Africa is just not for me

[Doug3006]

I hunt. Everything. Anywhere.

 

[fourfive8]

Very rare I think. I may have read a one and done post once where the bucket lister had no interest in going back to Africa.

Always baffling how some know more about or have strong opinions about hunting something or somewhere even though they’ve never done it. Hmmm? Then again guess I’ve no room to talk, I have no zero interest in hunting blue whales or feral pigs.

At age 9 I lugged a BB gun along on a mule deer hunt in the mountains with my dad. For years that was the only big game hunting I knew. Relatively low population of deer in big, rough, heavily timbered mountains. Didn’t know anything different until I could go as a young adult or had $ to go on something different. Hunted elk and antelope a lot in addition to deer. Even hunted Coues deer quite few times before it became a “thing”. Then onto many trips to AK with friends and relatives living in AK.

Then onto Africa on my own. Never went with anyone else in a party. I can say Africa is, IMO, most assuredly unique and so very enjoyable in so many ways! The whole experience, I believe it safe to say, is not similar to anything here in the US.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Rest assured, they only sell fencing in the RSA. No worries.

 

[mdwest]

I believed when we booked our first Africa hunt that it was a "bucket list" item and that I'd be among the one and done crowd. I'd been traveling all over the continent for the better part of 15 years prior to booking a hunt and probably had 2+ years of cumulative time on the ground in various African locations so my thoughts were there was nothing really new to see or experience other than the actual hunts (food, people, views, etc would all be old hat...) so, while I looked forward to the trip, I was really just checking off another block, etc and would likely move on to something different once it was done..

I was clearly wrong lol...

While we've definitely moved on to other things as well (hunts in LATAM, Europe, Alaska, etc).. Africa has become a once every 1-2 years occurrence now.. and will remain so I am sure for the foreseeable future.. We just got back on our most recent trip this past weekend.. and 2023 plans are already in consideration..

As for others... Ive had the privilege of "introducing" 4 other hunters to hunting in South Africa in the last 12 months.. 1 has already been back (was back on his second hunt less than 10 months after he completed the first one), the second one has already booked his second hunt for 2023, and the other two just completed their first hunt last week (we were all in country together), and both are already discussing going back either in 2023 or 2024...

 

[C.W. Richter]

That is one of the things that happen growing old! Healing up is another.

I was shooting mainly field match (before the PRS was the PRS). It comes in handy when you need to make an improvised shot in a hurry.

Son (in AK) sends me a video the other day (not 1, but 4 brown bear running away from him.) He only had a .454 snub-nose and NO chance if they all wanted to eat him. That's when your vision is crucial!!! (many hunters don't get an annual eye exam-and many miss shots, and sadly a few die!) Get 'em checked!

 

[Aaron.F]

Went to Africa the first time this year, it was for me a life changing experience, all of it. I told my wife I am going back every other year the rest of my life. And I am now trying to figure how to get there next year.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Even though i've largely moved on from the RSA, there are still more than a few really fantastic wild places to hunt there, particularly the big lion hunting in the Kalahari, the PG hunts in the mountains and along the rivers and lakes up north (Waterberg, Limpopo, etc.) and the reserves surrounding the Nat Parks such as Kruger, etc. (DG and prey rich!) IF you do your research, you'll find amazing places. Now, seeing powerlines, hearing cars, seeing paved roads, etc. and the PH requiring mufflers on guns? No.

 

[KSZWHX]

This popped in my head the other day as I was mentally planning a future safari to follow up the first safari that hasn't even happened yet. I hear all the time, " you think this is a once in a lifetime trip, but you will go back." " nobody goes to Africa just once". Which all seems to correlate pretty accurately with everyone I have spoken with that has been to Africa, and not just on this forum, but people that I have met at random that have been. Everyone loves it, and everyone I have spoken with recalls it fondly and speaks of how great the trip was. Aside from the actual flight to get there. Ha ha

So, I have a question. Has anyone ever talked to someone who hunted Africa and came back and said, "nope, not for me" I went but I just did not enjoy it and I won't go back. If so was there any particular reason, other than if they just had a bad experience with a particular outfitter or PH which can happen and can sour your taste on the whole experience. Other than that though, has anyone ever met someone who went to Africa on a hunt and just said nope this is not for me, I just don't like it?

I went in 2021 and planned that being the hunt of a lifetime. I enjoyed it so much and now I am hooked. I went again from 7/8 thru 7/20 this year for Cape Buffalo. I have already started plans for Leopard in 2023. Africa gets into you blood.

 

[chonk34]

I have other hunts on my list now that I've experienced Africa once, but I do dream of going back when I can to hunt more of the animals on my list and experience new things. Is there any other huntable place where you can see so much variety of wildlife, both game and nongame, in one spot? I have friends who I've tried to talk into visiting Africa for a hunt, but I think they are nervous and perceive more risk than actually exists.

 

[Nomadx2]

My first trip was to Tanzania this past spring on a photo safari with my wife. We traveled most of the Serengeti, stayed at 5 amazing tent (thats a relatively loose description) lodges over 10 days. Saw all of the big 5, dangerous game and many of the PG sometimes as close as 5-7 yards. My wife was hesitant at first but we had an an amazing trip.

I am now planning my 1st Buff hunt for next year. Everyone I shared our experience with were amazed that we even went to Africa even though they marveled at our journey.

I think Africa has a special mystique as it is not an industrialized country and still looks like a wild remote country that is beyond most people's range or comfort zone. It's not for everyone, but travel and adventure is in my blood and I will be back to Africa.

 

[sestoppelman]

My older brother went to Namibia with me in 2007, never went back. While there he actually was talking about moving there in an abstract way. I enlightened him on a few facts and he soon saw the light.
He could well afford to go again but didnt.
I asked why once and he just said he didnt think another trip could top the first one and afraid it would spoil it.
I have been 8 times, had no 9 planned before the WuFlu hit and canceled it. Since then with the world being the way it is, and travel a pretty much nightmare, I may not ever make it back.
I love being in Africa, every minute of it, but the getting there, not so much.

 

[Vintageguy]

I'm on the flip side of the Africa is not for me. The western U.S. is not for me. Zero interest in elk, mule deer, pronghorns, goats. None, zero, nada. Not going to spend the time or money to bag any of those animals. I have hunted whitetails in Texas and turkeys in Kansas and that's about as far as I want to go.

Edit: either is Alaska or Canada.

Much the same here. It’s not so much I don’t want to go west hunting. It’s more a limited funds and where do I get the biggest bang for my buck and there’s really no comparison.

 

[WAB]

I have a good friend, likely the most successful sheep hunter in Alaska (last I knew 24+ dall rams taken personally unguided) and an incredible bush pilot, who went once and was not impressed. He didn’t feel that his PH was a very good hunter and he didn’t like the entourage going through the bush. He is one of the best hunters you will ever meet, and he hunts the wildest spots on earth solo. I think if he’d done a true bush hunt for buffalo his assessment would have been different. For him, a South African ranch hunt with a PH possessing a fraction of his experience, was a doomed venture from the start. He took good trophies but he didn’t feel he hunted properly for them.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I have a good friend, likely the most successful sheep hunter in Alaska (last I knew 24+ dall rams taken personally unguided) and an incredible bush pilot, who went once and was not impressed. He didn’t feel that his PH was a very good hunter and he didn’t like the entourage going through the bush. He is one of the best hunters you will ever meet, and he hunts the wildest spots on earth solo. I think if he’d done a true bush hunt for buffalo his assessment would have been different. For him, a South African ranch hunt with a PH possessing a fraction of his experience, was a doomed venture from the start. He took good trophies but he didn’t feel he hunted properly for them.

I can totally understand that. I will never hunt south Africa. It is just not my thing and I can completely see where it would gall a hunter of the caliber that it takes to hunt Alaska the way your friend does.

 

[Red Leg]

I know several hunters who have no interest in going. One is a brother-in-law. Funding the trip is not the issue. But all are somewhat intimidated by “new” things. There is also a perception that Africa is for “those” sorts of people.

The saddest to my mind are those who go once and are slaves to their taxidermy. They spend a week to ten days on a rack and stack ranch or concession, fill their home with stuffed fauna, and then never return because they have no room for the taxidermy.

If we are dedicated hunters and if we have normal limits of disposable income, then at some point we run out of space. Not returning to again embrace what was for these folks a life changing experience is, to my mind, the essence of madness. Photos are a great way to remember the hunt, and a lot easier on our heirs.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I know several hunters who have no interest in going. One is a brother-in-law. Funding the trip is not the issue. But all are somewhat intimidated by “new” things. There is also a perception that Africa is for “those” sorts of people.

The saddest to my mind are those who go once and are slaves to their taxidermy. They spend a week to ten days on a rack and stack ranch or concession, fill their home with stuffed fauna, and then never return because they have no room for the taxidermy.

If we are dedicated hunters and if we have normal limits of disposable income, then at some point we run out of space. Not returning to again embrace what was for these folks a life changing experience is, to my mind, the essence of madness. Photos are a great way to remember the hunt, and a lot easier on our heirs.

I am officially out of room for taxidermy. Although I will find new spaces Ha ha. I will continue my hunting though. As a general rule I have limited my taxidermy to "firsts" first whitetail, first turkey, first coyote that I called in. The wife and I killed a double this year when turkey hunting, both her first long beard and our first double, they got a trip to the taxidermist to get mounted fighting. Which I thought was a worthwhile mount, and something comical with them fighting. My disposable income is limited but I think I will dispose of a great deal of it on hunts in Africa for the near and foreseeable future.

 

[Andrew62]

I'm always glad to hear there are those who do not wish to go back and hunt Africa, that leaves more animals for me to shoot!!

 

[LWPhunt]

Going to our first hunt in SA, sort of a fluke to even get to go, ended up like a reset button for our marriage that didn't need it. It was an epiphany of sorts. Showed how a culture while in the bush anyway, is unburdened by the bull shit we deal with in the more modern world. We fell in love with the people, the conservation and how interesting it is that you can go to a 100,000 acres and just see all kinds of animals, no zoo like settings, but it's so interesting to see so many things. That is quite the opposite of most NA hunts. Variety is the spice of life, some embrace it, some are happy in a bubble. No down words on those who don't venture. I feel blessed that the lord gave me the opportunity to experience stuff. As said above, open minds, desire for variety of settings, not for all. But no truer words were ever said, once you go you can't stop going. So, back we go for a third time now, in 4 years. Cheers friends. We're lucky, we all love it.

 

[wiltznucs]

This popped in my head the other day as I was mentally planning a future safari to follow up the first safari that hasn't even happened yet. I hear all the time, " you think this is a once in a lifetime trip, but you will go back." " nobody goes to Africa just once". Which all seems to correlate pretty accurately with everyone I have spoken with that has been to Africa, and not just on this forum, but people that I have met at random that have been. Everyone loves it, and everyone I have spoken with recalls it fondly and speaks of how great the trip was. Aside from the actual flight to get there. Ha ha

So, I have a question. Has anyone ever talked to someone who hunted Africa and came back and said, "nope, not for me" I went but I just did not enjoy it and I won't go back. If so was there any particular reason, other than if they just had a bad experience with a particular outfitter or PH which can happen and can sour your taste on the whole experience. Other than that though, has anyone ever met someone who went to Africa on a hunt and just said nope this is not for me, I just don't like it?

I cannot wait to get back to Africa. Never met anyone who’s hunted there that isn’t a fan.

Will say that it’s the opposite of my experience in Argentina chasing stags. Been there, done that. Won’t go back.

 

[BryceM]

Interesting question. Most of the hunters I know would conceptually like to go, but lack the funds. Let's face it, this is mostly a rich man's game and most people struggle just to have the basics. I don't personally know anyone who has been there that didn't want to go back. My "once-in-a-lifetime" experience was 12 years ago and I've been back 5 times since.

I can understand how a die-hard hunter plopped into a small put & take, high-fence area could be turned off. I know some people who got into situations where they were basically forced to pay bribes to make things happen. Stuff like that.

On the other hand, my wife, who is generally healthy as a horse, came back in 2019 with some crazy illness that put her in the hospital when we got home. She still wants to go back and she doesn't even hunt. It took her 6 months to bounce back. Some people "don't fit" in airline seats and flights are just torture for them.

It's all good. Most people never hunt. Of those who do, 99% will never hunt Africa. Of those, not too many are doing dangerous game in truly wild areas. It's a special privilege to be able to do it, and if others don't want to, fine with me.