My intro...

Primal

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Hello all.

I recently discovered this forum a few days ago and it seems like a good place to join for questions and it seems to hold a great wealth of info regarding hunting on the Dark Continent.

Hunting Africa is on my list and it has been on my mind as of late. I have been hunting big and small game since I was 12 (whitetail deer and most huntable game found in the upper midwest region of the USA) and have been successful using multiple weapons ranging from modern rifles to primitive self bows. I spend a lot of time outdoors hunting, fishing, kayaking and practicing survival skills as a hobby.

I have some experience traveling the world. In my 20's I spent time a lot of time in Australia, visited England a few times and had a heck of an adventure in the remote frontier region of southern Venezuela. I've also visited New Zealand a while back (south Island). Almost all of my travels were done on a shoestring budget and mostly planned by myself.

I've started to settle down in life and started a family, but now I've begun to yearn for an adventure again and have decided to start saving up for an African safari. I hope to go in a few years time and have started my planning phase. This forum seems like it could a be a trove of info to help guide my way so I can realize this goal of mine.

To be honest, hunting in Africa seems like an overwhelming proposition that requires much planning and expense to pull off. With my budget I hope to hunt 4 or 5 head of plains game on a 7-10 day adventure. For me, Africa will probably be a once in a lifetime experience. I plan to rifle hunt with my own gun (Guns?) and would like to kill a few antelope species and a warthog ( I always loved the way those ugly buggers look!) My budget wont allow for nice mounts so I plan on just taking skulls, lots of nice photos and maybe get some hides tanned.

I have noticed that most outfits I've casually looked at seem to offer very nice accommodations which is fine and they look like great places, but I'm hoping to have a more rustic experience and hope to find a hunt where at least part of the time a lodgetent/camping hunt could take place. I'm not sure if this is really an option but I'm sure I'll find out. I like to rough it and find that camping out while on a hunting trip makes the experience more fulfilling for me. It doesn't take much to make me happy in the wilderness. I'd gladly sleep on a cot in a canvas tent, eat canned food and wake up in the predawn to start a campfire for morning coffee and hopefully add some fresh meat to the menu for the evening meal. Something like that would be ideal, but it's probably just a pipe dream.

Anyway, enough of me yammering. I can't really contribute much knowledge here for I have no experience on the forum subject, but I'm sure you'll see me around asking stupid questions.
 
Welcome to AH!

You can indeed find a tent camp experience to enjoy!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Welcome aboard Primal. to begin with yours is not a "pipe dream" at all. there are a number of outfitter sponsors of AH that can accommodate your "wants / expectations." A guided hunt for the animals you listed can be had for $6k +/- plus airfare. One word of caution though, you can forget about the "bucket list thing." Just about all of us thought the same thing. Trust me you will be planning your return trip prior to leaving Africa or on the flight home.
 
Welcome to AH.

There are plenty of options to use more rustic facilities. Tent camps are offered in many countries.
 
Sounds like you and I are very similar my friend. This is a terrible site, makes you crave Africa even more!

I feel uncomfortable being waited on and enjoy camping rough as well. Most tented hunts seem to ironically be very expensive though.
I just want to camp out in the bush, be amongst nature and stalk a mature eland on foot with no fences. Gives me goose bumps!

Love to see some of your hunting pics. Did you hunt in Aus?
 
Welcome to AH Primal! Great intro. Spend some time here and you won't find the process so daunting. Looking forward to your participation.
 
Hello all.

I recently discovered this forum a few days ago and it seems like a good place to join for questions and it seems to hold a great wealth of info regarding hunting on the Dark Continent.

Hunting Africa is on my list and it has been on my mind as of late. I have been hunting big and small game since I was 12 (whitetail deer and most huntable game found in the upper midwest region of the USA) and have been successful using multiple weapons ranging from modern rifles to primitive self bows. I spend a lot of time outdoors hunting, fishing, kayaking and practicing survival skills as a hobby.

I have some experience traveling the world. In my 20's I spent time a lot of time in Australia, visited England a few times and had a heck of an adventure in the remote frontier region of southern Venezuela. I've also visited New Zealand a while back (south Island). Almost all of my travels were done on a shoestring budget and mostly planned by myself.

I've started to settle down in life and started a family, but now I've begun to yearn for an adventure again and have decided to start saving up for an African safari. I hope to go in a few years time and have started my planning phase. This forum seems like it could a be a trove of info to help guide my way so I can realize this goal of mine.

To be honest, hunting in Africa seems like an overwhelming proposition that requires much planning and expense to pull off. With my budget I hope to hunt 4 or 5 head of plains game on a 7-10 day adventure. For me, Africa will probably be a once in a lifetime experience. I plan to rifle hunt with my own gun (Guns?) and would like to kill a few antelope species and a warthog ( I always loved the way those ugly buggers look!) My budget wont allow for nice mounts so I plan on just taking skulls, lots of nice photos and maybe get some hides tanned.

I have noticed that most outfits I've casually looked at seem to offer very nice accommodations which is fine and they look like great places, but I'm hoping to have a more rustic experience and hope to find a hunt where at least part of the time a lodgetent/camping hunt could take place. I'm not sure if this is really an option but I'm sure I'll find out. I like to rough it and find that camping out while on a hunting trip makes the experience more fulfilling for me. It doesn't take much to make me happy in the wilderness. I'd gladly sleep on a cot in a canvas tent, eat canned food and wake up in the predawn to start a campfire for morning coffee and hopefully add some fresh meat to the menu for the evening meal. Something like that would be ideal, but it's probably just a pipe dream.

Anyway, enough of me yammering. I can't really contribute much knowledge here for I have no experience on the forum subject, but I'm sure you'll see me around asking stupid questions.
Welcome to the forum! Have you considered Namibia for your first African experience? The finest in real, old style, free range hunting, North Western Namibia is the only area where you would find Kudu, Oryx, Mountain Zebra as well as Damara Dik-Dik in their natural environment. And definitely great Warthog.... Most outfitters would have no problem accommodating your tent camp wishes. Happy planning
 
Welcome to AH!
 
Giday and welcome @Primal That was one of the more interesting first posts we have had.
 
Welcome to AH, your once in a lifetime hunt begins here, but I'm sure it won't be just once.
 
Welcome aboard!
 
Welcome to AH Primal! Take a look at the following hunt report where I spent part of my time at a tent camp. I enjoyed it so much, I’m returning this summer.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/south-africa-pawprint-safaris-sable-crocodile-hunt.43437/

Best of luck getting to have your own Africa adventure!
Thanks!

I enjoyed you linked hunting report! Those were some fantastic animals and I'm glad you got some night hunting in too! I really dig that crocodile! What a beast! Those elands are huge!!

That tent lodge looked similar to what I had in mind and I was surprised at the amenities that were available in that tent camp. I wouldn't mind that but something more rustic would fit the bill too. I don't mind sacrificing some creature comforts while keeping a total safari cost down if it means I could take more heads game with in my budget. That sure looked like a nice, comfortable and enjoyable set up! Great hunt and thanks for sharing that link to it with me!
 
Sounds like you and I are very similar my friend. This is a terrible site, makes you crave Africa even more!

I feel uncomfortable being waited on and enjoy camping rough as well. Most tented hunts seem to ironically be very expensive though.
I just want to camp out in the bush, be amongst nature and stalk a mature eland on foot with no fences. Gives me goose bumps!

Love to see some of your hunting pics. Did you hunt in Aus?
That's a bummer about the cost of tented hunts. I'm guessing they might take more resources to keep up and running and perhaps they are in more remote areas which increases the cost of access, unlike a fully equipped modern lodge?

No, I sadly did not hunt in Australia. I had a an opportunity that fell through to hunt some wild camels that are considered a nuisance on the cattle stations, but it never came to fruition.

I lived and worked on a remote cattle station for a few months and we sometimes carried a rifle along (mainly for dingos), but the owners of the station seemingly would not trust me with a rifle by myself. I was in my early 20's at the time and they just viewed me as a kid, and would not believe the fact that I had safely handled firearms for years. I had more experience shooting, hunting and maintaining guns than everyone at that station combined. I don't blame them for their trepidation though because ultimately they were looking out for my well being.

Here are some hunting photos...
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Porcupines, The second largest rodent in North America. They taste good! There are a couple of good sized ones.

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A nice basket racked buck I shot with my vintage Bear recurve.

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A couple bucks taken the same morning in snowstorm. It dropped over a foot of accumulation that morning.

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A large bodied, but small antlered buck. The areas I hunt are devoid of agriculture and the winters and long and harsh. This usually equated to poor antler quality, but I consider myself mainly a meat hunter and depend on the game I hunt to supplement my food supply. I generally take the first legal buck I see if I find the body size to be acceptable.

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I've recently started hunting turkey. I'm 3 for 3 so far.

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My largest bird to date...
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More deer...

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deer recuve.jpg


deer 1.jpg


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I also enjoy upland bird hunting...

First bird of 2012.JPG


Double!.JPG
 
Welcome to the forum! Have you considered Namibia for your first African experience? The finest in real, old style, free range hunting, North Western Namibia is the only area where you would find Kudu, Oryx, Mountain Zebra as well as Damara Dik-Dik in their natural environment. And definitely great Warthog.... Most outfitters would have no problem accommodating your tent camp wishes. Happy planning
Yes. Namibia was on my radar. It was the first region I looked into some years ago.
 
Welcome aboard!
 
Nice work, if you're ever down here again I'd happily take you out for a hunt
 
Nice hunting photos! Welcome to AH!
I too hunt the north land. Those deer photos make me think about grilled steaks, a pleasing thought for certain.
You will have no problem finding a tent hunt.
 

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