The Gift of Africa- An Unexpected Hunting Adventure

[KipCarson]

I was nearly 8 years old before my parents ever put a television in the house, (thank you gulf war) and I was in my mid teens before it was ever used for anything other than the nightly news cast. So needless to say, my formative years were not influenced with TV and video games, but were filled with books and hunting magazines. My favorites were always the magazines that had a full suite of articles beyond just the standard fare of Whitetail hunting, especially when I got my hands on an issue with stories about Africa! I often went to sleep with visions of Kudu and Cape Buffalo dancing in my head, way better than sugar plums and what not. The problem is there is so much to do, and so little time and money on this third rock from the sun to do it in.

But alas, time goes on, life happens, decisions are made, reality sets in, and dreams on the vine slowly start to wither and die. Long ago, I had basically given up on my dreams of going to hunt Africa. It wasn't totally beyond the realm of possibility, but the harsh truth of my situation put it far outside of my likely reality. I mean anything is possible, like finding a winning lottery ticket blowing across a parking lot. It’s unlikely, but it could happen. Little did I know that in January of 2024 I was about to find that winning lottery ticket…

“I’m going to send you on 10 day African safari next year and you can pick someone to go with you…” Hearing those words come out of nowhere, completely unexpected, are quite surreal. Was I hearing things? Surely he meant that he was going on another safari? I must be going certifiably looney-bin crazy… Nope, I had heard correctly and the man to whom I was talking to wasn’t kidding around. In fact, the owner/operator of the safari company happened to be there with us at the time and started talking to me about what all I might be interested in hunting and immediately began answering my questions. Apparently this wasn’t some sort of sick joke and this was really going to happen! Within just a few weeks we had chosen dates and booked the trip, paid the deposits, and I had had several phone conversations with the PH I was assigned to. This was really happening! I had been given an amazing gift, the gift of Africa! Mind officially blown!

One of the first steps in the planning was to choose someone to take. There were several people I could have chosen, the main two being my dad and my brother. It wasn’t an easy choice, but I ended up choosing dad. The way I figure it, as long as health holds out and unforeseen tragedies are averted my brother and I have another 30+ years to run around going on hunting trips together. I don’t have that much time left with Dad so I figured I would make hay while the sun shines. Talking with my brother, he agreed with my assessment. My wife, who is mostly a non-hunter was interested in going, but this trip would not be about fancy lodges and cute little safari jeeps. It promises to be quite gritty with potential waist deep swamp water, filled with leaches and all sorts of other creepy crawlers, not to mention crocs. Not exactly what she thinks of as a good time. I suspect by the end of day three she would be screaming “Get me out of here!” Also, the knowledge of other critters there with names and reputations infamous as the black mamba, and Mozambican spitting cobras were enough to ensure that she is perfectly okay to not be chosen!

This last year and a half has crept along, but I will be leaving one week from today! When I have a little bit of time later this afternoon I will get on here and give the details of the hunt, the outfitter, location, etc. I can’t say that I will make daily post over the course of the trip, but I will have some Internet access via Starlink back at the camp every evening, and if I can’t post from there I will do so upon my return. Hopefully this will be a good place to chronicle the adventure and dump some photos, mainly for my sake, but also for anyone else who wants to tag along!

 

[ChaosOneZero]

Looking forward to the updates, bud. Should be the adventure of a lifetime.

 

[kansasdad]

It’s simply not possible to take too many photos.

Daily diary entries help the days stay straight afterwards.

Be situationally aware in town (and the bush too, I suppose)

It’s easy to get dehydrated, push the (safe) fluids

Permethrin works on African creepy crawlies. Generous spray down on all your clothing.

Super clean you footwear for the return trip. On entry to the good ol USA, if you are truthful you will check the box about being on a farm. They will check for dirt.


PS: not jealous at all Kip

 

[Salmonchaser]

Much like Alaska, Africa can get in your blood and you’ll always go back. Africa got in my blood and I hope it happens for you.

 

[KipCarson]

The outfitter that I’m being sent with is Zambeze Delta Safaris in Mozambique. They operate in Coutada 11 which is part of the Marromeu Complex in eastern Mozambique located on, you guessed it, the Zambeze delta. Coutadas are what they call the hunting concessions in Mozambique, it’s a Portuguese term. The area has a pretty interesting history and under the leadership and conservation efforts of Mark Haldane the owner of ZDS, wildlife populations there have flourished beyond belief. Coutada 11 is around 500,000 acres of wilderness without a game fence to be found. The wildlife populations have been on a steady increase largely in part to a top notch anti-poaching team that keeps up steady patrols with helicopters and dirt bikes that keep the bush meat trade in check. The efforts of the ZDS anti poaching team has allowed game populations to come back from the brink of extermination after a long civil war to thrive like they have today. So much game is on the landscape that they have been able to reintroduced lions with great success and they have 21 huntable game species ranging from several members of the tiny 10, all the way up to the Cape buffalo, of which it boasts a population of well over 20k. It’s home to 4 of the big 5. Rhinos being the only one absent. There’s tons of YouTube videos about the place which I’ve watched on repeat since I found out I was going.

The man who gave me this trip has hunted the world over and said it has been his favorite place in Africa to hunt, and the only place he’s ever seen an even close to equal amount of game is in one of the national parks over there. Hearing the roar of wild lions from the tent at night promises to be a treat. This being in the last week before I fly out, I’ve hit the so-excited-it’s-hard-to-sleep phase of preparation. I just thought I got amped up before an out of state western hunt, this may not be healthy!

In my first conversation with Mark Haldane the day I was told about the hunt, I established I wanted to do as much of the hunt as I could with my bow. Lucky for me, he’s got a PH that works for him that specializes in just that! I was surprised to learn he’s an American. He’s got plenty of experience guiding bow hunters and understands what it takes to make it happen. This will be a spot and stalk hunt, not spending all day in a pit blind looking at the same water hole. They’re not set up that way, plus it makes sense to me that sitting a water hole might not be as effective in a wet flood plain with water everywhere. I’ll have 10 days to hunt so I figure I’ll dedicate the first 7 to bowhunting, then the last 3 days for cleanup with a rifle. All I do here at home is bowhunt, but I’m definitely no purist. I certainly won’t be walking away leaving license unused because of my pride! Since this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me I’ve committed to myself that I will say “hand me the rifle” whenever it’s apparent me and my trusty Hoyt need help!

One thing that’s different about this place from many other South African high fence type hunts that I know about stems from it being government owned land and no fences. The harvests are based on government quotas with specific harvest levels for each species that their game department sets for them. You need to have license for each individual species you choose to hunt. You don’t just show up and pay for what you shoot, it’s got to be planned and permitted before you arrive.

Which leads me to what we’re hunting. Lucky for dad he’s not just getting to tag along as an observer, he is getting to hunt too! It took weeks for me to convince him he is getting to hunt too! I always have wanted a kudu gemsbok and impala, but in this region there are no kudu, or gemsbok. There are few impala here and not that great of trophy quality compared to everywhere else so my PH discouraged me from choosing one of those. He’s the pro so I asked him and Mark Haldane what species were the most bowhunter friendly.

This is the list we came up with to go for:
Nyala
Waterbuck
Common Reedbuck
Chobe Bushbuck
Warthog

Mostly it was an easy list to choose but there were a lot of animals that just didn’t make the cut. Some of the species like Eland are more seasonal in the region, and none of the tiny 10 species were interesting enough to me to make the cut (for now!) A Sable would be high on the list but it’s also very high in price, they’ve got a high population but they’re also in high demand. There is a great Creyshaw Zebra population and when I started this journey they weren’t that interesting to me. Now my opinion has changed a good bit and I’d love to add one in but it’s more money than I can reasonably afford. My wife wants me to get one, and had she spoken up sooner I might would’ve made some changes and added it to my list. So my chosen animals were Nyala, because it has always has been in my top 5 African dream animals, totally was a no brainer. I’ve always wanted a good ol pumbaa too, so that was an easy choice. The waterbuck is cool and the population in the delta is enormous, and they’ve got some of the biggest ones around. Common reedbuck is the most boring looking antelope over there IMO, but it’s also the most common one in the areA and is very affordable and ideal for bowhunting. Then Bushbuck is apparently a blast to bowhunt and also top tier in the beauty department.

Dad is getting to take the same 5 animals as me, plus we may get to help fill some of the community meat quota animals. It’s gonna be a busy 10 days!

 

[KipCarson]

Much like Alaska, Africa can get in your blood and you’ll always go back. Africa got in my blood and I hope it happens for you.

I’m told I’ll be spending the rest of my life trying to figure out how to go back!

 

[KipCarson]

Super clean you footwear for the return trip. On entry to the good ol USA, if you are truthful you will check the box about being on a farm. They will check for dirt.

All good advice! Cleaning the boots definitely makes sense, but not being in high fence and around no agricultural you think they’d consider that a farm setting?

 

[kansasdad]

In my experience they are looking for caked on dirt. Farm/ranch treated the same way when I’ve returned to the states.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Sounds awesome!

They have some really neat pygmy antelope in Coutada 11.

 

[KipCarson]

Sounds awesome!

They have some really neat pygmy antelope in Coutada 11.

Yeah, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around something the size of a jackrabbit, actually being an antelope. If I ever made a second trip I think I’d try to get a suni or one of the duikers.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Yeah, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around something the size of a jackrabbit, actually being an antelope. If I ever made a second trip I think I’d try to get a suni or one of the duikers.

Totally agree. They are neat...sort of an acquired taste. You have an awesome list of critters to chase.

The suni live in costal sand forests and are almost impossible to get in South Africa, but Coutada 11 in Moz has a lot.

It is also a great place to get a Red duiker.

Blue duiker can be hunted in South Africa pretty well.

I'm a big enough nerd where I've thought of going for both of those specifically in that concession.

You'll have a great hunt. Can't wait to hear about it.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Jealous, I am. It was like being in a dream the whole time I was there, take lots of photos. I left my boots and most of my clothes behind when I left, didn't have to worry about customs that way and the guys I gave stuff to seemed to appreciate it a lot. You're going to love it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

My trackers name was Simms. Having guided fishing in Alaska for twenty years I had a lot of Simms gear. Mr. Simms thought he was a dandy for sure when I left him all my shirts and a light jacket.

 

[KipCarson]

Nice blesbok @Salmonchaser, that’s another one they don’t have where I’m going. Was that South Africa? I bet Simms liked having a new personalized wardrobe for sure!

 

[Salmonchaser]

Nice blesbok @Salmonchaser, that’s another one they don’t have where I’m going. Was that South Africa? I bet Simms liked having a new personalized wardrobe for sure!

Yes the eastern cape. It was an add on. Hunting on near 500,000 acre free range outfit and had collected what I came for. Taking a tour of the outfit when the tracker spotted him at about 1000 yards across a deep canyon. We got within about 200 yards and busted out some zebra, the blesbok stood up and PH said oh he’s a good one. Boom. There was room on the wall for him.