The normal first timer questions

[mgp3521]

My buddy had a little too much to drink at a Rocky Mountain elk foundation banquet and won the auction for a 10 day South African plains game hunt for 2. He asked me to go with him and I couldn’t say no
Between our schedules and the hunting guide the only date we could do was in the middle of November.
I’ve been researching this forum for weeks trying to see what I’ve gotten myself into it seems like November is going to be hot. Dumb question but is it ok to hunt in shorts and some hiking shoes? Or should I stick with pants?
The package includes blue wildebeest, impala and blesbuck. I’m planning on taking a .308 with Barnes 168 grain ttsx bt or nosler trophy grade accubond 165 grain. Are both of these rounds sufficient?
Is global rescue or some other type of travel insurance a good idea or is South Africa a pretty safe area?
I’ve never been on a guided hunting so I am really jumping into the deep end with this one. This forum has helped answer some of my questions but I’m sure I’ll have more.

 

[Badjer]

First off, welcome!
The combined knowledge on this page is incredible. As such, I will bow to the group as I have only been to S.A. once myself. My only comment will be..... If possible find out the outfitter and Province. S.A. terrain and elevation varies even with plains game. It will affect the clothing and gear questions and recommendations.
> edited to add: November 2024?

 

[Garrett89]

I rocked hiking shorts and Lowa hiking boots for a three week hunt. Besides being a little chilly it worked out perfectly. Shot everything out to 200-ish yards with a .308 shooting mystery rounds loaded with 180 grain mystery bullets. I'd probably prefer a .30-06 though. I wouldn't bother with travel insurance or global rescue since SA is pretty chill. I'd be more worried about rolling an ankle while you're out walking day after day. You might very well be riding in a pickup or land rover which means even less risk. If you've ever been to the Texas hill country the terrain is almost identical cactus and all. Take some really good binoculars with you

 

[spotnspook]

IMO the evacuation service from global rescue is more than worth it for a temp membership...Imagine you got in a car accident during a commute, they will get you home at least and not saddle your family with the logistics and financing of all that. A couple hundred bucks for a little peace of mind.

 

[Letzhunt]

Like mentioned before ..... depends on what province. Eastern cape is a lot different than most of Limpopo. Since the wildebeest is on the menu I would elect the Barnes over the Accubond. I'm just not a fan of the Accubond for bigger stuff.
If your health insurance doesn't cover anything during foreign travel I would suggest some insurance. Doesn't necessarily have to be Rip Cord or Global Rescue but just some travel health care. It is very reasonable and good peace of mind.
Don't over pack..... we all did it our first time even though everyone told us not to. Laundry service is typically daily minus Sundays.

 

[Elkeater]

Where and who are you going with? And yes, a .308 with a Barnes 168gr TTsX will get the job done. We went for the first time in June and shot everything with a .308win. Duiker and steenbok to kudu, wildebeest and Zebra. All died.

 

[USN]

Travel insurance is a good idea. MedEvac hopefully not necessary but peace of mind makes it worth it to me. Everything else trust your outfitter. Enjoy and looking forward to hunt report.

 

[BryceM]

Just prepare to become addicted! Have a great hunt.

As for clothing suggestions, this and many, many other questions are expected by your outfitter/PH. They're in the best position to make recommendations.

 

[skydiver386]

I think you are on the right track so far. There are 4 things I would suggest.

The book "The Perfect Shot Africa" by Dr. Kevin Robertson, so that you get a good idea of African big game anatomy and proper shot placement.

Take a camera of some sort with a good long range lens. There are plenty of memories that you just won't be able to capture with your cell camera.

Take a side trip to one of the big National Parks like Pilanesburg or Kruger.

Visit Safari Outdoor in Pretoria. Kind of an African version of Bass Pro or Cabela's. I had no idea that I needed a Lord Derby Eland till I saw the one they had there.

 

[375Fox]

Your bullets are good, either choice. For shorts or pants, it’s up to you and the terrain you are hunting. Brushy areas I often opt for pants and only wear shorts at camp. I personally wouldn’t get global rescue for South Africa unless you are older and at risk of heart attack or stroke. It’s more valuable in other countries where there is no quality medical care if needed. They’d likely evacuate you to South Africa anyway if you were hunting another African country.
The outfitter I assume you are hunting with has caused some controversy here on AH in past. If the high volume experience isn’t for you after the hunt just remember most outfitters offer a more personalized experience with greater attention to detail. The package you got will likely only take you a day or two to collect. Give some consideration to what else you’d like to take for remaining days so you aren’t caught off guard when your planned package hunt finishes early.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

My buddy had a little too much to drink at a Rocky Mountain elk foundation banquet and won the auction for a 10 day South African plains game hunt for 2. He asked me to go with him and I couldn’t say no
Between our schedules and the hunting guide the only date we could do was in the middle of November.
I’ve been researching this forum for weeks trying to see what I’ve gotten myself into it seems like November is going to be hot. Dumb question but is it ok to hunt in shorts and some hiking shoes? Or should I stick with pants?
The package includes blue wildebeest, impala and blesbuck. I’m planning on taking a .308 with Barnes 168 grain ttsx bt or nosler trophy grade accubond 165 grain. Are both of these rounds sufficient?
Is global rescue or some other type of travel insurance a good idea or is South Africa a pretty safe area?
I’ve never been on a guided hunting so I am really jumping into the deep end with this one. This forum has helped answer some of my questions but I’m sure I’ll have more.

I would take the AccuBonds. I know many of those that have used the ttsx bulletx swear by them but I had a bad experience with Barnes copper bullets once and just can't bring myself to trust any bullet that doesn't have any lead in it. Can you imagine an old Western where the good guy says, "Put your hands up or I'll fill ya fiulls brass."

 

[Green Chile]

Your gun and loads will work great. Learn to shoot off sticks before you go...lots have been written about that here. Wear pants on the plane and take a pair of shorts to see which you like best. They do laundry daily but it won't be ready to use again until the afternoon/evening. Take notes and photos of your time there and then share with us when you get home. As was written above, you may or may not love the volume setup of an auction hunt in SA. If you love it...great. If you don't, there are lots more options for another trip. Congrats on your first trip coming up!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I would take the AccuBonds. I know many of those that have used the ttsx bulletx swear by them but I had a bad experience with Barnes copper bullets once and just can't bring myself to trust any bullet that doesn't have any lead in it. Can you imagine an old Western where the good guy says, "Put your hands up or I'll fill ya fiulls brass."

Sorry. I got side tracked.

I had Global Rescue on my last trip. I didn't need it but after I got back I had a heart attack. If that had happened while I was in the bush things could have gotten as serious as a heart attack! Accidents can happen anytime.

I always wear jeans, but PH's all wear shorts. So take your pick.

Have a great hunt, and let us know how it went.

Doug

 

[Tintin]

From my research for overseas hunting trips, all the travel insurers, apart from Global Rescue, that I looked at specifically excluded hunting from their cover in their policy documents.

AFAIK Global Resuce offer both a travel insurance product and their evacuation type cover.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Welcome to AH.
Enjoy your planning.

 

[wesheltonj]

First you most take a 375 H&H, push feed, of course. Africa is a dangerous place and you will need that fire power to keep you safe. That the excuse to purchase a new gun. Of course if that does not work, the 308 will work just fine. I would recommend 180g Oryx bullet.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I think you are on the right track so far. There are 4 things I would suggest.

The book "The Perfect Shot Africa" by Dr. Kevin Robertson, so that you get a good idea of African big game anatomy and proper shot placement.

Take a camera of some sort with a good long range lens. There are plenty of memories that you just won't be able to capture with your cell camera.

Take a side trip to one of the big National Parks like Pilanesburg or Kruger.

Visit Safari Outdoor in Pretoria. Kind of an African version of Bass Pro or Cabela's. I had no idea that I needed a Lord Derby Eland till I saw the one they had there.

A side trip to Victoria Falls and maybe Chobe National Park are well worth the time. Talking to Travel Express for ideas is also a good idea.

 

[Sabre]

I prefer to wear pants for anything in the bush/woods. Pants and long sleeve for me, but I don't mind heat and I prefer having the protection from the sun and/or from sharp things when walking through thick cover.

The Barnes 168 grains are great. My preference for the bonded bullets are Federal Terminal Ascent 175 grain and Trophy Bonded Tip 165 grain. I have used them on a very very wide range of animals and they have done extremely well. And if I were choosing, I would choose Federal bonded over the Barnes.

The trip insurance is a tough one. I have had it and also not had it on trips. Haven't needed it so far, but I'm sure like anything, you roll the dice enough times and you will eventually have bad luck. I think it comes down to a lot of personal opinion/preference and financial risk assessment.

 

[mark-hunter]

The package includes blue wildebeest, impala and blesbuck. I’m planning on taking a .308 with Barnes 168 grain ttsx bt or nosler trophy grade accubond 165 grain. Are both of these rounds sufficient?
Is global rescue or some other type of travel insurance a good idea or is South Africa a pretty safe area?
I’ve never been on a guided hunting so I am really jumping into the deep end with this one

Gun & ammo wise, you are OK. I would add - train shooting from stick before you go there.

Global rescue or not, depends where you will be hunting. Tell us where is your outfit? What is the name of your outfitter company?

You are not jumping too deep.
Deep jump would be extreme hunt in less visited areas. For example Cameroon rain forest, or Ethiopia mountains.
Majority of commercial hunting, especially for first timers is made in South Africa and Namibia, and the path is well beaten. I think that 95% of first timers make first safari in South Africa and Namibia, and maybe 75-80% of all safari numbers is made in these two countries, with excellent logistics and infrastructure for hunters.

 

[uplander01]

Shorts, pants, personal pref. Ask the outfitter about temps and weather, take a couple pair of each. Rifle is good to go on plains game no worries. Previous suggestion about good binos is a good one. A good hat and sunglasses will be a welcome addition as well. I’ve hunted in East Africa a couple times when it was hot as hell, wouldn’t have wanted long sleeves or pants at all, would have been like wearing a snow mobile suit. Skin so soft bug repel/sunscreen is always something in my kit as well.