first Safari

[David jr]

Hello all,

I am 63 years old with Congestive Heart Failure and will have both knees replaced in 2026. So I will be taking all of 2026 to get ready for this dream hunt. The hunt will be a full 21 day hunt. I would like to hunt elephant, cape buffalo, hippo, crock, and as many of the plains game as possible. I have chosen 458 win mag heavy cal and 30/06 to take on this hunt. Both are control feed model 70’s and yes the clip on the 458 will hold 5 + 1 in chamber. I have two extra clips for the 458 for very quick reloads if needed. The 30/06 will hold 5 in mag +1 in chamber so I have the rifles covered. I do have bigger calibers than 30/06. I have been shooting 30/06 for 57 years and know the 30/06 very well without thinking out to 1000 yards. I would prefer to take my own ammo which I have 100% confidence in, or will I be stuck with factory ammo? I have no trouble with barnes for expanding bullets and SOLID or some other brand for bullets. Your comments will be greatly appreciated. I founded Hunters Supply cast bullets and would love to use cast bullets. if this is allowed in Africa? This will be the biggest hunt I have ever taken and I do not wish to hunt behind high fence. I would prefer strictly fair chase.

Here are the two rifles I have chosen: the sig 1 to 6 on the 458 shepherd 3 to 10 on the 30/06 for glass. I have 100% confident in both scopes. The sig scope has well over 300 rounds full power 458 with out any movement in zero, and the shepherd I have used on every thing from 375 h&h to 22 hornet the only scope that is both FFP and SFP, so you know just by looking through the scope if it has shifted from zero.
Looking forward to hearing all your suggestions for time of year to go and looking forward to hearing from the PH on here. I have hunted in Alaska and the lower 48 by hunting many elk, mule deer and whitetail, moose, caribou, andAmerican bison antelope. This however will be my first trip across the pond and look forward to preparing for this dream hunt.

 

[375Fox]

You can definitely take your handloads. You aren’t limited to factory ammo, but you are limited to 11 lbs maximum. Cast bullets would be a discussion with your PH before the hunt.
You’ll likely get a lot of offers sent privately but there are only a few sponsors I’d even consider for this kind of hunt. You are looking at $70k+ in any quality area, potentially a lot more depending on the type of elephant you’d like to hunt. I’d only consider offers from PHs based in the country you’d hunt with a few exceptions. If this is your first trip and potentially only trip and you want a safari of this magnitude, I’d reach out to the more established US booking agents like the hunting consortium, jack Atcheson and sons, hunters networks. They can present a lot of options and countries and discuss pros and cons of each for your situation. There are a lot of ways to go wrong if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. If it’s before your surgery going to DSC or SCI show would provide you a huge amount of options to compare, but maybe too many.

 

[375Fox]

You might also consider two 10 day safaris over 2 years. The first will help you better identify what you want from your second hunt. Also, if you have health issues 21 days can be hard on anyone. Buffalo and elephant require a lot of hours and miles tracking everyday in the sun.

 

[MarkB]

Welcome to the site for all Africa. As stated you will be inundated with many outfitters offering you a hunt.

You most certainly have the guns figured out, both light and heavy sound perfect. Not sure about the cast bullets, talk to the outfitter and PH. Barnes bullets have many great reviews, but there are others, Swift, Hornady and Nosler all make well reviewed great working bullets. Plus many I never mentioned, nearly all 2025 controlled expanding and solids work well.

The next and more important and factoring item is budget, this will dictate country, and details of the hunt. Your health will also play a huge factor, as @375Fox stated "normal" buff and ele are walk hunts, normally long. Most good outfitters that know their areas will/may be able to mitigate those stalks to the shortest and least physical but they are still walking hunts. Flatter areas over climbing ones is an outfitter item for mitigation.

I certainly will be following this thread to see what is presented and your offered choices.

Good luck.

MB

 

[uplander01]

Your guns are good to go.

If I were in the same situation, after the same animals, knowing the people I know and have hunted with in Africa, I would call Makore Safaris, ask for Gary, and ask about the new concession and camp they have in the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe area. And I would have extra day or two to spend in Vic Falls. If you want to speak directly or email, PM me, glad to help in any way I can.

Sorry to hear about your health condition.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Good luck with the plan. Enjoy the prep and the ride. Three years ago, I wanted to go on Safari. Covid19 had nearly killed me. I was over weight, had bad knees, and suffered breathing issues from Covid. My medical issues might not have been as bad as yours but they made walking to the mail box each day an issue.

I found a doctor that believed in curing his patients instead of masking their symptoms with drugs. I learned how to eat and lost 40lbs over 3 months and have since lost 10 more. Bobby K is right on tgt.

I worked with an ortho doc to patch up my knees, and began going to the gym for cardio three days each week. I hiked in the woods weekly and by 5 months I could hike 5 miles per day over hilly terrain.

I got a pair of shooting sticks and learned to use them. I practiced with a suppressed 22lr at short range in my yard every day off sticks. After 8months of prep, I decided to go on a practice Safari. Loved it. This year, I did my Cape Buffalo hunt and it was daunting and lots of walking even after all of my prep. To each his own, but I would suggest also that you go for a shorter practice hunt of 7-10days and then go all in for the Ele and Buff, Hippo and Croc. Or do the Hippo and Croc for practice?

You can walk for miles every day tracking Elephant and that one animal can be grueling for anyone, let alone and old fart like me (I am 69yr old). In my case, I have decided that Ele is too physically demanding for my old carcass. My next hunt is aiming for Namibia and Eland, Golden WB, Zebra and either croc or one of the cats. Safari saved my life. The need to plan and prepare motivated me to improve my health. I will keep going for as long as I am able.

 

[Mekaniks]

To AH. You have come to the right place