Has anyone here hunted Africa “Backwards”?

[Northern Shooter]

I guess the obvious answer would be to hunt a combination of both in the first trip.

Looks like buffalo is often paired with mixed PG.

Hunt the buffalo first and then use the remaining days for any opportunity species.

 

[Green Chile]

My first safari focused heavily on dangerous game. It was a 24-day hunt back in 1983, with Roy Vincent, then of Rosslyn Safaris, in the Deka Safari Area.

Mine was the first full safari conducted on Deka in 12 years and it was a very grand adventure. I had everything that occurred in that area on license, except for lion. I should have extended to 28 days and added lion as I would have shot a fantastic male on day one. It would have been the first animal I shot in Africa. As it was I shot a 58 lb. Elephant bull, a big leopard and two buffalo, a 41” bull and 42” bull. We also saw lion and a Black Rhino, both within 25 yards.

Back then Deka had tons of buffalo and elephant but also lots of plains game. I was very fortunate to shoot a 45” sable, 31” Waterbuck and 54” Kudu as well as Warthogs, Klipspringer, Sharpe’s Grysbok, Impala, Common Duiker. The only animal I had on license and didn’t shoot was a bushbuck.

To this day, that trip remains the finest month of my life. The mounts from that hunt are scattered around my game room and I often think about the experiences I enjoyed during that fantastic time.

Wow...can't beat that unless you had the lion tag. You will never top that hunt and with an incredible PH as well.

 

[Franco]

I have posted this before - I went on my first safari at age 65 and hadn't shot anything but a few birds in the previous 45 years. And, counter to what seems to be the general thought - I started out with a double, a Heym 450/400 - the PH actually helped me pick it out at the DSC show. I also had a Heym 375H&H. I shot 4 cape buffalo in addition to plains game.

My second safari I shot 2 elephants, a couple hippos, a rhino, a croc, and some more cape buffalo.

As for the last part of your question. I try to hunt what befits using a double. Honestly the only interest I have in plains game is for bait.

I can't picture myself going to Africa and not targeting any of the Big 5/Dangerous 7.

 

[neckdeep]

First shot fired into an animal in Africa was Cape buffalo, hasn't diminished my desire to go after plains game, but definitely not interested in game farm type stuff. Really don't have much interest in going somewhere without the big 5. Can't beat dodging elephants while tracking or listening to Lions roar all night.

 

[WAB]

I thought I was only going to be able to go 1 time. Buzz Charlton asked what I do for fun living in Alaska and I said we call bears with predator calls. He said forgot everything else, we are going for tuskless elephant! So I came the first time...went to Zim when there were State Dept warnings about Mugabe...and took a tuskless with CMS. I started that way and have been doing DG ever since. It was multiple safaris before I even looked seriously at PG. Now I'm chasing DG and duikers on most trips. So I guess I started "backwards".

Here's the first hunt report. https://www.africahunting.com/threa...years-ago-and-i-wouldnt-try-that-again.89360/

LOL, you and I share a lot of similar experiences. I had some interesting adventures using predator calls on brown bear when I lived in Alaska! We ran a boat out of Valdez. Sure opened up a lot of wild country.

 

[wyosteve]

I'm pleased to see this thread. I never understood the advice to do plains game first, especially if one is fairly experienced. My desire has been to likely only shoot a buffalo. To me, plains game is similar to what I've done for many years in Wyoming, i.e. hunt antelope and often mule deer on the plains. Of course the variety is much greater in Africa. I've hunted in grizzly country for several decades and have taken 3 of the big bears so know what a dangerous game hunt can consist of. Now I just need to overcome my reluctance to deal with all the paperwork hassles and extremely long flight!

 

[Green Chile]

We are here to encourage and inspire others to join us in Africa. Join the addiction.

 

[Sabre]

I think you should do whatever is the most desirable to you and within your budget first. If you have dreamed your entire life of elephant hunting and not plains game, why go do a plains game first?

I choose hunts based on what means the most to me at that time. Then I look for a hunt that is available and within my budget that fulfills that dream of mine.

If I end up terminally ill or physically unable to hunt a year or two from now, I would rather have followed my dreams for a hunt I really wanted than to have done hunts other people told me I should do first.

 

[revturbo9967]

I wanted to do DG first just in case it was my one and only Africa trip. Well now I’m headed back for PG in May.

 

[roklok]

My first African kill was my cape buff last year in Caprivi. I am planning on going again in 2026 for buff and elephant. Plains game is something to do when the serious hunting is over for me. No plains game holds enough appeal to me to travel halfway around the world. Thats me, I understand lots of folks do though.

 

[zephyr]

First African hunt Buff and Tuskless with a Double

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I wanted to hunt Africa (mainly Dangerous Game) but also felt there were some many awesome North American species to hunt and it was too expensive that it wasn't for me. A buddy convinced me to join him on an auction hunt for Plains Game .... while driving to the airport I added a second "last minute" hunt (Cape Buffalo) to the back end of the trip, knowing DG was what really piqued my interest about Africa. While the buffalo wasn't my first animal in Africa it's 100% what has me coming back to Africa every year.

It's your money and your life, hunt what you want and when you want. Is Plains Game a great way to dip your toe in? 100%! BUT if you have the desire, the money or the experience why limit yourself.

 

[BC Tal]

My first African kill was a Cape buffalo, then Eland. When (not if) I go back, i may concentrate on plains game. Prepare as best you can, then go for it.

 

[Green Chile]

LOL, you and I share a lot of similar experiences. I had some interesting adventures using predator calls on brown bear when I lived in Alaska! We ran a boat out of Valdez. Sure opened up a lot of wild country.

One of these days we should do a DG trip together. That would be fun.

 

[Andrew62]

My first Safari, back in 1988, I was just 26 years old. My hunt was for 15 days, I hunted with Buffalo Range Safaris, my guide was Butch Coatan.

On that hunt I took Cape buffalo, cow elephant, leopard, plus lots of plains-game. The very first animal I took in Africa was a Cape buffalo.

 

[Andrew62]

My first safari was a package of five plains game animals. I had all but the kudu by second day. Then an unexpected opportunity came up to cull an exceptional cow buffalo. It took some persuasion but I finally agreed. Turned out to be quite an exciting hunt. The herd bull gave us some serious grief. My second safari I took a very nice old bull. Then I hunted buffalo again on my fourth safari but never connected. They are fun to stalk but I think kudu are every bit as difficult to hunt and a fraction of the cost. A lot prettier on the wall too. Those critters are just plain magical. Anybody asks me I always tell them shooting four kudu is five times as challenging as one buffalo and a lot less money. No desire to shoot elephant, croc, or hippo. My buffalo bull hunt gave me all the exposure to rhino I'll need for this lifetime.

If one is going to walk and stalk a kudu, I can’t think of a better value for your hunting dollar!

 

[WAB]

One of these days we should do a DG trip together. That would be fun.

Agreed

 

[sniper7]

Yep I did. Borrowed a gun from my buddy’s dad and went straight after elephant on my first time/hunt to Africa. Go big or go home!

 

[MarkB]

I did backwards. I started first ever safari with an 18 day leopard/buff/pg wild Zim, failed to see big male leopard.

Then back to zim for 12 day ele/pg,

The leopard miss hurt harder so 18 days in Namibia leopard, many many PG. Finally an awesome big male leopard.

Then after 3 of the big 5, I succumbed and realized wild lion and kill rhino were beyond my willingness to spend and or finances so SA for 21 day CB lion and many many PG.

Now a return to SA for that rhino green is forefront, soon.

Then back to where I love for hippo in Zim. 26 after SA on same trip??? or 27?

So glad I did it the way I did, truly wild born animals sure make a safari different. At least for me, would not change any part of it.

MB

 

[FlowHamed18]

My first shot on the African continent on an animal killed a very nice buffalo.

The essential part of the story with pictures is written down here on AH

Thread 'SOUTH AFRICA: Back From A Wonderful Journey & A Great Hunt With Wayne Wagner Safaris'

Aug 29, 2024

Today I got home from a really great Safari organised by Wayne Wagner Safaris.

The PH was Ian Brown and we were hunting my first buffalo for 7 days in the Limpopo province.

I have to say that Ian is a wonderful person. He is friendly, funny and a really great PH who is living for the hunt itself.

From the first second of daylight until the last one we were out in the bush searching for tracks and following them through the bush.

The accommodation was nice and the food was always great.

As I am not a very good writer, only a few sentences on my buffalo.
On day 6 of 7 we found this old...

• FlowHamed18
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Hunting reports Africa

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