Helloo fellow hunters!

[jasyblood]

Welcome to AH!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Welcome to AH.

 

[yasindu]

Thank you for your advice.

Nyati, on AH you can learn something new every day.

Yasindu, I think your best bet is to read current and past hunting reports. When and if you can look for a future AH group hunt, explain your situation and desires and perhaps someone will take you under their "wing" and show you the ropes. You also might search out someone in Sri Lanka that has hunted and try to develop some report' with him. BTW welcome to AH and Good Luck with your searches.

 

[mark-hunter]

Welcome to AH.
I have seen few people on AH forum, dreaming of hunting in Africa, but not having that option in their own country, and having no legal option to buy a hunting rifle and then train with it in their own country
Honestly, I dont see how this obstacle can be overcome. This is a serious hendicap.

If you have done sport shooting in college and you really feel you can handle firearm, in theory, you can go to African hunting camp, and make hunting with rental rifle in the camp.

Note that 30-06, 375 HH, 300 win mag is nothing close to air rifle or 22LR that you may have experienced.
And shooting live animals, is not even close to shooting paper targets.

Hunting is three dimensional, ever moving and emotional world, without a luxury to miss, especially for a first time hunter.
Paper targets are stationary and generally two dimensional world of shooting, that allows misses. Concept is different.

The shooting in Africa is different, then shooting at targets.
In general, you will use a stick to shoot from it. While in sport shooting you dont use sticks.This again, needs practise.

So, in order to make succesful trip and hunt, given the circumstances, and lack of options, firearm experience and proper training, my advice would be:
Find good outfitter on AH, use rental rifle in camp, make basic training in camp before hunt with your PH, take sufficient number of shots on a paper taget, then go hunting from a blind, and shooting from a good rest in a blind, over waterhole.

Discuss honestly all details with your PH before going to Africa, so he is aware of your needs and will accomodate everyhting as necessary

This can be arranged in many hunting camps in Namibia or South Africa.

Forget about dangeros game animals, plan for common plains game only. (impala, springbok, warthog, etc)

 

[krish]

Welcome to AH.
KRISH

 

[yasindu]

Thank you for your long reply with Really really helpful advices. .

Welcome to AH.
I have seen few people on AH forum, dreaming of hunting in Africa, but not having that option in their own country, and having no legal option to buy a hunting rifle and then train with it in their own country
Honestly, I dont see how this obstacle can be overcome. This is a serious hendicap.

If you have done sport shooting in college and you really feel you can handle firearm, in theory, you can go to African hunting camp, and make hunting with rental rifle in the camp.

Note that 30-06, 375 HH, 300 win mag is nothing close to air rifle or 22LR that you may have experienced.
And shooting live animals, is not even close to shooting paper targets.

Hunting is three dimensional, ever moving and emotional world, without a luxury to miss, especially for a first time hunter.
Paper targets are stationary and generally two dimensional world of shooting, that allows misses. Concept is different.

The shooting in Africa is different, then shooting at targets.
In general, you will use a stick to shoot from it. While in sport shooting you dont use sticks.This again, needs practise.

So, in order to make succesful trip and hunt, given the circumstances, and lack of options, firearm experience and proper training, my advice would be:
Find good outfitter on AH, use rental rifle in camp, make basic training in camp before hunt with your PH, take sufficient number of shots on a paper taget, then go hunting from a blind, and shooting from a good rest in a blind, over waterhole.

Discuss honestly all details with your PH before going to Africa, so he is aware of your needs and will accomodate everyhting as necessary

This can be arranged in many hunting camps in Namibia or South Africa.

Forget about dangeros game animals, plan for common plains game only. (impala, springbok, warthog, etc)

 

[Uncle Sauce]

Welcome to AH!

 

[mark-hunter]

Thank you for your long reply with Really really helpful advices.

Dont mention it!
In your situation it is the only possiblity.

 

[yasindu]

Thank you

Welcome tO AH

 

[yasindu]

Thank you

Welcome to AH!

 

[yasindu]

Thank you. Are you from india?

Welcome to AH.
KRISH

 

[yasindu]

Thank you

Welcome to AH.

 

[yasindu]

Thank you

Welcome to AH!

 

[yasindu]

Thank you

Welcome aboard! You came to the right place. Browse through the forums here and tap into the extraordinary experience and expertise of the people here. It's astounding what you can learn.

 

[cls]

Welcome to AH and welcome to the hunting fraternity. You are headed down a path that many of us took decades ago with the help of friends and family. Seems you don't have that option but @Shootist43 and @mark-hunter have given you some very good advise. I am lucky enough to manage a hunting mentorship program here at home and there is nothing better than taking a new hunter on their first hunt, showing them the ropes and turning them into life long hunters that promote our great sport. On a personal note on my first safari to Africa I had filled my wish list and had a couple days left so my wife who has never shot a firearm over .22 caliber or hunted any game at all was talked into giving it a go. I told the PH that it was up to him to teach her as she probably wouldn't listen to me anyway. The next day the PH took my wife to the range and spent the better part of the morning teaching my wife to shoot my 7mm rem mag. After a box of ammo they both felt confident that she was good to go. That same afternoon she killed her first big game animal, one shot from the sticks at just under 200yds. That blesbok holds a special place in my trophy room. Good luck on your journey.

 

[mark-hunter]

@cls
Great post! I think that with your post, our new friend here can get real hope of succesful hunt in Africa! A great first hand info, how your wife started shooting center fire rifle, and got her first big game animal!

 

[krish]

Thank you. Are you from india?

Yes. Have been in us close to 50 years. Hunting is not just about shooting a game. There is a lot to learn and no end to learning. How ever you are starting out on the right track. This is a great forum. May be start with the book THE MAN CALLED LION. It is the life story of Jhon Pondora Taylor.
Krish

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello yasindu,

Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

You in fact can go hunting in Africa, if you do not stop working toward your dream.

My #1 suggestion is to ALWAYS be safe with firearms.

My #2 suggestion is to learn accurate shooting by supporting your rifle over shooting sticks to steady your aim.

Shooting sticks are carried by virtually all African Shikari / PH / Hunting Guides while walking about in the Bush.
These are set up quickly by the PH for the client, a very few short seconds before a shot is to be taken at an animal.

It doesn’t really matter if you ***make your practice sticks or buy commercially built ones.
Also, it does not matter if you prefer the two legged “bipod” type or the 3 legged “tripod” type.
I like both and have made both for my practice sessions.
Even though I work in advertising and booking for a Namibian safari company,
I only live in the USA.

And, even though I do live out in a forest, the houses are not far apart from each other to allow for shooting real firearms safely.
So, very much like yourself, I have to do much of my rifle practice with air rifles.
Here we do have the blessing of being able to drive to a rifle range and shoot real firearms or, drive out away from the city and shoot at home made targets against any suitable hill to catch the bullets after they pass through the targets.
However again, most of my almost daily shooting is with air rifle from my porch.

The main thing is that while always using the safe firearm handling concept, you practice practice practice and then practice some more, using your shooting sticks for support.

***Bamboo is absolutely perfect for making shooting sticks.


May your journey from small bore target shooter to big game hunter be a safe and rewarding one.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[yasindu]

yes. I heard about that book. I have read some capstick's novels too. Oh and I have read a book of a Indian adventure novel writer wibbuthibushn B. . It is not only about hunting but it is a story about a African adventure. Maybe you have heard a book called "Chandran Pahaar" in sinhalese "Chandra parwathaya". Really interesting book.

Yes. Have been in us close to 50 years. Hunting is not just about shooting a game. There is a lot to learn and no end to learning. How ever you are starting out on the right track. This is a great forum. May be start with the book THE MAN CALLED LION. It is the life story of Jhon Pondora Taylor.
Krish

 

[yasindu]

Thank you. I ll keep your words in my mind. Really helpful.

Hello yasindu,

Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

You in fact can go hunting in Africa, if you do not stop working toward your dream.

My #1 suggestion is to ALWAYS be safe with firearms.

My #2 suggestion is to learn accurate shooting by supporting your rifle over shooting sticks to steady your aim.

Shooting sticks are carried by virtually all African Shikari / PH / Hunting Guides while walking about in the Bush.
These are set up quickly by the PH for the client, a very few short seconds before a shot is to be taken at an animal.

It doesn’t really matter if you ***make your practice sticks or buy commercially built ones.
Also, it does not matter if you prefer the two legged “bipod” type or the 3 legged “tripod” type.
I like both and have made both for my practice sessions.
Even though I work in advertising and booking for a Namibian safari company,
I only live in the USA.

And, even though I do live out in a forest, the houses are not far apart from each other to allow for shooting real firearms safely.
So, very much like yourself, I have to do much of my rifle practice with air rifles.
Here we do have the blessing of being able to drive to a rifle range and shoot real firearms or, drive out away from the city and shoot at home made targets against any suitable hill to catch the bullets after they pass through the targets.
However again, most of my almost daily shooting is with air rifle from my porch.

The main thing is that while always using the safe firearm handling concept, you practice practice practice and then practice some more, using your shooting sticks for support.

***Bamboo is absolutely perfect for making shooting sticks.


May your journey from small bore target shooter to big game hunter be a safe and rewarding one.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.