Safari Fitness Requirements in Africa? How to hunt your way to health and fitness

Hunt anything said:

My walking goal is 1,000 miles a year as well, I do my walking instead of eating lunch, as of now I walk about a 15 minute mile, I live at sea level and would have to travel a pretty good distance to find a hill to walk up. I’ve been doing this since 2017 and have averaged about 1,200 miles a year. I always carry a rifle during deer season .375 Ruger Alaskan or a pack with weights in it out of season.

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I’m lucky to be able
To carry a rifle year round. A five mile jump over the hill in the morning keeps you ready to hunt.

I use a scale regularly. It helps to keep me honest about how much I eat. I’ve noticed that my caloric needs have decreased as I get older. Exercise is about being in shape for the person I want to be next year, not just the person I want to be today.
Running works for me. I am a little more flexible about regular running now, if I do a big work weekend with heavy labor, I give myself permission to miss a day of running.

The better shape one can be in, the more one can enjoy any hunt. It is easier to manage heat stress when in good shape. It is also easier to shoot well after a complicated stalk.

I turn 73 this year (God be willing) and I don't consider myself to be any spring chicken or Hercules. But I think that I'm not faring too poorly.

My father turned 94 last Friday, God Bless. He is still very actively hunting snipe in the local paddy fields behind our family home.


So I think that you'll be just fine. Learn to take good care of your health when you're young. If you have any vices such as excessive liquor or tobacco consumption, then practice self restraint. Otherwise, it'll come back to haunt you in your later years.

I eat everything but in moderation (I only consume fried food once a week), walk for one hour every morning & then swim for another hour every morning. I'm no health fitness guru, but it works well for me (so far). Staying in regular physical activity is vital for people of all ages (but esp. for those who are our age). The day you no longer stay physically active, is the day that old age begins to catch up to you.

sureshot375 said:

Tell me about this liver cleanse and Kidney cleanse.

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The liver therapy is not a single thing but a full suite of lifestyle changes that combine to reset your liver function. The liver in the only major organ that can regenerate to a degree. The liver is a filter that captures toxins in the body so they can be eliminated thru the urine and bowels. It gets a workout in modern life. Heavy metals in our water and food, toxic chemicals, alcohol, many moder pharmaceutical products are tough on the liver also. Such as statin drugs used to treat cholesterol. Flukes are a parasite that infest almost all people and they reside in the liver and interrupt its function as well. It is a vicious circle. There are several things we do to improve the liver:

1. Drink an 8oz glass of water in the morning with on Tbs of Diatomaceous Earth mixed into it. The scours the gut and helps to remove the toxins in the gut.
2. Eat a mix of liver detox foods such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. Drink green tea, eat leafy greens, nuts, salmon, olive oil and citrus fruits. Beet juice and coffee also help.
3. Drink water that is filtered to remove toxins and heavy metals.
4. There is a mix of supplements which in part help the liver. One is activated carbon since it helps the body eliminate toxins. This is important since early in the program the body is excreting more dead parasites and toxins than normal and this can actually make you feel sick for a couple of weeks. That was not my experience but the counter steps worked really well for me.
5. Research Dr Hulda Clark and Dr Royal Rife. These scientists developed sophisticated methods that safely kill parasites, flukes, viruses and cure other bodily ailments. I am a professional electrical engineer and when I was first introduced to these techniques I was highly skeptical but agreed to try them. They work! My Dr keeps a clinic full of this equipment for his patients to use regularly. They can b purchased and set up at home as well but you will need to know how to use them. They all are based on pulsed electromagnetic field therapy but each works in a different way and compliment one another. The big Pharma industry has tried to discount and ban these treatments because the CURE disease as opposed to selling us a bottle of pills every month. There is a book by Dr Clark called "Cure Any Disease" buy and read it.
6. Eating gluten free. This eliminates wheat, most other grain products and other sources of gluten from our diets. This is a PITA but you do get used to it.
7. Eliminate processed foods. If it is in a box or a bag and contains chemical preservatives then we do not eat it or limit the amounts. You have to cook more at home.

In my case my liver was not working very well. I had been on statins for 30yrs and all of this contributed to my diabetes. I was eating 12 pills per day for multiple ailments and all of these have toxic side effects. I was taking 160 units of insulin per day and within 2 months using these therapies I no longer need any form of diabetes meds and have been cured of it for more than six months now. My cholesterol is normal and my energy levels went up rapidly enabling me to be much more active. I would have never done this had I not wanted to improve my health enough to go on Safari. We went to a wholistic medicine Dr here in KY who runs a program to cure his patients. Most of the client patients are over weight, diabetic, aging, suffering neuropathy, heart disease or cancer. Some have other issues. Almost all of them have improved massively within a few months. If you want more into PM me as I am not promoting his business on the forum. I expect there are other similar clinics around the country but I have never seen one. Most of the EMF/PEMF equipment was invented nearly 100yrs ago with help from Nickoli Tesla as well as Doctors Rife & Clark. It is not main stream medicine. More fringe technology. But it worked for me.

JG26Irish_2 said:

Hello all. I began planning my first safari last June. While I have been a life long hunter our choices for big game in the woods of the Southeastern USA are limited to deer, wild boar, bear, bobcat and elk in some limited areas. Coyote while challenging, is more of a varmint than a big game animal. Bear and elk are too limited to be available to all of us. While I enter the elk drawings in KY every year, I have yet to be selected. So, my big game experience was limited to lots of deer and wild boar which was an exciting and up-close experience. For my African hunt we plan to pursue a few different PG species from small to very large and a Cape Buffalo is on the menu for DG. Being an elderly gentleman in my mid 60's I was not the healthy athlete I once was. The recent pandemic damaged my health significantly and left me with a number of nagging issues. Therefore, I immediately set about steps to improve my overall health and fitness to get ready for the hunt. I think I have been reasonably successful. Without boring you all with all of the maladies which I suffered, suffice to say, I have managed to cure all of them with diet, exercise and some therapeutic help from my Dr. except for moderate high blood pressure which is controlled with medication. I have lost 40lbs and plan to loose 30-40 more over the course of the next few months and have improved my stamina and endurance to the point where walking 5+ miles per day over hilly mountain terrain is not a problem. Maybe I can write a book for you called the "Safari Diet", lol.

The purpose of this post was not to brag about success but to reach out to our AH hunter community and ask this question: How fit does one need to be to hunt in Africa? I know the PH could ride me around in a truck and shoot game from the hood if I wanted, but that is not my plan. I want to spot and stalk and be able to do what is necessary to get the most from my first hunt. We will be in the Limpopo district of SA for this trip on the Zimbabwe border. It is mostly hilly bushveld and I know I can expect to be walking and climbing up and down hills. What I would like to hear from you all is how fit did you need to be to hunt Africa and especially you elder hunters, what sort of fitness plan did you follow to get ready for your first hunt?

By the way - I already credit Safari hunting with saving my life. It was the motivation I needed to start and stick to a proper fitness and health program and is the first time in my life that I have been able to lose weight and keep it off as well as really improve my health. I have learned a lot and feel great. That alone is a Godsend. I will put a second post below outlining what I have done so far. It might be useful for others. I had a similar wake-up call last year — nothing as epic as Cape Buffalo, but just wanting to feel stronger for hiking trips and some local hunts. I ended up trying a bunch of stuff but found mad muscles reviews super practical for someone like me who hates complicated gym routines. It kinda made me realize I don’t have to be a pro athlete, just consistent.

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Congrats on your progress and dedication really inspiring!
Keen to see what others recommend for fitness prep too.

I don’t think you will have any problems in Limpopo.

@JG26Irish_2 congratulations on your commitment! I think this is one of the unheralded benefits of safari..... there is something about having a target to aim at that helps keep you motivated. Proud of you!

+1 on the weighted fitness bar mentioned above. I have one that's 36" long and weighs 10#. It attracts a lot less attention when I carry it along for my neighborhood walks than a big bore rifle would, LOL.

I can also suggest a ruck vest. You can load it with different sizes of weighted plates front and back and it will force you to engage your core and maintain good posture while walking. When you take it off for the actual safari, you'll feel very ready. And you'd be surprised how many extra calories it will burn.

I will point out that walking on pavement or even on groomed hiking trails is not the same as hunting in the bush: you will be ducking under tree limbs, stepping over branches, jumping from rock to rock while crossing streams, slip-sliding down hills, squatting down or freezing motionless with one foot still in the air, all while carrying a rifle and trying to be quiet. There's no good way to simulate that other than actually doing it, but the more you've invested in your fitness the more you will enjoy it, and the better your hunt. You can get fancy with all sorts of exercises and a lot of them are very helpful, but simply walking for an hour a day will work wonders. Your body was truly designed for this, and it will flourish when you use it that way. If you do nothing else, WALK. I would also suggest doing at least a few long hikes while wearing the same clothing and boots you will use on the safari. The boots will be well broken in and you'll find out if your clothes are quiet and comfortable or not.

I also agree with those who have recommended a regular ongoing fitness program. To quote a friend, "Do you know why I work to stay fit every day? Cuz it's too damn hard to start over!"

If you’re walking five miles a day and carved a bunch of weight off you’ll be fine. Make sure you have a comfortable sling on your rifle, and pace yourself. Take if easy on the food and make sure you sleep and hydrate properly. The most I’ve ever walked was an average of 8-10 miles a day in Zimbabwe. My wife and I would rather have our feet on the ground moving around and enjoying nature. Keep training. I turned my garage into a gym, elliptical, power blocks, bands, and a mountain bike on a trainer, best thing I ever did, if you maintain a decent fitness level you can do anything, it’s the yo yo thing people do that is terrible for a person.

Limpopo is not too tough to hunt, or at least it was not for me in 2012. Most areas we hunted were flat, and some very small hills. Keep walking, and keep moving, you will not be running any marathon, especially if your PH knows your limitation, and make sure you let them know if you do. My PH knew I have bad knees, and he would check on me every so often, especially on those downhill sprints. One thing I would urge you to do if you have not already, is to shoot, shoot, and shoot some more from the shooting sticks. Trust me, this will make the biggest difference in the world and will give you the confidence to make those shots.

With who are you hunting, and what is it that you are going after? Looking forward to reading your report, and please take lots of pictures. Glad you are getting it done.

PARA45 said:

Limpopo is not too tough to hunt, or at least it was not for me in 2012. Most areas we hunted were flat, and some very small hills. Keep walking, and keep moving, you will not be running any marathon, especially if your PH knows your limitation, and make sure you let them know if you do. My PH knew I have bad knees, and he would check on me every so often, especially on those downhill sprints. One thing I would urge you to do if you have not already, is to shoot, shoot, and shoot some more from the shooting sticks. Trust me, this will make the biggest difference in the world and will give you the confidence to make those shots.

With who are you hunting, and what is it that you are going after? Looking forward to reading your report, and please take lots of pictures. Glad you are getting it done.

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I agree. We drove far more than we walked. But depending on the terrain, just hanging onto the truck when bouncing over rocks and hills is like riding a rodeo bull. After several hours of that you get tired and sore. I too have bad knees and have to be more careful walking downhill especially. My PH who is young and very fit had to be reminded off and on that his old client needed to rest.

A Safari can be tailored to meet the physical limitations of about any hunter, even those who cannot walk much or at all. But, for me, I used the plan of a safari as a strong motivator to get to the gym and out into the woods to hike and train. This year, my right knee was a constant problem. Every time I walked over 2-3mi in training, I would be hurting for a week. This was a drag on my training regimen and caused me to leave for Africa a few pounds heavier than I wanted and not as fit as I would have liked. Two weeks before Safari, I hiked about 5-6 mi of the Appalachian Trail with one of my son-in-laws and paid for it afterwards and was hurting right up until the day I left.

But, we did OK nonetheless. I walked up to 4mi on some days and never had any knee pain during the trip.

As for shooting, I agree 100%. I went to the range once every 2weeks to shoot the hunting rifles and in between I shot 22lr off sticks in my yard at little 1/2" DumDum suckers stuck into a earth berm about 35y from my garage. This made a safe, mini training range and in my case is legal and using a suppressed 22lr with subsonic ammo made it less noticeable for my neighbors. A 1/2" tgt at 35y is about the same as a 3" kill zone on an impala at 200y. I would shoot five suckers every day until I could hit five in a row without a miss from sticks. If you use a rifle that has similar feel and weight to your hunting rig it adds even more to the muscle memory needed to shoot well. And a box of even high grade match ammo is cheaper than 10 rds of 375HH or 458WM.

The two weeks leading up to my trip, I cleaned the rifles and removed most of the lube from the action since African dust sticks to oils and did my proprietary bore cleaning method so that both rifles were ready for the trip. Then the week prior I went to the range and doubled checked my chosen hunting loads, chrono'ed them at temps similar to African 65-70 deg F or colder, and let the few rounds fired foul the bores a bit. This also allowed me to tweak zero if needed.

Hunting off sticks is all about confidence and I like to practice at 2x the ranges I expect to actually shoot on game. So, I shot the hunting rifles at 200/300/400y regularly. 200y was a chip shot after these methods. This year, I took game at 242y, 314y, 125y, 280y, 70y, and 50y. A flatter shooting rifle allows for more margin for error with range estimations and wind drift, shooter error, etc. I took a 7mm/08 for my PG rifle and that is marginal at best. I paid for that with some issues with excessive bullet drops and wind issues. Still it worked well enough. A 7mm Mag, 30/06 or 300wm would have been better.

JG26Irish_2 said:

Hello all. I began planning my first safari last June. While I have been a life long hunter our choices for big game in the woods of the Southeastern USA are limited to deer, wild boar, bear, bobcat and elk in some limited areas. Coyote while challenging, is more of a varmint than a big game animal. Bear and elk are too limited to be available to all of us. While I enter the elk drawings in KY every year, I have yet to be selected. So, my big game experience was limited to lots of deer and wild boar which was an exciting and up-close experience. For my African hunt we plan to pursue a few different PG species from small to very large and a Cape Buffalo is on the menu for DG. Being an elderly gentleman in my mid 60's I was not the healthy athlete I once was. The recent pandemic damaged my health significantly and left me with a number of nagging issues. Therefore, I immediately set about steps to improve my overall health and fitness to get ready for the hunt. I think I have been reasonably successful. Without boring you all with all of the maladies which I suffered, suffice to say, I have managed to cure all of them with diet, exercise and some therapeutic help from my Dr. except for moderate high blood pressure which is controlled with medication. I have lost 40lbs and plan to loose 30-40 more over the course of the next few months and have improved my stamina and endurance to the point where walking 5+ miles per day over hilly mountain terrain is not a problem. Maybe I can write a book for you called the "Safari Diet", lol.

The purpose of this post was not to brag about success but to reach out to our AH hunter community and ask this question: How fit does one need to be to hunt in Africa? I know the PH could ride me around in a truck and shoot game from the hood if I wanted, but that is not my plan. I want to spot and stalk and be able to do what is necessary to get the most from my first hunt. We will be in the Limpopo district of SA for this trip on the Zimbabwe border. It is mostly hilly bushveld and I know I can expect to be walking and climbing up and down hills. What I would like to hear from you all is how fit did you need to be to hunt Africa and especially you elder hunters, what sort of fitness plan did you follow to get ready for your first hunt?

By the way - I already credit Safari hunting with saving my life. It was the motivation I needed to start and stick to a proper fitness and health program and is the first time in my life that I have been able to lose weight and keep it off as well as really improve my health. I have learned a lot and feel great. That alone is a Godsend. I will put a second post below outlining what I have done so far. It might be useful for others.

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First off, huge congratulations on taking control of your health and dropping 40 pounds—that is no small feat, especially coming out of some rough post-pandemic health issues. Honestly, just setting that safari as your ultimate goal and using it as the motivation to turn things around is incredible. Plenty of guys talk about getting in shape, but actually putting in the work to walk 5+ miles a day in the mountains is next level.

To answer your question about fitness for an African hunt: since you are planning to hunt the Limpopo bushveld near the Zimbabwe border, your background chasing whitetails and wild boar in the Southeast is actually going to serve you really well. Limpopo terrain is typically rolling hills, acacia thorn scrub, and rocky outcrops. It's not vertical alpine mountaineering, but the loose sand, heat, and uneven ground can wear you down if you aren't ready for it.

The fact that you want to spot-and-stalk rather than shoot off a truck hood changes everything. A lot of PHs will accommodate whatever physical condition you're in, but stalking on foot is where the real magic of an African safari happens. The ability to control your breathing after a mile or two of walking when a big plains game ram or a Cape Buffalo steps out is critical.

Given that you're already covering 5+ miles a day over hilly terrain and keeping your blood pressure in check, you are honestly in better physical shape than a lot of hunters half your age who book their first trip over there. Just make sure to break in your boots thoroughly before you go, and practice shooting off shooting sticks quickly from a standing and elevated heart rate—that catches a lot of guys off guard more than the walking itself.

Bescultat said:

First off, huge congratulations on taking control of your health and dropping 40 pounds—that is no small feat, especially coming out of some rough post-pandemic health issues. Honestly, just setting that safari as your ultimate goal and using it as the motivation to turn things around is incredible. Plenty of guys talk about getting in shape, but actually putting in the work to walk 5+ miles a day in the mountains is next level.

To answer your question about fitness for an African hunt: since you are planning to hunt the Limpopo bushveld near the Zimbabwe border, your background chasing whitetails and wild boar in the Southeast is actually going to serve you really well. Limpopo terrain is typically rolling hills, acacia thorn scrub, and rocky outcrops. It's not vertical alpine mountaineering, but the loose sand, heat, and uneven ground can wear you down if you aren't ready for it.

The fact that you want to spot-and-stalk rather than shoot off a truck hood changes everything. A lot of PHs will accommodate whatever physical condition you're in, but stalking on foot is where the real magic of an African safari happens. The ability to control your breathing after a mile or two of walking when a big plains game ram or a Cape Buffalo steps out is critical.

Given that you're already covering 5+ miles a day over hilly terrain and keeping your blood pressure in check, you are honestly in better physical shape than a lot of hunters half your age who book their first trip over there. Just make sure to break in your boots thoroughly before you go, and practice shooting off shooting sticks quickly from a standing and elevated heart rate—that catches a lot of guys off guard more than the walking itself.

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Thx - last year's safari was a blast. Plus, my son and I went on a Texas Nilgai hunt this past winter and tagged a pair of those big Blue Bulls. We have been eating on that wonderful venison ever since. This fall, I am trekking up to Saskatchewan to hunt for Moose and Elk on the Cree Nation rez. Honestly hunting the Nilgai in the 90deg Texas heat was physically harder than Africa. I will say that not all of Limpopo is gentle rolling hills. I spent three days tracking Kudu, Zebra and Boons in a very large concession up high in the Waterberg Mtns near Sterk River. It was rugged as hell and absolutely wonderful. Sitting high on a mountain escarpment over 3000ft higher than the typical terrain and over 10,000 hectares, we drove the Land Cruiser for two and a half days and never covered all of it. And the scenery was glorious. 500ft cliffs, waterfalls, alpine lakes that had not seen humans in eons, so clear that you could see the bottom. Baboons hanging like big black fruit in the trees. Leopard tracks every morning and game everywhere. While most of our hunting this time was spot and stalk, the conditions forced a couple of shots be taken from the truck. I do not like that but it was that or nothing. Example was a shot on a running warthog.

This year, I am spending more time in the gym and re-learning Tai Chi to keep the fitness thing going. I have kept the weight off and dropped a few more lbs over the winter which helps the old rickety knees. I hope?? to book a return to Africa for 2027 to seek an Eland and a few other large game to clog up the new trophy room that my wife and I built last year. We only recently received our heads from the 2024 safari and hope to ship the ones from last year by October or November. The health benefits of my efforts to get ready to go on my first Safari have opened a new world of hunting for this tired old fart. And, I am loving it. At my age, it is a constant struggle but the truth is that Africa saved my life.

What the future holds is never certain but I hope to make a trip to Alaska to hunt Caribou and possibly a bear and would really like to go to Wyoming or New Mexico to hunt Pronghorn in the next year or so. I have been invited to go on an Audad hunt in West Texas which is intriguing. The timing is not good but it sounds like fun and those are such lovely goats. Plus our annual squirrel season opens in a couple of weeks and that is by far some of the best hunting one can do with a rifle.

JG26Irish_2 said:

Thx - last year's safari was a blast. Plus, my son and I went on a Texas Nilgai hunt this past winter and tagged a pair of those big Blue Bulls. We have been eating on that wonderful venison ever since. This fall, I am trekking up to Saskatchewan to hunt for Moose and Elk on the Cree Nation rez. Honestly hunting the Nilgai in the 90deg Texas heat was physically harder than Africa. I will say that not all of Limpopo is gentle rolling hills. I spent three days tracking Kudu, Zebra and Boons in a very large concession up high in the Waterberg Mtns near Sterk River. It was rugged as hell and absolutely wonderful. Sitting high on a mountain escarpment over 3000ft higher than the typical terrain and over 10,000 hectares, we drove the Land Cruiser for two and a half days and never covered all of it. And the scenery was glorious. 500ft cliffs, waterfalls, alpine lakes that had not seen humans in eons, so clear that you could see the bottom. Baboons hanging like big black fruit in the trees. Leopard tracks every morning and game everywhere. While most of our hunting this time was spot and stalk, the conditions forced a couple of shots be taken from the truck. I do not like that but it was that or nothing. Example was a shot on a running warthog.

This year, I am spending more time in the gym and re-learning Tai Chi to keep the fitness thing going. I have kept the weight off and dropped a few more lbs over the winter which helps the old rickety knees. I hope?? to book a return to Africa for 2027 to seek an Eland and a few other large game to clog up the new trophy room that my wife and I built last year. We only recently received our heads from the 2024 safari and hope to ship the ones from last year by October or November. The health benefits of my efforts to get ready to go on my first Safari have opened a new world of hunting for this tired old fart. And, I am loving it. At my age, it is a constant struggle but the truth is that Africa saved my life.

What the future holds is never certain but I hope to make a trip to Alaska to hunt Caribou and possibly a bear and would really like to go to Wyoming or New Mexico to hunt Pronghorn in the next year or so. I have been invited to go on an Audad hunt in West Texas which is intriguing. The timing is not good but it sounds like fun and those are such lovely goats. Plus our annual squirrel season opens in a couple of weeks and that is by far some of the best hunting one can do with a rifle.

View attachment 780694View attachment 780695View attachment 780696View attachment 780697

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Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

On the fitness question, what age ranges are we talking about? Are PHs seeing a lot of fit-but-older clients -say, in their late 60s to early 70s?

Or are we talking about younger types, mid-50s to early 60s?

I use and follow the MTN TOUGH folks. They are heavy on circuit training. Lots of lower body and core work. They have numerous programs that are guided and keep things spicy. It is the best, most motivating workout plan I’ve ever used…and I spent 31 years in the military
I’m 62; when I graduated HS I weighed 185; I’ve never broken above 190 nor below 175 and today I weigh 188. I can still run and gun with the younger - fit - folks and I love it.
Personally, I work out a bit over an hour 3-5 days a week and I push myself. The other days are very active, but not on a regime.
MTN TOUGH has numerous routines that are geared toward the 30 year olds and I mix them in, however, my favorite is the Pre-season Prep 50+. It’s a 9 week program that I’ve done 6-7 times.

Bill J H said:

I use and follow the MTN TOUGH folks. They are heavy on circuit training. Lots of lower body and core work. They have numerous programs that are guided and keep things spicy. It is the best, most motivating workout plan I’ve ever used…and I spent 31 years in the military
I’m 62; when I graduated HS I weighed 185; I’ve never broken above 190 nor below 175 and today I weigh 188. I can still run and gun with the younger - fit - folks and I love it.
Personally, I work out a bit over an hour 3-5 days a week and I push myself. The other days are very active, but not on a regime.
MTN TOUGH has numerous routines that are geared toward the 30 year olds and I mix them in, however, my favorite is the Pre-season Prep 50+. It’s a 9 week program that I’ve done 6-7 times.

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Respect! Great results and excellent shape for a 62-year-old, especially with such a background.

The "keep up with the young guys" approach really resonates – I've personally noticed that functional training and a strong core work wonders for longevity and vitality, far better than simply pumping iron for size.

I've heard a lot of good things about MTN TOUGH, but I thought it was all hardcore for "youngsters and special forces." But it turns out they have a Pre-Season Prep 50+ line – that's a really valuable tip; I'll definitely check out the program. The fact that you've already done it 6-7 times speaks for itself.

wesheltonj said:

I don’t think you will have any problems in Limpopo.

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Yeah, Dande however is a bit different. We climbed over these hills in dense foliage tracking a herd.


And on the other side I was a bit sweaty. Got complimented on my fitness of being able to push on uphill and through for some miles.

JG26Irish_2 said:

Thx - last year's safari was a blast. Plus, my son and I went on a Texas Nilgai hunt this past winter and tagged a pair of those big Blue Bulls. We have been eating on that wonderful venison ever since. This fall, I am trekking up to Saskatchewan to hunt for Moose and Elk on the Cree Nation rez. Honestly hunting the Nilgai in the 90deg Texas heat was physically harder than Africa. I will say that not all of Limpopo is gentle rolling hills. I spent three days tracking Kudu, Zebra and Boons in a very large concession up high in the Waterberg Mtns near Sterk River. It was rugged as hell and absolutely wonderful. Sitting high on a mountain escarpment over 3000ft higher than the typical terrain and over 10,000 hectares, we drove the Land Cruiser for two and a half days and never covered all of it. And the scenery was glorious. 500ft cliffs, waterfalls, alpine lakes that had not seen humans in eons, so clear that you could see the bottom. Baboons hanging like big black fruit in the trees. Leopard tracks every morning and game everywhere. While most of our hunting this time was spot and stalk, the conditions forced a couple of shots be taken from the truck. I do not like that but it was that or nothing. Example was a shot on a running warthog.

This year, I am spending more time in the gym and re-learning Tai Chi to keep the fitness thing going. I have kept the weight off and dropped a few more lbs over the winter which helps the old rickety knees. I hope?? to book a return to Africa for 2027 to seek an Eland and a few other large game to clog up the new trophy room that my wife and I built last year. We only recently received our heads from the 2024 safari and hope to ship the ones from last year by October or November. The health benefits of my efforts to get ready to go on my first Safari have opened a new world of hunting for this tired old fart. And, I am loving it. At my age, it is a constant struggle but the truth is that Africa saved my life.

What the future holds is never certain but I hope to make a trip to Alaska to hunt Caribou and possibly a bear and would really like to go to Wyoming or New Mexico to hunt Pronghorn in the next year or so. I have been invited to go on an Audad hunt in West Texas which is intriguing. The timing is not good but it sounds like fun and those are such lovely goats. Plus our annual squirrel season opens in a couple of weeks and that is by far some of the best hunting one can do with a rifle.

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Maybe it was already mentioned and I just missed it, but where and who did you do this hunt with? It's absolutely gorgeous.

Tanks said:

Yeah, Dande however is a bit different. We climbed over these hills in dense foliage tracking a herd.
View attachment 780791

And on the other side I was a bit sweaty. Got complimented on my fitness of being able to push on uphill and through for some miles.
View attachment 780796

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We logged 100 miles tracking on our hunt in Dande. You need to be fit to hunt there!

WAB said:

We logged 100 miles tracking on our hunt in Dande. You need to be fit to hunt there!

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Yeah, there was a client that was hunting Dande East which is not as rugged. He quit in the middle of the hunt, CMS actually arranged for some sightseeing for him.

He, later on, flamed CMS on another forum for selling him a buffalo hunt without having any animals around. I knew his PH as I had hunted with the PH before and reached out. PH's response was the guy just did not want to walk.

A week later the next client got his animals.

Jack Stevens said:

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

On the fitness question, what age ranges are we talking about? Are PHs seeing a lot of fit-but-older clients -say, in their late 60s to early 70s?

Or are we talking about younger types, mid-50s to early 60s?

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I cannot speak for the larger majority. I am in my late 60's and even with all of the effort am not super fit. I had a business investor about 20yrs ago whose hobby was big game hunting and who had hunted all over Africa and many parts of the world. While at the time, he was in his late 60's or early 70's the man was one of the most fit humans I have ever seen. I often wish that I had taken more of an interest in Africa then as he would have been a great mentor. But, at the time I was focused on running a start up tech company and did not have time for such fun stuff.

My PH was a former RSA professional Rugby player and is very fit and very tough. (Rugby players eat their dead) On our first safari together I sometimes had to remind him that I was older than his father and that we needed to pace ourselves on the uphill stalks. I developed a signal for him by clicking my tongue to let him know I needed to slow down or stop for a moment. After a day or two, we were working very well together.

I noticed that his ability to estimate range on his home preserve was very good but when we travelled to other concessions, he sometimes underestimated the distance by as much as 100y. So, we worked out a process whereby, as I was mounting the sticks, I would say, "Range?" and he would estimate it and say something like "Estimate range 200y". I would then also be estimating the same. I tend to underestimate if the range is over 300y but I was not wanting to shoot past that anyways. Having estimated the range, the PH would begin laser ranging while I settled onto the sticks and before taking a shot, he would whisper, "Range is 237 yards". The whole process from the time the PH set up the sticks to the time, I was about to break a shot took only about 5 seconds or less. Once ready, I would wait as long as necessary to get a good shot, well placed at a proper angle. This method proved devastatingly effective. Sometimes, the PH would get excited and tell me to shoot more than once but we worked that out over time after he learned how I operated.

Depending on where and what you are hunting, you can walk a lot in Africa but just know that it can also be altered to hunt effectively without having to walk all that much if your mobility is limited. Being fit makes it more fun but every man must know his limitations.