Looking to do my first Safari

Live2hunt1 · Nov 12, 2016

I'm looking at different forums and talking to lots of people before making a decision on where to hunt but I'm open to advice and recommendations on an outfitters to use. I have a short list of target animals I would like to hunt.

-Kudu
-Gems buck
-Impala
-Eland
-Springbok
-Water buck

I would like to do a minimum of a 10 day hunt and want the option to take other animals including varmint and birds.
any ideas on what a hunt like this should cost me? excluding airfare? on the days and animals listed. Thanks

littlebull209338 · Nov 12, 2016

To get the mixture you are looking for you may need to hunt in more than one country or at least more than on outfitter. I have hunted with Matthew Greeve (might be spelling the last name wrong) out of Nelspruet South Africa. He does a very good job and certainly can guide you to where you can find what you are looking for. Most African hunting is based upon a daily fee plus a kill fee for the animals you shoot. African hunting is very different than what we experience here. As far as rifle caliber goes a 300 or a 338 will be plenty. If you were going for dangerous game a minimum of 375 is required. The plane ride over and back is a KILLER, about 15 hours from the Western states. If I can help PM me. Taxidemy is best done there. They do a really, really good job and are experts at crating up the trophies.

littlebull209338 · Nov 12, 2016

You might want to check out Jeff Rand. He is pricy but the real deal. To give you an idea he was charging $50,000 for an elephant.

billc · Nov 13, 2016

You can hunt them all in with one outfitter no problem at all. I work with paw print safaris in the northwest.We hunt great kudu and you might see some cheaper pricing on cape kudu but they are smaller then the greater kudu. I do think you could do this hunt in 10 days plus two travel days. Would be around 9800.00 with paw print.

ruttinbull · Nov 13, 2016

Take a look at the deals section in Africa Hunting Forum. Probably the funnest way to do this is to post that you are looking for a hunt and watch the outfitters reply with offers. The rand to dollar exchange rate is good for us and really bad for them. They are fighting for business right now.

I am booking a hunt for May of 2017 and I am checking prices of flights weekly. I flew out of Sacramento on my first trip and Portland on the next. This up and coming trip will likely be out of San Francisco due to the favorable price of flights.

Last thing, most outfitters will be posting their specials in January or February, just in time for the hunting shows.

Africa is addicting. Dont plan on going once as you will undoubtedly want to go again and again. This will be my third trip. After that, I hope to go to Europe to kill roebuck and other species.

Good Luck and have fun.

littlebull209338 · Nov 14, 2016

You might want to attend the Safari Club International convention in Las Vegas 2/1-4/17. I've been to Africa three times and found that it was really helpful to be able to talk with the outfitters (PH) in person. I enjoyed hunting Botswana the best because the game is wild and free, not in fenced conditions (some of the fenced acreages are huge (as in 40,000 acres). But I believe it has closed most of the country to hunting..at least the Okavango Delta. You might want to consider going after a nylala and a red leechwe as well as your other bucket list.

CAelknuts · Nov 14, 2016

For what you are looking for, Tholo Safaris in Botswana is one of the top choices. They have outstanding quality hunting, especially for big Kudu and Eland. Accommodations are first rate. Tholo consistently gets very high marks. If you go over to the forums on Accurate Reloading, you can read a lot about them. Mark Young books for them and can be easily found there.

lhrbull · Nov 17, 2016

jules of the karoo is who I'm booked with for just about the same animal list

CHWino_1 · Nov 27, 2016

I have a guy. Sure everyone says that. His name is Andre and he's been doing this for over 30 years. He's a small operator and has lots of properties to hunt. He will give you a great hunt. He will be your PH the whole time.

www.besthunt.co.za.

Check out his site and drop my name...Casey.

DidIDraw · Dec 9, 2016

You may want to check out Omujeve in Namibia. Predator did a terrific write up about her experience there. I also had a tremendous hunt with them in 2008 (I posted a short write up with pictures in this forum). I really enjoyed Corne - his lodge, equipment, and service are top notch and he can take you to other concessions so you get to see more of the country side. I saw hundreds of animals every day there.

When I went I had him write up a contract with the animals I wanted included in one price then a la carte for any I took beyond my these.

You are in for a great experience hunting in Africa.

Blank · Dec 9, 2016

Another recommendation for Corne Kruger and Omujeve Safaris. He was awarded Outfitter of the Year for Dallas Safari Club this year. I have hunted with them 3 times, and was the one who drug Predator (kicking and screaming )

along on our trip. Will go back again.

Blank · Dec 9, 2016

Also check out the post "Two and a half months in Africa" by my friend Syncerus1 here. Go to his site for Ngruma.com to read all about Omujeve

CAelknuts · Dec 9, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Dec-09-16 AT 06:31PM (MST)[p]You need to be very careful in your research for 2017, especially for Namibia. There has been a bad drought across much of Southern Africa and certain areas of Namibia are reported to be very hard hit by the drought. Namibia is a wonderful country, but for the time being, I'd be very cautious about booking a hunt there unless assured that the areas you'd be hunting have had the game hold up OK and that rainfall this year has been good.

With so many great places to hunt, don't take a chance with bad drought for your first hunt. Do your homework.