Gifts for the Professional Hunter's children

[Kurt Swanson]

What are some gift ideas for the children of the PH?

I will be hunting in Namibian later this month and the PH has two small children. My wife and I would like to bring them gifts. Are there things not readily available in Africa that we could bring, or should we just give them board games and toys like we would in America?

Kurt

 

[mdwest]

The last trip I made over, I knew my PH had a young toddler son that loves playing with matchbox cars, which are actually pretty expensive in South Africa... I picked up about 10 of them from walmart when they went on sale for $0.99 each and took them to him as a gift...

The PH also has two daughters, both young (elementary school age).. we flew through London via American Airlines / British Airlines that year to get to Jo'berg... We stopped in the Herrods thats in Heathrow and bought each of them a little inexpensive piece of jewelry (I think it was maybe $15 for each of them? just earrings or something.. I cant remember)... but all of the kids really seemed to love their "gifts"...

Fast forward two years... we're heading back over in a month.. All the kids are a bit older.. One of the daughters has become a huntress, and the toddler is now old enough that he accompanies dad on the bakkie and loves going on the hunt.. the other daughter is toying with the idea of hunting if I understand correctly...

I occasionally make knives as a hobby... so this year, Im making all of the kids matching hunting knives (with the PH's blessing... he will control their access and use).. they will all have the same blade profile, same sheath, etc.. but each one will be unique to the child in that Im incorporating micarta handles in each of their favorite colors on their individual knives)..

 

[YancyW]

I would ask the outfitter if there is anything they know that might be useful for the PH's family. I always bring candy and other snacks, but coloring books, pencils, etc may also be a good idea.

 

[mdwest]

I always bring candy and other snacks,

I do this too... but those are generally for the trackers, skinners, and... well.... me lol...

 

[Kurt Swanson]

Thanks for the ideas, and keep them coming. I have asked the outfitter, so when I hear back I'll post it here.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

For younger kids cars or Elsa sets for the girls. Older kids a watch or one of those wrist pedometers.

 

[MarkB]

Maybe I am weird? I am in total agreement with mdwest above. Cannot speak to SA as only hunted Zim/Namibia (few times). I once asked my PH if there were any gifts I could bring, his wife responded with a long list of presents for their children. Some quite detailed, costly and large. I was floored, I really meant gifts for those locals children who are not as fortunate, trackers, scouts, skinners, those who live on the "community".

I took nothing on the list provided. No gortex camo jackets from Cabelas in stated sizes. I did fill bag weight with wrapped hard candy, pencils, crayons, paper, soccer balls and crocs.

This specific incident was Namibia, many times during 18 day hunt we got things for PH children back in camp. Even took for ice cream a few times. Never were the "hut" living families/kids included. But they did get ALL that came out of my luggage.

Don't want to sound like a dick but there is only so much room/weight in baggage, my children gifts priority usually leads to the less fortunate. Never really seen PH children in same "class" as workers community children.

MB

 

[Rob404]

I year before I traveled to Africa I would talk to my PH Via E-mail so I had an Idea of what he liked and also what his wife/Chef liked so I went over with a assortment of goodies, music CDs for the PH, Saffron, Books and a Twin Cities Harley Davidson Tee Shirt for His wife

 

[JimP]

An idea for those who want to get children something but come up against the weight problems. Ask your outfitter to stop by a store where you can purchase a bunch of stuff. We arrived a day early and spent the night in Port Elizabeth, on our way out of town the next day we stopped at a store much like a Walmart and loaded up 4 carts full of items. We were going to visit a school so we had a bunch of school supplies, soccer balls, tennis balls and a bunch of other stuff. We then went to a drug store type of store and picked up a few medical kits and enough other supplies to keep the kits stocked for a long time. We also purchased a good supply of candy to hand out to the kids when we were in areas where kids were at.. We took a horseback ride into a remote village in Lesotho and along the way there were always kids in along the road waiting for someone like up to come along. Candy and tennis balls were a big hit.

 

[Muskox]

It's a tough call, I personally would do minimal gifts. Ask the ages, and then get them $20-30 tops per kid worth of what was asked for.

I don't reckon you are family until you have been there 2-3 times.

 

[Kurt Swanson]

This will be my fourth hunt there and we always try to bring some gifts for the outfitter and her grandkids. For the staff we usually just tip. My previous PH is a bachelor, but I'm hunting with a new PH this time, and he’s got the little kids.

The outfitter has always provided a list of things for the school which serves all the children, so in the past we've brought as many crayons, colored pencils, soccer balls, etc., that we could fit in our luggage, and we'll be doing that on this trip also.

 

[mark-hunter]

Depends of the age, and import regulations, but for PH kids:
1 - air rifle (if possible to imprt and leave there)
2 - in case air rifle is not possible to import and leave in contry, then a really good slingshot(s)
3 - hunting knives
4 - tactical flashlights
5 - sound amplification earmuffs (they will be listening the critters noise of the bush at night)

in one word - buy them tte real thing they will remember and cherish all their lives!! And they will remeber you.

 

[YancyW]

I do this too... but those are generally for the trackers, skinners, and... well.... me lol...

I bring a couple carton of cigarettes for the trackers and skinners, can't go wrong.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Maybe I am weird? I am in total agreement with mdwest above. Cannot speak to SA as only hunted Zim/Namibia (few times). I once asked my PH if there were any gifts I could bring, his wife responded with a long list of presents for their children. Some quite detailed, costly and large. I was floored, I really meant gifts for those locals children who are not as fortunate, trackers, scouts, skinners, those who live on the "community".

I took nothing on the list provided. No gortex camo jackets from Cabelas in stated sizes. I did fill bag weight with wrapped hard candy, pencils, crayons, paper, soccer balls and crocs.

This specific incident was Namibia, many times during 18 day hunt we got things for PH children back in camp. Even took for ice cream a few times. Never were the "hut" living families/kids included. But they did get ALL that came out of my luggage.

Don't want to sound like a dick but there is only so much room/weight in baggage, my children gifts priority usually leads to the less fortunate. Never really seen PH children in same "class" as workers community children.

MB

@MarkB
We were the same .We rang the PH wife and asked her. She asked if we could bring writing books, pens and pencils and reading books for the local school. We took around 6 kilos of stuff with us split between 3 bags. The local school kids thought it was Christmas as they had very little.
My son learnt his most valuable life lesson from those kids. You don't need a lot to be happy, be happy with what you have.
Bob.

 

[Probono]

A bow and arrows are always good choice to gift hunting kids. They all secretly wants to be robin hood.

 

[MarkB]

I bring a couple carton of cigarettes for the trackers and skinners, can't go wrong.

Great idea, then they will not have to wait for read pages from your book to use as rolling paper. That was an eye opening realisation to other lifestyles.

MB

 

[YancyW]

Great idea, then they will not have to wait for read pages from your book to use as rolling paper. That was an eye opening realisation to other lifestyles.

MB

For sure, I saw some trackers using pages from a magazine for paper. I suspect loose tobacco and papers might be a better, I may do that this trip.