Looking at a Buff, Kudo, Gemsbuck, Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala for the first target. 10 days ish.Welcome from AZ as well. Did our first trip over last year. Had an amazing time. Be interested to see who you’re going with and what’s on the critter list!
I will be taking my 30-06 and 375. I got a fair amount of hunting in when younger in the last millennia (or was it the one before that? getting old) and some in AZ over the last few decades. After killing it at work, retired and wanting to get a few dreams checked off. I like your message on memorizing trophy fees!You'll do just fine. I booked my first safari on impulse and was on the plane within three months. It was a "beginners" plains game package but I came back with much more including a buffalo which was totally unplanned. I would advise obtaining your outfitter's trophy fee list before you leave and commit it to memory. Something is bound to turn up that's not on your list. Make sure you can afford it.
I'm also an old deer hunter with a lifetime of solo stalking ungulates in snow. Africa was quite a change and I wasn't sure how that would work for me. It was great. I had no problems shooting off sticks for the first time but you may want to play around with them first. I used a rental rifle for the buffalo that I shot once at the range before sending a bullet through its heart. Take your own guns or rent them, it's up to you. Either way will work fine. Don't worry about it (but don't wait till the last minute to make up your mind).