First Safari - What would you do different?

1.What was your first Safari experience like?
2.What would you do different?
3.What would you recommend for the first time safari planner?

My first Safari wasn’t a disaster, but it could’ve been better.

A good friend of mine hunted with Cristo Kaiser at Unico Safaris. I met Cristo in 2006 and spent some time with him here in the states. He was a great guy, very charismatic, and pleasure to be around. After talking a while with Christo and planning my first Safari, I booked with him for September 2007. Sadly, Christo got killed by an elephant in May 2007 just before my hunt.

This changed everything about my hunt. I ended up hunting with a young PH at Unico, not likely a regular, and had a bad experience with him and had to switch to another PH to finish my Safari the way that I would feel good about it.

It didn’t help that I wasn’t completely prepared and more dependent on Christo and our plans. My inexperience, and not sticking to my gut feeling, led to having to shoot a second Kudu to get a mature bull.

I almost considered not taking my second Safari due to my first experience. I lurked here for quite a while before joining AH and I’m glad I finally joined.

Having access to AfricaHunting.com and all the collective resources here, including the members input on actual firsthand experience with Safari hunting, changed my perspective. This site provides a huge advantage for any hunter planning their first Safari.

There was enough information here for me to take a chance on another Safari and I’m sure glad I did!

Less taxidermy, more shooting.

Also, it's you're much more likely to enjoy yourself if you "click" with your PH. That's why speaking to them at one of the hunting shows is such a win.

analog_peninsula said:

Less taxidermy, more shooting.

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I believe I have a problem with taxidermy. Is there a taxidermy anonymous program I can join?

NIGHTHAWK said:

I believe I have a problem with taxidermy. Is there a taxidermy anonymous program I can join?

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I do as well….

Kill more stuff, and spend more time there.

I wouldn't bring anything home if it meant a shorter safari with fewer trophies.

My first safari was 1988, back then you pretty much had to book your hunt through a booking outfitter. For my first hunt I called Jim McCarthy Adventures, Jim did a great job with getting everything sorted, but there is a big advantage by taking your first safari today, the internet. Being able to use this site to speak to others on here, see reviews, videos, etc, all of this resolves a lot of first time mistakes.

And as others have stated, I wouldn't have had everything mounted. Last year I sold about 1/3 of my mounts at auction, it was painful to see a life sized bongo sell for 775.00!!

I had my most recent Safari filmed. Cost was not Especially prohibitive and it’s easy to share with people. Takes up no space etc. I’ve had alot of taxidermy done and I love it all but when I get old or die, I think my kids will send it to a dumpster. So moving forward I think filming will be my go to.

My first Safari was an upscale RSA safari. I had my wife and daughter along. As they were with me nothing different. If I was by myself, I would have went with someone with a lower daily rate, but had still a large continuous property.

First and others, I would have not done any taxidermy and instead spent the money on additional hunts, animals or better airline accomodations. The big thing now is videos. Have tapes and DVDs of past outdoor adventures that are collecting dust so swore off them also.

The problem with your first safari and taxidermy is that most think that their first safari will be their only one, so they go whole hog so to speak.

I wanted a warthog on my first trip and didn't see a good one. The group that I went over with were not interested in going back, I mentioned it on the forum here and the rest is history.

But for most it's a one time hunt and they try to make the best of it.

Safari #1 I used a US booking agent, left at Zims Vic airport with no pickup as promised. Went down hill from there, finally got to camp and permits were "in transit". Thank god for the amazing PH Raphael, he saved the safari, I had an amazing safari and ended up with all species except leopard and kudu. We did see many but not "Raphael shooters".

A few years later Safari #2 I again used another US booking agent and exact same thing happened. So NEVER again any US agent or now any agent.

These hunts were early 2000 so no real way to speak to the real guys in Africa. Now internet, only book if I speak to outfitter and mostly PH before any deposit sent.

Even then and still today I always add days to a week before safari starts. Then tour for a couple weeks after. Solves many issues, luggage, time change, and time in Africa is always well spent.

As for taxidermy I do my own and have TONS, same as others it will all be burned bar a couple when I go. Family/heirs do not have the disease I do. Future safaris will be shoot more, bring home less.

Using the wealth of knowledge from this site helps immensely, any question, problem or issue (take references with a grain of salt) can be overcome with help from those with vast experience. Internet and site sure makes safari easier, if I could get to the shows that would be better or more dangerous. But would help, if I could stand and talk to PH I would be booked more often.

In 2011 I was contacted by a US person looking for a reference for a freelance PH. Now a company owner and sponsor on here, yes an awesome PH he was/is. I'm still here and lovin it.

This site has changed the game for safari goers both first time and multiple time guys/gals.

Outstanding job.

MB

Less taxidermy for sure and more hunts. That's where I am at now in life.
Shot maybe fewer trophies of same lesser cost species and saved for the bigger DG animals I now have come to want to hunt. Hunt by myself as I have and not take friends along that are hunting the same species, can get complicated in camp. I learned to like being by myself, just me and PH in camp

NIGHTHAWK said:

1.What was your first Safari experience like? 2.What would you do different?
3.What would you recommend for the first time safari planner?

My first Safari wasn’t a disaster, but it could’ve been better.

A good friend of mine hunted with Cristo Kaiser at Unico Safaris. I met Cristo in 2006 and spent some time with him here in the states. He was a great guy, very charismatic, and pleasure to be around. After talking a while with Christo and planning my first Safari, I booked with him for September 2007. Sadly, Christo got killed by an elephant in May 2007 just before my hunt.

This changed everything about my hunt. I ended up hunting with a young PH at Unico, not likely a regular, and had a bad experience with him and had to switch to another PH to finish my Safari the way that I would feel good about it.

It didn’t help that I wasn’t completely prepared and more dependent on Christo and our plans. My inexperience, and not sticking to my gut feeling, led to having to shoot a second Kudu to get a mature bull.

I almost considered not taking my second Safari due to my first experience. I lurked here for quite a while before joining AH and I’m glad I finally joined.

Having access to AfricaHunting.com and all the collective resources here, including the members input on actual firsthand experience with Safari hunting, changed my perspective. This site provides a huge advantage for any hunter planning their first Safari.

There was enough information here for me to take a chance on another Safari and I’m sure glad I did!

Click to expand...

Excelent post!

Mark Biggerstaff said:

Less taxidermy for sure and more hunts. That's where I am at now in life.
Shot maybe fewer trophies of same lesser cost species and saved for the bigger DG animals I now have come to want to hunt. Hunt by myself as I have and not take friends along that are hunting the same species, can get complicated in camp. I learned to like being by myself, just me and PH in camp

Click to expand...

My wife loves the taxidermy. She went on the first safari. She doesn’t care to go on every one. But, she is going with me in’28 for Ele in Zim. But only because she wants to be with me to see VF.

Other than that, I don’t care to be on a big DG hunt with a camp full of others, whether it’s a friend or not. Either me and my wife or just me alone.

Bring Carmex/Chapstick.

I know what you're going to say, but I wouldn't change a thing about my first safari. After my buffalo and eland, I will focus on smaller game. As you know, big animals take up big spaces. I will add that I was extremely lucky finding my outfitter on my first safari. Without that family atmosphere, it would have been much less special to me.

Great topic. My first was good but not great. I brought the wife and son too and frankly now my wife says "never again". I have slowly been convincing her to go again, to give me another chance to show her Africa. That was one negative outcome of the first time for sure.

What I learned I guess is something I already knew really. Take the time to do your homework and pay the money to go with top shelf outfitters (however you define that). Do not be pennywise, pound foolish.

I am still in the mode of wanting all the taxidermy and buying way too expensive safari rifles, etc... but I do think there is some wisdom in the thought of - drop the taxidermy and just take pics, and buy one or two good rifles, or even rent them in some instance (non DG hunts) and use that money to hunt. I guess I am in some semi denial still.

Cheers

My first and only was tremendous success.

Only thing I'd change would of tried to get back to Zim sooner for a second safari (canada has banned ivory importation)

I can only recommend what I did myself. I researched and vetted and shortlisted many outfitters over 6months to a year. Also reading reports, back then mostly on AR now alot more wild country reports have shown up on AfricaHunting. the hunt report feature beside our profile is a GREAT tool. I love it.

if you read enough reports and send DMs to guys who have been there, slowly but surely you will sort out who is worthy of your time and money.

Back then, I had mokore, cms, mbalabala, probably 1-2 others, for a cape buff. and then in the end, it was basically a coin flip or desicion. I knew id be in good hands with my choices, whoever it was. I picked a animal I wanted to focus on. I picked a location I wanted to see and hunt. then looked for well spoken of outfitters there. everything else is icing ontop

Had a great first safari. At the time, I thought it would be my ONLY safari. Although I joined this site two years prior, I wasn’t actively involved. I booked thru an agent and the original outfitter I booked with quit. They offered a replacement that proved to be great. I lucked out.
Do different: Less taxidermy and an extra couple of animals. Also, would had given the chef cooking lessons. Tip less. (I listened to the PH and greatly over tipped)
Recommend: FOLLOW THIS SITE! Savior the small things.