Insider Tips on What To Bring

[Rimbaud]

Thanks to everyone for the advice in this conversation. I'm just back from Namibia and was 100% squared away thanks to the input. From camp shoes to deal with the cold in the morning in the tent to a broad-brimmed hat to deal with powerful sun, I was packed just right. I used everything, and wanted for nothing except for saline eye wash. The grit in the air in Namibia was incredible. I had eye drops (used them most days and the guys I was with, all natives, had their own with them at all times), but I needed to irrigate my eyes after shooting a kudu. I was told that some people are allergic to kudus and that they have incredible allergic reactions after touching kudu. My eyes burned like they were on fire after the kudu hunt. They were red slits. We irrigated them back at camp with an expired saline solution, powerful antihistamines (bring more than you expect), and I had to stand in the shower to clean my eyes even more. On the next day out, my eye mask for the airplane was used as an eye patch. I protected my shooting eye and removed the patch when it came time to shoot. After a day of recovery, the eye problem went away, but I became very proactive in keeping my eyes irrigated and taking strong antihistamines. If the wind blows in from the east, you get a desert wind, and it is hot and extra gritty. A lot of locals carry eye drops and antihistamines for that very reason. Even the car engines are surrounded by filters to keep them clean Hopefully, this helps some others.

 

[Bruce]

Absolutely right.. I'm allergic to the kudu AND eland hair! Besides the eyes bunging up, my whole body cones out in welts that itch like hell...use antihistamines/ Allergex then I'm good to go.
At loading the dead animal time, I tend to slack off and not get too involved...other animals NO PROBLEM!!

 

[RBurg44]

How am i just now hearing bout people being allergic to kudu? Been on this site for like 4 years! First in hearing of it!

 

[Bruce]

• reckon there's lots of stuff that happens in the bush out there, buddy and is not printed here on AH.
• Maybe a good thread to start??

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Just finished my second safari. Must haves are Benadryl, eye wash, medicated eye drops, Doxycycline or a similar. We went to where my buddy had killed his Kudu. While there not sure if it was Kudu or dust stirred up. I began to sneeze my head off. Eyes swoll almost shut and lungs started clogging up. Took 4 Benadryl and eyewash and hot shower at camp and 4 hours rest before I felt better. Then 3 days later while dressing for morning hunt, found one of the bad ticks buried in my right calf. Took awhile to get him out. Immediately started meds, I had Minocycline with me.