First hunt: what to look for/be wary of

[Pavel U]

Good morning gentlemen,

I have several bad habits. One of them: I am prone to listen to advice. I should have never get on this thread: What is the BEST piece of hunting advice you've been given? | AfricaHunting.com What opened my eyes the most were advices to start early and enjoy “while young and physically able”. I am not young per se (33) and already started late with hunting (only few years back) so I don’t wanna make the same mistake twice.
I have been yearning for Africa for several years – it was the main impetus to start hunting. Original plan was to keep saving money and make dream adventure in like 10 years or so. However in these times of rising prices saving does not seem to be a reliable strategy and the advices has done the rest. Yes, You @wiltznucs, @gillettehunter, @JPetroni and others are the ones to blame ... just joking - thank You for a good advice
Tomorrow is not granted and I'd rather get the first taste of Africa, while I can - the time is now (well august or so ).
Our old house is under reconstruction (and will be for few next years), one child with us, second child will be on the way, I am about to take eye surgery … I still managed to persuade my dear wife that spending some money on short African hunt is the right step to take.
Currently I am looking for some not expensive packages – cull packages too (because of the price and don't want to spend additional money on trophies at the moment).

And I would be glad for Your inputs what terms should I be looking for or be wary of and what to avoid.
For example there are two nice hunts for similar price, but one does not include hunting license, gun permits, insurance, etc. I am not sure what are the cost of those, but I know I don’t wanna be dealing with additional paperwork on the airport …. but maybe You will assure me it is not a big issue ....
So thanks in advance to anyone who will add their two cents or share their dearly paid experience.

 

[gillettehunter]

Glad to hear your ready to make the jump. Just got back last night from a great hunt in RSA. I've looked at Byh but never used them. Perhaps there are some hunt offered here that might also provide a good value? I look at any and all offers made on here. I've had some great hunts as a result of doing that. This one looks like a great place to consider:

7 Day Limited Plains Game Hunt With Mafojani Safaris Limpopo South Africa All Inclusive US $2,780

Mafojani Safaris in the Limpopo province invites you to join us on our Limited Plains Game Safaris. This is a 7 Days, 1:1 Hunter, All-Inclusive for US$2 780. Additional trophies can be included as per the current price list. Additional Hunter can be added @ US$350 per day and Observer for...

www.africahunting.com

The hunt I just finished was with Tsala a sponsor here and another friend. The daily's were $180 or less and good prices on trophy fees. I'll be doing a hunt report soon. For a first hunt RSA or Namibia are great choices. Perhaps think about the 2 most important animals to you and see who has good numbers of them to hunt. Look at hunt reports here. I will mention that first timers get pretty enthusiastic about there hunts. If someone does multiple hunts with a particular company then thats a good sign.
Continue to ask questions. For a first timer it is good to spend the $$ for a service to help with rifle import into RSA. Last couple of times I've done my own and had no issues. Sorry that I have no particular advice on the hunts that you linked above. Best of luck on your hunt.
Bruce

 

[Rick HOlbert]

Hello Pavel. I see you've caught that malady called hunting Africa and it's one I hope they never find a cure for! I started my African hunting when 62 and wish I had started earlier. That being said, the finer things in life should be enjoyed when you can fully appreciate them.
Cost will depend where you decide to hunt. There are so many areas/countries to hunt. I've hunted Namibia numerous times and you will be hard pressed to find lower prices for plains game. I'm not down playing outfitters in other countries as they have excellent services. This is just what has worked for me. The people of Namibia are extremely friendly and work hard to make your hunt a dream come true. The only bad aspect as I've stated before is that halfway through your hunt you'll start figuring how to come back again. Not a bad thing actually, LOL.
Do your homework, ask around. Lots of folks here who can give sound advise based on actual experience. If I can help further just PM me and I'll be glad to do so. As the saying goes, the longest trip starts with the first step. Catch you ;after friend.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Kudu & Impala Cull Hunt Package 2022

Offering a cull package for September & October 2022 on 100 000 acre Blaauwkrantz property, Eastern Cape, owned by the Rudman family, international clients since 1978. Package Details: 6 day & 7 night package for 30 cull / female / one-horned Kudu & Impala. Package Price: 1x1 $4000; 2x1...

www.africahunting.com

 

[BRICKBURN]

Review every offer here on AH.
This will tell you what reasonable offers include and do not.

Contact them and ask them for a package to suit your budget.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Frederik]

Pavel,

Ask yourself these questions first and then you will find an easier answer.

Do you want to take trophies home? At all even if they are huge?
Do you want to bring your own rifle?
Which country interest you
What animal is on top of your list
What would you love to see in Africa when you are here.

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/better-questions-to-ask-when-looking-for-a-hunt….23825/

 

[375Fox]

Both the offers you posted are nearly identical. I’d look less at price and more at finding a particular outfitter/PH you think you’d enjoy hunting with for 10 days. I’m 33 as well, if I was booking the hunt you describe I’d look for a PH around my own age that wants to hunt hard and has a good reputation. Nearly every outfitter in South Africa can offer you the hunt you are looking for on paper and at around the same pricing. However, there are PHs who want to leave camp at 0600 and hunt all day and others who don’t want to leave until 0800 then return to camp for lunch and before dark, up to you to decide who you want to hunt with. I’d also recommend you go on a trophy hunt so you can actually hunt and get more out of experience. The eastern cape has really great pricing for trophy hunts compared to Limpopo. Cull hunts are inexpensive, but I’d consider it more shooting than hunting because so many animals can quality as a cull.

 

[Inline6]

Like as been stated, interview your PH. These are your memories of a lifetime, if you have a personality conflict or different ideas of the way things should go. No amount of money saved will be worth it.

The only other advice I can give, don't buy the trinkets at the airport if you can avoid it. They are crazy expensive, found that out the hard way. We went when things first started opening up and left on a Sunday evening choices were limited. It is not like America, things shutdown early. Just something to keep in mind if you want to bring anything back for the family.

 

[JPetroni]

Pavel,

If I could give you just one piece of advice, it would be to take seriously and listen to what the members here say. They have a VAST amount of real world experience on what not to do, which are hard learned lessons.

I would also add that it seems, from your post, that you’re interested in a Shooting Safari rather than a Trophy Hunting Safari. They are totally different experiences. Make sure in your heart which of the two you want.

JP

 

[Pavel U]

Thank You all for Your advices. Must say I feel ending up with more questions than I started with However I think it is a good thing
Especially @Frederik and @375Fox put the best clues of what to consider and made me really thinking. Simple answer to many question is: I don't know .... at the moment As I mentioned I am new to hunting so haven't build many preferences yet because of insuficient experience.
I consider myself being rather "trophy" hunter than shooter - e.g. in the last two weeks I keep geting up 3:30 am before the work, in the first light to climb the hill and try to sneak up on elusive little abstard - what we call "button" roe deer (no antlers, only pale spots on the head) that needs to be culled before the rut. He keeps evading me, and even though I saw him few times through scope, I didn't shoot because in the poor light cannot be sure whether it is the buck or doe, or he was on the horizon, and other reasons.
Even though I could shoot (theoretically) dozens of other roe deers on the way I want to get this particular one. What am I? .... an idiot, of course But this is what I like. And this probably is what I would like to do on my Dream hunt one day.
I left myself a week to think this through. I am open minded and want to get the experience. So my plan (according to Your advice) would be:
- to look for PH, that is willing to let me try different hunting methods
- to look for area with different landscapes - bush, mountains, plains
- I like idea of hunting hard from dawn till dusk, but not sure if I am hard enough to keep it whole week in unknown possibly harsh country - so keep it as an initial idea with an option to slow down a bit.
- I do not want to spend money on the trophies at the moment. The cost should not be excessive, because it is just a "try and see".
To sum it: keep open mind and taste as much flavours as possible. So when I do the dream hunt(s) in the future - I would know that this is really what I want.

Thank You very much one more time and have a nice day
"Lovu zdar"

 

[Frederik]

Seems to me a management hunt with some of the outfitters that are advertising here should fit your hunt to begin with.
Just bring extra money for an animal or two that you would love to take when seeing them here.

 

[VertigoBE]

First of all, Welcome to AH @Pavel U ! You'll soon find out that joining AH is the worst financial decision you could have made, but you will get so much friendship, knowledge and good natured laughs out of joining the family, that it will be all worth it.

I also applaud you for your high standards of ethics while hunting. Even trying to single out one specific animal out of the species that visit your hunting grounds, in order to improve the gene pool. On the tiny plots we have in Belgium, we do the same thing.

Now onto Africa:

As others mentioned it already, keep your ears open for what the members here tell you. Especially the ones with multiple hunting trips in Africa under their belt.

Instead of going to find a deal, and then see if the PH/area/animals/experience is up to your standards, I would go about it the other way:

Read through the hunting reports for South Africa and Namibia until you have a list of operators that seem to have the type of hunting and area that you would be interested in. Then ask to have a discussion with them (just write them via the private messaging system of AH) to further find out if they are the right match personality wise and such, until you have about three remaining. You will likely see, that the pricing for all three, if in SA/Namibia, is going to be very similar. (yay for capitalism) The biggest differences will be in the large trophy animals, where one operator might have more access to than another, but as you mentioned this is not within your budget for the moment.

Instead ask them to compose for you a 7 or 10 day hunt, focusing on the cheaper trophy animals, impala, warthog, duiker, springbok, blesbok, baboon . Often these 6 can be found for less than 250€ each. Add on this that you would be open to also hunt a few cull animals, and you will have grand safari experience, exactly the way you want it, while not costing too much.

Finally, if you do take a trophy home, don't let yourself get too enthusiastic, and stick with European skull mounts.

- Flights: 1500 or less (I found my flights last year for 600€ return flight)
- Stay: 2000 or less (others already gave an indication of 180€/d, so 10days=1800€)
- Animals: 2000 or less (the 6 animals mentioned, should not be more than 1750€)

Cheers!

V.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Welcome welcome welcome

 

[mark-hunter]

On both offers, ask for all inclusive price.
Then compare.

First offer, with less non inluded prices does not mean much. So, ask for all inclusice price, both of them.

Both of them mentioned tips. Ask, what tip is expected.

Ask full trophy price list. Compare. (compare prices per each animal, but also compare number of species available)

Ask both of them, to send you reference contacts. Send email to every reference contat and ask for their experience

Ask both of them the size of hunting area. (in my view larger is better)

How many hunters will be in camp? Ask. Less is better.


Are all animals hunted in same area, or for some will need to go by car? How far away? (it is not so important for quality of hunt, but loosing time to travel locally is loosing time for hunt)


You are 33? I just competed a safari few days ago, with 10 hours of walking everyday, with age of 50.
Young people dont go to Africa, because they need money for everything else - car, house, flat, wife, diapers, morgage..
25 year old doesnt go to Africa. So you are in perfect age to go now. So, go.

 

[Rick HOlbert]

Thank You all for Your advices. Must say I feel ending up with more questions than I started with However I think it is a good thing
Especially @Frederik and @375Fox put the best clues of what to consider and made me really thinking. Simple answer to many question is: I don't know .... at the moment As I mentioned I am new to hunting so haven't build many preferences yet because of insuficient experience.
I consider myself being rather "trophy" hunter than shooter - e.g. in the last two weeks I keep geting up 3:30 am before the work, in the first light to climb the hill and try to sneak up on elusive little abstard - what we call "button" roe deer (no antlers, only pale spots on the head) that needs to be culled before the rut. He keeps evading me, and even though I saw him few times through scope, I didn't shoot because in the poor light cannot be sure whether it is the buck or doe, or he was on the horizon, and other reasons.
Even though I could shoot (theoretically) dozens of other roe deers on the way I want to get this particular one. What am I? .... an idiot, of course But this is what I like. And this probably is what I would like to do on my Dream hunt one day.
I left myself a week to think this through. I am open minded and want to get the experience. So my plan (according to Your advice) would be:
- to look for PH, that is willing to let me try different hunting methods
- to look for area with different landscapes - bush, mountains, plains
- I like idea of hunting hard from dawn till dusk, but not sure if I am hard enough to keep it whole week in unknown possibly harsh country - so keep it as an initial idea with an option to slow down a bit.
- I do not want to spend money on the trophies at the moment. The cost should not be excessive, because it is just a "try and see".
To sum it: keep open mind and taste as much flavours as possible. So when I do the dream hunt(s) in the future - I would know that this is really what I want.

Thank You very much one more time and have a nice day
"Lovu zdar"

Pavel, my best wishes to you and your future hunt. After reading this I admire your ambitions as a hunter. You have the true nature of a hunter, that a worthy animal must be earned. Not a given. To pass on others and concentrate on one particular individual is a worthy goal to achieve. There is a difference between a shooter and a hunter. And as a hunter what you harvest will leave lasting memories. Carry on sir. May the gods of the hunt smile on you.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I'm not much older than you (37), and think my first safari I was 29. The best advice I can give you is not to get too caught up on a list, just plan to go back, lol. Don't even pretend you aren't going to go back, once it is in your blood, you will be going back.

My first trip, I didn't really have a list (I was doing DG, so not like I could run up numbers). But each trip, I plan to take 2 or 3 main animals and budget for 1 or 2 more in case Africa gives me something special.

I also have picked outfitters where they never put pressure on me to shoot. This is based on conversations with them and talking with people who have hunted with them. Like your button roe, let's find the one and hunt it hard.

I'm not sure if I would want a cull experience for my first hunt, it would be fun and you would get some shooting in but feel like you would be better suited going for 3 or 4 trophies, like Springbok, Impala, Warthog, Wildebeest and/or Bushbuck (just as an example). Figure out 2 or 3 that would matter to you, hunt them and takes notes for what you want to hunt the next time.

Also make sure you take a journal, you want to capture everything while you are there.

 

[Frederik]

Pavel, LivingTheDream,

I juts want to point something out there is a big difference between cull hunt and management hunt.
Management hunt is for non trophies or females same as proper hunt just not trophy animals.

Cull hunt could be done from vehicle, night to shoot the target numbers required its work not hunting.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Pavel, LivingTheDream,

I juts want to point something out there is a big difference between cull hunt and management hunt.
Management hunt is for non trophies or females same as proper hunt just not trophy animals.

Cull hunt could be done from vehicle, night to shoot the target numbers required its work not hunting.

Thats a good call to specify that difference.