My first trip and mistakes were made

Brad Matteo

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Just returned from my first trip to rsa. First off, wow words can't describe how beautiful africa is. The sun sets take your breath away. I thought I would share some of the highlights and lowlights of the trip.
1 The plane ride from Newark to joburg sucks, there's really no other way to describe it. I tried to sleep as much as possible but it's a long ride, 15 hours.
2 Be early to your connecting flight in joburg, they will leave without you. Ask me how I know
3 This is a big one, chapstick!! Bring several.
4 Barnes TTSX bullets are simply amazing. We used them in a 300wsm and a 375h&h. Never recovered a bullet due to total penetration on all animals.
5 Plains game animals are tough. Do not expect them to bang flop. I took a waterbuck at 180yds, after a 3.5hour wait for a shot, through the vitals and it went 150yds before succumbing to the shot.
6 Take some time to enjoy everything around you. After all, your in africa.
7 Put your phone on silent, we were stalking a Gemsbuck and papa roach started playing. That is my alarm to wake up back home.
8 Make a list of the animals you want to take but leave a few blank spaces. I wanted a zebra untill I saw them and changed my mind to another animal.
9 Make memories. I hunted with my dad who is 73. This was our first out of state hunt together. I have 9 hunting stories that I will never forget.
10 Bring enough gun. We wanted to use a 6.5cm but once we saw the size of them we decided that the 300wsm was the perfect choice. Not that the 6.5 wouldn't have done the job but we thought that more gun was needed.

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Congrats on your first trip! You will be back, the call to Africa is overpowering.
 
Congrats! sounds like a great trip. You make some very sage observations that would work well as a guide for anyone’s first trip. Well done!
 
Congratulations on completing your first safari. Doing it with your dad will be a special memory. The mistakes just add “color” to the memories.
 
My take on your list.
1) My daughter hated the ride but it was ok since I was headed to AFRICA! Oh--Se wants to go back. I have been back.
2) Agreed! We almost missed a connecting flight the 1st time. I was better prepared with papers the 2nd time and used Henry for gun service ---saved a lot of time and problems.
3) Did not present a problem for us or me the 2nd trip. Maybe my lips are not as sensitive??
4) Used some TTSX bullets(257W and 30-06) and they work well. Also used Swift A-Frame bullets(257R/257W/30-06/338win mag) and they were great!
5) They are tough. Put the bullet in the right place and aim to break a shoulder and they do not go far usually. We shot many animals large and small with many bang-flop results. However not usually with the TTSX bullets.
6)Must completely agree!! Also do some sightseeing if you can. The 1st hunt was 10 days but we spent 6 days in Cape Town and did a bunch of sightseeing. One day of hunting we took a half day to go to a Cheetah Research place that had other cats and such. Got to play with a Cheetah and several other smaller cats. It was well worth the side trip--plus they had great items to bring back to the states as gifts and such. My 2nd trip I spent 30 days there with my PH and his family. Got to do a number of things that few get to do. Paid for 10 days hunting but we hunted about 20 days. Great time!!
7)Never took my phone out of the truck or even my room. No need to as I was hunting and on vacation. My PH actually ended up calling my daughter(he really liked her from the 1st trip) so I (and he) could/would talk to her and tell her what we had been up to.
8)We had a list of target animals with another list of maybe animals. My daughter wanted one animal but ended up with 5. I wanted 6 but took 10 the 1st time not counting baboons or monkeys. Went a bit crazy the 2nd trip taking a bunch of animals not on my "list". Still did not get one on the list but maybe next trip. :)
9)Agreed. The memories my daughter and I made will never be forgotten by either of us. All the ones I have from my solo trip I will remember well. Take LOTS OF PHOTOS when you are there. You can delete ones you do not want later.
10)Might disagree a bit. The bullets are just as important especially with smaller caliber cartridges. My daughter shot Zebra/Kudu/Impala/Red Hartebeest/Warthogs and others using a 257R and 120gr Swift A-Frames. All one shot kills and the Zebra is the only one that ran. He was dead but did not know it the 40 yards he went. All others were bang-flop. Ranges 125 to 410 yards. It is SHOT PLACEMENT and bullet. I used 100gr TTSX and 120gr A-Frames in my 257W with the A-Frames being a bit better. I use 150gr TTSX in the 30-06 but only shot one animal and he died. I used only 225gr A-Frames in my 338win mag on both trips with great success. I used a 22RF for a bunch of monkeys(pest control) and a Yellow Mongoose that I have a full mount of.

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Thanks for posting. Looking forward to mine. Good tips .
'Cause I'm losing my sight
Losing my mind
Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine.... :)
You are just fine. Just remember that if you don't know where you are going, you cant be lost!
 
Brad you make some excellent points on the good and the bad side.

Memories!

Congratulations on making some good ones.
 
Brad you make some excellent points on the good and the bad side.

Memories!

Congratulations on making some good ones.
I'd say ya done good. Only a couple not so good items. Next time you'll get them all right. We live and learn.
 
Sounds like a great hunt and good valid points made
 
Well done, interesting observations from a first timer. Thanks
 
Congrats and thanks for sharing!
 
Just returned from my first trip to rsa. First off, wow words can't describe how beautiful africa is. The sun sets take your breath away. I thought I would share some of the highlights and lowlights of the trip.
1 The plane ride from Newark to joburg sucks, there's really no other way to describe it. I tried to sleep as much as possible but it's a long ride, 15 hours.
2 Be early to your connecting flight in joburg, they will leave without you. Ask me how I know
3 This is a big one, chapstick!! Bring several.
4 Barnes TTSX bullets are simply amazing. We used them in a 300wsm and a 375h&h. Never recovered a bullet due to total penetration on all animals.
5 Plains game animals are tough. Do not expect them to bang flop. I took a waterbuck at 180yds, after a 3.5hour wait for a shot, through the vitals and it went 150yds before succumbing to the shot.
6 Take some time to enjoy everything around you. After all, your in africa.
7 Put your phone on silent, we were stalking a Gemsbuck and papa roach started playing. That is my alarm to wake up back home.
8 Make a list of the animals you want to take but leave a few blank spaces. I wanted a zebra untill I saw them and changed my mind to another animal.
9 Make memories. I hunted with my dad who is 73. This was our first out of state hunt together. I have 9 hunting stories that I will never forget.
10 Bring enough gun. We wanted to use a 6.5cm but once we saw the size of them we decided that the 300wsm was the perfect choice. Not that the 6.5 wouldn't have done the job but we thought that more gun was needed.

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Thanks for your thoughts on a great first safari!
 
What the hell is a Papa Roach?
 
Congrats on your first safari !
 
That's it???? I know you just didn't tease us like that. :ROFLMAO: How about more pictures, more details, how about more of everything? :A Popcorn:
 

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