Hunting & Fishing 2018 South Africa hunting trip

[Jason Wells]

So while going through the process of buying points/ applying for tags etc. I realized I need to get cracking on planning my 2018 Africa hunting trip. This will be my first trip to Africa and intend on taking my wife and daughter who will be ten by the time it rolls around. I will be hunting plains game, neither my wife nor daughter will hunt but they may come along on a hunt or two. Finding a reputable outfitter/ PH doesn't seem to be too difficult- I have several friends who have been and suggested people, but my big concern is for my family. I need to know for sure that while I'm out hunting my wife and daughter are safe and having as much fun as I am, I want them to experience Africa as a whole- culture and nature. As for me, I want to hunt balls to the wall sun-up til sun-down.

If any of you have ever taken a young family to Africa I welcome your input, thanks in advance.

 

[WallNutt]

Try AfricaHunting.com forum. Tons of info to help you out. Very similar to "The Hide" in set up and members. Good luck...Nutt

 

[FourNineThree]

Jason,

A good question about family and one that should be looked at carefully. I have not hunted South Africa, but I have hunted Namibia for plains game, twice with the same outfitter, Jan Oelofse Safaris. I cannot say enough good things about the man (RIP), his family, PH's, staff and property. My wife was with me both times and actually shots a few animals both times as well. When not in the hunting rig she and other wives in camp went on photo safaris when they arose, were showered and fed, took day trips into markets or lounged by the pool. The meals were amazing and I actually gained weight from eating, even though I did a lot of walking. The flight to Namibia is easy, passing through Customs take about three minutes and it is a three hour drive to camp. Lots of things to do on property, as they have a school and all kinds of farming where they raise their own foods. Landing strip is on property should someone become ill or hurt.

Jan died last year, but his wife and son have taken over. Truly a wonderful class of people. Feel free to email me for more information: southerncrossllc at yahoo dot com

Be safe,
FourNineThree

 

[Ghogs Nightmare]

Check out nhorosafaris.com great guys and good hunts, when I went it was just me but they have other folks bring "observers". Drop them a line and pm me if you have
any further/other questions. Also, what were/are you looking to hunt (game wise.)

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

I took my wife 2 summers ago, she enjoyed some of the activities they offered (hot air balloon, spa at Sun City, etc) but she didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did. If I do it again, I'll send her to Cape Town while I hunt close to the Zim boarder. Johannesburg is a shithole, terrible crime, etc, but Cape Town is quite different.

I hunted 7 days and every day was "balls to the wall." On ordinance: African game - even plains - is tough, and you write the check when you pull the trigger (not when you find the animal) so be ready. Take more gun than you think you need and be comfortable shooting off sticks with about 5 seconds setup time. I took 300WM and was overgunned for the Klipspringer and undergunned for the zebra (I thought.) Next trip, I'll take a 243AI and a 375 H&H. With the 300, almost everything dropped with a single shot of 180-gr Barnes TTSX, but shots were well placed. If you miss by a little, more bullet will help immensely.

Hope that helps.

 

[wilb]

Look for a PH that can host you in his own home, with his own family. While you are hunting, your family is with his.

Our first trip was in the eastern cape near Grahmstown, and we returned to our PHs home each evening. Being a little closer to places like
Port Elizabeth or Cape Town will certainly give your family plenty to do.

Bill

 

[Early Cuyler]

I strongly suggest you contact Henry at Rifle Permits - In Support of Conservation Through Hunting. I went to South Africa last year with my parents and brother and wanted to take my rifle. He has you get the paperwork approved (Form 4457, Passport, Invitation to Hunt, etc.) and email them to him. Then when I landed in Johannesburg, he had everything pre-approved and walked me to the SAPS office to pick up my rifle. In/out in less than 5 minutes. Best $100 I spent.

 

[LanceS4803]

I just saw a show with Jim Shockey on it last night and he talked about how Africa is more affordable than many North American hunts.
Got me thinking...I'm bookmarking this for reference when I finally decide to go.

 

[Jason Wells]

Check out nhorosafaris.com great guys and good hunts, when I went it was just me but they have other folks bring "observers". Drop them a line and pm me if you have
any further/other questions. Also, what were/are you looking to hunt (game wise.)

I haven't really gotten serious about game selection yet. My thoughts were to find a safe and exiting outfitter for my family, then pick game based upon what they had in their area.

 

[Jason Wells]

I just saw a show with Jim Shockey on it last night and he talked about how Africa is more affordable than many North American hunts.
Got me thinking...I'm bookmarking this for reference when I finally decide to go.

Sad to say, but apples for apples you can fly half way around the world and hunt half a dozen different animals for about the same money as you can go on a upper end elk hunt.

 

[FourNineThree]

It is pretty amazing and the prices are, as Jason points out, very attractive to hunt in Africa. We used miles and cash to purchase airfare and once you are at your outfittters you are pretty much set. Good luck on the quest.

Be safe,
FourNineThree

 

[robozebra]

You can hunt in Africa for a reasonable cost, but there are certain negatives. Mainly getting those animals back to the US. I shot 9 animals and my wife shot 2. We spent about $20,000 on the hunt including airfare. It was a lot of money, but was also a lot of fun. Well, so far, I've spent another $11,000 getting the animals back to the US and I haven't even mounted anything. We had back hides tanned and capes pre-tanned to lighten everything for shipping. But, I'll have to pay to have the hides tanned in US and mounted. I'm sure I'll spend another $10,000 on that part. I wouldn't have guessed the cost. I heard once to plan 50% of your budget on post-kill expenses and that's proven to be correct in my case. Plan accordingly...

CWJ

 

[aaronraby1]

You can hunt in Africa for a reasonable cost, but there are certain negatives. Mainly getting those animals back to the US. I shot 9 animals and my wife shot 2. We spent about $20,000 on the hunt including airfare. It was a lot of money, but was also a lot of fun. Well, so far, I've spent another $11,000 getting the animals back to the US and I haven't even mounted anything. We had back hides tanned and capes pre-tanned to lighten everything for shipping. But, I'll have to pay to have the hides tanned in US and mounted. I'm sure I'll spend another $10,000 on that part. I wouldn't have guessed the cost. I heard once to plan 50% of your budget on post-kill expenses and that's proven to be correct in my case. Plan accordingly...

CWJ

ive been twice now. the first time taking multiple plains game and a buffalo. I have everything mounted over there. they even gave me a tour of the taxidermy shop, which was a massive building and one could have mistaken it for a factory, where they even make their own forms. so I got to check out the quality of the mounts. and I was very pleased!! so I went with them mounting everything over there! and even when it came to shipping a big crate across the ocean with everything mounted, (a shoulder buffalo isn't small) it was 1500 to ship the crate and taxidermy was about half of what it cost to mount over in the states. and the quality of the taxidermy is FANTASTIC! so on my second trip, I took a lioness, monkey, klipspringer and genet cat. also having everything mounted over in Africa. my genet I took with a 22-250 and it resulted in a bit of damage to the fur. needless to say, they had another genet cat pelt that they gave me (at no extra charge) for the full mount and then even made my own genet into a flat rug, AT NO EXTRA COST! I am actually very pleased with the taxidermist they use over there. I hunted with neil at nbsafaris. nbsafaris.com. tell him aaron sent you! haha. the taxidermy was done at African expressions taxidermy.

 

[Jason Wells]

ive been twice now. the first time taking multiple plains game and a buffalo. I have everything mounted over there. they even gave me a tour of the taxidermy shop, which was a massive building and one could have mistaken it for a factory, where they even make their own forms. so I got to check out the quality of the mounts. and I was very pleased!! so I went with them mounting everything over there! and even when it came to shipping a big crate across the ocean with everything mounted, (a shoulder buffalo isn't small) it was 1500 to ship the crate and taxidermy was about half of what it cost to mount over in the states. and the quality of the taxidermy is FANTASTIC! so on my second trip, I took a lioness, monkey, klipspringer and genet cat. also having everything mounted over in Africa. my genet I took with a 22-250 and it resulted in a bit of damage to the fur. needless to say, they had another genet cat pelt that they gave me (at no extra charge) for the full mount and then even made my own genet into a flat rug, AT NO EXTRA COST! I am actually very pleased with the taxidermist they use over there. I hunted with neil at nbsafaris. nbsafaris.com. tell him aaron sent you! haha. the taxidermy was done at African expressions taxidermy.

I've heard the taxidermy their is of good quality and price, and that shipping a finished good home is cheaper than shipping unfinished animal skins. My big focus now is to find someone that can show my family a good safe time, while still providing me with a good hunt. I'm not interested in sitting in a blind by a water hole or coming back to the lodge for lunch. I want boots on the ground before sun-up and hunt until sun-down.

 

[Ghogs Nightmare]

I've heard the taxidermy their is of good quality and price, and that shipping a finished good home is cheaper than shipping unfinished animal skins. My big focus now is to find someone that can show my family a good safe time, while still providing me with a good hunt. I'm not interested in sitting in a blind by a water hole or coming back to the lodge for lunch. I want boots on the ground before sun-up and hunt until sun-down.

.
Depending on your outfitter its not quite like some of us hunt here in the states. You'll eat just prior to sun up and then out shortly there after depending on what your hunting. (Leopard of course is mostly at night). Also you could stay out over lunch but it gets HOT so critters tend to not move as much so lunch breaks are a welcome bit. But definitely talk to your outfitter/guide. I definitely put some distance on my boots and my guide even said it was nice to have someone who didn't mine walking and whine while doing so.
.
Good luck

 

[LanceS4803]

Y ou can hunt in Africa for a reasonable cost, but there are certain negatives. Mainly getting those animals back to the US. ..... Well, so far, I've spent another $11,000 getting the animals back to the US and I haven't even mounted anything. .... I heard once to plan 50% of your budget on post-kill expenses and that's proven to be correct in my case. Plan accordingly...CWJ

My neighbor went a few years back and encountered MAJOR difficulties getting the animals back.
The buffalo skull came through fine, but he had the totally wrong wildebeest and wrong some type of small antelope. Another antelope just never showed up. All due to the shipping company.
To this day, he isn't a happy camper.
I will probably due as Aaron suggested and have the work done over there and finished product shipped home.

 

[diverdon]

So while going through the process of buying points/ applying for tags etc. I realized I need to get cracking on planning my 2018 Africa hunting trip. This will be my first trip to Africa and intend on taking my wife and daughter who will be ten by the time it rolls around. I will be hunting plains game, neither my wife nor daughter will hunt but they may come along on a hunt or two. Finding a reputable outfitter/ PH doesn't seem to be too difficult- I have several friends who have been and suggested people, but my big concern is for my family. I need to know for sure that while I'm out hunting my wife and daughter are safe and having as much fun as I am, I want them to experience Africa as a whole- culture and nature. As for me, I want to hunt balls to the wall sun-up til sun-down.

If any of you have ever taken a young family to Africa I welcome your input, thanks in advance.

Safe in South Africa? I do not think so, not if your definition of safe is anything like mine.
Crime in South Africa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South Africa's rape problem: why the crime remains under-reported | Global development | theguardian.com
South Africa's Murder Rate Far Worse Than Reported Getting Away With Murder
Genocide Watch
South African farm attacks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boer Genocide

I would not take my children to South Africa for a guaranteed opportunity to double my worth, unless I could take a SEAL team with me. You security requirements may be different form mine.

 

[Southbreeze]

I've worked in West Africa for years (2003) and many of the lads on my rigs were from S.A.

Namibia is the only real place for safety.

I'm working a hunt near port Elizabeth for me and the good lady, but we both understand the risks and we are pretty handy in the field. (That huzzy can outshoot me!) They are calculated risks that we are willing to take.

My opinion only,
Breeze

 

[RSA-Raven]

I trust you will enjoy your trip here in SA,
Your outfitter will make sure your family is safe, If they want to go out and see "the real South Africa" just make sure they have a guide appointed by the outfitter to take them and that they do not wonder off into strange places by themselves.
SA is not as dangerous as publicized, (or I am just used to it by now,) especially rural areas are safer, yet, locals know when & where it is safe and when/where not...
Enjoy your trip & happy hunting.
rgds

RSA-Raven