Gear loadout

[YancyW]

Should have mentioned earlier, get a course of CIPRO from your doctor. I went to Haiti without CIPRO once. That won’t happen again! In 30+ trips I’ve probably needed it 3 or 4 times. But when you need it, you really, really need it!

It does work very well for gonorrhea...

 

[Red Leg]

It does work very well for gonorrhea...

That is so funny.

What it tackles really, really well is Shigella which is a very real possibility anywhere in Africa to include a nice lodge. Shigella can make you wish you were dead, and ruin a large hunk of a hunt. Between the military and hunting, I have had it three times south or east of Cairo. Cipro will kill it quickly. Start feeling queasy and immediately start a 72hr course of Cipro. You won't miss a hunting day. If you don't have it, that 72 hours will be spent in camp or even a hospital.

 

[YancyW]

That is so funny.

What it tackles really, really well is Shigella which is a very real possibility anywhere in Africa to include a nice lodge. Shigella can make you wish you were dead, and ruin a large hunk of a hunt. Between the military and hunting, I have had it three times south or east of Cairo. Cipro will kill it quickly. Start feeling queasy and immediately start a 72hr course of Cipro. You won't miss a hunting day. If you don't have it, that 72 hours will be spent in camp or even a hospital.

I've not had it, but I've had Norovirus and Giardia, both of those were bad enough.

I always carry Cipro and Azithromycin when outside the country, very cheap insurance.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

That’s when ya go commando!

There are two uses for ice for the commando brigade in tsetse country - one if for their G&T.

 

[John Telford]

Or

I always take a compact bird book. Not a necessity but you will be surprised how much it gets used. I love to observe all of nature’s wonders

you can download the Robert’s birds of SA App…this way you can learn the Birds when ever you have a spare moment and are not on this forum!

 

[koodoo62]

It does work very well for gonorrhea...

Gonorrhea is nothing to clap about.

 

[Wildebeest1]

I do have to say on the comment of "don't bring shooting sticks they will have what they prefer to use." I understand the value of listening to your PH but at the end of the day it is my cash and my hunt. I would rather use what I have practiced with and what I am comfortable with. I'm all about listening to the PH but I do a lot of shooting and a lot of hunting and it is also important that the PH be willing to listen to his client. In my eyes he is there to assist me and offer his insight and also do some teaching along the way but not to bully a client into doing what he wants.

I am also planning my first safari and I'm with you. I have heard multiple people say to just use the PH's but not having much experience in shooting off sticks or shots over 150 yards I intend to buy a pair and practice with them until I am comfortable shooting 250+. To me it makes all the sense in the world to play with what you have practiced with.

 

[Tra3]

I do have to say on the comment of "don't bring shooting sticks they will have what they prefer to use." I understand the value of listening to your PH but at the end of the day it is my cash and my hunt. I would rather use what I have practiced with and what I am comfortable with. I'm all about listening to the PH but I do a lot of shooting and a lot of hunting and it is also important that the PH be willing to listen to his client. In my eyes he is there to assist me and offer his insight and also do some teaching along the way but not to bully a client into doing what he wants.

I agree that no one wants a Ph to bully a client, but I think that is very unlikely. You will probably have a Ph that hunts 150+ days a year, and spends another 50-100 days in the bush in hunting related activities. Your PH may take anywhere from 30-100+ animals a year and have done 3-4 times that many stalks per year. No matter how good you are at hunting, the PH will have significantly more expertise and experience. With a financial incentive to make sure you cleanly take an animal, the PH is all about making things work. With that said, definitely be clear on the style of hunting that you want to do.
A PH will teach as much as a client is willing to learn.

 

[Philip Glass]

Looking to get a little advice from the guys with experience here. I'm starting to collect gear for the upcoming safari. I have most of your basic stuff because I hunt a lot here at home. I'm looking for opinions on shooting sticks first of all. Are the African creation ones worth it? Is there any unusual gear that you bring that is specific to hunting Africa that you just can't do without? I have heard knee pads and gloves are handy for stalking because of the thorns. Courtney boots? I have some danner mountain 600 that are a 6" low cut light tread boot. I don't want to show up with a bunch of unnecessary junk looking like a tourist but I also don't want to overlook any important gear that might actual make the hunt better/more enjoyable.
Thanks guys

I only use quad sticks now. I have ViperFlex but there are many now. If you like your boots and they fit well don’t change. Some good ankle support is always welcomed in the hills.

 

[Philip Glass]

I am also planning my first safari and I'm with you. I have heard multiple people say to just use the PH's but not having much experience in shooting off sticks or shots over 150 yards I intend to buy a pair and practice with them until I am comfortable shooting 250+. To me it makes all the sense in the world to play with what you have practiced with.

Ask your PH ahead of time to have the sticks you want available. Try quad sticks

 

[Scott CWO]

Hopefully so. The wife and I are going to the DSC and plan on attending the AH dinner. I look very much forward to getting to talk in person with some guys that have actual boots on the ground experience. Things like the smell of the fire and most certainly the local beer are at the top of my list. I contacted an old army friend of mine today to see if anyone on thier teams was a Shona speaker. All SF guys are trained in a foreign language that coincides with the geographical area that thier team is responsible for. 3rd group in this case for African operations. I want to learn as much of the local stuff as possible. I am particularly excited about getting to see these trackers work thier magic. I hope to learn a lot from them.

A good friend just retired last year from 7th group. Was that your group?

 

[Scott CWO]

Will ot be warm enough for shorts in the june July time frame? I like cool weather and it doesn't bother me to wear them when it is fairly cool. I may have to look harder at the shorts than I thought

You can get pants from Kuiu with zip vents on the hip and thigh areas for later in the day when it warms up. It can be chilly in the morning and I prefer to stand in the back of the Cruiser to spot game with the trackers. If you are going to sit in the cab with the PH or driver, then shorts will work but I prefer pants.

I recommend darker green or brown clothes. I don’t take my camo to Africa and for gawd sakes, please don’t wear it in the airport or when traveling! I hate that! I bring a change or two of street clothes for traveling and three sets of green or brown clothes for hunting.

I suggest a smallish brown or green (again not camo) daypack as your carryon with your electronics, documents, batteries and shave kit in it. Once in camp, I repack the daypack for hunting purposes. I usually carry it when walking but sometimes one of the trackers will carry it. I also have a sat phone in camp and carry an InReach texting device with me everywhere I go. It helped save my life back in CAR in 2016.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I have heard multiple people say to just use the PH's but not having much experience in shooting off sticks or shots over 150 yards I intend to buy a pair and practice with them until I am comfortable shooting 250+. To me it makes all the sense in the world to play with what you have practiced with.

Totally agree. My PH had good, solid sticks but they were sufficiently different from mine that I believe it affected my shooting. If I had to do it over again, I would have packed my own.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

I have just quickly skimmed over this post.
Excuse we if this was mentioned already, but I would get a zip lock bag to put my shoes in for overnight. Will keep the creepy crawlers out. Just punch some small breathing holes in .