What surprises first-time hunters most in Africa?

[Kalahari Safari NAMIBIA]

When you arrive in Africa for the first time, everything you thought you knew about hunting starts to shift.

Most of us grow up dreaming about hunting Africa.

We read about it, watch it, plan it, talk about it for years — and eventually book the trip with a clear picture in our minds of what it will be like.

And then you arrive.

Africa has a way of surprising people — not in a negative way, but in a way most don’t expect.

The size of the land is the first thing that hits you. Distances are bigger, horizons wider, and moving between areas takes time. It quickly resets your sense of scale.

Then comes patience. Time in the field is slower than most expect. Long sits, long tracking, long quiet periods — followed by moments where everything can change in an instant.

But what really catches most first-time hunters off guard is this:

It’s so much more than just the pull of a trigger.

The tracking, the reading of signs, the wind, the terrain, the stories in the bush, the early mornings, the long drives, the conversations around the fire — it all becomes part of the experience.

And that’s what stays with people long after the hunt is over.

The shot is only a small part of the story.
We look forward to writing your story with you. In surprising you.
Book now with Kalahari Safari Namibia

www.kalahari-safari.com


Question to the community:
For those who have hunted Africa before — what part of the experience surprised you the most?

 

[JimP]

On my first hunt I didn't even do any research and jumped onto a hunt that a friend had set up.

I envisioned vast grasslands or a heavily forested jungle for our destination. First day out I looked at my PH and said that where we were hunting was much like where I hunted elk here in Colorado in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I was ready for it on my second trip.

Then there were the people sitting outside of public restrooms waiting for their token for the use of it. It seamed like every where you looked they were expecting something.

But then the kids at the remote schools and the joy that they showed for the gifts that we dropped off. Little things that most of us take for granted were shear pleasure to them. Then on a tour through Lesotho where we handed out plain tennis balls, you would think that we gave those kids a million bucks.

 

[K-man]

The skills and 6th sense the trackers and P.H. use regarding game continues to surprise me. The ability to judge game quality quickly is also surprising.

 

[Surgeon7]

The unbelievable variety of game seen while hunting. I was a kid in a candy store

 

[dogcat1]

The skill of trackers and PH's. I was dazzled. More amazing than the regular Zim, Tanz, Moz trackers are the pygmy trackers in Cameroon.... Those guys are magicians.

Second would be the abilities of the Zim trained PH's to judge horners or cats in less than 2 seconds.

 

[reinwood]

1. the quantity animals and the number of different species. Depending on the area you might see easily more than 10 different species/herd in one day. Thus the umber of opportunities you might have every day assuming an infinite budget
2. the incredible tracking skills of tracker and PHs
3. the fact that you become a prey among predators or DG
4. the overall happiness/mindset of the people you encounter. People are smiling and not complaining.

 

[BeeMaa]

The ability of the trackers and PH’s who appear to be using “The Force” to find and track game. Simply amazing.

 

[Muskox]

The Southern Cross, that was pretty epic.

I didn't know they could see different constellations in the southern Hemisphere.

When I moved to Australia in 2010, it was an old friend I had not seen in 5 years.

 

[dhoover]

2 things really surprised me. 1. When you blow a stalk, you simply pause, regroup and take the track up again. The animals are not leaving the country never to be seen again like an elk or ram. 2. The toughness of the animals after they have been shot. Their will to live is incredible. They never really seem to be dead.

 

[Betterinthebush]

For me, it’s ineffable.

 

[Nosler guy]

I had done a lot of homework / research, talked to a lot of the right people, before I headed to Africa - so I felt pretty prepared. And for the most part I was. I come from a very rural area, with very low population, pretty much have the run of the country side, so I'm used to vast spaces. Old enough to have lived through the 70's and 80's, when our part of the world had very high wildlife populations - so that part wasn't a surprise either

What jumped out at me was the hospitality and treatment that you receive from the African tourist industry - whether the outfitters, guides, camp staff, and all the supporting industries. The outfits that I hunted with, treated you like royalty - way beyond what I expected or needed. They catered to your every wish and need (within reason). Made for a very relaxing time - simply able to focus on the enjoyment of the Safari. And I appreciated their upfront honesty about the hunting and safari in general, whether it was prices, inclusions, or just general information

A long ways from what you experience in North America - both US and Canada. Lots of outfits over, and a big portion of the tourist industry here, tell yu what they want yu to hear, just to make you happy, and to take your money, and when the going gets tough - excuses, new stories or some just disappear. Always new or extra charges and inclusions over here, that are conveniently not mentioned The North American tourist Industry could learn a whole lot from the African example.

Really pleasant surprise for me - I wasn't prepared for that.

 

[Doug3006]

Among many surprises was how hard-working and professional the PHs are. The PHs were always up an hour or more before me making sure breakfast was being prepared, the Land Cruiser was clean and straightened away, and the dozens of little details were attended to. We’d spend 12 hours hunting hard. Then return to camp. While I was getting cleaned up, the PH was overseeing the preparation of dinner, getting the bar stocked and making sure everything was ready for a perfect evening. After dinner, drinks by the fire and good conversation about topics that had to seem like Groundhog Day to the PH. This all times 10-14 days! Every one of my PHs have been great company and fun to be with.

 

[coreydb]

My first hunt in SA was an eye opener and intoxicating. Although the terrain was much like west central Texas, the concession teemed with game.

 

[meigsbucks]

I thoroughly concur with all of the above, especially @ Reinwood and @ Betterinthebush. What struck me initially was what occurred before the hunt.
At Africa Sky, I was talking to the manager and mentioned about the walled and fenced homes on the way. She looked at me like I was an idiot and said: “This is South Africa sir”.
At the Bulawayo airport, we landed, taxied up to about 100 yds from the terminal. No jetway. Came down the steps and got on a bus. I thought: a bus to go 100yds? Instead they took us back up the taxiway to a hanger, where we waited outside. It turns out, Zimbabwe hadn’t paid its power bill and the main terminal was shut down! A well dressed gentleman approached me and addressed me by name. My first thought was “”Oh crap! What did I do?” He took me to a guy at a lectern who wrote in a book with CARBON PAPER and issued us a piece of paper that we then were directed to take it to a little window where we got our visas. Then we were directed to another area where a guy inspected my rifle and counted my rounds. We grabbed our luggage and then a guy was manning the exit door which consisted of a little wooden latch that this guy was guarding like the Crown Jewels. Walked thru the door and met my PH. The drive to the hunting area was eye opening. The poverty was shocking. People living on the side of the road, everyone carrying a plastic grocery bag with their belongings and a jug of water. Vans packed with people and everything including the kitchen sink tied to them or pulled on a trailer.
When going thru the airport to come home, everything was handwritten. I told my wife, we’ll never see our luggage again. Surprisingly everything made it home. Definitely third world.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

1. The diversity of game animals.

2. How many operations there are in South Africa. My PH/the owner shared it with me - it was a stunning number. No wonder there are the occasional bad apple when there are so many freaking apples.

3. The little things that brought me joy: speckboom, SA birds, the differing landscape, close encounters to heat didn't work, the weather, the meals...

To the original point, about the vast landscapes and waiting... I would guess Namibia is quite different than South Africa, but coming from Alaska - my home - I am quite used to truly wide open, wild, and vast landscapes.

 

[Velo Dog]

Many things about Africa were an eye opener for me.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was that African antelope, swine. buffalo and Hartmann’s mountain zebra, are pretty much better of flavor than almost all N. American deer species, especially compared to rutting mule deer and rutting caribou, oofdah.
Our elk, Dall sheep, pronghorn, mountain goat and Alaskan blacktail deer being noted exceptions, as that meat is quite good.

Before ever eating Hartmann’s zebra, if when trying it the first time, if I had to guess what it was, I would’ve guessed farm raised elk.

Indeed I do love to eat N. American deer and other N. American hoofed critters.
All our deer and their sub species I have shot and eaten, except the two mentioned (during their respective rut seasons) are very good.
Outside of the rut, even mule deer and caribou are quite good, IMO.
Alaska black tail deer and elk are favorites of mine any time, rutting or not.

However, African hoofed animals are amazingly mild of flavor, no matter what.
Well, as long as they are properly cared for in the field, in other words no hair or other unwanted contaminates on the meat.
Simply delicious.

 

[Hogpatrol]

What impressed me the most the first and other times was hospitality and care by the outfitters, PHs and support staff. It was if I had previously hunted with the many times and was treated like one of the family.

 

[TnKen]

The terrain was my biggest surprise. I was thinking more plains and grass, but it was like where I hunt in Montana.

 

[BryceM]

How unbelievably hard the PH and the other folks worked to make sure we were having a good time and a good hunt.

The density of animals in the middle of the Kalahari Desert was astonishing, even in no-fence areas. It makes me wonder what the actual potential of the desert part of the Western US is.

 

[csmcclain]

How badly you want to return.