Looking back at this hunt, I like to always analyze what worked and what didn't work for me.
Some of the things I took and I'm glad I did were:
- Two jackets a light and a heavier fleece by KUIU & Badlands
- Beanie hat by Sitka
- Gaiter by KUIU - Helped keep me warm and kept the sun off my neck
- Merino Socks by KUIU. Amazing socks, not a single blister or hot spot. Worth
the price
- Gloves - Two pairs, a heavier set for the colder mornings and a lighter pair for
when it got warmer
- Pants by KUIU and military issue cotton ABUs
- Shirt by Cabela's, 100% cotton. A bit heavy but good against African thorns.
- Boots by Under Armour. This one didn't work too well in the mountains of the
Eastern Cape. I had good support, but traction was not the greatest and fell on
my rear end several times. I think I would have been better off with my light
weight Crispi boots which are stiffer boots. Lesson learned
- Ammo - TSX 300 grs factory ammo. Performed as expected, and not a single
bullet was recovered, I believe a 250-260 grainers would have been better for
the longer shots, but the 300s did as expected and my rifle loved them
- Rifle & Scope (CZ-550 375 H&H & Trijicon 1-6x24 Acupoint). The rifle & scope
performed as expected without any issues. For some of the longer shots, I
wished I had the extra magnification like from a 3-9 scope. I also should have
sighted in my rifle at 2" high vs. 1" high. I think this would have given me an
extra edge with the 375, but the 1-6 was perfect for DG
- Rudolph shooting sticks. I'm glad I had these shooting sticks, and glad I took
them with me. They were awesome, and super lightweight. Practicing with
them, and having them there was a huge plus. If you can, take your own
shooting sticks
- Hearing protection. I had them, but always forgot to get them. Next time I'll
have those you wear around your neck, vs. digging in my pocket for them. This
one is on me
- Training - Six months prior to my departure, I went to the range once a week,
and would shoot from the sticks with my 22 LR, I would then follow by 6 shots
from my 375 H&H, and finished with the 22LR. This routine and training paid
huge dividends when it came to making the longer shots, and my confidence was
always high. As the time got closer, I increased the number of shots out of the
375 to 10 per session, the rifle and I became one. Practice, practice, and practice
some more
Overall I was happy with my preparation, training and with everything I took with me, with the exceptions noted. I make notes and if and when the next time comes around, I'll review them, and make changes as necessary. I hope this helps someone. Good luck on your safari preparation, and thank you for reading this report.