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Old 08-31-2007, 02:20 AM   #1
Chunky
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 @ 08:41 PM 
Default Chunky on Africa

I know that there are those who are way more knowledgeable than I am, but I thought I would add my tips. The things I have learned from my two trips.

You do not need a ton of cloths....they do laundry everyday so you can save some room there. I had 3 sets of camo, plus jacket, hats, gloves, and sweatshirt.

Take some shoes that are good for stalking just in case you get to do some.

Take all equipment you need and plenty of arrows and spare parts, because you are not going to be able to replace anything once you are there.

Take good cameras and video equipment. Your PH will know how to use it and you will get great stuff...they are practiced and do this for a living.

Decide what animals you want and how much you can spend before you go. You will most likely see tons of game and have lots of opportunity.

Listen to your guide, they know there stuff.

Don't sweat it if an animal gets away with out a shot opportunity, you will get another chance.

Take only very high percentage shots as you pay for anything you hit. A bad hit will not only cost you a big trophy fee, it will take much of your valuable time as you try and find and finish your wounded animal.

Tell you PH what you would like to do. I said before to listen and trust them, and that is correct....but, they still work for you. If he wants you to stay in a blind because that is your best chance, but you are tired of blinds and want to go stalking...tell him, they are very accomodating if they know what you want they will do it. Communication is the key to a good hunt and good feeling.

Rifles will be there and available. I think you should think about the scenerio where you have a wounded animal and you are going to pay for it, do you want to use the gun to put the animal down or not. The opportunity to shoot is often short and that is not the time to be wasting time thinking about it.

The plane ride is forever, make sure you have everything close that you need to make you comfortable. I don't take the drugs, but many do.

Take some flu flus or small game arrows, there are lots of opportunities at birds and small game if you like doing that.

You can contact your outfitter and ask if there is anything they need from the US that you can bring them. Shipping to Africa is expensive and often items don't make it. If you have extra room in your bag and you could take something like a Leatherman Tool, broadheads, or whatever, they would be very grateful. I use this as part of the tip if I know what to bring.

Make sure you bring anything you might need as far as first aid or hygiene....like eye wash, blister treatment, tweesers, as there are no Walgreens or Walmarts.

You will probably be spending a lot of time in blinds, take books, magazines, and things like that. I also took a notebook and recorded all that I saw and made notes for each day.

You can get by with out scent lok stuff. You will have a guide and maybe a tracker with you and I don't think they use scent free soap when washing your cloths. Don't worry much about scent.

I used my binos alot, I had my GPS, but did not use it. That is not to say I wouldn't take it.

Find out ahead of time if you can use credit cards or you need travelers cheques/cash. You can set up an accout ahead of time so you don't have to carry thousands of dollars on you.

I alway fill any extra room in my bags with toys, art supplies, candy, etc and give to the local kids when I see them. I fill that space up with souviners on the way home.

We tried to ship some stuff back on the last trip, spears, masks, and things....they never made it.

Make sure you are practiced and your equipment is in top condition, you will probabaly shoot as much on a 14 day safari as you would in 14 seasons in east Texas. If you don't noramlly shoot out of blinds...you need to practice this.

It rained on me one day, but I would still not pack rain gear.

I am going to say this one more time.....take only perfect or near perfect shots.



Okay, enough for now, I am sure I will think of more and add it later. I hope it helps someone.

Last edited by Chunky; 06-11-2008 at 05:06 PM..
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Old 08-31-2007, 08:50 AM   #2
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Great tips, Chunky!!!
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Old 08-31-2007, 02:12 PM   #3
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Thanks Dena,

The food over there is great, but if you have any likes or allergies or whatever tell them as soon as you arrive. They tried to feed me liver once (and I hate liver) because I did not tell them.

Buy a book on the antelopes of africa and study them. Remember that all are not in all areas and some may not be available due to quotes and restrictions. This is important and let me give you an example. I got a sable on my first trip and was trying not to repeat any animals I already had. Then I saw an unbelievable sable....50 inches I guess. Huge, and I thought, he is so big and beautiful...I may just make bookend out of them. Well, on my first trip, they were the most expensive thing I shot, 2300.00 trophy fee. The big one did not come closer than 50 yards and no shot. Back at camp I asked what the fee was on one, knowing they could have gone up and everyplace is a little different on price......7000.00 YEOOOOCH. I am glad I did not get that shot. Know your animals and there prices, especially if you hunt alone at all.

If you want to shoot females, because it is cheap or you want the hides, tell them. They are geared for trophies, but they may need some camp meat or leapord baits and you could shoot those for low or no cost.

Sometimes you have to stay a certain amount of days to shoot certain animals...check into this to make sure the animals on your A list are going to be available and in good numbers. If you ask the right questions you can find out what will be there. They may have 20 species listed on your available list, but some are rare while others you will see everyday.

Once again communication is key, here is one thing that happened to me this last trip. I had already taken a nice Blesbok, big but not giant. While hunting for a hartebeast, an absoulute pig of a blesbok comes in. I can tell the guide is beside himself with the size of this animal. He whispers the he may make the top 5 of all time. I have already shot one and so take his pic at 10 yards broadside. After he leaves, the guide says....I sure wish you were willing to spend the money on a second one...What, I say, I thought I was restriced to just one, how much would it have been? 400 hundred bucks....I told him I would have spent that in a second........lesson learned...communication.

They will want a PH/guide to hunt with you at first, but if you prove trustworthy and responsible you may be able to hunt alone if you prefer that...talk to them about it. You will have to judge trophy quality yourself, which can be hard with low experience.

In S. Africa they have an alcoloic beverage that looks like choclate milk and is very sweet. The name escapes me, part of the charm of it I think....but if they offer it to you, take it, and bring me a bottle back LOL

Don't get much of the local money, most don't want it and will just take your dollars. You can have a little for cabs or bell boys or whatever, but don't change a thousand bucks into Rand.

Don't pack anything valuable in your checked luggage. It has a good chance of getting stolen. I bought a nice camera backpack and in it went all my electronics, cameras and binos.

When is the best time to go? It is all good, early no animals have been shot yet (our summer), but they are not as concentrated to the water either and the bush is thicker. Later (fall) it will be drier and the water will be better hunting, but you could get rain also and of course they have been hunted for a few months. I think you are going to have a good hunt nomatter so pick a time that works best for your schedule.

probably add more later, need a sandwhich now...
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Old 06-21-2008, 10:01 AM   #4
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Shot placement is very different from deer and hogs...you need to be far forward and higher. I way perfer a quartering away shot to a broadside to make sure you get far enough forward.....remember you pay for anything you scratch.
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Old 06-21-2008, 09:03 PM   #5
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Thanks for bring this back up to the top Mark, a lot of good information there. Just four more days, but who is counting. Bob
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Old 06-22-2008, 10:09 PM   #6
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Thanks Mark for sharing this info. I'm sure I will be calling you numerous times to get more.

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Old 07-06-2008, 01:35 PM   #7
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Good tips Chuncky I think all can follow them....
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Old 09-06-2008, 08:30 PM   #8
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Very good Chunky, you should make this into an article and try to sell it to a Bowhunting magazine. It's great advice. You could also point out all the LSBA sponsors with good African bowhunts.

If the article sells, don't forget that your agent (guess who) gets 10%.
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Old 07-10-2012, 11:08 AM   #9
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I just reread this because I sent someone over here to check it out who is going to Africa soon. I decided to add.

I shoot trad so on my first trip in Zimbabwe, they had not had any real trad shooters there. The shots were set up at 30 yards, perfect for a compound, but toooo far for me to shoot. I had them take thorn brush and fill in the back side of the water holes, forcing the animals around to the side and closer to me.

They also wanted me to hunt in an elevated tree house blind. I shot one impala out of it, but got lucky as my bottom limb touched the blind. I told them, even though it was a great spot....I did not want to hunt it again.

I also told them that we are use to hunting with bait in Texas, and that it was okay with me to put out bait. They would not have done this if I had not suggested it.

The point of all this is.....communicate, make things the way you want them, don't compromise unless there is no choice. If there is a problem or something that could be better.....let them know, they may be able to fix it. You are spending thousands of dollars and your valuable vacation time, this is not the time to be shy. That is not to say be rude or demanding, but I think you know what I mean. They want to do everything in their power to make you happy.
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