First African Hunt 2027

[MAdcox]

As lots have already said, don't bet on it being one trip. It gets in your blood.
But for this one, if you are dead set on Waterbuck (a good choice), I would add a Kudu for sure and that is going to crowd your $5,000 with those two. But I would definitely take a good Impala- they are not expensive and a beautiful, iconic animal. Also, my first trip was to Limpopo as well and I have never stopped kicking myself for not going after one of their big bushbuck.
Enjoy the planning and first experience with Africa.

 

[MAdcox]

Thanks to all y’all for the suggestions. Definitely gonna add impala to the list. My hunting partner that’s going with me is going with only an eye for kudu, so I reckon I need to keep a look out after he gets his. Not too sure how I feel about zebra, given I grew up working with horses a lot so it seems a little weird

I grew up on the back of a horse and have made a living with horses and cattle most of my life. I had the same feeling about hunting a Zebra my first time over. I have now taken one on each of my last two trips over. I bet after being around them on the ground the reluctance passes as it did for me. They are a great, challenging game animal. And after having hunted other species around Zebra, I just lost the association with my horses at home. Cowboys and horseman forgive me, but I love hunting (and even worse, eating) Zebra!

 

[TnKen]

Kudu and Gemsbok make some very nice mounts and should come in under your 5K.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I grew up on the back of a horse and have made a living with horses and cattle most of my life. I had the same feeling about hunting a Zebra my first time over. I have now taken one on each of my last two trips over. I bet after being around them on the ground the reluctance passes as it did for me. They are a great, challenging game animal. And after having hunted other species around Zebra, I just lost the association with my horses at home. Cowboys and horseman forgive me, but I love hunting (and even worse, eating) Zebra!

I have been battling myself over taking zebra for the very reasons you wrote. I’m no cowboy, though, I have draft horses (halflingerXBelgians and Halflingers) I work and my wife is also an equine rehab therapist (red light photomodulation).

I’d love a zebra rug, but I have to get past the horse thing. Thanks for your post.

 

[SETH RINGER]

UNLESS THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU HAVE LEFT IS AN ISSUE IT AINT GOING TO BE YOUR ONLY TRIP TO AFRICA. BUFF IS ALREADY YOUR BIG TICKET ITEM, I WOULD TAKE MORE OF THE COMMON (LESS EXPENSIVE) PLAINSGAME AND KNOW YOUR TROPHY PRICELIST AND TAKE WHAT AFRICA GIVES YOU IF SOMETHING PRESENTS THAT YOUR PH SAYS SHOULD NOT BE PASSED ON. TAXIDERMY IS AS BIG A THOUGHT ($$$) AS WHAT TROPHYS TO HARVEST.

 

[358 Norma]

I would add Zebra, Impala and Gemsbuck.

 

[joker2400]

I’m pretty happy you said this, cause impala was one of the species that had really caught my eye while researching. It kinda seems the closest thing in Africa to whitetail, although I’ve seen a bunch of comparison to bushbuck as well

I grew up hunting whitetails. I’ve never gotten the comparison with impala beyond abundance. To me the hunt for a big bushbuck ram or even a big warthog boar is more akin to the pursuit of a large whitetail buck.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

I grew up on the back of a horse and have made a living with horses and cattle most of my life. I had the same feeling about hunting a Zebra my first time over. I have now taken one on each of my last two trips over. I bet after being around them on the ground the reluctance passes as it did for me. They are a great, challenging game animal. And after having hunted other species around Zebra, I just lost the association with my horses at home. Cowboys and horseman forgive me, but I love hunting (and even worse, eating) Zebra!

Fair enough. I’ll keep an open mind about it. And if it’s a challenging hunt, that just makes it a better trophy

 

[meigsbucks]

Welcome to AH.
My first safari was going to be my “only” safari and like you, buffalo was number one. After that: warthog, kudu, zebra and bushbuck.
Everyone has their favorites. I was fortunate to go on a second hunt and plan on at least a couple more if things work out. I’m now addicted to eland and gemsbok as well as buffalo. Don’t rule out a second hunt. It doesn’t have to have as extensive of trophy list and hence potentially less expensive.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Welcome to AH.
My first safari was going to be my “only” safari and like you, buffalo was number one. After that: warthog, kudu, zebra and bushbuck.
Everyone has their favorites. I was fortunate to go on a second hunt and plan on at least a couple more if things work out. I’m now addicted to eland and gemsbok as well as buffalo. Don’t rule out a second hunt. It doesn’t have to have as extensive of trophy list and hence potentially less expensive.

Yeah, I’m not completely ruling it out. This is a trip I’ve been wanting to do since I was about 9, and me and my wife decided now was a good time to do it. If I do get to go again, it would most likely be in a couple decades after kids are done with college and such. If not, I don’t want to regret not making the most of it when I got my chance

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

UNLESS THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU HAVE LEFT IS AN ISSUE IT AINT GOING TO BE YOUR ONLY TRIP TO AFRICA. BUFF IS ALREADY YOUR BIG TICKET ITEM, I WOULD TAKE MORE OF THE COMMON (LESS EXPENSIVE) PLAINSGAME AND KNOW YOUR TROPHY PRICELIST AND TAKE WHAT AFRICA GIVES YOU IF SOMETHING PRESENTS THAT YOUR PH SAYS SHOULD NOT BE PASSED ON. TAXIDERMY IS AS BIG A THOUGHT ($$$) AS WHAT TROPHYS TO HARVEST.

As far as taxidermy goes, I’m mostly looking to do skulls and flat skins, with the exception of the buff and potentially a waterbuck. Something about the way Ruark described them kinda has me captivated. I’m trying to keep total cost below 30k, taxidermy and everything included. If my math was right and the info I found stays relatively accurate, 10k should be enough to cover trophies and airline. But if you (or anyone else) has any better info I’d be happy to hear it

 

[Mauser78]

Pumba, and BWB.

 

[AZDAVE]

If it makes you feel better Zebra are much closer to donkeys than horses. And concur they are a great hunt and table fare.

 

[NRA Dave]

My wife said shoot less expensive plains game so you can get lots of hunting in. Next week will be her second only one trip hunt in Africa.

 

[joker2400]

Yeah, I’m not completely ruling it out. This is a trip I’ve been wanting to do since I was about 9, and me and my wife decided now was a good time to do it. If I do get to go again, it would most likely be in a couple decades after kids are done with college and such. If not, I don’t want to regret not making the most of it when I got my chance

Like they say, where there is a will there is a way.

I do recommend saving money on the taxidermy. I have more damn heads than I have room for and every time I get more and think to myself “Damn, should not have done that.” Even hides, I could carpet the damn house with all of them

 

[Sh1kar]

Having been to various countries on safari 27 times or so here is what I have learned. Apart from the buff the other trophies probably won’t present to enable you to get your list. I would have a long list of preferred. Also some animals prefer riverine bush. Others more open Jesse. So stalking in a couple of different ecosystems is good. Enjoy the walking and play it by ear. As an aside I have found warthog and zebra the most difficult stalking if you are set on one. Zebra particularly. Bushbuck can be challenging but predicatablenin the evenings when drinking. If you come across a really good Kudu 58-60plus. Where ever it is in the list take it. Impala a good banker and red hartebeest often found with zebra

At the end of the day they are all magnificent animals and what you will remember is the run up to actually shooting it. That’s why you will keep going back

S

 

[Reed Thoma Outdoors]

You have two years to plan about what to shoot. Your list is going to change 100 times over. I suggest having a list of animals you would consider shooting; it can be a long list but will keep options open. Then, when you are there and see a nice specimen of a species, take it. Being open to what the bush provides will create opportunities to get some truly spectacular trophies including some that you weren't expecting. I went over with a pretty detailed list and we hunted hard to get my animals, but I did keep my options open and got a big duiker. Might be a cheap trophy but it is one of my most memorable. I also passed up on a huge blue wildebeest due to worrying about my budget and it still haunts me to this day. So don't stress too much now about what to hunt, look over animals and if you have some that you really want mention it to the outfitter and they will do their best to get you them but don't get hung up on getting everything on your list and be open. You will most likely go again so anything you don't get first trip you can get them the next one .

 

[sgt_zim]

Fair enough. I’ll keep an open mind about it. And if it’s a challenging hunt, that just makes it a better trophy

I really didn't want a zebra, either. I wanted a bushbuck. For 2 days, all I saw was zebra asses in clouds of dust, headed away from me at ludicrous speed. Very challenging critters.

On the 3rd day, the zebra in my avatar was the first one I saw that was within range and not also running away all out. It just stood there in an opening at about 125 yards, broadside, oblivious. It was with a big herd of zebra, and another big herd of impala were with them. How we managed to even get within 125 yards and not get busted by what had to be 40 or 50 sets of eyes is still a mystery to me.

I still want a bushbuck, but they're furtive, and mostly solitary animals. "Challenging," at least in Limpopo, isn't the word I'd use. If you happen to see a target of opportunity when you're out hunting something else, then by all means, pull the trigger. You could spend a week in the thick jess of Limpopo and never see one. All the ones I saw were on or near the banks of the Crocodile River, a couple shooters across the river. I just didn't feel up to sending my tracker across that river to fetch a carcass.

As others have said, this ain't likely to be your one-and-only rodeo. For roughly the price of a buffalo bull, you could probably go after a barren cow + an eland + a kudu + (pick 2 of 3) gemsbok/zebra/blue wildebeest. For another 5K, you might could add on a sable or roan. I'm basing that all off of what it sounds like your budget is, say 15-20K USD.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

I really didn't want a zebra, either. I wanted a bushbuck. For 2 days, all I saw was zebra asses in clouds of dust, headed away from me at ludicrous speed. Very challenging critters.

View attachment 693703

On the 3rd day, the zebra in my avatar was the first one I saw that was within range and not also running away all out. It just stood there in an opening at about 125 yards, broadside, oblivious. It was with a big herd of zebra, and another big herd of impala were with them. How we managed to even get within 125 yards and not get busted by what had to be 40 or 50 sets of eyes is still a mystery to me.

I still want a bushbuck, but they're furtive, and mostly solitary animals. "Challenging," at least in Limpopo, isn't the word I'd use. If you happen to see a target of opportunity when you're out hunting something else, then by all means, pull the trigger. You could spend a week in the thick jess of Limpopo and never see one. All the ones I saw were on or near the banks of the Crocodile River, a couple shooters across the river. I just didn't feel up to sending my tracker across that river to fetch a carcass.

As others have said, this ain't likely to be your one-and-only rodeo. For roughly the price of a buffalo bull, you could probably go after a barren cow + an eland + a kudu + (pick 2 of 3) gemsbok/zebra/blue wildebeest. For another 5K, you might could add on a sable or roan. I'm basing that all off of what it sounds like your budget is, say 15-20K USD.

My all in budget is 30k for hunt, taxidermy, travel and shipping. The buffalo hunt itself is just shy of 15k

 

[Sh1kar]

My all in budget is 30k for hunt, taxidermy, travel and shipping. The buffalo hunt itself is just shy of 15k

Don’t waste money on expensive taxidermy. Skull mounts at most. Lots of photos. Not of the animal. Camp. The place You enjoying being there etc
S