Didn't want to hijack the other thread so I'll start this one. Been kickin' the tires for several years on a hunt in Africa. Couple of locals I know have suggested a PH in Namibia, and over time I've had a chance to converse with him at the local SCI functions. Biggest hold back for me was I didn't want to go it alone - being single and thus being able to afford certain 'luxuries' can be a disadvantage at times.

Over the coarse of the last few month my cousin has strongly hinted about going to Africa and his bucket list of trophies. He too is in the same boat, single and can afford a few luxuries. After multiple discussions we agreed that if a hunt gould be bought at the 'right price' we'd go together. As luck would have it, we did find a hunt priced right at one of the local SCI functions. So in May of 2021 we'll be traveling to Namibiafor 10 days of hunting with a list of trophies that include, Gemsbok, Kudu, Impala, and warthog for sure. Undoubtedly there will be other trophies opportunities that we'll have to play by ear and decide on while we're there. Needless to say we're stoked.

Congrats. You'll love Namibia.

Yea, looking forward to it - have been for a long time. Guess I'll have to give Gracey Travel or Travel with Guns a call and see what they about when to start the process of permits and what so of ballpark costs to expect for the flights, based on route. Really leaning toward going thru Europe - either Amsterdam or Frankfurt.

This trip is a long time in coming, and still 14 months out. Mentioned it to a friend who has been several times, and as a matter of fact left yesterday for another trip in Africa. Besides a stout rifle case, he suggested a similarly stout case for other checked baggage. He uses a Pelican 1535 Air Case and has offered me its use for my trip. Question I have and did not get to ask him was whether or not one needs to have another locked case inside for ammunition or do the locks on the outside of this suffice for securing ammo.




1535 Air Case

Congratulations on finally making a life long dream happen! Namibia is a great place to hunt and sight see. If you can swing a few extra days, Windhoek is good for maybe 2 full days of things to do, see and places to eat. If you can, maybe add the extra days at the end to give you time for souvenir shopping.

Those Pelican cases are very nice, but they are also a little on the heavy side when compared to a roller duffel bag. Yes, even though this is a "hard sided and lockable case", your ammo will still need to be put in a separate hard sided and lockable box. This separate ammo box CAN be put inside a piece of your checked luggage BUT, depending on the airline rules you're flying on, they MIGHT have you remove the ammo case from you checked bag and check the locked ammo box separately. IF you decide to lock your regular checked luggage it is supposed to be locked with TSA approved locks - combo or key. Same for the ammo box. IF you don't use TSA locks on your regular checked luggage or the ammo box, you are just about guaranteed to have the locks cut off when you pick-up at your destination.

Your rifle case is SUPPOSED to be locked with NON-TSA operable locks and the ONLY time that case is supposed to be opened is in your presence. You do NOT give the keys/combos to anyone for any reason. It's also a good practice to put an extra set of locks with the same key/combo as the first set with a note attached asking the security people who cut the original locks to use these to re-secure the rifle case. Also doesn't hurt to carry a couple of extra little TSA luggage locks in case those get cut or torn off.

Don't pack ANYTHING valuable in your checked luggage you don't want stolen. Spare scope(s), knives, binos, GPS, etc., can go in your rifle case. DO NOT carry a spare scope in your carryon. It's considered "firearm components" and is likely to be confiscated when you go through security screening.

Thanks for the info M3. My main concern, and thus my reason for considering the use of the Pelican Air Case is that I've heard the horror stories of soft luggage being opened by 'piercing' the zipper. And while I have no plans to pack anything other than clothes and ammo (in another locked container) in the Air Case, I would like the comfort of knowing that a thief had to resort to methods other than piercing a zipper to get in my bag.

Added - any concerns with having binos in carry-on bags?

I've always carried my binos in carry with no issues, flying inside Canada, flying into the US, Great Britain, Namibia and SA. Best pace to have the binos in my opinion.

Enjoy your trip. Consider adding on a few day to a week for touring if you have the time.

Look into fishing out of Henties Bay, the surf fishing is great and there is an opportunity to land a big bronze whaler shark.

Ethosha is worth a day to tour. In fact there are a great many cool things to do in Namibia.

Thanks!

Most but not all of the theft usually seems to occur in J'berg. Yes, zippered luggage is pretty easy to get into with just a ballpoint pen. As long as the zipper tabs are just locked together and not secured to the bag so they can't be moved to re-close the zipper, you'd never now the bag was opened until you open it yourself and some kit is missing. Most soft sided luggage or roller duffel bags have little tabs sewn in somewhere along the zipper that you can pass either a sold hasp travel lock through both zipper tabs and the loop tab on the bag. If the little solid hasp travel locks are too short, get the ones with the flexible cables for hasps. They have a little more reach and that little cable is tough as hell. Bottom line is: just don't put anything of value that you can't do without in checked luggage.

As GRF said, I/we always carry binos in our carry-on and everything else of value goes in the rifle case. Rifle and ammo boxes and checked luggage with declared ammo boxes inside are SUPPOSED to receive special handling like US Registered/Certified mail. Once added to the aircraft manifest, each rifle case or ammo box has to be signed for as it passes from area to area AND they are SUPPOSED to be transported only on the same flights as the passenger. Doesn't always happen that way but that is what is SUPPOSED to happen.

For rifle cases, what I've found works well for me/us is a couple of flat sided Pelican/Storm cases without the foam. I put a layer of clothes in the bottom for padding, the rifles go in zippered soft cases on top of this layer, spare scopes, knives, and another kit kind of packed around them and then on top of the rifles a layer of heavy sweaters and medium weight jackets so the cases close snugly and stay under the 50lb limit. I know a lot of people swear by the octagonal Tuff-Packs that load all the kit and rifles from one end. I watch them and compare the easy of opening cases and accessing the firearms to show the various Customs, Security point inspections and I just don't see the advantage over a flat side case packed above. My experience and opinion only based on 30+trips. Others mileage may vary.

A couple of things you can do to minimize the lost baggage and theft is avoid J'berg all together. There are a couple of airlines that offer flights into Windhoek and by-pass J'berg completely AND carry firearms. KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and British Airways and Air Namibia. We've used KLM in the past and it was pretty good. Flying Qatar Air for the first time to Botswana in June and if it is as good as claimed, I'd seriously consider them. Be careful with B/A as they charge extra for firearms and also if you have to change airports in London (Heathrow/Gatwick) I wouldn't do it. I'd avoid Air Namibia and any of the South African Airways flights as both carriers are just about tits up or on life support.

The upside is, you've still got two years till your trip and the airline stuff can have a lot of changes between now and then. Don't start dealing with the airline choices until about 4-6 months before your trip.

M3 - interesting info. Can't say that I've ever seen duffel bags with the feature you mention. Checked those that I have and none of them are configured as you mention. Any particular duffel that you know of have said feature?

Coleman, L.L.Bean, Delsey, Samsonite, High Sierra and some no-name that doesn't have the little tab. On that one, I just loop the cable style TSA lock through the zipper tabs and then through one of the "D" rings for the shoulder strap that I took off. There is almost always some way.

All you are really trying to do is make yours a little more difficult then someone else's. Baggage thieves are generally lazy and don't have a lot of time to rummage through a bag. They also want to make sure they can re-close it quickly. If they can see they can't re-close it and all the kit and clothes are falling out, it leads straight back to them.

Bottom Line is: You can NEVER stop all baggage theft. All you can do is make yours less attractive to them than the next guy. Put yourself in their place for a second - you're handling bags from a conveyor to a cargo hold or a baggage tolly on the tarmac or between conveyor belts in the terminal. You see two bags. One a brand new fancy high end "designer" one with either no locks or the zipper tabs are just locked together. The other is one that seems to have a few miles on it, kind of plain Jane with the zippers locked together in such a way they can't be used to re-close the zipper. You've got maybe 30-45 seconds. Which would you go after? Now the truth is, a razor box cutter pretty much gets them entry into every soft-sided bag there is, but they can't close up the cut and stuff starts falling out.......Being able to put some stuff in our more secure rifle case is one of the FEW advantages we get for having to deal with the extra paperwork and permits to travel with firearms. Just don't pack anything of high value in your checked luggage. Most valuable in the rifle case, second most valuable and prescription meds in your carry-on. Least valuable n your checked luggage. If you're traveling with another person, like when my wife and I go, we split everything in 1/2 between the bags and rifle cases. This way if one bag or one rifle case or ammo box gets delayed we still have enough clothes and kit for a couple of days until the missing one(s) show up. We do the same with the rifles if we're taking more than one each and the the ammo - 1/2 of each in two separate ammo boxes.

You didn't say what part of Namibia your going but unless you intent to play the expensive "long range" shots game, you can leave the range finder home. I can promise you if you use the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Stupid Simple) method with just your rifle, a good scope with NO TURRET TWISTIES and maybe a spare one already sighted in, a set of 8x30 or 10x40 (max) binos, a good set of broken in leather hunting boots, a belt knife and pocket sharpener and maybe a medium size Leatherman, a bore snake and a rag with your favorite external gun cleaner in a zip-lock bag, sunscreen, a mosquito head-net (not for mosquitoes but for the mopane bees), some cash and your credit card and your passport.

For general hunting, I can't tell you how many guys I've taken over or hunted with who show up with a fancy scope with all the open external turrets. I can't begin to estimate how many animals they wounded that were never recovered and they still had to pay the trophy fee for. MOST guys who get those never spend enough time actually figuring out how to use them properly in the first place, FORGET were they left them on the last shot or don't return them to "zero" and do more twisting on the next shot, OR the turrets get bumped while riding, hiking, stalking etc. There was one guy I took over a few years ago who claimed he was some long range specialist out west someplace. Told him most of his shots were going to be inside of 200m or less and to just bring a regular scope zeroed 1" high at 100m and either dead on or 1" low at 200m. He showed up with some high end "twisty" anyway. All I will say is, that was a VERY expensive lesson for him. After wounding and loose several thousand dollars of trophies, he finally allowed us to zero it at the range and then wrap his damn turrets with duct tape so they couldn't move. He offered to give the scope to my friend (PH) and even he declined the offer.

Sorry for getting down in the weeds. I'll just finish with K.I.S.S. and you'll have a much better time.

Again, great info.

We'll be in the Otavi area. I've 'kicked the tires' with the PH for 3 or 4 years at the local SCI banquets that we exhibit at. I know several chapter members who have hunted with this PH as well as couple of co-workers. Came down to not wanting to go alone, and when my cousin said he was all in with the deal I was hoping to make, the PH and I got down to 'brass tacks' and hammered out details/costs.

That's a nice area. About a 5hr drive from Windhoek. Close enough to Etosha NP you should add in a day-trip through the Park. Go in either the south or east gate and out the east gate or south gate. There is pretty much just one main very rough gravel road between the two gates with side roads off to several different waterholes for game viewing. If you can work it into your day-trip have your PH take you a little farther east to Grootfontien and see the world's largest meteorite. We've stayed in Etosha a couple of times and to be honest, just a day-trip is more than enough. The only thing you might see in the Park and not out hunting would be elephant and lion but even those in that area MIGHT be out and about too.

Depending on where exactly in relation to Otavi, you could be in the low mountains or just the flat-lands or a combination of both. You're going to be at about 4000 feet above sea level in that area. If, per your Avatar area you are around the land of beer and cheese curds at around 600 above sea level, you WILL feel the thin air. Start getting some hiking and cardio exercise in. Also the humidity will be 5% or less. Take some saline nasal spray (not medicated, just saline) and put a shot up your nose morning, noon and evening. Will help prevent nose bleeds from the dry air. Long Sleave shirts, wide brim had and sun screen. The ground/sand there has a lot of quartz in it. As a result, the ground reflects the sun like water and you can fry very, very quickly.

Not sure what your planning for rifle caliber but if it's 308 or 30/06 or anything in between, I'd still stay with the 1" high at 100m and either dead on or 1" low at 200m. Your shots don't HAVE to be more than 250m unless you want to take the chance. If you're up in the hills/mountains, you'll have fairly decent cover for stalking behindand can ambush from high or low. If you're in the flats, there will be so many various species of acacia and camel thorn bushes and maybe mopane trees that it will be unlikely you'll be seeing game much beyond 250m. Your PH will be able to give you much better recommendations and DO WHAT HE SAYS! Most important thing is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE off standing shooting sticks to 200m until you can consistently keep every shot inside a 4" circle MINIMUM. That 4" circle is generally the "vital triangle" of a springbok. If you can do that you'll be good on them all.

There are two "iconic" species in that area you should think about if you haven't already - Damara Land Dik-Dik, the smallest of the antelope species and the Hartmann's Mountain Zebra.

Also, be sure and STUDY shot placement. The vitals on all African antelope species are farther forward in the chest than US whitetails. If you shoot any of them "behind the shoulder" like you do on a whitetail all you're going to hit is liver and guts and you're going to very likely have a long rodeo tracking them. If you hit a zebra that far back, your chances of recovering it will be slim. Fortunately, if you look at some photos of mountain zebra, the aim point is actually printed right on them - tip of the chevron over the shoulder.

Looks like Namibia just shut down some travel routes through Dubai, and a couple of others. I bet S Africa follows suit shortly. Could be a long, tough ride trying to figure out how to get to your hunt this year. Hopefully the hysteria will calm down sooner rather than later.

And from RSA.....

Cyril Ramaphosa lists countries on South Africa’s travel ban
“We will limit contact between persons who may be infected. We’re imposing a travel on ban on foreign nationals from Italy, Iran, South Korea, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China. We have cancelled visas from those countries. We advise against all travel to the EU, the United States, China, Iran, the UK and South Korea – this is effective immediately.

“Any foreign national who has visited these countries in the past 20 days, will be denied a visa. Anyone returning to South Africa from these high-risk countries will be quarantined for 14 days. All travellers who entered SA from these nations since mid-February, are asked to get themselves tested.”

Cyril Ramaphosa
Coronavirus could lead to ‘national lockdown’
The UK, Germany and Italy are among the countries most frequented by our COVID-19 returnees. They also feature on the list of places from where travellers have been banned from visiting South Africa:

The decision was made as calls to put Mzansi on “lockdown” intensified on social media. Calls to shut schools down and encourage South Africans to work from home are being echoed across the country.

Fortunately, we're booked for 2021. I have had contact with the PH and if this chit continues, he'll honor the hunt in 2022.

What rifle & load combo will you be using for the plains game?

Pretty much set on a Plain Jane 30-06 (Ruger 77R or Rem 700) and using 165gr Barnes TSX. Not sexy, but efficient and effective, by all other accounts.

Perfect rifle/ammo choices, IMO!

While there be Sure to arrange a Hartmann's Zebra hunt for you both. Thank me later.

From your title "Me Too" I thought you might be taking Harvey Weinstein along. Seriously, good luck with your hunt.

That is very nice, you'll finally get to to hunt in Africa and I do not mind when that time comes, you'll have to share pictures with us, pictures with the trophies too and the beautiful nature of Africa. Cheers Mate!

Given the current state of world affairs aka COVID-19, we are wondering what effect it may have on our plans. Waiting to hear what the PH/Outfitter has to say.

I am confident your PH is quit the oracle. His crystal ball is so much clearer than anyone else and he can predict which outfitters are going to survive the financial devastation of probably loosing the 2020 hunting season. He would certainly not let his personal financial situation cloud his recommendation of getting your deposit in to hold your dates for 2021. While he is issuing his prognostications be sure to consult with him which international airlines are going to survive so you can book some cheap seats. After all the airlines will refund your money. Of course they to have remain in business to do that.
Sarcasm off. During the mortgage financial meltdown I faced a similar situation. There were bargain hunts available everywhere. I hunted buffalo for 7 days for $7000 and brought 3 non hunters to camp. With 30% unemployment, 30% drop in the stock market and an unknown survival rate for small business some of the annual Dark Continent Bawanas have inevitably seen their last Safari.
Another unknown is what the effect of CV-19 will be on Africa. Climate, population densities, natural immunity to the virus, etc. remain to be seen. However the two factors that are known after personally observing them are the abysmal state of health care and the near total dependence on foreign aid for drugs (HIV). With first world countries up to their azz in alligators right now African aid might dry up.

As I've said before and will continue to say, Africa, like most every country is rapidly changing. Some for the better and some for the worse. I think this current WuFlu is just one more factor, similar to the impact HIV/AIDS has had. I'm mostly worried about the short term impact this will have on many of the govt's there and if the various "Presidents" there see/believe they can turn these lock downs in to Marshall Law due to the highly likely riots that will occur if they try to keep their populations on prolonged lock down. This is more of a political discussion that might be better discussed in a new thread.

So keeping this more in line with the impact on future hunting only and viability/sustainability of particular PH's/Outfitters, I'm sure some will not survive economically. Will depend on how they are organized. What I mean by that is that if they are land/farm owners that have other sources of income available from the livestock and game on their property, while they will have a hard time, they are most likely to survive a very shortened "FOREIGN" hunting season. They will still have a few local meat hunters and likely be able to obtain culling permits to take PG animals for meat sales to the local markets.

IF a PH/Outfitter doesn't own land they hunt on, then they basically have only two options: a) they work with the local landowners and work out a deal for access to the land either via an annual lease with quota limits or pay a daily access/trespass fee and per head fee for each animal taken. They usually add a percentage on the "head fee" they pay to the landowner. These PH/Outfitters don't have a lot of overhead or fixed costs if they're just paying a daily trespass fee. Down side is, they usually don't have any other source of income. Some will hire out to the landowners to to their cull/meet hunting for them but it's just enough for food, fuel and bullets.

Third group are those that don't own land and have to lease concession areas from either the Communal Lands or from the Govt. Those agreements usually require the entire fee for the season be paid up front and it's very unlikely they would get a refund of any amount. Same thing with this group in that they generally have no other source of income/employment.

Obviously, some guys operate with a toe in one or more of these generalizations. I my personnel view, the one's most likely to be around next year will be the PH's/Outfitters based off their own and surrounding farm/ranch lands.

Medical care in most of sub Sahara Africa, other than RSA while under apartheid and just years after majority rule, has been a good bit short/behind most western standards. I don't think the WuFlu in itself will change that much for the better or worse WHEN THIS ALL SETTLES DOWN and it will settle down.

I do think it's highly likely that if this sorts out anytime yet this hunting season, both in countries opening boarders and airlines getting up and running, there will be some UNBELIEVABLE deals as far as hunting and airfares for those that are ready and willing and have been able to set aside some money to take advantage of it.

Just my opine and I tend to be a bit on the optimistic side. As long as there is no serious political fallout, I think things will get back to "normal" pretty quickly once things start to open.