Planning My Firt Hunt in SA

[JimP]

Hi folks, I'm in the process of planning my first hunting trip to South Africa the Port Elizabeth area to be a little more specific. Going over some of the suggestions on this site has given me a lot of insight on what I need to get arranged before I head out with my hunting partners this coming May.

A little about me. I have hunted and fished all my life. My main hunting interest have been elk and mule deer here in the Colorado and Utah Rocky Mountains. I have taken one trip out of the country to British Colombia for a grizzly bear hunt but only managed to bad a black bear. The grizzly's were playing games with us and were pretty much nocturnal except for one that we spotted over 500 yards away in a small clearing which I figured was too chancy of a shot so I didn't take it and came home with out one.

My big bore weapon of choice is a stainless .340 Weatherby mag with a fiberglass stock wearing a Leupold VXIII 3.5x10x40 shooting Barnes 225 grain TSX bullets at 3100 fps. It has served me well on quite a few elk and mule deer with ranges out to 750 yards. But I do like to get a lot closer. I am also a avid muzzle loader shooting a Thompson Center Renegade in .54 caliber and if I don't draw a muzzle loader tag I'll use my bow and throw some sticks at the animals that I get within range.

Now to get back to reading some more threads about hunting in Africa.

 

[Royal27]

Welcome!

You're gonna like it here.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Welcome to AH.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Welcome to AH Jim!

 

[Wheels]

Welcome to AH. Glad to have your participation.

 

[bluey]

welcome e to AH jim, enjoy the site
cant wait to hear how your trip next may unfolds

 

[jeff]

Welcome , remember that once you go you will go again!!

 

[JimP]

Thanks guys, Jeff that is what I am afraid of the most. Needing to return again and again.

I need to so some more reading here and some searches but in the next couple of days I may have some good questions for you folks.

 

[ActionBob]

Welcome Jim and very happy to have you aboard! Your weapon, scope and ammo preference will serve you very well in the EC. Don't change a thing, just bring good binos.

Fire away with questions but there is lots and lots of info here.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Welcome to AH Jim! Make sure to have a look at the Safari Planning Guide section: http://www.africahunting.com/community/safari-planning-guide/.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Welcome to the forum Jim! You are going to love the Eastern Cape. Like the guys said, fire away with the questions. There is enough experience floating around here to point you in the right direction.
Should you require any further info about hunting in the Eastern Cape, please do not hesitate to contact me, either by email or by personal mail right here on Africahunting.com
All the best with your planning,

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[enysse]

Welcome to AH, Jim!

 

[peras]

Welcome to AH Jim!

 

[TokkieM]

Welcome to AH Jim. You picked a nice area to start hunting in Africa. Best of luck and hope to see some photo's soon.

 

[billc]

Welcome and enjoy making your plans.The cape is a great area to visit and hunt.WE did it this year and had a great time with tootabi safaris.Have any questions I can help with just send me an email.

 

[spike.t]

My big bore weapon of choice is a stainless .340 Weatherby mag .

jim welcome to AH, but .340 ...big bore not according to a lot of people on here

 

[James.Grage]

Welcome to AH JimP ...

I do hope your wife let JP in the house...

 

[JimP]

Spike.t you are correct for my caliber. It is considered a large one on in one area but not in all. But perhaps I can change that with a .416 in my future, it is a caliber that has always interested me.

James.Grage, that is one nice thing that I have in my favor. I haven't been married for 27 years, so all I have to deal with is myself. And for those that visit me, if they don't like what I have hanging on my walls or sitting on my shelves then that is their problem.

A little bit more about my trip. I actually was called by some friends last summer and invited to go on this hunt. They had already booked it with Zungah Safaris & Tours for this coming spring. From what I have read about them they are a first class outfit so a lot of my pre booking questions were already asked and answered. I also know a couple of hunters that have hunted in the northern part of South Africa so I am leaning on them heavily for information on getting there and coming back home with my trophies. Also my taxidermist of choice has hunted there a couple of times and his wife wants to go back for a lion. Lucky him. So I'll have my trophies dipped and shipped to him for the final mounts.

So I have just about everything figured out except for some loose ends which I should have taken care of in the next couple of months and be ready to go by the end of February for a mid may hunt.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Great stuff Jim. You're going to love it. May is a great time to hunt South Africa and the Eastern Cape. Weather is great, animals are starting to rut.
All the best for your trip. I'm sure it's going to be epic.

 

[JamesJ]

Welcome to the forums.