all ways and my wife very much enjoyed it as well.

Did a father son hunt this summer. Wife went and had a great time, wife is not a hunter. We went to Namibia, very safe, comfortable, a great experience. Wife enjoyed the trip and being with her "boys". While we had a great experience, I would not use the booking agent or outfitter again due to many issues with not delivering on what was purchased. We will go back to Africa, again in spite of the issues with the booking agent and outfitter, we had a great time. Next time I will put the names of outfitters on this forum and on the Accuracy Reloading forum and get some feedback. SCI convention will be a great resource. Our landowner & PH would not let us shoot anything smaller than 300 Win Mag, we however did not find that out until we were in Namibia. Reputable firms will put you in touch with the outfitter so you can ask questions of them and get a feel for their expectations.

Therefore you had to use his rifle and ammo at extra cost no doubt...

This is the place to go. I have been there and I'm going back.

If you wish to PM me, I'll be glad to share details with you.

Jeff

When my son got home from Afghanistan, we hunted for a week in RSA with JJHack. It was my second hunt with Jim and it was wonderful. Great trophies and a fine time. Highly recommend it.

Thanks very much for the information. Really appreciate it.

Better go back soon. Isn't it Botswana that's going to outlaw hunting?

10Gen, welcome to the fire, sit on that old log over there and relax. You will get some good info here on this web site, I did. For many months before I hunted in RSA. If you are going to Reno for the SCI show, track down Dirk from Mayogi Safaris, of the Eastern Cape. He can tell you a lot, Mayogi runs a family oriented hunting lodge, its very nice. As to rifles, the 3 PH in the camp carried 243, 25-06, 7mm Mag. I used a 30-06 for the plains game...no problem at all. Yes, the 260 or the 7mm-08 will work...my longest shot was 200 yards (Kudu).

Martin, your shirt and bino lens cap is in the mail!
Take care!

Thank-you!

Thanks very much, 30mmplumber. Any contact info on Dirk, did not find him on SCI exhibitor list?

As long as you are checking. Take a look at the following company.


www.cruisersafaris.com/


We hunted with them in 2008, and had a great time. They accomadate families very well. No flights to other countries, after the long flight to JHB. Overnite at Afton guest house, and they pic you up the next morning. Will take you directly to the airport after the safari.


maddog

10generation,

I hunted with my 14yo son 5 years ago and it was a landmark event in his life. You have made a great decision to hunt together.

My son used his .243 with 100 Partitions to take Blesbok, spring hare, varmint Dassies, cull Impala, two bush pig and a Rowland Ward Steinbok. He borowed a .308W to also take a cull wildebeast. A 100 Sierra would have done just a good a job as the Partitions.

If he can shoot a .260 accurately that will do fine. Some places have a 7mm minimum requirement for larger plains game (though this is rarely enforced). The 7-08 will not create administrative dramas. A .223 or .243 will be just as good. There is some great hunting to be had with the smaller species.

South Africa or Namibia are both excellent destinations.

Does your son relate to older or younger adults ? If younger, Marius (KMG) who could talk his lingo would be a great choice. Either him or a much older PH maybe the way to go.

Any good PH can put together a mixed hunt for you. Remember they are not mind readers. Spell out even the simplist requirement so they know what you want to do.

At that age remember the little buggers can get bored very quickly. If he can be allowed to exert his independance then the experience will be all the richer for him. You may have to learn to 'let go' and leave him with the PH while you 'chill' somewhere else.

Note for 10Generation,,I asked Dirk why Mayogi was not listed on the SCI Exhibitors...he said he as joined forces with an outfitter from Canada and they are spliting the cost, because the SCI show is expensive to rent a booth. You can email Dirk and his brother Arno, and Mayogi Safari website has good info and the contact emails. Dirk can tell you how to find him in Reno... You asked about animals in the first post,, Impala and Springbok might be good picks for your son.
However, I bow to the PH experts on that deal. Marius of KMG fame is a good guy and is also happy to give info.

Thanks very much for the tips and more info on Dirk.