Anyone hunting Africa this year?
- Thread starter Slickshooter
- Start date
Are you taking your own rifle?
Personally, I would not do a Safari where I could not use my own rifle(s)... When I'm old(er), I want to be able to hold those rifles and reminisce...
Cheers
Jay
When you bring your own rifle, you will NEVER be able to sell it afterwards!!!
Also, you need at least 6 months lead time to get all your permits from Export and Development Canada for your rifles and scopes.
Next, a great travel agent will make or break your trip. One must be able to navigate the airlines that will carry rifles, the countries that will or will not let you pass through their borders with your rifles, and the skill to weave it all together.
To go to the Caprivi, it was 4 flights…. And it is a bit nerve wracking - some airlines make you put your ammo in your luggage, some insist it be shipped in its own separate containers, some agents at some airports will latch on to a new TRG and bust your balls over it even though your ticket rules are grandfatjered from when you first bought them…..
Also, you need at least 6 months lead time to get all your permits from Export and Development Canada for your rifles and scopes.
Next, a great travel agent will make or break your trip. One must be able to navigate the airlines that will carry rifles, the countries that will or will not let you pass through their borders with your rifles, and the skill to weave it all together.
To go to the Caprivi, it was 4 flights…. And it is a bit nerve wracking - some airlines make you put your ammo in your luggage, some insist it be shipped in its own separate containers, some agents at some airports will latch on to a new TRG and bust your balls over it even though your ticket rules are grandfatjered from when you first bought them…..
Would I do it again? Dang straight!!! Only thing stopping me is time & money…. Done it twice and would go again in a heart beat!!!! I’ve been twice now, and hopefully will be fortunate enough to go again!!! I may select a different country but it would never be RSA…. The ENTIRE country is high fence farm hunting, albeit their farms are larger than a small country in some cases 
. I will NOT go and have my wallet choose to hunt the big Buffalo with correct numbered tag in its ear. The Caprivi is one of the few last places in Africa that is still truly “wild” Africa with actual wild animals, not some stocked pond type affair.
. I will NOT go and have my wallet choose to hunt the big Buffalo with correct numbered tag in its ear. The Caprivi is one of the few last places in Africa that is still truly “wild” Africa with actual wild animals, not some stocked pond type affair.Having made such a disparaging comment about RSA, they do absolutely deserve an appreciative nod for the results of their farm and game raising system that has created some very large species populations that might otherwise not even exist……. But Namibia and a few other countries have a great system that has encouraged wild regeneration of native species due to the focus on placing value on wildlife that strongly discourages poaching and habitat destruction…. Final thought: only been twice and I come off like an armchair expert hunting that continent…. YMMV and one can only go and experience it for themselves to truly appreciate it in spite of the travel challenges
This is not correct... the permits are easy, Air Canada paperwork is filled in at the counter, just call ahead and notify that you are travelling with a firearm and ammunition. The ammunition must be in a locked case in your checked baggage and must be under 5 kg. I hunted Namibia in March and had zero issues with firearms routed from Pearson through Frankfurt to Windhoek. I did not use an agent, booked my flights and did the paperwork myself. Carry your letter of invitation from your safari operator, AND keep a pen on you to fill in forms on arrival. If it is Namibia you are going to print the firearm import form off the internet and keep three copies with you. I am hunting Namibia again next April and am booked for Zim in '27.
Sounds like your experience was far different from mine…. As I said, YMMV. Export & Development Canada does take long…. My rifles are far too valuable to lose them to bad paperwork.
Here is an overview of my travels - have I over rotated on rule following, paperwork and planning?
The travel agent was super helpful steering me away from countries toxic to firearms, and transit points where rifles can get swallowed up by the airport like Ethiopia.
A/C leaving Canada was easy…. Ammo of 5kG in a locked container in luggage…. So far, so good. Fly through Frankfurt and change planes to a partner airline after several hours layover. Get paged to the airline counter - get hassled because the $100 ammunition transport fee was not paid - even though it was not in effect when tickets were bought this does not apply to you. Told airline personnel to pound sand and they let it go. Next, through Joberg, used the services of an expediter to deal with SAPs and had all the SAPS permits filled out and addressed by the expediter. That went smoothly. Another multi hour layover then airline #3, SAA. No hassles with leftover ammo as it was checked through all the way to Windhoek. An overnight layover in Windhoek and then airline #4, Namibia airlines to Katima Mulillo (sp?)- please remove your ammo cases from your luggage sir, as it must not be in your luggage.
Upon return, ammo separate from luggage all the way back to Canada. Got rifles, uh yes go straight to secondary - And at secondary, oh u have your E&DC permits? Great!! Have a nice day sir.
AC wants ammo in the luggage, SAA wants it separate. Namibia Air didn’t seem to care all too much one way or the other.
So, yes, it is an easy travel…. And yes you could do it all yourself and have zero problems.
Did u have to deal with SAPs permits or ED&C permits or did u just load up your kit and check it through? You mentioned you did have your letter of invitation from the outfitter - that is an important one!
Here is an overview of my travels - have I over rotated on rule following, paperwork and planning?
The travel agent was super helpful steering me away from countries toxic to firearms, and transit points where rifles can get swallowed up by the airport like Ethiopia.
A/C leaving Canada was easy…. Ammo of 5kG in a locked container in luggage…. So far, so good. Fly through Frankfurt and change planes to a partner airline after several hours layover. Get paged to the airline counter - get hassled because the $100 ammunition transport fee was not paid - even though it was not in effect when tickets were bought this does not apply to you. Told airline personnel to pound sand and they let it go. Next, through Joberg, used the services of an expediter to deal with SAPs and had all the SAPS permits filled out and addressed by the expediter. That went smoothly. Another multi hour layover then airline #3, SAA. No hassles with leftover ammo as it was checked through all the way to Windhoek. An overnight layover in Windhoek and then airline #4, Namibia airlines to Katima Mulillo (sp?)- please remove your ammo cases from your luggage sir, as it must not be in your luggage.
Upon return, ammo separate from luggage all the way back to Canada. Got rifles, uh yes go straight to secondary - And at secondary, oh u have your E&DC permits? Great!! Have a nice day sir.
AC wants ammo in the luggage, SAA wants it separate. Namibia Air didn’t seem to care all too much one way or the other.
So, yes, it is an easy travel…. And yes you could do it all yourself and have zero problems.
Did u have to deal with SAPs permits or ED&C permits or did u just load up your kit and check it through? You mentioned you did have your letter of invitation from the outfitter - that is an important one!
The option is there to sometimes, I was just wondering.Is that a trick question?
