Looking for recommendations for first time hunt

[BeeMaa]

@Shane6629 - Welcome to AH from a fellow Virginian (NOVA).

With your budget at $5-6K for trophies/daily fees, there are several options but you will be limited to PG animals regardless of the country you are in. DG of any sort will blow that out of the water. South Africa and Namibia will offer an excellent value for money when it comes to hunting while still maintaining a high level of comfort and amenities.

You also need to consider how long you want to be there vs how many animals to hunt. Personally, we don't go to Africa for less than two weeks because of the time it takes to get there and the things we plan along the way. For a two-week trip and your budget, I'd say about 5 to 6 PG animals max and spend the rest of the time doing things that others in your party will enjoy.

These could be visiting a diamond mine, a big cat/predator sanctuary, zip line, wine tour (maybe not for the 7 year old), fishing or going to the beach. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses. There's more to life than waking up at 3am and hunting EVERY SINGLE DAY. Unless of course, that's what you really want to do.

But seriously, smell the roses. Enjoy your trip and let us know how it goes.

 

[Shane6629]

Was the gun purchased on GunBroker? I haven't been on there in a while, but I used to see rifles listed quite often that said they came with a free African Safari hunt.

Yea it was. Its through JD OUTFITTERS and the people are truly unprofessional to speak to. Supposedly after 10 years im the first person that has asked to bring a child under the age of 13 after being told there is too much guns men testoterone and alcohol for any young children there.

 

[Shane6629]

@Shane6629 - Welcome to AH from a fellow Virginian (NOVA).

With your budget at $5-6K for trophies/daily fees, there are several options but you will be limited to PG animals regardless of the country you are in. DG of any sort will blow that out of the water. South Africa and Namibia will offer an excellent value for money when it comes to hunting while still maintaining a high level of comfort and amenities.

You also need to consider how long you want to be there vs how many animals to hunt. Personally, we don't go to Africa for less than two weeks because of the time it takes to get there and the things we plan along the way. For a two-week trip and your budget, I'd say about 5 to 6 PG animals max and spend the rest of the time doing things that others in your party will enjoy.

These could be visiting a diamond mine, a big cat/predator sanctuary, zip line, wine tour (maybe not for the 7 year old), fishing or going to the beach. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses. There's more to life than waking up at 3am and hunting EVERY SINGLE DAY. Unless of course, that's what you really want to do.

But seriously, smell the roses. Enjoy your trip and let us know how it goes.

We are actually planning to do a big five tour after as well its more of wanting a first experience to see how much we enjoy it before going back again. My plan is for dangerous game at some point mainly cape buffallo seeing as how lions arent importable sadly.

 

[BeeMaa]

We are actually planning to do a big five tour after as well its more of wanting a first experience to see how much we enjoy it before going back again. My plan is for dangerous game at some point mainly cape buffallo seeing as how lions arent importable sadly.

I understand you would like to hunt Cape buffalo. But can you explain in more detail what you mean by "big five tour" please?

 

[Shane6629]

I understand you would like to hunt Cape buffalo. But can you explain in more detail what you mean by "big five tour" please?

More or less the lions cape buffallo elephant leopard and rhino. Well the dangerous 5 i should say.

 

[BeeMaa]

More or less the lions cape buffallo elephant leopard and rhino. Well the dangerous 5 i should say.

Do you mean to hunt all of these on one trip? Or do you want to just see them and take a tour?

 

[Shane6629]

I understand you would like to hunt Cape buffalo. But can you explain in more detail what you mean by "big five tour" please?

Do you mean to hunt all of these on one trip? Or do you want to just see them and take a tour?

Just see them like a safari tour. I definently couldnt imagine the price to hunt them or even image ever affording that.

 

[Bandera]

I have hunted with Wild Wildebeest Lodge Thabazimbi in the Limpopo area and have hunted with Africa Maximum Safaris near Rustenburg.
Wild Wildebeest Lodge.
Opportunity to hunt on the property. Two hunts a day. Lunch at the lodge most days.

AMS you will most likely be hunting other concessions and staying out almost all day.

My wife was along on both trips. We had a great Safari at both locations.

 

[Bandera]

Yea it was. It’s through JD OUTFITTERS and the people are truly unprofessional to speak to. Supposedly after 10 years im the first person that has asked to bring a child under the age of 13 after being told there is too much guns men testoterone and alcohol for any young children there.

Most probably not the right outfitter to book with.

 

[BeeMaa]

Just see them like a safari tour. I definently couldnt imagine the price to hunt them or even image ever affording that.

Spending some time in one of the parks (like Kruger) will afford you the views you want, although we've seen leopard, Cape buffalo, hippo, croc and rhino all on one game preserve in RSA. We didn't see elephant, but did visit a big cat sanctuary where we were able to interact with several of them. It was a dream of my wife to hold a lion and really neat that our outfitter could make it come true.

 

[Inkgardener]

Spending some time in one of the parks (like Kruger) will afford you the views you want, although we've seen leopard, Cape buffalo, hippo, croc and rhino all on one game preserve in RSA. We didn't see elephant, but did visit a big cat sanctuary where we were able to interact with several of them. It was a dream of my wife to hold a lion and really neat that our outfitter could make it come true.
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Which cat sanctuary is that? Are there several of those?

 

[BeeMaa]

Which cat sanctuary is that? Are there several of those?

Ukutula Lodge & Game Reserve

It's my understanding that there are several of these in RSA, but I'm not familiar with anymore than just this one. Our PH worked here for a period of time (before he was a PH) and worked out a deal for us to do the Day Visitor Package with lunch afterwards for next to nothing. We had a wonderful experience.

If we were to do something like that again, I'd like to do an evening walk with the lions to see what that's like.

 

[Shane6629]

Ukutula Lodge & Game Reserve

It's my understanding that there are several of these in RSA, but I'm not familiar with anymore than just this one. Our PH worked here for a period of time (before he was a PH) and worked out a deal for us to do the Day Visitor Package with lunch afterwards for next to nothing. We had a wonderful experience.

If we were to do something like that again, I'd like to do an evening walk with the lions to see what that's like.

I have saw some of the videos of people doing the walk with lions that has peaked ny interest a lot. That is something i had thought about doing as well after a day tour. Lions absolutely amaze me and probably would be what I'm looking forward to seeing the most.

 

[WAB]

Yea it was. Its through JD OUTFITTERS and the people are truly unprofessional to speak to. Supposedly after 10 years im the first person that has asked to bring a child under the age of 13 after being told there is too much guns men testoterone and alcohol for any young children there.

That’s the most ridiculous thing I have heard. They run a lodge where men with guns and alcohol are creating an environment that is unsuitable for children? I wouldn’t go near that place on a bet!

 

[Shane6629]

That’s the most ridiculous thing I have heard. They run a lodge where men with guns and alcohol are creating an environment that is unsuitable for children? I wouldn’t go near that place on a bet!

That was my first thought exactly. Before even purchasing the gun for the hunt which is through kuche i asked both the seller and the place both and they said that im fine to bring our son with us then when going to set the dates up after i received everything i was told by them that he is too young then upon asking the seller i was informed no one has ever asked to bring their children with them. And when asked why they have an unsafe environment like that they would never answer. Thats when i started looking into them and reviews and saw all the negative reviews and heard of hunters not getting taxidermy back or getting mounts that wasnt even theirs or was cut up something along those lines. I think i avoided a major issue thankfully.

 

[Shane6629]

That’s the most ridiculous thing I have heard. They run a lodge where men with guns and alcohol are creating an environment that is unsuitable for children? I wouldn’t go near that place on a bet!

"We have over 50 adults in our camps most weeks, mostly men, lots of testosterone, firearms etc and some alcohol around and we feel is not safe for young children.
The legal hunting age in SA is 16 years and older, all for good reason also."
That was the email i received after questioning why i was told he could join then told he couldnt. The seller proceeded to tell me that its more of a man vacation and not a family thing to hunt over there which for me i would rather my family be there then a bunch of random men.

 

[Hogpatrol]

"We have over 50 adults in our camps most weeks, mostly men, lots of testosterone, firearms etc and some alcohol around and we feel is not safe for young children.
The legal hunting age in SA is 16 years and older, all for good reason also."
That was the email i received after questioning why i was told he could join then told he couldnt. The seller proceeded to tell me that its more of a man vacation and not a family thing to hunt over there which for me i would rather my family be there then a bunch of random men.

Check with your potential outfitter if there will be other hunters in camp. If yes, small kids at the dinner table or around the campfire may not be a welcome addition.

 

[Shane6629]

Check with your potential outfitter if there will be other hunters in camp. If yes, small kids at the dinner table or around the campfire may not be a welcome addition.

As i said to them if i feel like my son isnt welcome then i dont want to be involved in a place. No one should have to plan their lives or hunts based on another parties like or dislike of children right? This is a thread to find recommendations for me to take my family and enjoy it. If you dont have a suggestion or dont like someone wanting to bring their son which will hopefully carry on the same traditions then why even comment?

 

[Hogpatrol]

As i said to them if i feel like my son isnt welcome then i dont want to be involved in a place. No one should have to plan their lives or hunts based on another parties like or dislike of children right? This is a thread to find recommendations for me to take my family and enjoy it. If you dont have a suggestion or dont like someone wanting to bring their son which will hopefully carry on the same traditions then why even comment?

Just wanted to say to find an outfitter that doesn't have any others in camp, i.e. one where your party will be the sole occupants. As far as kids in camp, I've hunted RSA with my bud and his 11 year old grandson and it was one of my more memorable hunts. We had a great time.

 

[375Fox]

As i said to them if i feel like my son isnt welcome then i dont want to be involved in a place. No one should have to plan their lives or hunts based on another parties like or dislike of children right? This is a thread to find recommendations for me to take my family and enjoy it. If you dont have a suggestion or dont like someone wanting to bring their son which will hopefully carry on the same traditions then why even comment?

You might not recognize it, but he gave you a good suggestion how to differentiate outfitters. There are more outfitters and PHs in South Africa than anywhere on the continent (likely combined) from 1 PH operations booking clients one hunt at a time to the hunt factory operation you were considering. Some are considerably more professional than others. You should try and narrow down what you want from a hunt and the camp environment.