Looking for advice…

[Doug Hamilton]

Done 8 safaris, never taken a package.

Daily rate and pricelist, then you choose in the field. If your PH is a decent guy, he will point to you those animals worth shooting.

That's what I've found on my hunts in Zimbabwe as well.

 

[Hyde]

As I sit here in Johannesburg waiting to board my flight back to Dulles in Washington DC, please know this. I generally fly Pittsburgh to Newark then direct to JNB on United. The long flight is about 14-15 hours. This trip, to get a cheaper business seat, I am flying Qatar. That’s an 8 1/2 hr flight from JNB to Doha, 3 hr layover, then 14 1/2 flight to Dulles. The fact that they changed planes and there are no Q-suites on this flight home, nor any Q-suites on the flight over, that is disappointing, then I have to endure several hours of additional flight time. I’ll go back to flying United or you can consider Delta through Atlanta.

Thank you for the info. Do you have any trouble taking rifles through Dulles?

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Plenty of good advice given so far. Create a big check list. Expand your list of animals to hunt and have multiple conversations/discussions with more than one outfitter. Confirm their concessions and opportunities to hunt the animals you desire and have several animals as alternatives. Be open to opportunities with your planning and while on your hunt. If you have extra time and can afford it, take a couple extra days, you won’t regret it.

You may want to consider Emirates Airlines. I flew with them on my most recent trip and it went really well. Can’t say that for my last trip with Delta!

Good luck

 

[fourfive8]

Kind of hard to explain about “must have” species lists since it is so subjective. Others have posted similar thoughts. Might consider going and letting Africa and the game decide what to go after or take. Of course you’ll need some parameters of trophy fee vs your budget.

When I first went, I was surprised and really impressed by the beauty of the waterbuck. One trip I was able to take a really good red hartebeest. I couldn’t believe how impressive that bull was as I walked up to it. Not so much the horns but the coat color and conformation of the body. The same thing happened walking up to a large eland bull! Hard to describe how big they are! If you have hunted white tailed deer mano-a-mano, on foot, in their element, to me that kind of describes hunting the sneaky woodland types like bushbuck and common reedbuck. The list of animals that turn out to be a lot different than expected could go on and on. Even if you don’t hunt them, another plus in some areas is running across such as elephants and giraffes. Stumbling into, at close range, a large bull elephant in thick woodland cover is an experience you won't soon forget! Same for lions roaring at night. I still can’t believe how loud they are!