Most rounds shot on safari

[EjectorSwipe]

I have read many posts about how much ammo to take on hunting trips but would like to hear how many y’all have actually used on your trips. May help with planning to have statistics.

My first trip I took 60 and shot 7. 1 to check zero and 6 on animals.

Who has shot the most on a single trip?

 

[mdwest]

it really depends on the hunt..

I have done safaris where between my wife and I we only took 4-5 animals... and done safaris where we have taken as many as 10 in a hunt... there have been a few hunts where animals required a second shot.. and others where animals all went down on the first hit...

Im pretty sure the most ammo we have ever expended on a hunt, to include the few rounds at the range to confirm zero, etc has never been more than 20 though..

that said, I always take a minimum of 40 rounds per rifle... you never know when you are actually going to need a few more than planned on for getting a rifle functioning properly if something has gone wrong.. and with me and the wife and often one of the kids all hunting, you never know if your "planned" list of say 6 animals is somehow going to become 10 before you leave, etc..etc..

Id much rather have and not need.. than find myself in a position where I need, and dont have...

 

[JimP]

My first hunt I took 60 and shot 20, my second trip I took 60 and shot 30. Both trips I took 4 verifying shots at the range.

But both trips were different. The first one was for 8 animals and the second was for 12 with one more animal that I put down at the property owners request.

But I shoot reloaded ammo for a 340 Weatherby which would be fairly hard to find factory loads for in South Africa. Just remember you can always bring home what you don't shoot.

 

[ftrovato]

15 animals, sighting 2 rifles and a stubborn buffalo account for around 24 rounds.

 

[jomw10]

17 shots, 3 for check zero on two rifles and 14 for 11 animals (3 required second shot)

 

[tydaws]

My wife, son & I recently went on our first safari for PG in SA.

We took 2 rifles & 50 rounds for each.

In total we took 12 animals with 14 shots (11 one shot kills & a wildebeest that took 3). We also shot 6 rounds at the range before we began hunting. So, 20 rounds.

 

[mark-hunter]

It is not the same for every safari:
- culling
- average five trophy plains game safari
- single animal safari, like leopard.
- full bag safari

For me:
safari 1 (5 x plains game):
1 shot for test, 6 shots for 5 animals

Safari 2 (8 x plains game),
1 shot for test, 8 animals, 11 shots total

Safari 3 (3 x plains game)
1 shot for test, 3 animals, 7 shots total (if I remember correctly, had 2 total misses or so)

Safari 4 (1 x plains game + 1 x buffalo)
1 test shot, 2 animals. 7 shots total. (buffalo took 3 rounds to fall, plus I took 2 more for insurance)

 

[deewayne2003]

I had to include sighting in rounds to get over 5 in the pole....

One Zim hunt under my belt, I brought 20rnds .470ne(10 soft & 10 solid) and 30rnds of .300win; I fired 2 rounds from each rifle to confirm zero.

Tuskless - 3 solids
Bushbuck - 1
Impala - 1

 

[Scott CWO]

On a 16-day safari in Zambia and a separate 21-day safari in Tanzania, I took 40 rounds for my PG rifle and 20 rounds for my Lott for DG each time. Same for 24 days in Mozambique in two different concessions on the same trip.

 

[Andrew62]

I once did a cull hunt where I took 28 animals, I believe I shot 33-35 times during that hunt.

For my upcoming buffalo/elephant hunt I am taking 20 softs and 10 solids.

 

[Matfarnsworth]

One of my favorite trips

 

[revturbo9967]

I think I fired 19 rounds in Zim including checking rifle zero with 9 animals killed and one miss.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As mentioned it depends on your trip and number, size, type: DG, PG, mix, of animals you plan to hunt and number of weapons you are taking.

DG: is an automatic minimum of 2 shots
PG: at least 1 preferably 3 shots per animal to allow for missed and follow up shots.
Check Sight(s) Zero: I allot 10 shots the extras are for re zero when my scope gets knocked off zero.

I take a minimum of 50 rounds per rifle. When only hunting PG, 5 - 8 animals, on a 7 - 10 day trip. I want extra ammo handy for re zeroing, extra animals, animals that need an extra round or two, and for misses.

 

[BeeMaa]

It depends on a lot of factors. How many animals? DG or PG? Is it a cull hunt? I think this would be more accurate if asked "how many shots per animal".

I've seen my wife drop a kudu at 100 yards with one shot. It was preceded by two shots at the range. For her a total of three, but only one at game.

For me, I believe I averaged 2 or 3 shots per animal on 9 animals. First shot, a follow up if it ran and I had a clear (and safe) shot. Then maybe a finishing shot if the PH asked for it. In all cases, I believe my first shot would have been sufficient to down the animal, but when you are talking about a trophy fee, things are different. If they are still upright and moving, I'll keep shooting.

I'm guessing close to 30 shots including the two the PH wanted to see at the range. I remember that I took 60 cartridges, but only came home with one box. I gifted the balance to my PH.

I'll call it less than 30 for both of us, not including shots at the range.

For an upcoming buffalo hunt I'm only taking 30 cartridges, 20 softs and 10 solids. I expect to use a total of 3 or less on the buff, but there's always room to add an animal or two.

 

[EjectorSwipe]

It depends on a lot of factors. How many animals? DG or PG? Is it a cull hunt? I think this would be more accurate if asked "how many shots per animal".

I've seen my wife drop a kudu at 100 yards with one shot. It was preceded by two shots at the range. For her a total of three, but only one at game.

For me, I believe I averaged 2 or 3 shots per animal on 9 animals. First shot, a follow up if it ran and I had a clear (and safe) shot. Then maybe a finishing shot if the PH asked for it. In all cases, I believe my first shot would have been sufficient to down the animal, but when you are talking about a trophy fee, things are different. If they are still upright and moving, I'll keep shooting.

I'm guessing close to 30 shots including the two the PH wanted to see at the range. I remember that I took 60 cartridges, but only came home with one box. I gifted the balance to my PH.

I'll call it less than 30 for both of us, not including shots at the range.

For an upcoming buffalo hunt I'm only taking 30 cartridges, 20 softs and 10 solids. I expect to use a total of 3 or less on the buff, but there's always room to add an animal or two.

I agree that there are a lot of things that change how much you will need. However, based on the poll so far there is a 90+% chance 40 rounds will be sufficient even with no specifics. If you are going on a cull hunt you probably know to take 11lbs or take a rifle you can find extra ammo for abroad.

 

[375Fox]

It depends on the hunt. I’ve done 15 safaris. Some I’ve shot under 10 others I’ve approached 40 rounds. Most I think will fall in the 15-25 range between a few shots a range and hunting. I also always shoot again if I have opportunity. I don’t admire my first shot.

 

[wesheltonj]

Last Safari 1 shot, 5 animals. 6 shots 1 animal. 5 shots sighting in.

 

[DLSJR]

Interesting question and for me it has varied widely. A lot more on early safaris than on recent ones.

On my first safari I probably shot around 30-35 rounds between my 270, 300 Winchester and 458 Winchester. I shot 16 or 17 animals, so between sighting in, multiple shots on animals, etc probably 30-35 rounds. This was in the good old days before the 5 KG weight limit on ammo.

On my 2nd safari I probably shot my 338 twice and my 470 15 times. 1 shot on elephant, 2 shots on one buffalo and about 12-13 shots on another buffalo that was a rodeo.

3rd hunt probably 30 or so, especially since I had scope problems with my 338. Shot 13 animals as I recall.

4th hunt, 2 rounds. 1 on paper and 1 on Nyala.

More recent hunts have been around 10-12 rounds between checking sight in and on game; as I’ve shot 5-7 animals each hunt except my last.

I was pretty efficient on my last hunt. 2 rounds from my 416. 1 on paper and one on buffalo.

 

[coreydb]

With plains game, 3rds. for zero; 2rds max per animal
DG, same, except cape buffalo. Max I ever used on a cape was 4 rds.

 

[Longwalker]

I bring 5 kg of ammo as per the max. allowed by the airlines. And I "shoot it all" before the end of the safari and return with nothing. That approach seems to be appreciated by the PH if you shoot common cartridges.