Africa Trip

leeelmer

leeelmer

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Location
Leslieville Alberta
Hi guys my boss bought me a 10 day safari in South Africa with Adasonia safari’s
I am bloody excited
I have a couple questions for those of you that have hunted the dark continent
The trip includes Sable, impala, blesbuck, a night hunt for bush pig.
I can add any other animals I want, just have to pay the trophy fee
What else would you want to hunt?
Eland?
Also, taxidermy?
I am a big fan of euro mounts, but would like maybe some tanned hides,
Ship them back and have a taxidermist here do it?
If so what did shipping cost?
The trip is next august, everything is paid for, and includes using their guns and ammo, but I can bring my own, was this a pain? Or easy?
I have only lightly looked into hunting in Africa before but quickly realized that the likelihood of me ever being able to afford it on my own, with all life's costs with kids and a farm was very much out of reach.
So now with this trip happening I am at loss.
I am beyond excited, and feel very fortunate to work for a company that would do this for me.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
 
Congrats leeelmer,

I’ve yet to experience an outfitter in Africa, but have experienced several here in Canada and always have the capped hides shipped to advanced taxidermy in southern Ontario to be mounted by them. A family member has done numerous archery hunts in South Africa and he always ships the capes to his taxidermist here in Canada for shoulder mounts. On his euro mounts and hides, he had them processed in Africa and shipped later back to Canada. The taxidermy of the euro mounts and hides were just under 10k on his last trip which was about 2 years before covid. That also included all tips to the individuals who skinned the animals. That included a kudu, wildebeest (blue I believe), oryx, springbuck and I believe another with curved horns.

As for a firearm, I rent. Simply because I’ve flown on all my guided hunts. My latest (cougar and lynx) even included the firearm into the package. My thoughts are more so on an airline loosing my rifles or becoming damaged along with re zeroing with the same ammunition at the destination. I personally just pay the small fee to show up, select a rifle, take a couple shots at a target and done.

Hope that helps and good luck.
 
Wow! What a gift!
(Are they hiring?!?! LOL)

I too am headed to Africa for the first time next May! We are getting more excited as the date draws nearer! (We were booked to go in 2017 but had to cancel; not this time! knock on wood!LOL)
My wife is going for sable, springbok and black wildebeest, while I am going for kudu, nyala and bushbuck.

I recommend looking at all of the animals they have available and choose those that interest you the most. Only you an decide what you want to accomplish on what may be a once in a lifetime trip. But research the animal as much as looking at purely from what animal is the most beautiful, intriguing or budgetary.

I only mention this, as while bushbuck and nyala have always intrigued me and were definitely on the list, the more I read about hunting them, the higher on the list they move, as they are wary and elusive to hunt! Eland was always on the list, and while wary and difficult to stalk, they have not read as being as challenging to hunt as the other two. I would like one, but it doesn't rank as high for me as the others...but this is me and my list...so you need to decide on eland for yourself.
(a lesson I learned on my New Zealand hunt...red stag was always top of the list and fallow buck was an after thought and lower on the list. After hunting them, fallow buck is the animal I wall definitely go back to hunt again (not saying that I wouldn't hunt red stag again...I shot a beautiful stag and had a lot of fun doing it...I just found the hunt more challenging and fun for the fallow buck! And I missed the croaking, so definitely want to go back and experience that!)

But be open, as I have read and seen too many hunts where an unexpected opportunity may present itself and you will be required to make an on the spot decision that may be dictated by your budget.

We took a rifle to New Zealand and will be taking our own to Africa...but it has to do with the rifles (we are lefties) and want the experience with our own. Our outfitter has staff that will assist us through this process and will reduce stress and issues. Looking forward to this...although the experience in New Zealand was good and smooth, the steps to organize to take our own ahead of the trip was challenging trying to navigate on our own over the internet. Took a while, but finally got to talk to some staff with the New Zealand Police on the phone that enabled us to get it accomplished. Was stressful for a bit as it got down to the wire!

For some of the taxidermy, we got the euro mounts done in New Zealand, and they salted the flatskin for exporting. I am using Advanced Taxidermy in Ontario to import the trophies into Canada and to tan the flat skin. They have been good to work with and come highly recommended by many in the hunting industry. So far, the prep and shipping has cost $4400 CDN for the red stag, fallow buck and two arapawa ram euro mounts and the fallow buck flat skin.
We will see what it will cost us for the 6 African antelope, again mostly euro mounts and flatskins...but may do 2 shoulder mounts for the bushbuck and springbok...

Hope this helps! There are those on this site with way more experience in this regard than I...but as a first time international hunter, I learned a lot, and know that there is much yet to learn!
Again congrats on the trip and hope you have a great adventure!
 
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Elands are friggin huge. I didn't hunt them in SA but I saw quite a few and was in awe how big they are. Kinda wish I did now.
Big kudu are gorgeous mounts. My friend shot a 49" kudu when we were there, I love the mount, Its probably my favorite. Sable would look good too.

Enjoy your trip, I'd love to go back.
 
Congratulations and cheers for your boss. I've hunted Africa four times, South Africa was fun and my first hunting safari. I'd suggest you rent a rifle if the one they provide is decent. It depends on your tolerance level for red tape and paperwork and how important your own rifles are to you. None of the paperwork and fees is really bad but keeping it simple is more fun for most people.
Eland are a grand quarry, if hunted properly by tracking and stalking. Kudu are my favourite plains game to hunt. If you have a chance to hunt Kudu, I'd suggest you add one to the menu. I did take some euro mounts and tanned hides back from my first safari, and have loved having them. But since then I've decided the cost of bringing home trophies is just not worth it to me. Many others would disagree, but I now take more good photographs, and pay way less for "stuff" to take home and have to find a place to display.
I learned so much on an online forum called "Africa Hunting" and suggest you become a member. A great resource, with knowledgable friendly members, lots of good advice. But be warned, as soon as you're back you'll be looking at your budget and career and plotting when you can return.
Enjoy!
 
DVXDUDE said:
Elands are friggin huge. I didn't hunt them in SA but I saw quite a few and was in awe how big they are. Kinda wish I did now.
Big kudu are gorgeous mounts. My friend shot a 49" kudu when we were there, I love the mount, Its probably my favorite. Sable would look good too.

Enjoy your trip, I'd love to go back.
Click to expand...

I second this, get a kudu if you can. - dan
 
It’s good to remember how big Africa is, a quarter again larger than all of North America; that‘ll be impressed upon you during the majority of the twelve plus hour flight down from Europe across it. South Africa is one approachable, interesting corner of a place as varied across its breadth as Panama is from Alaska. South Africa might be the Texas or Mexico of the continent, comparatively.

Few notes on it, bringing your own rifles is dead simple, and I did it every time as I was overly sentimental over those trips, and a gun nut intent on using what I liked best. I’ve sold every gun I’ve brought to Africa over multiple trips, so I’m not sure the sentimental value of having brought my own. But it did feel good, for whatever reason to have a familiar gun and loads. On my own end outfitting I offered loaner rifles. As time goes on I see the value in that simplicity.

As for the hunts, South Africa is quite tame, you’ll see what I mean don’t get your hopes up for darkest Africa, they’re stocked farms. But it is still a lovely time, and they know how to offer a comfortable and enjoyable experience. I took my brother on a trip I won to a RSA ranch, it was fun though can border on corny if you look too hard at the constructed atmosphere. Ultimately it’s a good business for game that keeps them on the land rather than being razed for beef ranching. So give that a pass and just enjoy it. And it is still hunting, can be challenging, and hell the weather’s better.

I wouldn’t get to set on collecting exact species or building expectations, just roll with it and do what feels right and presents. My favourite things I hunted in Africa were always the birds, not big horns dangerous game or what people would figure. Just walking in Africa with a good shotgun on your shoulder flushing sand grouse and Guinea fowl is some of the greatest satisfaction I’ve enjoyed minute for minute in life. I wouldn’t have guessed it til I did it, and it fell into my lap so to speak wasn’t planned.

Enjoy the fires, the Lion Lagers and Castles, mopane smoke and stars. And make sure they let you walk not ride the truck all day, you’ll love walking there rifle on shoulder.
 
Sable is the crown jewel of your hunt. Whatever it costs I would do the best head mount possible. Taking a Sable and making a euro mount just somehow isnt right.
Impala euro mounts look good and Impala are plentiful.
If you elect to do full head mounts there are very talented taxidermists in country that will do excellent work.
If you do full head mounts over there get your "half skins" tanned and returned with the heads.
Best of luck and take lots of pictures.
 
Holy moly ! What a great boss/company you work for!

I can't give any hints or ideas of Africa, but just wanted to say Congratulations and Enjoy!
 
I highly recommend getting a copy of Kevin Robertson's The Perfect Shot to understand shot placement for African animals.

Practice shooting off of sticks. In addition to shooting a hunting rifle as time and budget allows, you can shoot a pellet rifle or 22 regularly to get used to the sticks.

I've only hunted Africa once, in Namibia. I had euro mounts and skulls done there and shipped. I forget the exact amount but it was around $1k USD to ship. Euros and skins are less risky to mess up and the lower bulk makes shipping cheaper. I think it all on depends on if you can find a local shop ahead of time that you can check over and be confident in.
 
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We had these done in Africa by a recommended taxidermist through the outfitter. It was expensive, if I remember right, About $2000 after shipping and everything. They are good, Probably better job done in Canada. Probably wouldn't do it again but at least it's a memory from the trip.

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You’re in for a good trip sounds like!!

Currently looking into Cape buffalo for 2026/27, as mentioned, the “Africa hunting” forum has been a huge help, worth signing up and looking around.
 
Just recently my local shotgun club gained a new member who just returned from Africa the fourth time. Broke out his photo album and showed all the different game him and his son harvested. He was bow only and the son a mix of both. The variety of species was impressive and the pics of everything was unbelievable. Long story short, I befriended him as soon as he arrived and introd him to everyone and showed him around. Hes an awesome guy and turned out to be a multiple time world carving champiuon in a few different categories. Brought a couple of his birds and WOWS all Ive got. Guided waterfowl for a lot of years and these specimens were unbelievable. Well he invited me to join him on a 2025 African adventure so I was extatic. Then reality kicked in and I thought I cant afford a $50,000 dollar hunt. What a pleasant suprise when he informed me it would be $10-14K depending on what I wanted to harvest. So the wife and I are going in 2025 and its on a farm or ranch or whatever its called but 86 square kilometres isnt really what I call fenced in. My new friend openly invited a select few that went out of our way to make a new member feel welcome. One member is my neighbour and great friend whose a multiple time world archery champion so its gonna be a great experience and lots of great memories. I can hardly wait and look forward to learning lots on here. Interested on taking my bow and my 257 Weatherby for some plains game stalking but really want the Kudu with the bow which our member John harvested. Absolutely stunning and huge both body and those awesome horns. His pictures hooked me instantly and Id spend much more just to experience it once. Wish I couldve taken my father.
 
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