Africa is just not for me

[mark-hunter]

I quickly shy away from people who are negative about traveling, visiting foreign places, or hunting or fishing in a different country.

Partially I fit in this description.
In last 25 years, I travelled for business all over the world, and I have seen 63 (+) countries, on all continents. I am never at home.
So, I hate travel, I don't like planes, security checks and taking shoes and belt for screening, foreign hotels, airports, taxis and drivers that dont speak english and choppers, all pain in the ass. (and food and service on commercial airlines is deteriorating in last 20 yrs, coming down to chicken and lamb biryani on airlines to east, as most politically correct and economic food)
The latest trend in continental flights in Europe, they started charging drinks, snack and coffee. With ticket you get seat, and some ever reducing limits on luggage weight

So, for private travel I prefer to stay at home. World? I have seen it. Been there.

But if something makes me want to travel, its hunting in Africa!!!! So, there, I travel with pleasure. Already planning next trip (no 4)

 

[TKessel]

I’m fortunate to guide 50+ hunters a year here in the states. A lot have hunted Africa and I only remember one saying they had no desire to go back.
I have heard all the same reasons not to go as have been stated before, money, travel, time, etc…. As many of you already know, Africa is by far the best bang for your Buck.

My Dad made a middle class income as a teacher. He made 10 trips and hunted 4 of the big 5 over the years. It’s all about how you want to save and spend your money. If there is a will there is a way.
I personally hunted Africa in 1989, and 1999. Life, business, kids and life all take everyone’s time, but going back never left my thoughts.
My wife and I have a 28 day trip scheduled for 2023. I’m as excited as I was when I was a young adult in 1989!

 

[JG870]

I recently returned from my first African safari
And it was fantastic.I plan on going back hopefully next year.
I agree that life does get in the way. When you have the
desire to go on any adventure it is hard to understand why anyone with your same common interests (like hunting) would not want to go to Africa, but I guess that is exactly why it’s said, To each his own.

 

[CJW]

I want to go back to Africa but I didn't really enjoy being guided. I felt like a follower and the other guy was doing all the work. I don't like that. Never have even here in the states.

Now if I could talk a PH into letting me do the decision making as far as the stalking goes it might be different. I'm honestly on the fence about hunting Africa again unless it's for buffalo, tuskless elephant, a lion stalked on foot, or like I said, I could do the stalking while he makes sure I don't shoot the wrong thing. I would be happier guiding someone else.

Interestingly, about a month later, I got about 25 yds from a whitetail buck in the woods. Not a SINGLE PG animal that I shot in Africa gave me that same feeling. There is no animal in the world like a whitetail. Their intensity just can't be matched by an antelope.

 

[TKessel]

I want to go back to Africa but I didn't really enjoy being guided. I felt like a follower and the other guy was doing all the work. I don't like that. Never have even here in the states.

Now if I could talk a PH into letting me do the decision making as far as the stalking goes it might be different. I'm honestly on the fence about hunting Africa again unless it's for buffalo, tuskless elephant, a lion stalked on foot, or like I said, I could do the stalking while he makes sure I don't shoot the wrong thing. I would be happier guiding someone else.

Interestingly, about a month later, I got about 25 yds from a whitetail buck in the woods. Not a SINGLE PG animal that I shot in Africa gave me that same feeling. There is no animal in the world like a whitetail. Their intensity just can't be matched by an antelope.

I have been fortunate in the two PH’s that I’ve hunted with, everything was discussed before any stalk. They asked how I would do it and in turn said how they would do it. Most of the time we were on the same page. I felt as if it was a team effort. I try to do the same with my clients. I have found you are never to old to learn.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Tanks]

I have been to Africa numerous times and about to start my hunt in a couple of days. I have no desire to hunt Africa. Correction, South Africa

I did a photo Safari with my girlfriend. First we went to Hwange National Park (the Hide), I am typing this from the Old Drift Lodge at another national park by Victoria Falls (58K hectares) on my last night here. Saw amazing animals and 4 of the Big Five and a multitude of others. Just passed 3 hippos on the way to my tent (need to be escorted by a guy with a gun after dark). Animals are not fed and are mostly self sustaining though they do get water pumped to ponds in Hwange.

That being said, almost all animals were acclimated to humans due to constant visual contact. I felt something was missing, the caution etc., from the hunts I have been on. I feel one would find the same thing in RSA game ranches as evidenced by a multitude of RSA hunt videos on YouTube. Not quite shooting tame animals, but acclimated ones. Thankfully, there are other options.

 

[Cam300]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. Thank you for posting. Has really made me realize how lucky I’ve been to go once, and makes me look forward even more to the next one in 2023.

Anyone who’s hunted the real Africa and doesn’t want to go back needs to have their head examined!

 

[Backyardsniper]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. Thank you for posting. Has really made me realize how lucky I’ve been to go once, and makes me look forward even more to the next one in 2023.

Anyone who’s hunted the real Africa and doesn’t want to go back needs to have their head examined!

Where and when are you going in 23? I'll be in Zimbabwe in June

 

[Cam300]

I’m going in September for buffalo in the Dande safari area! You?

 

[Backyardsniper]

Omay North for buffalo and tuskless, and whatever else incan scratch together enough cash for between now and then. Hopefully a hippo on land and if I can come up with a little extra cash.

 

[WAB]

Personally I understand the reluctance of some seasoned hunters to hunt in Africa. I grew up hunting in Canada and spent most of my adult life in Wyoming and Alaska. I hunted extensively and successfully, and never with a guide. I made my first African hunt in the Upper Luangwa for buffalo at age 53. It was a significant adjustment to follow someone else’s lead while hunting. I have since been on many safaris, mostly for buffalo, and mostly in truly wild areas. However, I have gotten to know a couple of PH’s well and we hunt as a team.

I have had a little exposure to South African PG hunting on side trips. These were good properties, and we took good animals, but I doubt that I would fly to Africa to do it.

I think we do some folks a serious disservice in advising that they do a ranch hunt for plains game before moving on to a bush hunt for dangerous game. If someone has grown up hunting the wilderness in NA, they don’t need a primer to get ready for a buffalo hunt. In fact it may very well put them off Africa altogether, as it did to the friend I described earlier in this thread.

I want to be clear, I totally support the ranch operations and recognize the great conservation work they do, it’s just not for me and there are others who fall in the same boat. Get those folks in the Zambezi valley or the upper Luangwa on a fresh set of buffalo tracks and the outcome will likely be totally different.

 

[Backyardsniper]

Personally I understand the reluctance of some seasoned hunters to hunt in Africa. I grew up hunting in Canada and spent most of my adult life in Wyoming and Alaska. I hunted extensively and successfully, and never with a guide. I made my first African hunt in the Upper Luangwa for buffalo at age 53. It was a significant adjustment to follow someone else’s lead while hunting. I have since been on many safaris, mostly for buffalo, and mostly in truly wild areas. However, I have gotten to know a couple of PH’s well and we hunt as a team.

I have had a little exposure to South African PG hunting on side trips. These were good properties, and we took good animals, but I doubt that I would fly to Africa to do it.

I think we do some folks a serious disservice in advising that they do a ranch hunt for plains game before moving on to a bush hunt for dangerous game. If someone has grown up hunting the wilderness in NA, they don’t need a primer to get ready for a buffalo hunt. In fact it may very well put them off Africa altogether, as it did to the friend I described earlier in this thread.

I want to be clear, I totally support the ranch operations and recognize the great conservation work they do, it’s just not for me and there are others who fall in the same boat. Get those folks in the Zambezi valley or the upper Luangwa on a fresh set of buffalo tracks and the outcome will likely be totally different.

^
what he said.

 

[JimP]

I asked a outfitter friend of mine if he ever has thought about going to Africa to hunt. He said that after chasing animals for 6+ months a year and scouting/repairing equipment for the rest he is ready for a little bit of a break and going hunting isn't on the top of his list of things to do. Be it Africa or any other place.

 

[Inline6]

I asked a outfitter friend of mine if he ever has thought about going to Africa to hunt. He said that after chasing animals for 6+ months a year and scouting/repairing equipment for the rest he is ready for a little bit of a break and going hunting isn't on the top of his list of things to do. Be it Africa or any other place.

Hints why (name the profession here) does not have it fixed. (Car, light switch, dripping faucet, ect.). Humans need down time and burn out is a real thing.

 

[375Fox]

I want to go back to Africa but I didn't really enjoy being guided. I felt like a follower and the other guy was doing all the work. I don't like that. Never have even here in the states.

Now if I could talk a PH into letting me do the decision making as far as the stalking goes it might be different. I'm honestly on the fence about hunting Africa again unless it's for buffalo, tuskless elephant, a lion stalked on foot, or like I said, I could do the stalking while he makes sure I don't shoot the wrong thing. I would be happier guiding someone else.

Interestingly, about a month later, I got about 25 yds from a whitetail buck in the woods. Not a SINGLE PG animal that I shot in Africa gave me that same feeling. There is no animal in the world like a whitetail. Their intensity just can't be matched by an antelope.

I don’t know how many times you’ve hunted Africa or how you pick your hunts, but meeting your PH at DSC or speaking on phone to actually select the PH you want to hunt with makes a huge difference. Picking a PH I want to hunt with is equally as important as choosing the hunt to me. The PHs I’ve hunted with recently have all allowed me to contribute to where we hunt, how we stalk, daily plan, etc but you have to know who you are hunting with to get these kind of PHs for your hunt.

 

[Backyardsniper]

I don’t know how many times you’ve hunted Africa or how you pick your hunts, but meeting your PH at DSC or speaking on phone to actually select the PH you want to hunt with makes a huge difference. Picking a PH I want to hunt with is equally as important as choosing the hunt to me. The PHs I’ve hunted with recently have all allowed me to contribute to where we hunt, how we stalk, daily plan, etc but you have to know who you are hunting with to get these kind of PHs for your hunt.

This was a very big deal for me. I'm using an agent and I have spoken with her extensively about what I want out of the hunt, and how I want to hunt. One of my main concerns was the PH blasting away the minute I pull the trigger. That would ruin the hunt for me beyond description. I am totally fine with the PH doing his job, and by all means if things look like they're gonna go south then fire away, but I do not want him shooting unless it is an absolute necessity. I got to meet my PH at the DSC and we will chat again at the SCI. From what I can tell he and I have very similar ideas and we definitely got on good. I like to joke and cut up and I want the PH to enjoy hunting with me as well. I have found that if your guide is having a good time then they are usually going to make sure you have a good time.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I want to go back to Africa but I didn't really enjoy being guided. I felt like a follower and the other guy was doing all the work. I don't like that. Never have even here in the states.

Now if I could talk a PH into letting me do the decision making as far as the stalking goes it might be different. I'm honestly on the fence about hunting Africa again unless it's for buffalo, tuskless elephant, a lion stalked on foot, or like I said, I could do the stalking while he makes sure I don't shoot the wrong thing. I would be happier guiding someone else.

Interestingly, about a month later, I got about 25 yds from a whitetail buck in the woods. Not a SINGLE PG animal that I shot in Africa gave me that same feeling. There is no animal in the world like a whitetail. Their intensity just can't be matched by an antelope.

Until my first African PG hunt this past June, I had never hunted with a PH (guide) here in NA. It really is a different experience. I'm used to determining when and how I hunt and am on my own time continuum. I think MANY African PHs guide MANY hunters during their hunting season. They probably don't know much about those hunters' past experiences and hunting abilities. I hadn't shot off sticks much or practiced long shots (over 250 yds) before my hunt, so I appreciated the tutoring by my PH. Another thing to consider, is when you have a number of animals to hunt in your PG "package" and limited days to hunt, the locating of suitable animals and successful stalks (not all were) on those animals, almost creates an urgency to keep hunting as long as you have daylight. It was a much faster paced type of hunting than I was used to, but I really enjoyed it. The seeing of the MYRIAD of both game and nongame animals (we bumped an Aardwolf once!) was truly amazing. My weeklong DIY hunts for elk over the past 30+ plus years, when MAYBE getting a tag every other year and shooting an ANY elk every 3-4 years, PALES in comparison to my one African PG hunt. Just my perspective.

 

[Red Leg]

If one has guided, it probably helps move along that team building exercise little quicker. Waaaay back in college I guided every day of the duck season for the four years I was in school. I'll be the first to agree shooting teal is not stalking a cape buffalo. But the human interactions between guide and "sport" as we use to say in those days, are essentially the same. He is wondering if he is going to have a good hunt, if he is going to embarrass himself shooting, etc., etc. I am mainly wondering whether he can handle his shotgun competently and safely. The rest has a way of taking care of itself.

I was just looking through my my photo journals, and if my count is correct, in eight hunts in Africa, I have had the services of 12 different PHs at one time or another. I enjoyed them all. Several have remained great friends. Most I met for the first time when I rolled into camp. Were I to tally up all the PH's and guides from the Americas and Europe, it would quite a few. There has not yet been a jerk among them (I can't say that about every client with whom I shared a camp).

Most of these guys have post graduate practical degrees in human psychology. They want you to have a grand experience, and they are required to make sure you do it safely. None of them in my experience want to shoot your animal. Any in my experience will appreciate discussing that or any other concern with you.

 

[Gemsbok45]

Your last points are spot-on in my opinion.

I’ve not hunted Africa but have spent 30 years reading and learning and have been to Kenya on a non-hunting trip. I can’t disassociate the history (cultural and natural) from the hunting. Meaning I have no desire to ever hunt a place (even in NA) just to collect an animal. The places I choose to hunt in the states typically have a historical angle to them and are not chosen for trophy size. It’s simply irrelevant to me.

of the many, many people I know who have hunted Africa, the vast majority who burn out are those who only went to fill a tag. Some literally cutting a trip short after the animal was dead. The thought of simply enjoying the rest of what Africa had to offer was not a concern.

over the years I have had the great luck to get to know several old school PHs, some old enough to have been called white hunters instead of PHs. To a person they echoed the sentiment that their least favorite clients were the list-makers, who’s trip was ruined by 1/4” on the tape. Their favorites were those who enjoyed the entire spectrum of the trip. Those also seemed to be the ones who returned over and over as well because they got so much out of the trip beside a dead animal.


I get times have changed, everyone is on a schedule, etc., but I can’t help but think the more focus there is on just an animal, the greater potential there is for a first-timer to not return.

I too love the history of Africa and going to see as much as I can see but…. I’m a hunter no list but a hunter. Sometimes your in an area like Zambia old Northern Rhodesia that has big Sable then that is on my list. I’m going to hunt till the last minute of the last day.
If you want to leave early for some historic ruins,I will meet you at the airport!

 

[Pheroze]

I feel one would find the same thing in RSA game ranches as evidenced by a multitude of RSA hunt videos on YouTube.

So many people form their ideas from virtual/ vicarious "knowledge" and it just fuels preconceived notions. This kind of thinking probably stops a lot of people from taking the leap. If you are one of the unique few who are willing to challenge their comfortable assumptions you could go and find out for yourself. I am sure there are a few PHs on this website that would accept your inquiry.