The Long Road To Africa

[Rare Breed]

Here is my video from the hunt

Wonderful!!! Remember, if we are honest we all have missed even after practicing for months…but when you are still able to pick yourself up mentally and make the next opportunity successful in Africa that is a dream come true!!!

 

[Frederik]

Thanks for sharing I know exactly or very close to what you felt about the lion.
You can watch my lion video if you want on my hunt report.

 

[Slim01]

Thank you @gcbailey for taking the time to post. A really enjoyable and informative report. Good hunting, sir.

 

[gcbailey]

Thanks for sharing I know exactly or very close to what you felt about the lion.
You can watch my lion video if you want on my hunt report.

Absolutely! Going to Africa did nothing to settle my addiction. It only added fuel to the fire and I want to go back! I’d love to watch your lion hunt!

 

[gcbailey]

Thank you @gcbailey for taking the time to post. A really enjoyable and informative report. Good hunting, sir.

Thank you Slim! Hopefully someone new to Africa can glean something useful and hopefully not make some of the mistakes I did.

 

[gcbailey]

Well, somehow Gunter came through and found my sable! A client had wounded a Cape buffalo and they got a helicopter to look for it. As they were looking, they found my sable who had died an unfortunately slow death from the wound of my bullet. They measured him yesterday at just under 44 inches for each horn. I hate that it died wounded but am incredibly happy to have recovered it.

 

[rinehart0050]

Outstanding report! Thanks for taking us along on the whole adventure and for sharing the trials and triumphs of the hunt. Congratulations and well done.

 

[gcbailey]

Outstanding report! Thanks for taking us along on the whole adventure and for sharing the trials and triumphs of the hunt. Congratulations and well done.

Thank you! It was one of the greatest experiences of my life!

 

[igotit]

Congrats on your hunting. Excellent thread guy.

 

[gcbailey]

Congrats on your hunting. Excellent thread guy.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

[AZDAVE]

So will the next title be ( the not so long road to my second safari)?

Thank you for sharing your experiences on your safari.

 

[gcbailey]

So will the next title be ( the not so long road to my second safari)?

Thank you for sharing your experiences on your safari.

Well, I certainly hope it won't be The Long(er) Road to Africa!

 

[Troubleshooter]

The Rifles​

I was stationed in Indiana in 2015. While there, I would visit Joe Montgomery, owner of 500 Guns. I used to love driving to his shop on a rainy Saturday and would spend hours looking at his lions and cape buffalo mounts and hearing his hunting stories. His store bore that scent of leather, gun oil, and canvas. It was the perfect venue to romanticize about all things Africa. Joe and I talked about various hunting books and he learned I especially liked Jim Corbett for his direct, no nonsense approach to hunting tigers. As it so happened, Joe had a handsome John Rigby and Co. rifle in .275 that had been built in 1927. I really wanted the same battery of firearms as the great Jim Corbett used and after some consideration, decided to buy the Rigby. Only a few months later, Joe again showed me another rifle he knew I would fawn over. “You already have the .275, you can finish your Corbett collection with this.” He pulled out a 1900 WJ Jeffery in 450/400. I was swooning. After we worked out the details for a layaway plan, I made incremental payments to Joe. Before I knew it, I had the Jim Corbett ensemble!
View attachment 451637
View attachment 451639

Late to the party, I must have missed this article when you first posted it. By odd coincidence, I met Joe Montgomery at the Tulsa show in either fall 2014 or maybe spring 2015 (can't remember now). He showed me a .450/400 Jeffery double that he was selling from his personal collection. I passed on it, as it was more than I was prepared to spend at that time. Now I'm wondering whether it is the same rifle that you purchased from him?

 

[gcbailey]

Late to the party, I must have missed this article when you first posted it. By odd coincidence, I met Joe Montgomery at the Tulsa show in either fall 2014 or maybe spring 2015 (can't remember now). He showed me a .450/400 Jeffery double that he was selling from his personal collection. I passed on it, as it was more than I was prepared to spend at that time. Now I'm wondering whether it is the same rifle that you purchased from him?

Ooh! I am intrigued! Joe had two Jeffery 450/400s from his personal collection. One was a non-ejector with a lion engraved under the frame, the other was an ejector with scroll engraving. I chose the ejector. I wonder if he did show you the rifle I purchased, because when he offered me the non-ejector, he pulled it out of the back of his safe and I hadn't seen the rifle prior to that.

 

[Troubleshooter]

gcbailey: It's quite possible, as I'm almost certain the one that I looked at was an ejector model. He had three or four doubles displayed; one was the Jeffery, another was a Sabatti, and there was at least one other of English manufacture. Might have been a C&H or a Mantan, but I cannot remember. I definitely do remember the almost-magical way that the Jeffery came to my shoulder. It fit as if made just for me.

Funny; I saw your comment on the other thread about using a vintage Jeffery on safari and thought, "so why didn't he write a report on it?" Then I saw your article (this thread) and noticed the reference to this rifle. Good on you for taking it on safari where it belongs.

Rather than further derail this thread, perhaps we should continue this discussion via DM.

 

[TheRookie]

PART 1: Planning.

Introduction​

I was raised on a farm in Southeast Georgia. My friends joke that when I was born, my mom issued me a gun. Guns have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. In my childhood, I was fortunate to have been raised by a dad who hunted and his passion for upland hunting runs deep in my veins. As a kid, I had free reign to explore the woods around our property, hunting and honing my shooting. Even today, there is nothing better to me than walking through pines, quail hunting with a good English Pointer or Setter. I am a Major in the U.S. Army Field Artillery and by no means a wealthy man. Mama says I am a blue collar worker with champagne tastes. I suppose she is right, but if there is a lesson here, I want it to be that anyone can hunt in Africa if that is their dream. It will take time, sacrifice, and patience (a LOT of patience), but it can be done.

I suppose my interest in Africa first came from my dad. He read numerous books on Africa and as he related some of the stories he had read to me as a young boy, they sounded dangerous and exciting. When I was a restless twenty-two year old, a guest pastor, Dr. James Baird, provided the sermon “A Man for All Seasons.” His sermon was the story of Dr. David Livingstone and it captured me. It’s the one sermon I have never forgotten and I often play it for my son on Sunday mornings on our way to church. Dr. Baird must have preached his sermon in a few places (it was an excellent sermon, so why not?). It can be read or heard here. I recommend listening to the audio as Dr. Baird puts great vocal inflection in his story: First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi | » A Man For All Seasons (fpcjackson.org).

After his sermon, the Africa bug bit me hard. I began to read everything I could get my hands on regarding Africa; authors such as Dr. David Livingstone, Henry Morton Stanley, Theodore Roosevelt, Peter Capstick, Robert Ruark, Stewart Edward White, Edouard Foa, Craig Boddington, Clive Phillips-Wolley, Arthur H. Neumann, Jim Corbett, LTC James Patterson, and many others began to fill my bookshelves.

The Outfit​

Hunting in Africa has been my dream for a very long time. I could have gone on a plains game hunt by now; I could have taken modern firearms that cost much less than the vintage ones I currently have, booked a flight, and been on my way. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but it wasn’t for me. I wanted to do a traditional safari- fedora, jacket, and all. I’ve seen too many photos and watched Out of Africa and The Ghost and The Darkness one too many times. I want to hunt with vintage rifles wearing vintage type clothes. I swore off camo for most of my hunting years ago anyway. After wearing camouflage every day for my job, I really don’t want to wear it again to go hunting. It may seem absurd to some, but I am past the age of caring what people think about my dress, so I’m going to evoke some Stewart Granger and be on my way!
View attachment 451636

The Rifles​

I was stationed in Indiana in 2015. While there, I would visit Joe Montgomery, owner of 500 Guns. I used to love driving to his shop on a rainy Saturday and would spend hours looking at his lions and cape buffalo mounts and hearing his hunting stories. His store bore that scent of leather, gun oil, and canvas. It was the perfect venue to romanticize about all things Africa. Joe and I talked about various hunting books and he learned I especially liked Jim Corbett for his direct, no nonsense approach to hunting tigers. As it so happened, Joe had a handsome John Rigby and Co. rifle in .275 that had been built in 1927. I really wanted the same battery of firearms as the great Jim Corbett used and after some consideration, decided to buy the Rigby. Only a few months later, Joe again showed me another rifle he knew I would fawn over. “You already have the .275, you can finish your Corbett collection with this.” He pulled out a 1900 WJ Jeffery in 450/400. I was swooning. After we worked out the details for a layaway plan, I made incremental payments to Joe. Before I knew it, I had the Jim Corbett ensemble!
View attachment 451637
View attachment 451639
View attachment 451640
View attachment 451641
View attachment 451642

I love this. I believe counting and measuring ruins more hunting and fishing experiences than can be counted or measured. I need to find guns like yours!

 

[TheRookie]

PART 2: Preparation.​

I have poured over safari packing videos and advice on this site. I found the “What to Pack” videos by Philip Glass and Craig Boddington to be especially helpful. On a side note, if you have not seen the documentary Trophy that features Philip Glass, I HIGHLY recommend it. That is one film that everyone should see- both hunters AND non-hunters. I do not know Mr. Glass, but like Boddington, I liked his cool-headed demeanor and common sense approach to hunting. It makes watching them hunt highly enjoyable for me-unlike many that make every hunt a major drama episode. The sequence of Mr. Glass's lion hunt was incredibly powerful and moving for me… and I think I am about to watch it again for the eight thousandth time.

I modeled my packing similarly to Craig Boddington for a couple reasons: first, I like his straight forward, no frills approach. Second, he uses some practical clothing and military gear that I already have readily available. The only thing that frustrates me about Boddington is that he doesn’t say what all his gear is, which left me searching for days on the internet until I found some of the items he was using. To save people some effort, below are photos as well as an itemized list of what I plan on taking to Africa, as well as their associated cost (rounded to the nearest dollar). Am I missing anything? Please let me know!

Packing List​

Rifle Case:

-I like Pelican cases. I’ve been using them for years for deployments and they have held up exceptionally well. Soldiers, Baggage Handlers, and toddlers are all the same when it comes to handling equipment, so the fact they have held up gives me a lot of confidence my rifles will make it safely to Africa.

-There are a lot of tripods, but I like the Bog-Pod because they are reasonably tough yet lightweight. The Wide Body Shooting Rest is perfect for double rifles.

-I have been using OTIS cleaning kits for some time now. They are nice and compact and have all you need to field clean your firearm.

-Broken Anvil is made by Charles Bridges who is an active duty Soldier I worked with a little time ago. He was featured on Forged in Fire. I really like his Damascus blades.

-Like Boddington, I like the Trader Keith Rifle Slings. They are classic and the two rows of impregnated rubber help keep the firearm on your shoulder. I think they are worth every penny.
View attachment 451929
View attachment 451930
View attachment 451931

ITEM COST

Pelican 1750 Case $290

2x Generic padded rifle cases- Walmart brand $10 EACH

2x Trader Keith Rifle Slings $65 EACH

Bog-Pod RLD-3 (Red Legged Devil) $97

Bog-Pod Wide Body Shooting Rest $50

Trader Keith Backup Slide $65

Hunter Ammo Slide (10 rounds) $30

Hunter Ammo Slide (5 rounds) $20

Gerber Multi-Tool (issued) $85

Silicone Cleaning Cloth $5

Real Avid Bore Boss (7mm) $10

Otis #40 Ripcord $12

Custom Broken Anvil Hunting Knife $200

Hicape Neoprene Waterproof Scope Cover (set of 2) $13


Carry-On Bag:

The Blackhawk Titan was thankfully issued to me, as I doubt I would have spent that kind of money on a backpack. They are a bit heavy but incredibly tough. There are also a lot of pockets to hold various tools and doodads.

I came across Covert Threads Desert Socks when I preparing for my first deployment. I have been wearing them almost exclusively every day for the past 15 years. They are comfortable, well padded, and reinforced in hot spot areas. I probably have nearly 30 pairs at this point. I’ve heard a lot about merino Wool, but these socks have served me well in a myriad of climates so I will be packing them for my trip.

The Military Riggers Belt is the same belt Craig Boddington uses. Old habits die hard and I laughed a little when I saw him wearing it in nearly all his videos. The standard rigger belt is cheap but extremely durable. It held up in combat, so I see no reason it won’t do the same on a hunting trip.

The Army issued 3M earplugs are a great buy. If you know someone in the military, ask them to get you a set or 40. I keep two sets in my range bag, two sets in my truck, 8 sets in the garage….

I debated bringing the shemagh, as it can seem a bit “tacti-cool” or make you feel (and look) like an Arab Sheik, but bottom line is they are great. They are light weight, keep you warm, keep you cool, and especially good at keeping sand out of your face. It might even work as a COVID mask.

The military issued gloves and beanie isn’t anything special. I had them already on hand and they are neutral colors. Any light weight pair of gloves should work fine so long as they don’t prohibit free movement of your trigger finger.

Army Polypropylene Long Johns, called “PolyPro” are amazing. They are light weight, very warm, and hold up to being jumped on as you cram them into a duffel bag. No ironing required.

With the Olight, I broke my own rule. I despise anything that comes from China, which I realize is almost everything. I don’t like to support countries who are directly competing with the US its allies. But Olight flashlights are amazing. They are rechargeable and are BRIGHT at a fraction of the cost of SureFire. SureFire is assembled in the USA, but they use “foreign components” which I assume means China as well. I would gladly pay more for them but they have a BIG downside. They eat batteries at a ridiculous rate. I literally packed hundreds of batteries to fuel my SureFire on deployments and still had to order more before re-deploying home.

While the Gerber RECON flashlight isn’t anywhere near the brightness of SureFire or Olight, it is a solid little flashlight that makes a great backup to my primary light. It’s small and has red, green, blue, and white lenses that are changed just by rotating the head of the light.

I used GoPro but didn’t like that it lacked zoom capability. The Tactacam is light, has several firearm mounting options, is silent when it turns on, and takes great quality video. Hopefully, I will be able to get good video of shots on game, especially the dangerous variety.

I am nearly deaf, so I wear Etymotic GSP-15 earplugs every time I go hunting and shooting. Although a bit more bulky than the issued 3M earplugs, I want to be able to hear my PH whispering to me when we are on a stalk. The Etymotic earplugs are electronic and allow me to hear normal conversation, yet provide excellent protection from gunfire with its passive noise cancellation. They aren’t cheap, but I cannot afford to lose what little I is left of my hearing.
View attachment 451932

ITEM COST

Blackhawk Titan Hydration Pack (issued) $266

Carhartt Rugged Flex Pants $45

Tag Safari Trail Shirt (Short Sleeve) $62

Scala Felt Hat $32

Covert Threads Desert Socks $18

Military Riggers Belt (issued) $14

Military Earplugs (issued) $8

Shemagh $13

Leather Journal $40

Leupold RX1600i Range Finder $429

Zeiss Terra ED 10x42 Binoculars $500

Army Cold Weather Gloves (issued) $7

Army Fleece Beanie (issued) $11

Army Polypropylene Long John Top (issued) $14

Olight Odin Mini Flashlight $140

Gerber Recon LED Flashlight $24

Tactacam Action Camera $300

Pelican 1010 Micro Case $17

Pelican 1060 Micro Case $23

Tag Safari Leather Gaiters $80

Oakley Flak Sunglasses $165

Ray Ban Aviator Classic Sunglasses $150

Etymotic GSP-15 Electronic Earplugs $300


Checked Bag:

The Red Oxx PR6 Duffel bag is what Craig Boddington uses (I called them and even asked for the same size). He claims it has served him well for years and I believe it! This is one well-built bag! There aren’t many pockets and there is no padding, but this duffel can hold a lot. I wear a size 13 shoe and the end pockets are just large enough for me to cram my Crocs inside. The top opens via a center panel with zippers on each side. The top is secured with stainless steel twist lock fasteners. Plus, it’s made in Montana and has a lifetime warranty. My only concern is that there isn’t a way to lock the bag and secure the items inside.

I have worn Dubarry Wexford boots for about three years now. They are hands down the best thing I’ve ever put on my feet. They are water proof and Gore-Tex lined, but amazingly comfortable in both hot and cold weather. Plus, they have an awesome classic look!

Although I will be hunting during their winter, just to be safe, I am bringing After Bite, Permethrin spray, and Picaridin wipes.

I’ve never tried it before, but I decided to use Red Oxx Packing Cubes to help me stay organized. We’ll see how it goes.
View attachment 451933
View attachment 451934
ITEM COST

Red Oxx PR6 Duffel Bag $245

Dubarry Wexford Boots $569

Military Riggers Belt $14

Shemagh $13

Dorfman Pacific Boonie Hat $22

RIG Universal Gun Grease $12

Schmidt Bender Lens Cleaning Kit $50

Sawyer Permethrin Spray $19

Bag of large tip ties $2

Sawyer Picaridin Wipes $14

After Bite (Pack of 2) $14

Magellan Outdoors Men's Back Country Zipoff Nylon Pant $25

Carhartt Men's Rugged Work Khaki Pants $40

Magellan Outdoors Men's Laguna Madre Pant $30

2x Power Plug Adapter $13 each

TAG Safari Jacket $98

Columbia Sportswear Men's PFG Permit III Shorts $35

Magellan Outdoors Men's Lost Pines Cargo Shorts $20

2x Orvis Shor Sleeve Linen Bush Shirt $89 each

Orvis Short Sleeve Bush Shirt $79

Orvis Short Sleeve Safari Polo Shirt $69

David Archy Men’s Short Leg Boxer Briefs (Set of 3) $38

3x Covert Threads Desert Socks $18 each

MTM Survivor Dry Box $12

The Perfect Shot: Mini Edition for Africa 2 (not pictured) $17

2x Red Oxx Packing Cube Set $135 each


Ammo Box:

The MTM Survivor Dry Box is also an item used by Craig Boddington. Unfortunately, we can only carry 11 pounds of ammunition and nitro express rounds add weight quickly. The box has nice depth, locks on three sides, and is lockable. I was able to fit 20 rounds of 450/400 soft nose, 10 rounds of 450/400 solid nose, and 60 rounds of 275 Rigby inside. I also have to give a shout out to Hendershot’s here as well. I ran out of Hornady 450/400 to practice with and started to get worried about finding more. I had some unfired Hornady 450/400 cases and Woodleigh Weldcore bullets on hand, both softs and solids. I contacted Hendershot’s, sent in my components, and they loaded the ammo for me at a reasonable price.
View attachment 451936


Medical:

The Blue Force Gear Micro Trauma Kit is an item I carry on my battle belt but have fortunately never used. I figured clogging a bullet hole or clogging a hole made from the horn of an animal will be about the same. The Micro Trauma Kit is compact, lightweight, and can easily be carried at the small of my back on my hunting belt. Our Combat Medics set me up with medical supplies so I only bought the pouch itself. Blue Force Gear does sell pre-packaged units at prices from $114 to over $200 depending on what medical supplies you order. The Tourniquet NOW holder threads through the bottom of the Micro Trauma Kit NOW. It has an elastic sleeve that can hold a tourniquet, spare magazine, banana, beer can, or whatever else you can stuff in it.
View attachment 451937
View attachment 451940
View attachment 451941

ITEM COST

Blue Force Gear Micro Trauma Kit NOW (empty) $89

Eye Patch

S-Rolled Gauze

Combat Gauze

Nasal Farangeal

Emergency Bandage

HyFin Chest Seal

CAT Tourniquet

1 Pair latex gloves

Decompression Needle

Small Bottle of aspirin (not pictured)

Blue Force Gear Tourniquet NOW holder $12


Thanks for reading! I will post Part 3 here when I return from my hunt. In the meantime your, comments, recommendations, and shared experience would be greatly appreciated!

View attachment 451939

This is SOOOOOOOO helpful.

 

[gcbailey]

This is SOOOOOOOO helpful.

Thank you! I'm so glad you found it useful!

 

[Raven]

I was happy to read the entire topic, view all the photos, and also watched the movie. Really, very useful stuff.

But my question is, what part of what you took to Africa was not needed there? For example, you have listed the Zeiss Terra ED binoculars in the list. But I didn't see the binoculars in the photos and videos. And what else was superfluous?

 

[gcbailey]

I was happy to read the entire topic, view all the photos, and also watched the movie. Really, very useful stuff.

But my question is, what part of what you took to Africa was not needed there? For example, you have listed the Zeiss Terra ED binoculars in the list. But I didn't see the binoculars in the photos and videos. And what else was superfluous?

Sir, great question! I did carry my binos with me, they were just usually on my wife. I didn’t use or need them as much as I thought I would. My rifle scope was usually plenty for the ranges we saw animals at. I don’t know if we spotted anything beyond 300 yards. My wife used the binoculars frequently to look at birds, so I don’t think they were useless.

It was actually the things I thought I would need most that I ended up not ever using:
- I didn’t need to crack open the permethrin or after bite once.

-I don’t recall ever pulling out a flashlight.

- I never unsheathed my knife.

But I think this is region dependent. In more open terrain, binoculars may have been vital. Where I was, it was mostly flat and there was a lot of Mopani, so couldn’t see beyond 300 yards in most places. The final thing I thankfully never had to use was my medical kit, but that travels with me everywhere.