About to lose my mind

[MizzouAg]

Howdy all at AH,

My brother-in-law and I are scheduled for our first African hunt with Somerby Safaris in South Africa for 10-days in July of 2018. Our wives plan to tag along for at least part of the trip. We met Drom and Charles at SCI Kansas City early this year. They seem like great guys. We also met @CAustin (we were the two guys on Saturday with 3 little hellions running around).

I'm really excited to think about celebrating my 40th birthday chasing plains game. We have a species list more or less ironed out with some options (kudu, eland/waterbuck, gemsbok/blue wildebeest, bushbuck and Impala...nyala, zebra, blesbok, or springbuck better keep their heads down too). We will be working up loads for our .300 win mags planning on 180 grain Barnes ttsx and practicing from shooting sticks.

Still have to decide on a taxidermist but leaning heavily toward dip and ship back to a US based taxidermist.

Truly enjoying reading the content here. It is very respectful and informative. You guys have a great forum.

Only one question...how do you survive waiting? I'm about to lose my mind with impatience.

 

[CAustin]

@MizzouAg I remember you from the show! Hope you have a great hunt. As far as the wait......well it's like being a kid again and Christmas is coming.....enjoy the ride.

 

[K-man]

Congrats on your first trip, good luck! Like you said, get ready by practicing, working up loads, looking for dip/pack and taxidermists, searching for airfare, and I would add reading up on shot placement for african game. Then you need to take a second job to pay for the extra game you can't pass up while there. Then the trophy room you need for the game.....and the bigger gun for the next trip...you can see where the time goes, but it's all good.

 

[kathy]

Welcome, hope you have a great hunt, get prepared for the addiction you will go back, their is nothing like hunting Africa.
As far as the wait I have no answer other than stay on this great forum and learn as much as you can before you go. Forrest

 

[BRICKBURN]

.................

Truly enjoying reading the content here. It is very respectful and informative. You guys have a great forum.

Only one question...how do you survive waiting? I'm about to lose my mind with impatience.

Keep reading, time will pass.

Welcome to AH

 

[Royal27]

Only one question...how do you survive waiting? I'm about to lose my mind with impatience.

The planning and anticipation is have the fun.

And if you just can't stand the wait and start to go crazy then might I suggest you begin to plan your second safari now. That's what I did.

 

[MizzouAg]

Then the trophy room you need for the game..

Yep...negotiations with my wife are well underway

 

[MizzouAg]

The planning and anticipation is have the fun.

And if you just can't stand the wait and start to go crazy then might I suggest you begin to plan your second safari now. That's what I did.

Had that discussion earlier this week..."if we don't shoot x or y...they would make a good species for a second trip to the east cape, Kalahari or Namibia depending on what's left on the list"...haha.

 

[Royal27]

Had that discussion earlier this week..."if we don't shoot x or y...they would make a good species for a second trip to the east cape, Kalahari or Namibia depending on what's left on the list"...haha.

And I'd also suggest be careful with that list. Have a couple of primary species then see what happens and enjoy. When the PH gets excited, shoot. The one you didn't get and really wanted? There is second trip material.

Package hunts can put pressure on you to fill the bag. You might take a lesser trophy just to hit the quota. Lots of us have, myself included.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Take what she gives you, pressure is saved for work and home, not the bush. I promise you that a second trip will follow, even the guys that have a bad trip want to go back! There are a lot of good lessons to be learned here, good and bad. Just enjoy the beautiful places, the sounds, a nice single malt and a cold Castle Lager, the rest will sort itself out!
Cheers,
Cody

 

[rinehart0050]

Only one question...how do you survive waiting? I'm about to lose my mind with impatience

Spend more time at the range! And reading AH.com- you can start getting inspired about your second safari now! You can never start planning too soon.

 

[MizzouAg]

@Royal27 I've seen several folks offer that advice. It's definitely changed my out look a little. Both of us are go with the flow and let it role kind of guys. So we are after Kudu and whatever comes our way. We have a "list" because you have to start somewhere but it's quite flexible. I doubt it will be my only trip..at least I hope it won't be.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I've had it in my plans to hunt the remaining 4 continents before I return to one I've already been.

But this forum has me changing that plan in favour of a hippo/hyena combo. @KMG Hunting Safaris planted the seed of inspiration with a buff/hyena deal, and it's all I've thought of for two weeks now.

I admit, I'm an addict. But I'm glad there's a support group full of people just like me.

I get my fix by reading the many great forums, posting a couple of my own, and watching videos galore. It helped me speed up the time prior to my first journey.

Don't neglect using your own personal time machine. I can't figure out how to go in reverse, but every time I fall asleep I wake up in the future!

 

[sestoppelman]

Oh you have a looooong wait! Believe it or not your anxiety will ebb and flow, sometimes you will put it out of your mind for a while but when it gets closer then you will go insane again. Hah!

 

[petrusg]

Welcome to AH! Use the time waiting in your favour to get your loads 100% and shooting allot another tip is to get used to shooting off sticks as you will be doing allot of this.

Enjoy your trip! you'll be hunting soon.

 

[riflepermits.com]

Welcome to AH @MizzouAg! It is a great site, glad to have you here.

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

Welcome to AH MizzouAg! Nice to have you on the site.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the booking! The waiting is hard but will also make it sweeter!
Practice shooting, practice of sticks, kneeling, lying down, against a tree. Study your quarry, learn shot placement, watch as many hunting shows involving African game as possible!

 

[Pheroze]

Enjoy the anticipation and the preparation it really is a big part of the experience. Read AH, find that 375 H&H you need, books on shot placement, safari clothes too. Don't forget the Courtney boots that are fairly mandatory...Actually, the wait is great for stimulating the economy!

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Welcome to AH MizzouAg! AH will definitely help with the wait or make it worse ... Enjoy the site!