We're off to South Africa in 5 days - any advice?

Longwalker

Longwalker

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For those who have been there - I'd like your experienced suggestions and tips for my brother and I. We will hunt the Eastern Cape with Lalapa Safaris. We're after plains game, the main species will be Kudu, Eland, Gemsbock, Impala and Black Wildebeest. Lots of opportunity for a variety of other game. We have the usual gear list suggested by the outfitter, and will have to borrow his rifles ( not our original plan, but what works with our flight schedules) We are both very experienced hunters in Canada, but this is only my second trip to Africa and my first hunting trip there, my brother is new to the continent.
So, what surprises did you find, Any tips for us from someone who has been there and done that?
 
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No advice here but I looked up Lalapa Safari's and man that sounds like quite a nice trip! Do us a favour and post up a trip report when you are back please. I've been peeking at big game hunting prices out of province with outfitters and Africa seems not bad at all for all the hunting you are doing! All the best.
 
If you get to Botswana during your trip, Go to Gaborone and try a restaurant called "Caravela" it's a Portuguese place and the food is fantastic. Tell James or Sue that Scott and Suzanne from Canada sent you!! Have a great hunt!

Scott
 
Take more SD cards and less clothes. Take a ton of photos and don't take it too seriously. Small bills for tips and take some things like little chocolate bars and hard candy for the staff. Nothing made my trackers and skinners in RSA happier than getting a chocolate bar and some candy.

It'll be fun...you lucky bugger.
 
Shoot everything through the shoulders if you can. Take twice as much money and half as much clothes as you think you need. Clothes can almost be picked by what you want in your pictures. Running shoes are better than boots. Don't smile at the local girls.

If the PH feels a animal is worth looking at through his binos, you should be already be getting into shooting position. Things will go wrong, roll with the punches and keep going. If you can shoot again, shoot it again. If someone tells you not to shoot again, shoot him.

I'm convinced the typical tracker is trying to get shot, muzzle control is a fulltime job with overtime.
 
fiddler said:
wear a condom if you go swimming, and definitely do not pee in the water if you are swimming.
Click to expand...
The only place to do any swimming in Africa is a hotel pool. When I was there the two animals feared most by the locals were hippos and crocodiles.
 
I just finished my hunt two weeks ago and the advice about shooting again regardless is good. I wounded a Wildebeest, which means I payed for it, and had a chance for a follow up shot running away but didn't take it. I regret that now. I also packed way too much clothes. Where I was hunting at the end of everyday all of my previous days clothes were washed, ironed and folded on my bed so I really only needed two pairs of shorts and one pair of long pants. It's hot here now so be ready for that and take a light long sleeve shirt just in case you get a bit burned (I did), it helps to keep the sun directly off your skin. Bugs were a non issue for me, just the sun and heat. I also borrowed a rifle and my PH was good to allow me to shoot it until I was satisfied.

And one last thing, yes shoot them in the shoulder and those Kudu are tough.

Have a blast, I did.
 
Use common sense, don't flash money around or wear expensive jewelry when in town.
Do not leave cash or items of value in your room to tempt staff, remember they earn a fraction of what you do.

Yes tip , waiters in restaurants 10% , hotel or lodge staff - your discretion.

Enjoy.
 
If you are hunting the eastern cape make sure you take a Nyala, these are the biggest and most beautiful nyala in the world!!!! Ticks are real bad, did I say REAL bad, in the eastern cape, make sure you do the tick frisk every night before bed, with special attention to the extra warm and sweaty places, if you know what I mean. You won't be subjected to any hippos or crocks in the eastern cape, no dangerous game there.
If you're thinking about an oryx or kudu, check the ears and make sure the ticks haven't eaten the ears right off, totally ruins the cape and mount. Don't just look at the horns, seriously, check the ears. Oh ya and did I mention the ticks are voracious and thick as sand on the beach.
This also is probably the BEST locale for red duiker and suni, don't turn your nose up at this tiny stuff cause it's harder to find than 40" buffalo and relatively inexpensive now. These animals are sleepers and the price is rising quickly, as hunters who have their big five are now thinking about their tiny ten and driving prices through the ceiling. Oh, and did I mention how thick the ticks are in the EC area of SA.
The eastern cape is absolutely stunning, extremely green and thick, sub tropical coastal rain forest. The people in SA are very civilized and you should encounter no problems at all, except did I mention how bad the ticks are?
I love Africa, and haven't seen a country or area I didn't like, it is a wonderful continent and I need to be going back soon. Good advice from Dogleg, take 3X the money in US dollars and 1/2 the clothes. there will be laundry every day so 3 sets of shorts, shirts and 1/2 doz pairs of socks. Take some long pants and shirts as well as it can get chilly at night. Take 2-3 pairs of good runners and alternate them out as well as socks at least every day and I used to do it at lunch time as well as take a cold shower. Take a tube of Polysporin for cuts and scrapes and in between your toes. This climate is very prone to infection and fungus being so warm and damp and I found Polysporin to work well.
Have fun, I'm jealous.......oh and if I didn't mention it before, the ticks are as thick as girls on Elvis!!!!!!!!
 
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