Preparing for the heat

[ianevans]

I have booked 2 weeks end of October in the Zambesi valley in Zim. as i'm coming from a cold wet Scotland any hints on how to cope with the extreme temps .
Thanks

 

[CAustin]

I have booked 2 weeks end of October in the Zambesi valley in Zim. as i'm coming from a cold wet Scotland any hints on how to cope with the extreme temps .
Thanks

Yea go to your local Gym and sit and exercise in their Sauna a lot.

 

[JimP]

I have never seen anything that can condition a person to go from cooler wetter weather to hot dry weather.

The best thing once you get there is to drink lots of water even when you don't think that you are thirsty.

 

[Dinsdale]

I hunted in Dande in Sept 17' and was warm for sure.

Use a sports hydration mix to add to water that doesn't have the sugar in popular sports drinks sold in US like Gatorade......check out ingredient list and maybe you can find similar.

https://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/drinks/products/sport-hydration-drink-mix?variant=17031278526535&utm_source=Skratch+Labs,+LLC&utm_campaign=0260a0df88-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_04_04_42&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1cfa55bd57-0260a0df88-94848381&mc_cid=0260a0df88&mc_eid=1b461edfdf

 

[Beretta391]

I have booked 2 weeks end of October in the Zambesi valley in Zim. as i'm coming from a cold wet Scotland any hints on how to cope with the extreme temps .
Thanks

Come spend about a month with me in East Texas!!!!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Not sure what you are hunting, but if possible do not stroll around in the middle of the day. Rest.

NEVER LEAVE THE TRUCK WITHOUT YOUR CAMEL BACK ON. You never know when you are going to see water. Hunters will always follow the next opportunity.

Wear a neck bandana and keep it wet.
Wet you hat to help keep your head cool.

Tell your PH to slow down. It may help you acclimatize.


You can prevent heat stroke by taking these steps: Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more. Drink extra fluids.

Light colours don't really work well with hunting. So lighter green hat.

Good luck.

 

[Daggaboy375]

An Arizona friend gave me this advice, "If you ain't peeing, you're dying." Drink fluids.

 

[Bruce]

I have booked 2 weeks end of October in the Zambesi valley in Zim. as i'm coming from a cold wet Scotland any hints on how to cope with the extreme temps .
Thanks

Change your dates. October in the valley is famously known as the HELL MONTH for good reason.
Sunscreen, salt tabs, wide brim hat, lots of water...

 

[spike.t]

Scotland to the Zambezi valley in late October. ....slight temperature difference.......went to boarding school in Scotland for 8 years....made me allergic to cold weather ...so I would say enjoy the heat.........dry heat isn't so bad......but when the rain clouds build humidity goes up and makes it feel hotter....also the temperature doesn't go down that much at night which you might find worse as can be hard to sleep....but being in Scotland not sure how you can replicate the heat apart from exercising in front of a couple of blow heaters set on max temp......apart from all that ....just go have a great hunt and if when you walking you feel you need a break just say so....don't try to push it and pretend you are ok.....better to take 10 min break than keel over ....

 

[cpr0312]

Definitely exercise and sweat as much as possible! While there, drink lots of water and powerade/energade. Also bananas can help you body from cramping up!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Learn to use a shemagh. Keeps the sun off. When wet it works like an evaporative cooler.
Everything previously mentioned should help. Just relax and enjoy the adventure!
Oh and don’t forget to report the hunt to us!

 

[Philip Glass]

I have booked 2 weeks end of October in the Zambesi valley in Zim. as i'm coming from a cold wet Scotland any hints on how to cope with the extreme temps .
Thanks

I was there the first of April and it was warm but rain kept it from being too hot. The hunting will be better for you as there will be less grass and trees losing their leaves will improve visibility. Your main plan would be to have breathable clothing that you are comfortable in. I will wear shorts but that’s not for everyone. Drink lots of water and use a good sunscreen/insect repellent like Avon Skin so Soft and you will do fine.
The Zambezi Valley is a tough place, very tough.
What are you hunting and who with?
Regards,
Philip

 

[ianevans]

Hi Philip, Many nthanks for reply , was planning to wear shorts and have been told to carry and drink lots of water. am going to Chewore area and hunting buffalo and a tuskless cow . should be awesome .
cheers
Ian

 

[PeteG]

October will be challenging! Even being on the Zambezi river fishing in October is tough, let alone hunting.
Take sachets of rehydrate to mix with water and drink a litre or two daily.
Sunscreen.
If you wear shorts and don’t usually, you might get loads of cuts and scratches that can be uncomfortable. I personally prefer shorts.
Take some comfortable open shoes/sandals to wear around camp instead of your hunting boots in case your feet swell with the heat.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

An Arizona friend gave me this advice, "If you ain't peeing, you're dying." Drink fluids.

Perfect way to look at it. I would add that you should be trying to drink the fluids often and not trying to make up for it in a handful of chugging sessions. Chug water for sure early in the morning before you head out to get a head start. But after that, try to keep up with your water intake. Once you get behind and get dehydrated, it can be tough to get caught back up and shake off the symptoms.

 

[Red Leg]

As noted above, the worst challenge will likely be sleeping. It can be difficult to ever really cool off. Though, I have not hunted Zim in late October, I have hunted the Zambezi Delta in Moz at that time of year. I also spent a lot of my professional life banging around the deserts of the world. Hydration is almost everything. I say almost, because electrolyte replacement is very important as well. As noted above, get some of the sports drink powders and make sure every third bottle of water is flavored with some. As long as your urine is still light colored, you are okay - keep it that way even when you don't feel particularly thirsty. Remember that fabulous beer or two in the evening is a diuretic - as is the coffee at breakfast - start re-topping off actual fluids early in the day while it is still relatively cool before you are merely trying to keep up with loss as things get hotter. If you aren't careful, you can get into an ugly spiral that finally hits you day three or four.

Lots of people are actually cooler in long sleeves and pants if extremely light weight - note all those Bedouin in long robes and sleeves. Also much of the new synthetic sports apparel is an abomination in real heat - particularly if there is any humidity at all. Cotton - particularly the feather-weight styles like Filson markets - are hard to beat.

 

[meigsbucks]

Perfect way to look at it. I would add that you should be trying to drink the fluids often and not trying to make up for it in a handful of chugging sessions. Chug water for sure early in the morning before you head out to get a head start. But after that, try to keep up with your water intake. Once you get behind and get dehydrated, it can be tough to get caught back up and shake off the symptoms.

Everyone has said it but KEEP DRINKING! When I was in Zim, it was the first two weeks of September. Week one wasn’t bad: Cool mornings and afternoons in the 80’s F (28 C). But the second week it was in the 90’s F (33 C). I told my PH that if we left the truck, somebody better be carrying water. This was in addition to the hydration bladder in my daypack.
The first day was a 15 mile marathon and I didn’t drink enough. By the end of the day I was toast and dehydrated. Starting day two, I sucked down a .5L bottle of water every hour no matter what. No issues after that.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hi Philip, Many nthanks for reply , was planning to wear shorts and have been told to carry and drink lots of water. am going to Chewore area and hunting buffalo and a tuskless cow . should be awesome .
cheers
Ian

Yes it will be awesome! Be careful around those elephant there.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

I hunted in Dande in Sept 17' and was warm for sure.

Use a sports hydration mix to add to water that doesn't have the sugar in popular sports drinks sold in US like Gatorade......check out ingredient list and maybe you can find similar.

https://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/drinks/products/sport-hydration-drink-mix?variant=17031278526535&utm_source=Skratch+Labs,+LLC&utm_campaign=0260a0df88-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_04_04_42&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1cfa55bd57-0260a0df88-94848381&mc_cid=0260a0df88&mc_eid=1b461edfdf

This one has sugar. Did you mean to search for a sugar free one?

 

[Dinsdale]

This one has sugar. Did you mean to search for a sugar free one?

This has less than a third what gatorade and equivalent have......the scoop is tiny compared what your use for the equivalent amount of water.

There are many options out there this one works for me, as well as a sugar free powder I buy at a local health food store under their own label.

I like the small sugar boost, but everyone is different; I use both. A bit of flavor has me drinking more and frequent. I carry my own bottles(2 @ 600ml) and we had several carried along by the trackers.

On advice of another hunter who has made many Valley trips I took a small rechargeable battery fan with me for sleeping. Worked very well for me for the camp I was in. During the day we went over 100*F I think everyday but one over a 9 day period. I like the heat and wear all synthetics, long pants, and frequently long shirts too.....but the fan was terrific for night.

Chewore got a new owner last year, interested to hear a report.