africa

[sniper7]

Anybody been? I was at the Sportsmans expo and while I have always wanted to go, it seems affordable now and I really want to look into it seriously. Any advice, best animals to go after, taxidermy and shipping issues, gun transport etc that you have advice on.

[Circuits]

Africa is a continent. Kind of like asking - "North America" - should I go to Detroit, Michigan, Michoacan, Mexico, Toronto, Canada, or Ames, Iowa?

WHERE in Africa are you considering going?

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

I've 'heard' from a couple people that have gone that it's cheap to get here and back. But it's very very expensive to get your trophys back.

[hatidua]

I've 'heard' from a couple people that have gone that it's cheap to get here and back.

I've apparently been buying my air tickets at the wrong vendor as I don't recall any flights to/through Africa that were 'cheap'. I'd love to be wrong though.

[BuffCyclist]

How about an Oryx, is that big game enough for ya?

Because if so, come down to White Sands National Monument. They are down here, you can buy a permit (expensive if I recall hearing from a friend), and even pay guides to show you where they're at. VERY tasty and straight from africa without the need for international airfare, lugging guns on a plane, etc.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fUzorZk31Ss/TGtaABkeEWI/AAAAAAAAHao/gYS9DZ_BoPU/s1600/20090211152759!Oryx_Gazella_Namibia(1).JPG

[sniper7]

Africa is a continent. Kind of like asking - "North America" - should I go to Detroit, Michigan, Michoacan, Mexico, Toronto, Canada, or Ames, Iowa?

WHERE in Africa are you considering going?

Not sure, they had people from all over. That is why I was asking for experiences. Have you gone? If so please share

[sniper7]

How about an Oryx, is that big game enough for ya?

Because if so, come down to White Sands National Monument. They are down here, you can buy a permit (expensive if I recall hearing from a friend), and even pay guides to show you where they're at. VERY tasty and straight from africa without the need for international airfare, lugging guns on a plane, etc.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fUzorZk31Ss/TGtaABkeEWI/AAAAAAAAHao/gYS9DZ_BoPU/s1600/20090211152759!Oryx_Gazella_Namibia(1).JPG

That is one on my list o would like to get!

[Colorado Osprey]

Lots of African Exotics in Texas as well. Most claim less than 1/2 the price of going to Africa in overall costs.

Anybody priced African Big Game ammo lately?
416 Rigby (small by African big dangerous game but acceptable for plains game) $190-600 for a box of 20
The guns are cheap in the 3-5k range considering some of the bigger bore stuff (600 Nitro Express is $55-60 per shot)

Check out the 700 Nitro Express by Holland & Holland
Guns are $200k and shells are $100 a piece! It is more of a mobile artillery piece than a rifle.

On another note I can't get myself to want to travel internationally to hunt big game. We have enough species and sub-species on our own continent to keep me busy my whole life. Not even mentioning imported exotics.

[hatidua]

How about an Oryx,
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fUzorZk31Ss/TGtaABkeEWI/AAAAAAAAHao/gYS9DZ_BoPU/s1600/20090211152759!Oryx_Gazella_Namibia(1).JPG

That'd make a nifty skull to have on the wall...

[BuffCyclist]

Lots of African Exotics in Texas as well. Most claim less than 1/2 the price of going to Africa in overall costs.

Anybody priced African Big Game ammo lately?
416 Rigby (small by African big dangerous game but acceptable for plains game) $190-600 for a box of 20
The guns are cheap in the 3-5k range considering some of the bigger bore stuff (600 Nitro Express is $55-60 per shot)

Check out the 700 Nitro Express by Holland & Holland
Guns are $200k and shells are $100 a piece! It is more of a mobile artillery piece than a rifle.

On another note I can't get myself to want to travel internationally to hunt big game. We have enough species and sub-species on our own continent to keep me busy my whole life. Not even mentioning imported exotics.

[Shock]

That...thats...that's not a real shoulder-fired caliber, is it?!

[Irving]

Don't you have to get $1,500 worth of immunity shots before you go as well?

[ChunkyMonkey]

Don't you have to get $1,500 worth of immunity shots before you go as well?

Depending on where. If anything Detroit is nastier than most of Africa.

[Circuits]

My parents recently did a photo safari at Tarangire in Tanzania which they thoroughly enjoyed. They usually go with a group called overseas adventure tours and have been very happy with most of their trips through them. Might want to search and see what they've got going on in Africa in the coming year or so.

ETA: if hunting is your aim, you will have to go through a guide service - they'll be the ones who arrange all your licenses and crap - web search hunting safaris in that case. All the OAT stuff my parents do is non-hunting.

[hatidua]

Depending on where. If anything Detroit is nastier than most of Africa.

+1.

I used to be a medical pin-cushion annually for my travels and most of Africa isn't all that bad - malaria excluded (falciparum is nothing to mess with).

[Colorado Osprey]

sorry-- duplicate

[Colorado Osprey]

[Shock]

That...thats...that's not a real shoulder-fired caliber, is it?!

You bet your light saber!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.700_Nitro_Express
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsTKFnThh6Q

[Great-Kazoo]

BOB up at bear arms does African Hunts. He is putting a S. African game hunt together. IIRC, he has a few slots open.

[CapLock]

I've always wanted to hunt Africa. When I was 15-16 I was taken to Butch Searcys double rifle shop by a friend that knew him. After getting the grand tour of that awesome little shop we fondled 20,000 dollar double rifles and watched buffalo hunting videos in his office.
One clip a buffalo charges out of tall grass. The entire hunting party starts back peddling. The hunter takes the first shot at probably 20 yards. Falls down on his back makes the next shot from his back between his knees. Rifle wasn't shouldered just stuck out being held with two hands at the grip. Buffalo slides right up to his feet dead. Guy would have died if he had not been carrying a double rifle.

Way more exciting than the jack rabbit hunting I was used to.
Nope I'll never see Africa. Just the excitement of a hard charging coyote. LOL

[sniper7]

Lots of African Exotics in Texas as well. Most claim less than 1/2 the price of going to Africa in overall costs.

Anybody priced African Big Game ammo lately?
416 Rigby (small by African big dangerous game but acceptable for plains game) $190-600 for a box of 20
The guns are cheap in the 3-5k range considering some of the bigger bore stuff (600 Nitro Express is $55-60 per shot)

Check out the 700 Nitro Express by Holland & Holland
Guns are $200k and shells are $100 a piece! It is more of a mobile artillery piece than a rifle.

On another note I can't get myself to want to travel internationally to hunt big game. We have enough species and sub-species on our own continent to keep me busy my whole life. Not even mentioning imported exotics.

375h&h or .316 rigby or even a 300 or 338 mag is plenty for what I'm considering. You definitely need a big rifle for the much bigger game, but most everything I'm looking at is smaller than a moose sized animal.

[sniper7]

BOB up at bear arms does African Hunts. He is putting a S. African game hunt together. IIRC, he has a few slots open.

Ill have to stop in there's one time and see what he has to offer. I'm still a ways out from actually going but it is something I want to start working on.

[Firehaus]

There's a place I came across on the net one day in Nebraska that's has some exotics too http://www.whiteelkranch.com/

Not quite the exotic african selection in Texas, but still some big animals.

[jimbolay]

I hunted SA the last 2 weeks of July (2013).

We had an amazing time and would highly recommend the trip to others.

[sniper7]

Where did you fly into? What was shipping like to get your trophies back? You go out of Atlanta or JFK?
What kind of ees or problems did you encounter taking a gun with you?
Did you have to do the shots like others mentioned? Cost on those?

[hatidua]

Did you have to do the shots like others mentioned? Cost on those?

Unlike yesteryear, I've not been asked for my immunization records when entering a country in over 25 years. Pick a country and vaccinate accordingly using the CDC as your guide. If you are interested in SA, here's what the CDC recommends:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/south-africa

While there is a vaccine for typhoid, and various prophylaxis for malaria - two maladies that are common in most sub-saharan Africa, neither preventative measure is 100% effective (I've had both malaria and typhoid and medically prepped for each). As with any disease, avoiding the causes is usually preferable to entirely relying on medication.

I'd suggest worrying more about the weather than the medical woes that you may encounter. If you get sick, you get sick, all the preparation in the world won't make you 100% disease-proof. However, picking the monsoon season will almost guarantee incessant rain.

[jimbolay]

- Flew from DIA to Atlanta, Atlanta to Johannesburg (non-stop, ~15hrs). Paid the extra $150 for an economy plus seat - the extra legroom is a life saver if you are taller.
- I chose to have taxidermy done in SA due to convenience and it's less paperwork to get finished mounts into the states. I think the shipping will run $500-600 when it's all done.
- Absolutely no issue getting guns out of or back into the US. It's an extra step to check firearms through TSA checkpoints in the US. We used a firearms "permit" company in SA to process all the paperwork and forms ($100 total). We applied 3 months before we left to give the SA government plenty of time to process the paperwork. Gun laws in SA are far more restrictive than in the US (at least for the time being......).
- I had my tetanus vaccination renewed and ended up getting a Hep A shot but that was as a result of eating contaminated berries from Costo last spring (LOL) - I had no other shots. If you fly directly to SA your likelihood of catching something is pretty slim - if you fly through multiple African countries to get to your final destination you have to comply with their government vaccinations regulations - even if you are only changing planes. The required immunizations are really a function of the country you travel through and hunt in.
We had no issues with the camp's drinking water, local food or wild game we ate.

[sniper7]

Awesome info. Was the $500-600 shipping total? How many animals? what carrier?

[jimbolay]

Shipping is an estimate - mounts are in the works in SA and will hopefully arrive in the next few months.

I shot 5 animals. My brother-in-law shot 4.

[sniper7]

Gotcha! Thanks for the info

[CO Hugh]

Mike Boyle on 710Knus just went to Africa. Maybe check some of the outdoor shows on cable tv that go to Africa for guide recommendations. The NRA, Safari Club or Cabelas may have referrals or bookings

I always worry about the political instability: being over there when some mayhem breaks out.

[brutal]

Passing this along from a BLGC mailing.

W. Hunter Roop at 303-663-4763 (tel:303-663-4763) or by email at HuntBushmansQuiver@gmail.com (HuntBushmansQuiver@gmail.com). Also, feel welcome to visit them at the International Sportsman's Exposition in Denver January 16-19.

[sniper7]

I met and talked with the guys at Bushmans quiver. Nice guys and one I am considering

[jimbolay]

You won't go wrong with BQ - I used them for my hunt in SA.