Hunting & Fishing African hunting trip

[Parsons]

Well Saturday I got a trip to go on a South Africa hunting trip. This will be my first trip over there and do not know a whole lot. I know I will be taking the 375 H&H I am building and will probably build a 300 H&H as my rifle for plains game as it says 270 is minimum and I do not have a good gun above 260. Is there any advice from people that have been before on anything I should know? I will probably fly out of Atlanta as they have direct flights instead of going through Europe. Is there anything I should get started on now that takes a long time to process or is it all relatively quick on paperwork? I will be going between September 2015 and November 2015 just don't know exact date yet. Are there some animals that are more fun to hunt or is it just based on what you want to hunt?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[[email protected]]

Just returned from my annual father son hunting trip to Bella Bella formally known as warmbath about 156km from Jhb. The bush thicket very severe and walking predominantly on wild game paths. Shots taken because of thicket less than 100m. Only gun used 375h&h with 300gr bullets. We had 3 wounded animals all due to deflections. If you have more open area like further north all game taken with either my 6.5x55 S with 160gr or 308 with 175gr with the exception of blue wildebeest stick with the 375. Dangerous game stick with 375. Plains game stick to the 6.5 with a zero of 220. You will enjoy.

 

[LegioX]

Parsons.
Will you be hunting strictly plains game or will your plans include dangerous game? Also, after you receive your new guns you'll need to go to Customs (normally at a nearby airport) and fill out form 4475. You'll need to take your guns, scopes, binos etc, anything you value that has a serial number. On your re-entry to the US, these forms will prove you owned these items when you left. Most peeps fill out a form for each item. Of course you'll need a passport as well.

 

[robozebra]

We went to Namibia last year and had a great time. I shot a 300 WSM on game as large as a giraffe. Everything dropped with a single shot. If you are going after plains game only, I'd take something smaller than 300 H&H. I think a 260 would kill most of the plains game animals with well placed shots. My biggest piece of advice would be to plan ahead on taxidermy! Have fun!!

CWJ

 

[Parsons]

Sorry for the late reply guys had my last week of classes for the semester. I will be going after plains game only. I would take a 260 but the place I am going prefers 270 and above so I am going to abide by that as I don't want my first impression to be bad.

Legio it doesn't have to be the airport you are flying out from does it? We will probably fly out of ATL but it is about 10 hours from where I live.

Robo I am already looking at taxidermy and all of that. A lady my mom works withs husband is a taxidermist and apparently is very good and travels to competitions and wins quite a few from what the paper said when they did a write up on the last one he went to. I have plans to stop by there and look at some of his work and see if he has actually done African game before as I have read it is a bad idea to take to someone who has never done it before.

 

[MikeeBooshay]

Parsons, it's not the airport, but the US Customs office that you need. Any international airport will usually have one. Do call ahead and make sure they don't have some special rules for 4457's like only between certain hours.

Do yourself a solid, take the 375, it's plenty for all game, bring a handful of solids like the Barnes stuff, for the small stuff. Otherwise the TSX is all you need, I like 300 grains in that bullet, shot everything from steinbok to buff with it. It's ok for the small stuff too, just don't hit bone. Your ph will have a 223 or 22-250 for the very little stuff like genet and porcupine. Use that, don't bring one.

And bring the best camera you have, and extra SD chips for it. You won't regret it.