After the hunt from a first timer South Africa plains game

kdiver58

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I’m home and just finished my first African safari. I hunted plains game and it was so much better than I could have dreamed. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I wanted to remember everything. I would fall asleep exhausted but if I woke up I could never fall back asleep. A few things I wanted to say to help others like I was helped.

Rule #1 trust your PH

Rule #2 trust your PH

If they are any good they will make your hunt for you. Many things I questioned like the high cost of the tips. After the hunt I paid it gladly. I was told forget your rangefinder. I wondered why. Now I know it’s because you will never have time to look at it and have anything to shoot.

#3 Holy shit are these animals fast the jumping ability of a waterbuck and an Eland are amazing.

#4 One person said that camo is unnecessary but stealth is not. They are correct. The tracker was wearing a blue windbreaker

#5 KNOW your gun.. People were wounding animals at 10 meters because they didn’t know where to aim.

#6 practice getting on target fast without sticks or anything.

#7 this is more of trust your PH. They will change the hunt to make sure you have a good hunt. Once they know how you shoot. In the end they will know what you can do better than you do IMHO. I had a shot I was very worried about. He told me I would be fine. He was right. When your PH tells you how much to lead. TRUST him or her. Not any Crap you read on any web site. Some the garbage that people say lets you know they have never shot a moving animal.

#8 go do it! If I had my choice of spending $6000 for hunting Elk or going back to Africa it not even a close decision. be warned it’s worse than crack !

#9 Many people would have the hunts I had and saw thing things I saw and not have the time I had. Everyone is different and we all expect different things. One of the best hunts I had was stalking blue wildebeest for an afternoon. I shot nothing but the thrill of the hunt was perfect. When the hunt was done the PH said “those blue wildebeest had papers” (diploma’s) We got schooled. I loved the lesson.

#10 the SAPS was a piece of cake. It's easier to get into ZSA with guns than it is for me to get back into my own country with my gun. Paying someone to have the paperwork waiting for you speeds up the process. It worked for me.

#11 bugs were not bad in June at all and DAMN it gets cold at night in June.

#12 Never turned a TV on once .. Didn't miss it at all.

#13 enjoy the moment .. Life is good and a blessing many people will never have the chance for such a blessing.
 
Did you start planning your 2nd Safari on your flight home? I head back to SA in 29 days for my 2nd Safari (2 years after my first) and I can't wait.
 
I’m home and just finished my first African safari. I hunted plains game and it was so much better than I could have dreamed. ..................

Doomed to repeat the experience! (y)
 
I’m home and just finished my first African safari. I hunted plains game and it was so much better than I could have dreamed. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I wanted to remember everything. I would fall asleep exhausted but if I woke up I could never fall back asleep. A few things I wanted to say to help others like I was helped.

Rule #1 trust your PH

Rule #2 trust your PH

If they are any good they will make your hunt for you. Many things I questioned like the high cost of the tips. After the hunt I paid it gladly. I was told forget your rangefinder. I wondered why. Now I know it’s because you will never have time to look at it and have anything to shoot.

#3 Holy shit are these animals fast the jumping ability of a waterbuck and an Eland are amazing.

#4 One person said that camo is unnecessary but stealth is not. They are correct. The tracker was wearing a blue windbreaker

#5 KNOW your gun.. People were wounding animals at 10 meters because they didn’t know where to aim.

#6 practice getting on target fast without sticks or anything.

#7 this is more of trust your PH. They will change the hunt to make sure you have a good hunt. Once they know how you shoot. In the end they will know what you can do better than you do IMHO. I had a shot I was very worried about. He told me I would be fine. He was right. When your PH tells you how much to lead. TRUST him or her. Not any Crap you read on any web site. Some the garbage that people say lets you know they have never shot a moving animal.

#8 go do it! If I had my choice of spending $6000 for hunting Elk or going back to Africa it not even a close decision. be warned it’s worse than crack !

#9 Many people would have the hunts I had and saw thing things I saw and not have the time I had. Everyone is different and we all expect different things. One of the best hunts I had was stalking blue wildebeest for an afternoon. I shot nothing but the thrill of the hunt was perfect. When the hunt was done the PH said “those blue wildebeest had papers” (diploma’s) We got schooled. I loved the lesson.

#10 the SAPS was a piece of cake. It's easier to get into ZSA with guns than it is for me to get back into my own country with my gun. Paying someone to have the paperwork waiting for you speeds up the process. It worked for me.

#11 bugs were not bad in June at all and DAMN it gets cold at night in June.

#12 Never turned a TV on once .. Didn't miss it at all.

#13 enjoy the moment .. Life is good and a blessing many people will never have the chance for such a blessing.

First Safari was last year and wasn’t going to go back until 2019, that is until my brother mentioned he wanted to go to Africa. We are now heading back this July!

Similar to you, once I was up in the morning there was no nap time. On the days we returned to the lodge for lunch, my wife would sneak off into the room for a nap, the PH would be napping on the couch and I would be on the back deck enjoying the view and writing in my journal!
 
Guilty as charged your honor
Bring some warm gear .. A full body cover works great as it starts to get cold. It had been trending warm and then boom I get there and it goes back to normal.
 
Kdiver58, very good observations! Thanks for writing it out! I do non-the-less like carrying a rangefinder. Everyone has a bit different opinion. I used mine on my croc hunt and it just added a bit more comfort to my shot.
 
If I may add to a great list: Keep a journal! Nor just for the hungry eyes back here when you write your hunting report, but top what's with friends, family and yourself years from now.
 
If I may add to a great list: Keep a journal! Nor just for the hungry eyes back here when you write your hunting report, but top what's with friends, family and yourself years from now.

Thank you ..Yes yes yes ! Every night I would use voice to text to send myself an email. I should have added it. One morning I woke and the phone was in my mouth. I had fallen asleep while dictating .. LOL
 
be warned it’s worse than crack !
AMEN!
Sounds like you had a great first trip, congrats. I enjoyed your list, have you done a hunt report yet. Those of us waiting for our next trip would enjoy reliving yours.:)
 
I’m home and just finished my first African safari. I hunted plains game and it was so much better than I could have dreamed. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I wanted to remember everything. I would fall asleep exhausted but if I woke up I could never fall back asleep. A few things I wanted to say to help others like I was helped.

Rule #1 trust your PH

Rule #2 trust your PH

If they are any good they will make your hunt for you. Many things I questioned like the high cost of the tips. After the hunt I paid it gladly. I was told forget your rangefinder. I wondered why. Now I know it’s because you will never have time to look at it and have anything to shoot.

#3 Holy shit are these animals fast the jumping ability of a waterbuck and an Eland are amazing.

#4 One person said that camo is unnecessary but stealth is not. They are correct. The tracker was wearing a blue windbreaker

#5 KNOW your gun.. People were wounding animals at 10 meters because they didn’t know where to aim.

#6 practice getting on target fast without sticks or anything.

#7 this is more of trust your PH. They will change the hunt to make sure you have a good hunt. Once they know how you shoot. In the end they will know what you can do better than you do IMHO. I had a shot I was very worried about. He told me I would be fine. He was right. When your PH tells you how much to lead. TRUST him or her. Not any Crap you read on any web site. Some the garbage that people say lets you know they have never shot a moving animal.

#8 go do it! If I had my choice of spending $6000 for hunting Elk or going back to Africa it not even a close decision. be warned it’s worse than crack !

#9 Many people would have the hunts I had and saw thing things I saw and not have the time I had. Everyone is different and we all expect different things. One of the best hunts I had was stalking blue wildebeest for an afternoon. I shot nothing but the thrill of the hunt was perfect. When the hunt was done the PH said “those blue wildebeest had papers” (diploma’s) We got schooled. I loved the lesson.

#10 the SAPS was a piece of cake. It's easier to get into ZSA with guns than it is for me to get back into my own country with my gun. Paying someone to have the paperwork waiting for you speeds up the process. It worked for me.

#11 bugs were not bad in June at all and DAMN it gets cold at night in June.

#12 Never turned a TV on once .. Didn't miss it at all.

#13 enjoy the moment .. Life is good and a blessing many people will never have the chance for such a blessing.

Well said sir. Glad you had a good trip.
 
My second hunt in africa was in the limpopo the last week of may 2015. I was not prepared for frost on the truck in the mornings that could be scraped of the wind shield of the truck ! I was a little light on clothes for that one.
Yes Africa is a hard addiction to overcome. I still haven't beat it, going again for 5th trip in July.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Good on you !
 
My second hunt in africa was in the limpopo the last week of may 2015. I was not prepared for frost on the truck in the mornings that could be scraped of the wind shield of the truck ! I was a little light on clothes for that one.
Yes Africa is a hard addiction to overcome. I still haven't beat it, going again for 5th trip in July.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Good on you !

Frost in May? Well thanks for the heads up!
 
Frost in May? Well thanks for the heads up!
Northern Cape, early June 2013, departure day it was 20F. Standard packing list includes goose down jacket and one pair of long johns, top and bottoms.
 
Always love to hear from first timers. I will go back as long as I am able but no trip will ever take the place of my first.

Well done and I’m glad you had a good time. Welcome to the club along with the many others here that are hooked for life.
 
Seems like you had a great time, congrats.

Now.....pics and report, please :D
 
:D Pop Popcorn:looking forward to a trip report.
 
Worst part of the whole trip was dealing with the taxidermist over there. You would swear they had never done anything like this in their whole life. They could not tell me what the approximate cost to ship a rug mounted to felt. What will be the approximate cost to ship it to Coppersmith in Atlanta? I don't know we sill have to crate it. Oh have you never crated a hide mounted to felt to the US before? Oh no we do it all of the time. While looking on the computer this was $2000 but they shipped a whole Zebra. Not really the same thing is it? You do this for a living for decades and you can't even guess? No not really.
They told me last week it would be a couple of days for the quote. Still nothing ..
 
Nyala.jpg
Impala.jpg
 
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BTW .. I still have not heard from the taxidermist .. If anyone ever competes against them they will be out of business in a year ..
 

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