Planning First Safari

[WI-2021]

We stayed at Afton House this last trip. Had them do the rifle permits and arrange VIP services (VIP not nessasary, especially if going with experienced friends). Afton took the rifles and hunting clothes to store while we boarded a flight to Victoria Falls. THAT was a great side trip and easy to arrange flying out and back into Joburg. We did 5 days but 3 would suffice.

Does your Outfitter regularly drop off and pick up clients in Joburg? If he does he should be able to get your guns picked up and taken to his camp. If not, can they meet you as you start your tourist trip? Most have a wife, extra PH, or extra person who runs such errands. If your Outfitter is not focused on service to his clients, you are booking with the wrong outfit. Africa is all about service to the client. When you make a reasonable request, even some not so reasonable.... The expected response is "we will make a plan".

I've also stored guns at a hotel. The manager of the Protea Hotel on the outskirts of Polokwane, Limpopo stored my rifle case in his wine cellar.

And I've hauled rifles with in the back of a rental car and a pickup truck both touring Kruger and driving the Garden Route. Gets old dragging heavy cases in and out every night but it can be done.

As for Kruger National Park. You CAN take rifles and ammo through with you. You need to declare it with an accurate round count as you enter. Be sure they accurately count and record the ammo. Have the info verified yourself beforehand. They lock your cases with cables. Then as you exit they confirm the round count, verifying you didn't shoot anything, and cut the cables off.

South Africa is VERY tourist and hunter friendly.

Thanks for the info. The outfitter generally picks up clients in Joburg, so it's likely that it would be pretty simple for them to haul my rifle to their camp as well. I haven't asked them yet. We're starting to get into the detailed planning now and this will be a topic of conversation soon.

Assuming that I do end up taking the rifle, I'll probably also look into having the outfitter pick up a 5/8"-24 suppressor for me. I know I can take my own, but considering my location, it's sometimes difficult to avoid flying from or through Chicago, and obviously if we end up on United we'll be going through Newark. I'd rather not roll the dice since cans are illegal in both states.

As far as other preparations, I got my last Hep A shot. The only recommended vaccinations that I don't have at this point are typhoid and yellow fever which I'll contact the nearest travel clinic about next week.

 

[WI-2021]

Might as well resurrect this thread. We'll be flying out two weeks from tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

I elected to not take my rifle due to the nature of this trip; hopefully I don't regret that decision. Per the outfitter, I'd have to haul my own rifle around the country for the first week, since we won't actually be going to the lodge during that time while we're playing tourist. Assuming I end up going back for a second trip, it will be more of a pure hunting trip instead of tourism and a little hunting, so I'll take a rifle then. Of the handful of people I know who have hunted Africa no one has only gone once, so I'm assuming there will be a second trip, though convincing the better half may be a challenge.

We're flying Delta, MKE-ATL-JNB. I'm definitely not looking forward to the flight, but hopefully it won't be too bad, and a safari is on the other end of it, so that helps. We'll be spending the first night at a Holiday Inn just south of O.R. Tambo, then getting picked up the following morning.

My plan for the hunting is impala, waterbuck, and blue wildebeest. It remains highly likely that I'll take something else too, but that will be a game-time decision.

As far as other preparations, all vaccinations have been completed, we have malaria pills, and I think we have all the other bases covered as far as things we'll need. I'd hope that malaria wouldn't be too much of a concern at this time of the year, but better safe than sorry. The typhoid vax pills kind of messed me up for a couple weeks, but I guess it's better than actually getting typhoid, the vaccine was bad enough, I don't want to catch the real thing. This weekend's plan is to finalize what we'll be taking for clothing and hosing it all down with permethrin.

It's kind of weird to be this close to the trip after tentatively planning it for three years and dreaming about it for far longer.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Enjoy.

 

[WI-2021]

Enjoy.

Thank you. I'm honestly surprised by how nervous I am. This is a new experience for me, usually I'm pretty relaxed heading into a vacation.

 

[thi9elsp]

Have a blast. I'm wheels up June 25 Tampa ATL Joberg, overnight at City Lodge, then to Vic Falls the. next day. You will have a great time. Remember, take what Africa offers while you're out hunting!

 

[Pablo]

Have a great trip! You will be planning a second hunt on the drive back to the airport!

 

[Trogon]

Don't sweat the small stuff and be patient with the whole process. And have a great time! Requesting a long hunt report when you return and settle back in.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Renting the rifle will work out fine. Your lodge won't be giving you junk. Less stress this way.

 

[Hyde]

I just returned from 2 weeks in Eastern Cape. I too am a lefty. I didn’t want the hassle of taking guns since it was my first safari. My outfitter didn’t have a left hand rifle available, but to be honest, I prefer a right hand rifle when shooting off of sticks. I feel like I can run the bolt and get back on the gun a little faster since I’m not using my trigger hand to run the bolt. It worked out perfectly for me.

If I were going after dangerous game, then I would definitely take a left hand gun and my own ammo. Good luck on your trip!

 

[WI-2021]

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. We'll see about a hunt report. Out of the two week trip there will only be three days of hunting. That was a bit disappointing initially, but most of the group has been there several times before and wants to do the tourist thing this time. They all assure me that three days will be enough time hunting since I'm after relatively common animals. While I'd like some nice trophies I'm not looking to have my name in the record books, so I suspect they're correct.

As far as the rifle goes, I'm basically treating it as hunting with a single shot. I've been practicing off of sticks, mostly shooting a rimfire spinner. My tripod is similar to the one they use, but it will be in my checked bag for use with the camera anyway just in case. I've been mostly a woods hunter all my life, so I'll keep my shots to relatively close range where I'm confident, especially with the loaner rifle and no real ability to quickly fire a follow-up shot. Assuming the rain holds off, I'll be heading to the range to practice some more after work today.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. We'll see about a hunt report. Out of the two week trip there will only be three days of hunting. That was a bit disappointing initially, but most of the group has been there several times before and wants to do the tourist thing this time. They all assure me that three days will be enough time hunting since I'm after relatively common animals. While I'd like some nice trophies I'm not looking to have my name in the record books, so I suspect they're correct.

As far as the rifle goes, I'm basically treating it as hunting with a single shot. I've been practicing off of sticks, mostly shooting a rimfire spinner. My tripod is similar to the one they use, but it will be in my checked bag for use with the camera anyway just in case. I've been mostly a woods hunter all my life, so I'll keep my shots to relatively close range where I'm confident, especially with the loaner rifle and no real ability to quickly fire a follow-up shot. Assuming the rain holds off, I'll be heading to the range to practice some more after work today.

Before noon of the first day of my first safari I had taken a bronze medal blue wildebeest, silver medal blesbuck, and very respectable impala ... in just three shots. You should do okay with three days to hunt.