SOUTH AFRICA: I'm back from safari #1

Stormy Kromer

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I returned yesterday from a week long plains game safari in South Africa. I learned a lot from this forum and would like to share some observations. Please note that I'm not attempting to say that my way is the only way, or the best way. I only want to share what worked and what could have been done better when planning a Safari.

1. Get a good partner to go with. I went with my wife and she enjoyed it as an observer.

2. Line up your PH and a plan on what you want to hunt. Make this flexible and keep your options open. I had 4 animals on my package and didn't get a shot at one the first two days. I opened up to other animals and later in the hunt the animals on my list came along. Have fun with what Africa brings you. My 4 animals turned into 7 and I had a great time. I gladly paid the trophy fees on the additional animals.

3. Use a travel agent to book your flights and hotels. I used Jennifer at Travel Express and it went well.

Airports, well they are what they are. We had time to spare at O'Hare, Newark and Johannesburg. Make the best of it.

4. Bring your own rifle. I brought mine and was glad I did. I took 7 animals and made some good shots, some not so good. I have only myself to hold to account, I have confidence in my rifle and confidence is a huge part of shooting well. A couple months ahead of time go to your nearest customs office and fill out the 4457 form for your rifle. In included my scope and binoculars but the only thing the authorities cared about was that the serial number on the rifle and 4457 matched up. I used Rifle Permits and they did exactly what they said they would. I upgraded to VIP service to meet us at the gait at Tambo. They made it easy and were well worth the cost. Keep a copy of the temporary permit on you and another inside your gun case, they do look at this as you enter and depart. I left my suppressor home, that's a whole other thread.

Put your rifle in a metal gun case designed for airline travel, not a plastic one. (The TSA told me so as they searched my metal case) I used a non TSA lock for the rifle, a plain old Master Lock from the hardware store. I had a key and my wife had another. I had a spare lock that used the same key inside the gun case.

Ammunition was kept in a plastic Plano ammunition box. It held 3 boxes in the original factory boxes with enough room for a small folding knife and leatherman tool. I used a TSA combination lock and kept a spare lock inside. I got the box & locks at Scheels for about $25 total. Kept it in my checked bag, told the airline and they had no problems on either end.

I used a .300 Win Mag with 200 grain Swift A Frames. Performed perfectly on 7 animals. Exit wounds on all except the front end first shot on a zebra, then it turned broadside I got a nice exit wound on the follow up shot. You don't need a .300 Win for most plains game, hell I shot a Steenbok with it. But, it was good to have the firepower when taking shots at Kudu and Zebra at difficult angles.

Scope. My rifle has a 3.5 x 10 Leupold scope. It worked well and held its zero when we checked it out at the range on arrival. Kept it on the lowest setting all the time until I got it on the animal.

5. Overnight in Johannesburg. We arrived on United 188 at about 6:30 pm. We got a room at City Lodge and were escorted right to the front desk by the nice folks from Rifle Permits. We got a good nights sleep and reorganized before being picked up by our PH the next morning. This was much better than getting in a vehicle and driving 4 hours in the dark to get to camp by 1:00 am and start hunting the next day. Take an extra day off and arrive a day early, well worth it. Day 1 of our safari was the day they picked us up weather it was in the morning or evening. City Lodge exceeded our expectations. Great place with a wonderful restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Book breakfast when you check in the night before, you'll be glad.

6. We took insurance from Ripcord for medical & evacuation. $150 each, great peace of mind. The most dangerous part of your safari is the drive from Johannesburg to your camp.

7. When traveling with United we were allowed two checked bags each. We took my rifle as one item and a large duffel bag as the other, this duffell held all of our clothes equipment. My binoculars were in the rifle case. We each had a small bag that would fit under the seat ahead of us. I would avoid using a bag that requires the overhead bins. We flew Economy and on every single leg the overhead bins filled up before we got on the plane. You'll be checking bags anyway, just check your stuff and let them carry it for you.

Its hard for me to sleep or read on a plane. I don't know what to tell you on how to prepare for the long flight. We will consider Premium Economy next time.

8. Traveling with cash. I made payment arrangements with my outfitter ahead of time, including all tips, so cash wasn't a big deal. I brought $1,000 in a wide variety of bills, mostly $10 and $20 and $50. I brought back around $800. The rest was used for tipping people that helped. I found that cash isn't needed or even accepted at the airports, restaurants or hotels. At Newark you can't use cash if you want to. You can't order a beer without using a smartphone and credit card........crazy.

Leave most of your cash home and bring at LEAST 3 different credit cards. I called all my credit card companies in advance and told them I'd be traveling to Africa. They all told me that I'd be fine and it wasn't even necessary to call them. When I got to City Lodge my GM card was DENIED. I wasn't going to spend an hour on the phone to get them to reinstate it so I used another card and that was accepted. Frustrating.

9. Clothes. I wore one outfit and packed 2. I wore clothes that I could hunt in just in case my bags didn't arrive. Here is what I'd pack if I go again.

Pants. 2 pair of Carhart work pants in either brown or original Carhart. No need for chaps with these pants.
Shirts. 2 Columbia long sleeve fishing shirts in tan or brown. No undershirts.
Socks. 3 pair of light weight breathable socks. I used Darn Tough hiking socks, comfortable but too hot.
Boots. I wore my 9" Cabela's Outfitter boots with airbob soles. I love these boots but they were too hot. I'll like the support of the 9" boot and will look for an un-insulated similar boot for next time.
Hat. I wore a typical baseball style hat in camo. Next time I'll bring a mesh hat since they're cooler. No stocking hat necessary.
Coat. I wore a Carhart work vest for a couple hours some mornings. Sage color matched the terrain nicely. I packed a jacket and never wore it. No need for rain gear, if it sprinkled we just got in the truck. I'd avoid anything with a hood.

Realize I was there in March when it's early fall, it gets cooler later. I wore sunscreen every day.

10. Equipment. I brought a bi-pod and shooting stix. Didn't use either one but I could have, probably should have. Next time I will bring a front end rest in case we get a shot from off the hood of the vehicle. This would be much better than a rolled up jacket.

Knife. I brought a Havilon folding knife and leatherman just because I always carry these. I didn't use either one the entire trip. I gave them both to my tracker (I gave them to the PH so he could show him how to use them first). This way he won't ask to borrow the PH's knife anymore. The PH appreciated this very much and thought it was a good idea.

Electric Converter. I bought one for about $35 online. Worked great, I left it with the PH so others can use it. I don't need it here. Note that electric service in SA is very, very unreliable.

Photo equipment. Most everyone uses phones for this now, but I did bring my digital camera and took backup photos. Take your time and take good photos.

Binoculars. In the Limpopo area the brush is thick. Not a lot of long distance glassing. I brought my 7x30 Swarovski's. They worked well. Get a good binocular strap so they aren't bouncing around.

11. Taxidermy. I contacted Splitting Images ahead of time and they work together with my PH. Before I left the paperwork was all filled out and they had a route truck pick everything up. There was an email from them waiting for me when I got home. Excellent service so far, we are going to have the completed items shipped to our door. We had an idea of what we wanted from what we saw on their web site ahead of time.

12. Tipping. I asked the owner about this before I booked the trip. He showed me his suggested tipping guide in his brochure. I followed it to the T and included it in the final payment so he could give them to each person personally. He didn't want us giving cash to the staff directly. He had his reasons. I did give my PH a little something above and beyond. He was tremendous.

13. Paperwork. We each had a small pouch with a shoulder strap that held our passports, cash, cards and original permits/papers. I kept mine inside my shirt. I made 4 copies of everything and kept a copy in our checked bag, rifle case and carry on bags. Didn't need them but it felt good knowing we had them.

Make sure your passport has at least two pages open. I heard a horror story of someone arriving in SA that didn't have room was denied entry, they had to get a flight for the trip home. Imagine another 15 hour flight after you just got there......

Overall, the biggest obstacle keeping me from going to Africa was all the unknowns and how to plan for it. Our outfitter was a tremendous help in pointing us in the right direction. We had an absolutely wonderful time and if I can help anyone I certainly will This site was helpful also, thanks everyone.
 
Very nice and Thank You for sharing, lots of good info.
Who was your outfitter and PH? What animals did you hunt?

pics? Nothing is real until there are pics on the internet :D

Glad you had a time!
 
Thanks for this report. What I like about this post is it shows how simple it really is to travel to South Africa (or Namibia) including bringing your own firearm.

On your credit card issue, using the card in country that you used to buy the flights there will make it easier. Most credit cards you can’t set a travel alert anymore but that puts the note on that credit card automatically. Also, it’s important to have the credit card app on your phone. It should have been as simple as logging on to City Lodge’s WiFi and confirming charge was you.
 
Glad it all worked out for you! Sounds like you enjoyed the experience.
 
G
I returned yesterday from a week long plains game safari in South Africa. I learned a lot from this forum and would like to share some observations. Please note that I'm not attempting to say that my way is the only way, or the best way. I only want to share what worked and what could have been done better when planning a Safari.

1. Get a good partner to go with. I went with my wife and she enjoyed it as an observer.

2. Line up your PH and a plan on what you want to hunt. Make this flexible and keep your options open. I had 4 animals on my package and didn't get a shot at one the first two days. I opened up to other animals and later in the hunt the animals on my list came along. Have fun with what Africa brings you. My 4 animals turned into 7 and I had a great time. I gladly paid the trophy fees on the additional animals.

3. Use a travel agent to book your flights and hotels. I used Jennifer at Travel Express and it went well.

Airports, well they are what they are. We had time to spare at O'Hare, Newark and Johannesburg. Make the best of it.

4. Bring your own rifle. I brought mine and was glad I did. I took 7 animals and made some good shots, some not so good. I have only myself to hold to account, I have confidence in my rifle and confidence is a huge part of shooting well. A couple months ahead of time go to your nearest customs office and fill out the 4457 form for your rifle. In included my scope and binoculars but the only thing the authorities cared about was that the serial number on the rifle and 4457 matched up. I used Rifle Permits and they did exactly what they said they would. I upgraded to VIP service to meet us at the gait at Tambo. They made it easy and were well worth the cost. Keep a copy of the temporary permit on you and another inside your gun case, they do look at this as you enter and depart. I left my suppressor home, that's a whole other thread.

Put your rifle in a metal gun case designed for airline travel, not a plastic one. (The TSA told me so as they searched my metal case) I used a non TSA lock for the rifle, a plain old Master Lock from the hardware store. I had a key and my wife had another. I had a spare lock that used the same key inside the gun case.

Ammunition was kept in a plastic Plano ammunition box. It held 3 boxes in the original factory boxes with enough room for a small folding knife and leatherman tool. I used a TSA combination lock and kept a spare lock inside. I got the box & locks at Scheels for about $25 total. Kept it in my checked bag, told the airline and they had no problems on either end.

I used a .300 Win Mag with 200 grain Swift A Frames. Performed perfectly on 7 animals. Exit wounds on all except the front end first shot on a zebra, then it turned broadside I got a nice exit wound on the follow up shot. You don't need a .300 Win for most plains game, hell I shot a Steenbok with it. But, it was good to have the firepower when taking shots at Kudu and Zebra at difficult angles.

Scope. My rifle has a 3.5 x 10 Leupold scope. It worked well and held its zero when we checked it out at the range on arrival. Kept it on the lowest setting all the time until I got it on the animal.

5. Overnight in Johannesburg. We arrived on United 188 at about 6:30 pm. We got a room at City Lodge and were escorted right to the front desk by the nice folks from Rifle Permits. We got a good nights sleep and reorganized before being picked up by our PH the next morning. This was much better than getting in a vehicle and driving 4 hours in the dark to get to camp by 1:00 am and start hunting the next day. Take an extra day off and arrive a day early, well worth it. Day 1 of our safari was the day they picked us up weather it was in the morning or evening. City Lodge exceeded our expectations. Great place with a wonderful restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Book breakfast when you check in the night before, you'll be glad.

6. We took insurance from Ripcord for medical & evacuation. $150 each, great peace of mind. The most dangerous part of your safari is the drive from Johannesburg to your camp.

7. When traveling with United we were allowed two checked bags each. We took my rifle as one item and a large duffel bag as the other, this duffell held all of our clothes equipment. My binoculars were in the rifle case. We each had a small bag that would fit under the seat ahead of us. I would avoid using a bag that requires the overhead bins. We flew Economy and on every single leg the overhead bins filled up before we got on the plane. You'll be checking bags anyway, just check your stuff and let them carry it for you.

Its hard for me to sleep or read on a plane. I don't know what to tell you on how to prepare for the long flight. We will consider Premium Economy next time.

8. Traveling with cash. I made payment arrangements with my outfitter ahead of time, including all tips, so cash wasn't a big deal. I brought $1,000 in a wide variety of bills, mostly $10 and $20 and $50. I brought back around $800. The rest was used for tipping people that helped. I found that cash isn't needed or even accepted at the airports, restaurants or hotels. At Newark you can't use cash if you want to. You can't order a beer without using a smartphone and credit card........crazy.

Leave most of your cash home and bring at LEAST 3 different credit cards. I called all my credit card companies in advance and told them I'd be traveling to Africa. They all told me that I'd be fine and it wasn't even necessary to call them. When I got to City Lodge my GM card was DENIED. I wasn't going to spend an hour on the phone to get them to reinstate it so I used another card and that was accepted. Frustrating.

9. Clothes. I wore one outfit and packed 2. I wore clothes that I could hunt in just in case my bags didn't arrive. Here is what I'd pack if I go again.

Pants. 2 pair of Carhart work pants in either brown or original Carhart. No need for chaps with these pants.
Shirts. 2 Columbia long sleeve fishing shirts in tan or brown. No undershirts.
Socks. 3 pair of light weight breathable socks. I used Darn Tough hiking socks, comfortable but too hot.
Boots. I wore my 9" Cabela's Outfitter boots with airbob soles. I love these boots but they were too hot. I'll like the support of the 9" boot and will look for an un-insulated similar boot for next time.
Hat. I wore a typical baseball style hat in camo. Next time I'll bring a mesh hat since they're cooler. No stocking hat necessary.
Coat. I wore a Carhart work vest for a couple hours some mornings. Sage color matched the terrain nicely. I packed a jacket and never wore it. No need for rain gear, if it sprinkled we just got in the truck. I'd avoid anything with a hood.

Realize I was there in March when it's early fall, it gets cooler later. I wore sunscreen every day.

10. Equipment. I brought a bi-pod and shooting stix. Didn't use either one but I could have, probably should have. Next time I will bring a front end rest in case we get a shot from off the hood of the vehicle. This would be much better than a rolled up jacket.

Knife. I brought a Havilon folding knife and leatherman just because I always carry these. I didn't use either one the entire trip. I gave them both to my tracker (I gave them to the PH so he could show him how to use them first). This way he won't ask to borrow the PH's knife anymore. The PH appreciated this very much and thought it was a good idea.

Electric Converter. I bought one for about $35 online. Worked great, I left it with the PH so others can use it. I don't need it here. Note that electric service in SA is very, very unreliable.

Photo equipment. Most everyone uses phones for this now, but I did bring my digital camera and took backup photos. Take your time and take good photos.

Binoculars. In the Limpopo area the brush is thick. Not a lot of long distance glassing. I brought my 7x30 Swarovski's. They worked well. Get a good binocular strap so they aren't bouncing around.

11. Taxidermy. I contacted Splitting Images ahead of time and they work together with my PH. Before I left the paperwork was all filled out and they had a route truck pick everything up. There was an email from them waiting for me when I got home. Excellent service so far, we are going to have the completed items shipped to our door. We had an idea of what we wanted from what we saw on their web site ahead of time.

12. Tipping. I asked the owner about this before I booked the trip. He showed me his suggested tipping guide in his brochure. I followed it to the T and included it in the final payment so he could give them to each person personally. He didn't want us giving cash to the staff directly. He had his reasons. I did give my PH a little something above and beyond. He was tremendous.

13. Paperwork. We each had a small pouch with a shoulder strap that held our passports, cash, cards and original permits/papers. I kept mine inside my shirt. I made 4 copies of everything and kept a copy in our checked bag, rifle case and carry on bags. Didn't need them but it felt good knowing we had them.

Make sure your passport has at least two pages open. I heard a horror story of someone arriving in SA that didn't have room was denied entry, they had to get a flight for the trip home. Imagine another 15 hour flight after you just got there......

Overall, the biggest obstacle keeping me from going to Africa was all the unknowns and how to plan for it. Our outfitter was a tremendous help in pointing us in the right direction. We had an absolutely wonderful time and if I can help anyone I certainly will This site was helpful also, thanks everyone.

Great information! My 14 year old son, wife and I go on our first plains game hunt in SA in May, two months roughly. Very helpful. Cheers, and post some pics!
 
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Outstanding, thank you for sharing! Those who think "Africa is not for me" should read reports like this one. It is easy to hunt SA.

Now, we need a full report with pictures of the animals taken. (y)(y)
 
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Thorough report and a great help to those contemplating an SA pg hunt. Thanks for posting. On #10, the PH should have a Caldwell or similar bag for vehicle type of shooting. Multiple PHs I've hunted with carried them on stalks to use with rocks or prone. A jacket or bunch of rags can be a problem.

 

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I returned yesterday from a week long plains game safari in South Africa. I learned a lot from this forum and would like to share some observations. Please note that I'm not attempting to say that my way is the only way, or the best way. I only want to share what worked and what could have been done better when planning a Safari.

1. Get a good partner to go with. I went with my wife and she enjoyed it as an observer.

2. Line up your PH and a plan on what you want to hunt. Make this flexible and keep your options open. I had 4 animals on my package and didn't get a shot at one the first two days. I opened up to other animals and later in the hunt the animals on my list came along. Have fun with what Africa brings you. My 4 animals turned into 7 and I had a great time. I gladly paid the trophy fees on the additional animals.

3. Use a travel agent to book your flights and hotels. I used Jennifer at Travel Express and it went well.

Airports, well they are what they are. We had time to spare at O'Hare, Newark and Johannesburg. Make the best of it.

4. Bring your own rifle. I brought mine and was glad I did. I took 7 animals and made some good shots, some not so good. I have only myself to hold to account, I have confidence in my rifle and confidence is a huge part of shooting well. A couple months ahead of time go to your nearest customs office and fill out the 4457 form for your rifle. In included my scope and binoculars but the only thing the authorities cared about was that the serial number on the rifle and 4457 matched up. I used Rifle Permits and they did exactly what they said they would. I upgraded to VIP service to meet us at the gait at Tambo. They made it easy and were well worth the cost. Keep a copy of the temporary permit on you and another inside your gun case, they do look at this as you enter and depart. I left my suppressor home, that's a whole other thread.

Put your rifle in a metal gun case designed for airline travel, not a plastic one. (The TSA told me so as they searched my metal case) I used a non TSA lock for the rifle, a plain old Master Lock from the hardware store. I had a key and my wife had another. I had a spare lock that used the same key inside the gun case.

Ammunition was kept in a plastic Plano ammunition box. It held 3 boxes in the original factory boxes with enough room for a small folding knife and leatherman tool. I used a TSA combination lock and kept a spare lock inside. I got the box & locks at Scheels for about $25 total. Kept it in my checked bag, told the airline and they had no problems on either end.

I used a .300 Win Mag with 200 grain Swift A Frames. Performed perfectly on 7 animals. Exit wounds on all except the front end first shot on a zebra, then it turned broadside I got a nice exit wound on the follow up shot. You don't need a .300 Win for most plains game, hell I shot a Steenbok with it. But, it was good to have the firepower when taking shots at Kudu and Zebra at difficult angles.

Scope. My rifle has a 3.5 x 10 Leupold scope. It worked well and held its zero when we checked it out at the range on arrival. Kept it on the lowest setting all the time until I got it on the animal.

5. Overnight in Johannesburg. We arrived on United 188 at about 6:30 pm. We got a room at City Lodge and were escorted right to the front desk by the nice folks from Rifle Permits. We got a good nights sleep and reorganized before being picked up by our PH the next morning. This was much better than getting in a vehicle and driving 4 hours in the dark to get to camp by 1:00 am and start hunting the next day. Take an extra day off and arrive a day early, well worth it. Day 1 of our safari was the day they picked us up weather it was in the morning or evening. City Lodge exceeded our expectations. Great place with a wonderful restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Book breakfast when you check in the night before, you'll be glad.

6. We took insurance from Ripcord for medical & evacuation. $150 each, great peace of mind. The most dangerous part of your safari is the drive from Johannesburg to your camp.

7. When traveling with United we were allowed two checked bags each. We took my rifle as one item and a large duffel bag as the other, this duffell held all of our clothes equipment. My binoculars were in the rifle case. We each had a small bag that would fit under the seat ahead of us. I would avoid using a bag that requires the overhead bins. We flew Economy and on every single leg the overhead bins filled up before we got on the plane. You'll be checking bags anyway, just check your stuff and let them carry it for you.

Its hard for me to sleep or read on a plane. I don't know what to tell you on how to prepare for the long flight. We will consider Premium Economy next time.

8. Traveling with cash. I made payment arrangements with my outfitter ahead of time, including all tips, so cash wasn't a big deal. I brought $1,000 in a wide variety of bills, mostly $10 and $20 and $50. I brought back around $800. The rest was used for tipping people that helped. I found that cash isn't needed or even accepted at the airports, restaurants or hotels. At Newark you can't use cash if you want to. You can't order a beer without using a smartphone and credit card........crazy.

Leave most of your cash home and bring at LEAST 3 different credit cards. I called all my credit card companies in advance and told them I'd be traveling to Africa. They all told me that I'd be fine and it wasn't even necessary to call them. When I got to City Lodge my GM card was DENIED. I wasn't going to spend an hour on the phone to get them to reinstate it so I used another card and that was accepted. Frustrating.

9. Clothes. I wore one outfit and packed 2. I wore clothes that I could hunt in just in case my bags didn't arrive. Here is what I'd pack if I go again.

Pants. 2 pair of Carhart work pants in either brown or original Carhart. No need for chaps with these pants.
Shirts. 2 Columbia long sleeve fishing shirts in tan or brown. No undershirts.
Socks. 3 pair of light weight breathable socks. I used Darn Tough hiking socks, comfortable but too hot.
Boots. I wore my 9" Cabela's Outfitter boots with airbob soles. I love these boots but they were too hot. I'll like the support of the 9" boot and will look for an un-insulated similar boot for next time.
Hat. I wore a typical baseball style hat in camo. Next time I'll bring a mesh hat since they're cooler. No stocking hat necessary.
Coat. I wore a Carhart work vest for a couple hours some mornings. Sage color matched the terrain nicely. I packed a jacket and never wore it. No need for rain gear, if it sprinkled we just got in the truck. I'd avoid anything with a hood.

Realize I was there in March when it's early fall, it gets cooler later. I wore sunscreen every day.

10. Equipment. I brought a bi-pod and shooting stix. Didn't use either one but I could have, probably should have. Next time I will bring a front end rest in case we get a shot from off the hood of the vehicle. This would be much better than a rolled up jacket.

Knife. I brought a Havilon folding knife and leatherman just because I always carry these. I didn't use either one the entire trip. I gave them both to my tracker (I gave them to the PH so he could show him how to use them first). This way he won't ask to borrow the PH's knife anymore. The PH appreciated this very much and thought it was a good idea.

Electric Converter. I bought one for about $35 online. Worked great, I left it with the PH so others can use it. I don't need it here. Note that electric service in SA is very, very unreliable.

Photo equipment. Most everyone uses phones for this now, but I did bring my digital camera and took backup photos. Take your time and take good photos.

Binoculars. In the Limpopo area the brush is thick. Not a lot of long distance glassing. I brought my 7x30 Swarovski's. They worked well. Get a good binocular strap so they aren't bouncing around.

11. Taxidermy. I contacted Splitting Images ahead of time and they work together with my PH. Before I left the paperwork was all filled out and they had a route truck pick everything up. There was an email from them waiting for me when I got home. Excellent service so far, we are going to have the completed items shipped to our door. We had an idea of what we wanted from what we saw on their web site ahead of time.

12. Tipping. I asked the owner about this before I booked the trip. He showed me his suggested tipping guide in his brochure. I followed it to the T and included it in the final payment so he could give them to each person personally. He didn't want us giving cash to the staff directly. He had his reasons. I did give my PH a little something above and beyond. He was tremendous.

13. Paperwork. We each had a small pouch with a shoulder strap that held our passports, cash, cards and original permits/papers. I kept mine inside my shirt. I made 4 copies of everything and kept a copy in our checked bag, rifle case and carry on bags. Didn't need them but it felt good knowing we had them.

Make sure your passport has at least two pages open. I heard a horror story of someone arriving in SA that didn't have room was denied entry, they had to get a flight for the trip home. Imagine another 15 hour flight after you just got there......

Overall, the biggest obstacle keeping me from going to Africa was all the unknowns and how to plan for it. Our outfitter was a tremendous help in pointing us in the right direction. We had an absolutely wonderful time and if I can help anyone I certainly will This site was helpful also, thanks everyone.
Congratulations! Nice write up! Can you provide more information on your small pouch you carried all your cash and papers inside your search please? Would appreciate it given I want to buy one
 
Great report and I agree with all of your points. Look forward to seeing the pics.
 
Congratulations on your first Safari. I am glad all went well. I am curious about what brand of metal gun case you used.
 
Report and photos you say? Here goes.

On our pick up day we arrived at the lodge early afternoon. Our PH asked if we'd like to go out so we did. We stalked some zebra a couple times but no shots. Next day, we hunted for the 4 animals on my package. Kudu, Gemsbok, Zebra and Impala. Several sightings, some stalks but no shots. One stalk had us follow a few zebras right into a herd of Giraffe. I don't know how we did it but we ended up right in the middle of the herd. We had Giraffe everywhere and didn't dare shoot a zebra for fear of hitting a Giraffe. The zebra got away and we got out of there. The next day I told my PH that I'd like to open up my options and added several animals to my list.

I was surprised at how wary the animals were and how easily they spooked. We were the first hunters of the season. I was also surprised at how thick the vegetation was, I've never seen anything like it.

First thing in the morning day 3 we stalked into a meadow and saw a good Springbuck. We set up sticks and I got a good front end angle shot at about 120 yards. One shot.

Later morning we spotted a good Nyala and drove past him a ways til well out of sight. Got out and put the stalk on where we thought he'd be. He was. Set up sticks and took him at about 75 yards angling away. One shot.

Day 4. We stalked into a grassy meadow and spotted two Blesbok at around 200 yards. Set up the sticks and I missed him clean, right over the top. No excuse, I just plain missed.

Later morning. Driving along we spotted a Steenbok at a watering hole. We drove out of sight and stalked back and took him angling away at about 50 yards. Lung shot and he ran about 40 yards. A Steenbok hit in the ribs with a 200 grain A-Frame ran 40 yards, unreal. The PH said he'd score high in the books. Its the first one I've seen and he looked small, but I was told he was a big one.

Afternoon near sundown. Driving along we spotted a Blesbok in an opening ahead. Got out and stalked through the bush til we were about 120 yards away and he was still there when we came out in the open. Set up the sticks and waited for a shot, he was facing us. We waited and waited, I told the PH I could make the shot and I fired. Missed him to the left. Facing us straight on he was a small target, but I should have made that shot. He turned broadside and I hit him right where I wanted on the shoulder and he was dead on his feet.

Day 5. Zebra have been eluding us the entire trip. We spotted many, stalked several and never had a shooting opportunity. Late morning we spotted a lone stallion in thick bush. Got out and saw him better in a clearing facing us straight on at about 90-100 yards. Got on him with the sticks and fired a shot between the shoulders. I hit the right shoulder and he took off. We got on his blood trail and followed him into the thick stuff, we could hear him but couldn't see him. I thought to myself I'm glad we're not hunting Buffalo. We followed him for a ways then the PH put me in front and when we saw him I fired off hand into him broadside and put him down for good.

Later afternoon a thunderstorm was approaching and we were working our way back closer to camp. I was looking more at the lightning strikes and dark clouds getting closer than I was looking for game. My PH tapped me on the shoulder and said "I saw a big Kudu horn sticking out of the brush back there" We kept driving until we were out of sight and hearing range, got out and went into the bush to put a stalk on him, we had the wind right and took our time. We got close enough in the thick bush that we could see his horns about 50 yards away, he was bedded down. We worked all the way around him trying to get an angle where we could see him. Finally he stood up and we were about 50 yards away. My PH couldn't see anything but his ears and horns and told me to wait. We waited forever (about 15 seconds) until he took half a step and I could see his shoulder. I went down about a foot and fired into his shoulder, the shot went in the back of his left shoulder high and out his neck on the other side. He went straight down with a loud thud. Took photos with lightning striking closer and closer. This was one animal that was actually bigger on the ground than I thought it was on the hoof. That doesn't happen often, usually they get smaller. We loaded him up and got home at dusk for a Sundowner (Sundowners actually).

Day 6, last day. I still had Gemsbok and Impala on my list. We've seen them over the week but haven't had an opportunity yet. We drove to an area with more visibility to look for them specifically. It worked, within an hour we spotted a herd of Gemsbok about 200 yards away. We got a look at them and picked one out and when he stopped broadside I fired. The whole herd ran out of sight into some tall grass. My PH grabbed his .458 for the first time the whole trip and we went out to look for his blood trail. We found it and followed it maybe 300 yards and found him piled up dead. The hit was a perfect broadside double lung shot and it took him that long to bleed out.

At this point I was thrilled, elated, relieved, happy, sleep deprived and exhausted. I was happy with what my hunt had brought me and was ready to be done.

We loaded him up and continued to hunt for an Impala. We saw several in the thick bush but couldn't get a shot. We finally did get an opportunity and I missed. No excuses. I was so tired I couldn't see straight and I didn't shoot straight. We went back to camp for lunch and a nap. We went out again that evening, saw many animals but no Impala. So at the end of the day was the end of the hunt, no Impala. I wasn't disappointed in the least. I had 7 animals. The PH thought that the 6 horned animals would all make the SCI book. We didn't measure any of them.

We saw several animals that I didn't pursue. I will next time. I could have taken some large Eland bulls and 3 different Sables in the trophy class. They weren't on my list, they will be next time. We also saw animals that I won't hunt such as a large crocodile sunning himself in the river on the Botswana border and a couple different groups of Rinos. It would take me a while to name all the other animals we saw. We also saw some Adders, mostly on the road. We ran over 3 on the way home one evening, we saw another in the bush right outside the truck. No close encounters (that I know of). I don't like snakes at all.

I've been on many hunting and fishing trips but this was my first in Africa. Not many trips exceed your expectations. This one did.

I hope the photos come through, I'm not a great technology guy. I may need to come back and load them again.
 
I returned yesterday from a week long plains game safari in South Africa. I learned a lot from this forum and would like to share some observations. Please note that I'm not attempting to say that my way is the only way, or the best way. I only want to share what worked and what could have been done better when planning a Safari.

1. Get a good partner to go with. I went with my wife and she enjoyed it as an observer.

2. Line up your PH and a plan on what you want to hunt. Make this flexible and keep your options open. I had 4 animals on my package and didn't get a shot at one the first two days. I opened up to other animals and later in the hunt the animals on my list came along. Have fun with what Africa brings you. My 4 animals turned into 7 and I had a great time. I gladly paid the trophy fees on the additional animals.

3. Use a travel agent to book your flights and hotels. I used Jennifer at Travel Express and it went well.

Airports, well they are what they are. We had time to spare at O'Hare, Newark and Johannesburg. Make the best of it.

4. Bring your own rifle. I brought mine and was glad I did. I took 7 animals and made some good shots, some not so good. I have only myself to hold to account, I have confidence in my rifle and confidence is a huge part of shooting well. A couple months ahead of time go to your nearest customs office and fill out the 4457 form for your rifle. In included my scope and binoculars but the only thing the authorities cared about was that the serial number on the rifle and 4457 matched up. I used Rifle Permits and they did exactly what they said they would. I upgraded to VIP service to meet us at the gait at Tambo. They made it easy and were well worth the cost. Keep a copy of the temporary permit on you and another inside your gun case, they do look at this as you enter and depart. I left my suppressor home, that's a whole other thread.

Put your rifle in a metal gun case designed for airline travel, not a plastic one. (The TSA told me so as they searched my metal case) I used a non TSA lock for the rifle, a plain old Master Lock from the hardware store. I had a key and my wife had another. I had a spare lock that used the same key inside the gun case.

Ammunition was kept in a plastic Plano ammunition box. It held 3 boxes in the original factory boxes with enough room for a small folding knife and leatherman tool. I used a TSA combination lock and kept a spare lock inside. I got the box & locks at Scheels for about $25 total. Kept it in my checked bag, told the airline and they had no problems on either end.

I used a .300 Win Mag with 200 grain Swift A Frames. Performed perfectly on 7 animals. Exit wounds on all except the front end first shot on a zebra, then it turned broadside I got a nice exit wound on the follow up shot. You don't need a .300 Win for most plains game, hell I shot a Steenbok with it. But, it was good to have the firepower when taking shots at Kudu and Zebra at difficult angles.

Scope. My rifle has a 3.5 x 10 Leupold scope. It worked well and held its zero when we checked it out at the range on arrival. Kept it on the lowest setting all the time until I got it on the animal.

5. Overnight in Johannesburg. We arrived on United 188 at about 6:30 pm. We got a room at City Lodge and were escorted right to the front desk by the nice folks from Rifle Permits. We got a good nights sleep and reorganized before being picked up by our PH the next morning. This was much better than getting in a vehicle and driving 4 hours in the dark to get to camp by 1:00 am and start hunting the next day. Take an extra day off and arrive a day early, well worth it. Day 1 of our safari was the day they picked us up weather it was in the morning or evening. City Lodge exceeded our expectations. Great place with a wonderful restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Book breakfast when you check in the night before, you'll be glad.

6. We took insurance from Ripcord for medical & evacuation. $150 each, great peace of mind. The most dangerous part of your safari is the drive from Johannesburg to your camp.

7. When traveling with United we were allowed two checked bags each. We took my rifle as one item and a large duffel bag as the other, this duffell held all of our clothes equipment. My binoculars were in the rifle case. We each had a small bag that would fit under the seat ahead of us. I would avoid using a bag that requires the overhead bins. We flew Economy and on every single leg the overhead bins filled up before we got on the plane. You'll be checking bags anyway, just check your stuff and let them carry it for you.

Its hard for me to sleep or read on a plane. I don't know what to tell you on how to prepare for the long flight. We will consider Premium Economy next time.

8. Traveling with cash. I made payment arrangements with my outfitter ahead of time, including all tips, so cash wasn't a big deal. I brought $1,000 in a wide variety of bills, mostly $10 and $20 and $50. I brought back around $800. The rest was used for tipping people that helped. I found that cash isn't needed or even accepted at the airports, restaurants or hotels. At Newark you can't use cash if you want to. You can't order a beer without using a smartphone and credit card........crazy.

Leave most of your cash home and bring at LEAST 3 different credit cards. I called all my credit card companies in advance and told them I'd be traveling to Africa. They all told me that I'd be fine and it wasn't even necessary to call them. When I got to City Lodge my GM card was DENIED. I wasn't going to spend an hour on the phone to get them to reinstate it so I used another card and that was accepted. Frustrating.

9. Clothes. I wore one outfit and packed 2. I wore clothes that I could hunt in just in case my bags didn't arrive. Here is what I'd pack if I go again.

Pants. 2 pair of Carhart work pants in either brown or original Carhart. No need for chaps with these pants.
Shirts. 2 Columbia long sleeve fishing shirts in tan or brown. No undershirts.
Socks. 3 pair of light weight breathable socks. I used Darn Tough hiking socks, comfortable but too hot.
Boots. I wore my 9" Cabela's Outfitter boots with airbob soles. I love these boots but they were too hot. I'll like the support of the 9" boot and will look for an un-insulated similar boot for next time.
Hat. I wore a typical baseball style hat in camo. Next time I'll bring a mesh hat since they're cooler. No stocking hat necessary.
Coat. I wore a Carhart work vest for a couple hours some mornings. Sage color matched the terrain nicely. I packed a jacket and never wore it. No need for rain gear, if it sprinkled we just got in the truck. I'd avoid anything with a hood.

Realize I was there in March when it's early fall, it gets cooler later. I wore sunscreen every day.

10. Equipment. I brought a bi-pod and shooting stix. Didn't use either one but I could have, probably should have. Next time I will bring a front end rest in case we get a shot from off the hood of the vehicle. This would be much better than a rolled up jacket.

Knife. I brought a Havilon folding knife and leatherman just because I always carry these. I didn't use either one the entire trip. I gave them both to my tracker (I gave them to the PH so he could show him how to use them first). This way he won't ask to borrow the PH's knife anymore. The PH appreciated this very much and thought it was a good idea.

Electric Converter. I bought one for about $35 online. Worked great, I left it with the PH so others can use it. I don't need it here. Note that electric service in SA is very, very unreliable.

Photo equipment. Most everyone uses phones for this now, but I did bring my digital camera and took backup photos. Take your time and take good photos.

Binoculars. In the Limpopo area the brush is thick. Not a lot of long distance glassing. I brought my 7x30 Swarovski's. They worked well. Get a good binocular strap so they aren't bouncing around.

11. Taxidermy. I contacted Splitting Images ahead of time and they work together with my PH. Before I left the paperwork was all filled out and they had a route truck pick everything up. There was an email from them waiting for me when I got home. Excellent service so far, we are going to have the completed items shipped to our door. We had an idea of what we wanted from what we saw on their web site ahead of time.

12. Tipping. I asked the owner about this before I booked the trip. He showed me his suggested tipping guide in his brochure. I followed it to the T and included it in the final payment so he could give them to each person personally. He didn't want us giving cash to the staff directly. He had his reasons. I did give my PH a little something above and beyond. He was tremendous.

13. Paperwork. We each had a small pouch with a shoulder strap that held our passports, cash, cards and original permits/papers. I kept mine inside my shirt. I made 4 copies of everything and kept a copy in our checked bag, rifle case and carry on bags. Didn't need them but it felt good knowing we had them.

Make sure your passport has at least two pages open. I heard a horror story of someone arriving in SA that didn't have room was denied entry, they had to get a flight for the trip home. Imagine another 15 hour flight after you just got there......

Overall, the biggest obstacle keeping me from going to Africa was all the unknowns and how to plan for it. Our outfitter was a tremendous help in pointing us in the right direction. We had an absolutely wonderful time and if I can help anyone I certainly will This site was helpful also, thanks everyone.
Those of us who are well seasoned on the Dark Continent can certainly appreciate the obvious enthusiasm from a virgin hunter. Congrats and thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you get to make many more.
 
Hard fail on those pics :ROFLMAO:
 
Glad you had a great first safari! When is the second one? :E Big Grin: Great info and report, thank you for sharing with us! (y) :giggle:
 
Good stuff One of the biggest lessons I learned from my first Africa hunt last year was I took WAY too much gear. They really did do our laundry every day. I never used my knife or my rangefinder or a bunch of other stuff I took. It was just hard for me not to take all of my hunting stuff on a hunting trip! :ROFLMAO:

Also agree with what you said about rifles. I took a 300WM and a .308 which has been my go to rifle for over ten years. Almost did not take the .308, reading the internet at times you are given the impression all African animals are made of Kevlar and you need a .30 Mag or bigger even for plains game. My first shot was a Black Wildebeest at 303 yards. I was carrying the .308 because I was told it was likely we would have opportunities at Springbok and Impala that morning. The Beest crumpled in place and I never shot the 300wm the entire trip after that. Between my son and I, 12 trophies with the .308. Kudu, Zebra, Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Wildebeest and all of the smaller stuff. No follow up shots needed, nothing ran more than 50 yards. Shoot something you are comfortable with. Hitting your spot is the most important part.



black wildebeest.JPG
 
Sorry for the quality of the photos. I don't know what happened, I have good ones that I'll be printing off.

To answer a couple questions posted.

My gun case is a metal locking case that I bought at Cabela's store in Owatonna, MN about 20 years ago. It has a rod that goes through 4 loops and folds down to give you room to put in your own lock. Its a great case, I looked at Cabela's site and can't find it anymore. I did see one on sale on Ebay for $100, that's a good deal.

For papers, cash, passport and credit cards I used a Blocking Passport with neck stash manufactured by RFTD. They're $11.99 on Amazon. Worked great, I wore it around my neck and tucked it under my shirt. I always knew exactly where everything was and it was safe.
 

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