Animal list for upcoming hunt

Muskox man

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I have just paid my final installment for my June hunt in Namibia. I have made a rough animal list but am wondering if my list is to ambitious. My hunt is only five days and I have allotted funds for fourteen animals. There will be two of us hunting as my son will be hunting with me.
I'm not sure how many animals would be realistic for a five day hunt.
My list is as follows. Giraffe , Blue wildebeest , Black wildebeest , Gemsbok , Kudu , Red hartebeest , Eland , Steenbok , Blesbok , Springbok , Impala , Burchells zebra, Mountain zebra , and last but not least Waterbuck.
These animals are in my order of preference , but I'm afraid it might be to ambitious. Can anyone answer this and hopefully point me in the right direction. If this is within reality, there will be an outbreak of Nosler disease in June.
 
14 in 5 days is ambitious without a doubt. Go for it.

If you are taking representative specimens and not being really picky about trophies it will help.

2x1 or 1x1 or 1 hunter & observer changes things.
If you were heading off in different directions it, in effect, becomes ten days of hunting.
2x1 makes it harder.
 
So why put yourself under that that much pressure? If you are both hunting 1-1 is it doable? Yeah, I guess, but why not add a couple of days and slow down a bit and enjoy, especially if you are hunting g 2-1 with your son.

If there is a time reason you can only do five days then I would do suggest you not get caught up on the list and take what comes. Don't put a number on yourself. And you will also need to determine how nice of a trophis you want. If your list stays agressive you might have to settle for less trophy wise.
 
Pretty ambitious my Girrafe took all day, they are a hard hunt.
 
The animals most important are the Giraffe and the Blue and Back wildebeests. Would it be better to focus on these animals and hunt the others as targets of opportunity?
 
The animals most important are the Giraffe and the Blue and Back wildebeests. Would it be better to focus on these animals and hunt the others as targets of opportunity?

I personally would. Or start there and once those are down go to the next most important. I've been rushed before, my own fault, and it took away some of the fun. I will never do that again.
 
Lots of animals, short time, particularly if you're hunting with your son (as I expect you are). It's doable, depending in great part on the property and the density of game, but you may end up driving and shooting more than stalking and hunting, and you may be driving around with an animal in the back of the truck for longer than you otherwise would, to avoid having to go back to camp each time you shoot one. This isn't necessarily the end of the world, but it won't help the quality of the meat, and depending on the animal, hair slip could become an issue.

I've done similar (but less ambitious) hunts (and done hunt reports on some of them here!), so my advice would be that you should be goal oriented, but not so goal oriented that you stop having fun or learning. Equally, you don't want to shoot the first animal you see, or a young one, just to check off the list. I've seen hunters who shoot an animal, make the check mark, and then say ok, on to the next one. No time to consider the animal or anything about it. Don't become that type of hunter!
 
I think it is doable, but it depends on what you want out of the trip?

I think if getting all the animals is your number one goal then you are going to have to do a lot of shooting from the truck and the 5 days will be very rushed as, as soon as you have one down it will be a very quick turn around to get the next and to me it would all be a blur. You would also have to be willing to sacrifice on trophy quality to get your animals.

If it were me, I would pick 3/4 animals I really wanted and hunt hard, walk and stalk for nice trophy's of those species. Then if you happen to come across another you would like whilst stalking take it. This way I think would be more enjoyable as you would have time to take in the moments and memories with your son of the stalks, etc.

I think you need to know what you want out of the trip and go with that. You can always return for the others!
 
I was in Namibia last September on a 14 day leopard /plains hunt. I found that eland and kudu were difficult specially if your looking for good quality animals. Eland were at least for me the most difficult. One would think as large as they are it would be easy. Don't get me wrong I shot mine on day 10, then again a German hunter came by for one day and shot one first evening.

The kudu are smart and difficult to hunt hence the name gray ghost. Hartebeest are on the move always it seems as are the zebra. To be honest I was told mtn zebra are a separate hunt within themselves. I shot a burchells mainly because I was running out of time as our main quarry was leopard. And they were not easy at all. Gemsbuck and black wildebeest should not be too difficult at least that is what I found, along with waterbuck and giraffe. My advise is this , Namibia has some of the best eland and kudu in Africa if they are high on the hit list by all means go for it. I hope you have a great safari and look forward to your report.
 
I think it is doable, but it depends on what you want out of the trip?

I think if getting all the animals is your number one goal then you are going to have to do a lot of shooting from the truck and the 5 days will be very rushed as, as soon as you have one down it will be a very quick turn around to get the next and to me it would all be a blur. You would also have to be willing to sacrifice on trophy quality to get your animals.

If it were me, I would pick 3/4 animals I really wanted and hunt hard, walk and stalk for nice trophy's of those species. Then if you happen to come across another you would like whilst stalking take it. This way I think would be more enjoyable as you would have time to take in the moments and memories with your son of the stalks, etc.

I think you need to know what you want out of the trip and go with that. You can always return for the others!
Great advise UK hunter, couldn't agree more.
 
Thank you all for the great advise. After hearing your comments I have to agree that I should focus on the first few animals on my list. I want to actually hunt and not drive around to much. It's my first time to Africa and I want it to be perfect. You only get your first time once.
 
Ambitious yes, but enjoy yourself, Agreed with others, if you can pick say 4-7 animals and go hard after them, that may be better so you can enjoy yourself a little more! Don't forget to post pics and a report!
 
The animals most important are the Giraffe and the Blue and Back wildebeests. Would it be better to focus on these animals and hunt the others as targets of opportunity?

Yes.
 
Wow that is ambitious. I thought my wish list of 10 for 7 days was a bit of a push (even with 2 species largely targeted at night). Currently I am trying to prioritize my list a bit (I know my wife will be happy as all get out if she could just get a Kudu, the impala, springbok and warthog would just be gravy), and make plans to keep an eye open for targets of opportunity if it comes to it.
 
I'd advise at least 7 days. When you travel to the other side of the planet there will likely be a day you're not 100% even if you are sleeping well. If anything like that happens and you are trying to hunt just 5 days then it will not be much fun. Believe me we have all been where you are trying to make that decision. If you are on a high density game ranch you might get close to what you want. In my opinion if you can get more than 1 animal per day it's pretty lucky.
Please do yourself a favor and hunt 7 days you'll be glad you did!
Keep the questions coming because everyone on this forum wants you to have a great first Safari!
Regards,
Philip
 
Thank you all for the great advise. After hearing your comments I have to agree that I should focus on the first few animals on my list. I want to actually hunt and not drive around to much. It's my first time to Africa and I want it to be perfect. You only get your first time once.

You do only get the first time once!!!!

And a long way to go for five days. Again, I don't know your circumstances that may be preventing it, or perhaps you are touring as well, but I'd sure think about adding at least a couple of hunting days if you can.
 
I have just paid my final installment for my June hunt in Namibia. I have made a rough animal list but am wondering if my list is to ambitious. My hunt is only five days and I have allotted funds for fourteen animals. There will be two of us hunting as my son will be hunting with me.
I'm not sure how many animals would be realistic for a five day hunt.
My list is as follows. Giraffe , Blue wildebeest , Black wildebeest , Gemsbok , Kudu , Red hartebeest , Eland , Steenbok , Blesbok , Springbok , Impala , Burchells zebra, Mountain zebra , and last but not least Waterbuck.
These animals are in my order of preference , but I'm afraid it might be to ambitious. Can anyone answer this and hopefully point me in the right direction. If this is within reality, there will be an outbreak of Nosler disease in June.

A big list but it will all come down to good planning on your part. Can it be done yes. Will your outfitter do his best to get it done for you yes if he is like must outfitters. Would must people call it more a shoot then a hunt yes but who cares it is your money and your hunt.

If you have 5 days make the most out if it and if that to you is shooting your list and not smelling the flowers go for it. Africa is just a different place with the amount of game one can hunt in a time period compared to hunting in the states. You could take 2,3 or more animals a day if you want if the hunting is good the week your there. You could also take nothing if anything goes wrong.

On your list the typical animals that are harder to hunt and take more time with out some great luck is kudu,eland and the mtn zebra. Some is because of lower numbers or the areas they live in. If you want top class size trophy you will need more then luck. If your willing to take the first legal animal you see then not as much luck needed but you may regret it later after seeing you took what must would say are below avg trophy's size wise.

Now I will stop rambling and tell you the must important part and how I would go about your list. First is tell your outfitter your list and your goal to take them all if you can. Next tell him you want to hunt all day eat in the field leave earlier then normal and come back after the last minute of time is up to be able to shoot. That is not standard practice with hunting in africa as they make it more a non pressure no rush hunt. They need to know your wants to make the changes to your wishes.

Next if it is possible to have another crew pick up any animal you may take so you can keep hunting.This may cost more because it is another crew of guys and truck or they may do it no charge just because of how many animals you want to take. You could be hours away so they may want them following you right away so they are there when you take something and know right were the animal is. You will miss out on parts of the hunt doing this but after the pictures some guys dont care if they are there to do or see the rest. Again your choice what each part means to you.

For sure have your must have animals first but with your goal of animals if you see the blesbuck before the giraffe you must take them as you see them. The first 3 animals you picked are not what I would say are the hard ones to get. You could have all 3 of those down by lunch your first day doing it how I talked about above.

My last hunt I had my giraffe and a blue wildebeest down by noon but we did get lucky finding the giraffe with in 10 minutes of leaving camp. Then got lucky again as when the tracker was taking the giraffe back to the skinning shed they saw 3 good blues and called pieter for us to come there to look at them. I did get really lucky as the giraffe was a giant dark bull and huge, To then come across a better then avg blue to that was 28 1/2 with heavy bosses is good luck.

It comes down to making the best plan you can going in. You can always change your mind and slow down and lower the number you want to take. but you can not take your time in the start of the hunt if your sticking with the plan your asking about. Cant pass and pass to find out later you needed to take something earlier and then be mad in anyway towards the outfitter.

The PLAN going in will be what makes or breaks your hunt with your goals.

Good luck on how ever you decide to go.
 
2009 5 days on the ground hunting( not my choice) this list is a bit much add some days slow down and smell the Roses. This May 7 full days and 5 on the list plus come what will no pressure.Enjoy and have fun.
 
One last word I promise you this. By the time you are on the plane home plans to return are already dancing around in ones head!!
 

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