Looks like my year to finally go

[mixedbag]

I have a straight thru flight from JFK to Johannesburg,then a jump flight to Windhoek on SAA.I plan 2 days of sightseeing and the rest for for the hunt.That gives me 6-7 full days of hunting.can't afford to go shooting like crazy so I'll have my list and try and stick to it .I do want to see the Big 5 in a natural setting and I HAVE to bring gifts home for the kids and wife.honestly, if I can tag a kudu and gemsbok,I'd consider that good enough but there are other animals in the package.If I don't fill what I want, I'll have to go back in a few years with the wife.This trip is also to see if its something she would enjoy for a future trip if I can swing the costs again
From what I hear from everyone is thats its like elk hunting;you never go just once!I'm excited about this trip,and hopefully, I'll learn how to put up pics on here before I go

 

[devon deer]

From what I hear from everyone is thats its like elk hunting;you never go just once!I'm excited about this trip,and hopefully, I'll learn how to put up pics on here before I go

That isnt what i wanted to hear as i start my application for a Elk tag!

I enjoyed my South African trip, it wasn't a hunting trip but our friends tooks us to a farm where i did a hunt for a day in April 2011, Kudu, Hartebeast, Gemsbok, Warthog and Impala were on the list to hunt, the farm was huge,( 20,000 acres i have since learnt0 we drove around on the back of a pick up truck (not the sort of hunting i am used to) until we saw an animal, then it was jump off and hunt, then if it failed back on the truck, we went out first thing in the morning and it was pretty cold (near a place called Kimberley) but it soon warmed up to 37c.
Eventually we found an Impala buck 120 yards away in bush, my friend passed me the sticks and rifle (i used his rifle on the range the day before) and said 'shoot', i said 'i can only see the head' but he said the same again more urgently so reluctantly i took the shot and it did the deed, just.
We met 2 PH's in the evening for a dinner party and they gave my friend a right ticking off for encouraging me to head shoot.
But i wasnt going to complain, it was a free trip!
Just watch where you are walking at night, snakes are around and check your boots before you put them on each day for scorpians.
There is some stunning scenary over there and you will have a great time.
Looks like a nice place where you will be staying.

Photo's...i use Photobucket to post on forums.

Cheers

Richard

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

Hey R F, what's the name of that bar that every hunter that goes thru Windhoek has to stop by....something complicated like "Joe's" I think.

Richard, went Springbok culling with friends a couple of time....Rand on the dash, no shots under 300 meters and must be a head shot to count! Fun times! I lost one pool of Rand when the one I shot went down and got up and staggered as we got within 50 meters and had to shoot again....I had shot a horn off at base.

 

[FishN4Eyes]

Hey R F, what's the name of that bar that every hunter that goes thru Windhoek has to stop by....something complicated like "Joe's" I think.

Richard, went Springbok culling with friends a couple of time....Rand on the dash, no shots under 300 meters and must be a head shot to count! Fun times! I lost one pool of Rand when the one I shot went down and got up and staggered as we got within 50 meters and had to shoot again....I had shot a horn off at base.

Joe's Beerhouse.

Awesome place and a lot of fun.

 

[SNOWCREST]

If you take any wart hogs or bush pigs you'll want to have them on a separate hunt ticket. Because they're swine it slows the expediting process considerably for your hides to return to the states! This use to be the case several years back so ask your PH about this. You might consider having your hides sent directly to your tannery from the Port of Entry, not all taxidermists are certified by the AG. Dept. to receive foreign hides and horns. Also shop around for a reputable broker to handle paperwork. This all sounds like alot of prep work but is will avoid alot of headaches in the long run.

 

[mixedbag]

My good friend can have skins sent to him.He's gone 3-4 times;not sure anymore.But,got his cert. from headaches he's had to deal with in the past.I'm going to get all my imfo thru him about the shipping part of it.Thanks for the imfo though

 

[Rat Fink]

Joe's Beerhouse.

Awesome place and a lot of fun.

That's the place. We didn't go there, but I have heard some great stories about it. It's on the to do list next time.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

That would be the place!

Yes, "swine" can complicate your import (unless you have taxidermy done in Africa). BTW, it would appear the FWS is having a Lib field day screwing up, rejecting and confiscating imports in several POE's by all accounts. But most of horror stories I am aware of involved CITES animals with either export or import or both CITES permits and seals required....my mounted Croc is currently being held in RSA because import shipper recognized it had unbroken seal from Zambia to my taxidermist in RSA and needed a new seal from RSA since it wa first imported there and about to be exported to US which is ridiculous since I did not have to have a US CITES permit but one was just confiscated in LA for same reason....buncha Lib AR's !!!

 

[bnkwnto]

sweet hunt

Sounds like you have a nice hunt lined up for you and your dad. I went to South Africa a few years ago with my wife and we had a blast. Our PH picked us up from the airport and then we spent 3 days touring Kruger National Park. I thought it was awesome to see that many different animals up close in a natural setting. Plus with my PH there I kept having him tell how to judge different animals and let me know the differences in mature animals vs young animals. A few tips:

A buddy sent me a book called The Perfect Shot: Shot Placement for African Big Game" Book by Kevin "Doctari" Robertson. Vitals on african animals are more forward compared to whitetails etc. I highly recommend the book.

Use enough gun with good bullets. You draw blood you pay. We used a 300wm with 180 barnes tripleshocks for Kudu, Gemsbuc, Blue Wilderbeast and a zebra and a 7mm-08 140grain barnes for impala and blesbuck.

Pay attention to the trackers, those guys are amazing.

Know what you want to hunt and don't let them talk you into shooting anything you don't want to.

Take lots of pics and have a good time. It's a once in a lifetime hunt for most people.
good luck