The Dream Safari

[DillonG]

This may be rehashing an old post, so please forgive my ignorance if I have not ran across it yet. I am curious to discuss your dream safari. From location, species, duration, time of year, firearm of choice, etc. Everyone has to have one whether you have been lucky to check a hunt of the bucket list or not.

I must say that a leopard/buff/sable hunt to me seems to be the dream safari that is burned in my brain. I would expect around 16 days to complete my dream safari in order to have enough time to capitalize on a nice leopard. Of course, like any gun fanatic I would be packing 2 rifles (1 I do not own yet) my .300WM and a .375 H&H.

Interested to hear your perspective and thanks for sharing ahead of time.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow, I'm not sure I can pick just one so here goes...

* Massailand for buff and lion, along with Thompson and Grants Gazelles

* Uganda for Nile buff and Kob, and other species that Africa gives up

*Zambia in the Luangwa valley for lion, buff, Cooksons wildebeest, and other various pg

* And for the non African continent safari it would be a moose and brown bear combo in the Yukon or Alaska

I would also choose the exact two rifles you mentioned as well

 

[DillonG]

Wow, I'm not sure I can pick just one so here goes...

* Massailand for buff and lion, along with Thompson and Grants Gazelles

* Uganda for Nile buff and Kob, and other species that Africa gives up

*Zambia in the Luangwa valley for lion, buff, and various pg

I would also choose the exact two rifles you mentioned as well

I completely forgot about the Tanz gazelles! Great hunts, I hope one day to hunt lion (very far in the future) I would really want the mount at home and not sure when/if that will ever be very possible in the future. I also would have to find space for it at home! Not sure the wife would be thrilled with my new pet cat.

 

[MarkB]

Every safari has been the at the moment dream safari. The whole planning, booking, waiting is a year long dream fully life encompassing. As for the 1 currently out of reach, that will be called my "dream safari". That would be a full bag 28 day very wild area probably in Tanzania? There are many that I still dream about, eland in Cameroon, bongo, and lots others. My current dream safari is booked, 20 day lion, croc, night cats and plains game in July 2020. How can anyone have just one?

MB

 

[DillonG]

How can anyone have just one?

MB

Haha great point! I have not officially been bitten by the Africa bug yet because I am still planning my first trip. I am sure once I get to experience it, there will be many trips that I classify as a dream safari.

 

[everett]

Few weeks or so around the east cape(half dozen places I have in mind), May/June kudu rut, kudu hunting.

 

[enysse]

Tanzania for Cape Buffalo, lion, lesser kudu, gerenuk, Thompson’s gazelle, grants gazelle, topi and all the antelope you can’t hunt in other countries.

Uganda for sitatunga, kob, Nile buffalo and giant warthogs

CAR, Cameroon for Lord Derby Eland, roan, forest sitatunga, and Bongo.

Ethiopia for Mountain Nyala.

 

[Nyati]

Tanzania for Cape Buffalo, lion, lesser kudu, gerenuk, Thompson’s gazelle, grants gazelle, topi and all the antelope you can’t hunt in other countries.

Uganda for sitatunga, kob, Nile buffalo and giant warthogs

CAR, Cameroon for Lord Derby Eland, roan, forest sitatunga, and Bongo.

Ethiopia for Mountain Nyala.

I have to agree with Eric, great choices, all you have to add is a trip to Mozambique for Hippo and Croc, a Puku somewhere, then we´re are all set

 

[Firebird]

Would have to echo Enysse’ Tanzania trip specie for specie. Then a leopard hunt, not specific to an area but somewhere I could shoot lots of “common” plains game for baits and have the cat as the ultimate trophy from that trip. It’s a good dream

 

[BobT]

If time and money were no object, I would start in Zambia, hunt my way over to Mozambique then up through Tanzania to Uganda shooting whatever is on license with a focus on buffalo, elephant and the great cats.

 

[revturbo9967]

i think caprivi buff would be on the top of my list

 

[BigSteve57]

Mozambique for Buffalo because the terrain & country is open & rugged, so I hear. Not sure what else game-wise. Heck I'm not even sure all of Mozambique is safe to visit as there are some travel advisories out at the moment.

"Some northern districts in Cabo Delgado Province – Level 3: Reconsider Travel"
REF:
https://travel.state.gov/content/tr...veladvisories/mozambique-travel-advisory.html

 

[meigsbucks]

My first safari to Zimbabwe was my”dream” safari. I don’t think there is anything like a first safari. However, I would love to hunt Tanzania for multiple buffalo, Grants and Thompson gazelle and lesser kudu.
Rifles: .338 either Win or RUM and my .416 Ruger.

 

[DillonG]

My first safari to Zimbabwe was my”dream” safari. I don’t think there is anything like a first safari. However, I would love to hunt Tanzania for multiple buffalo, Grants and Thompson gazelle and lesser kudu.
Rifles: .338 either Win or RUM and my .416 Ruger.

I have started to notice a theme around a lot of hunters that Tanzania is still considered the epitome of hunting. Excellent choices on your rifles by the way! I thought about looking at a .338 for a plains game hunt, but have chosen to save my money for a .375 H&H for the variety.

 

[DillonG]

Noticing that bongo and elephant hunting does not show up as much as I originally thought it may. I believe a lot of hunters are really looking at prices and importation now that laws are cracking down on certain species into the US.

 

[thriller]

A 28 day full bag would be the dream in the selous

 

[cagkt3]

My dream hunt would be Tanzania for whatever I could find - ele, leopard, lion, buff, PG. For a a more specialized hunt, bongo and LDE in Benin/Cameroon. I'd take the 404 Jeff for either

 

[Chago]

I know your asking for safari. But my last trip to Africa was my first and it was a dream safari for me at that time. But now I've lived that dream and unfortunately or fortunately have a new dream lol.

But for me truly the ultimate hunting dream would not be Africa. It would be Alaska dall sheep, mountain goat and bighorn sheep. With my long range shooting background, love of the mountains and love of adventure. This would be a life long goal. I really need to save the pennies for this though cause those three animals would be like 100k combined hahahaha. As much I absolutely loved Africa. For me personally. You can't compare the adventure of backpacking or horse back riding for days into the mountains and living in a tent. To the luxuries of a African safari. I personally am more in love with the tent and the backpacking. That being said I still love Africa don't take that the wrong way.

 

[MarkB]

I know your asking for safari. But my last trip to Africa was my first and it was a dream safari for me at that time. But now I've lived that dream and unfortunately or fortunately have a new dream lol.

But for me truly the ultimate hunting dream would not be Africa. It would be Alaska dall sheep, mountain goat and bighorn sheep. With my long range shooting background, love of the mountains and love of adventure. This would be a life long goal. I really need to save the pennies for this though cause those three animals would be like 100k combined hahahaha. As much I absolutely loved Africa. For me personally. You can't compare the adventure of backpacking or horse back riding for days into the mountains and living in a tent. To the luxuries of a African safari. I personally am more in love with the tent and the backpacking. That being said I still love Africa don't take that the wrong way.

Thanks Posts like yours makes me appreciate more my back yard. As a BC resident we get to do most of your dream hunt annually, (No Dall annually as LEH and hard to draw) the others and more with OTC tags. I am truly blessed and spoiled, as I spend 3 months each fall in a wall tent bouncing around the Province following the open seasons and species, maybe that's why Africa ranks as my dream hunt.

MB

 

[sestoppelman]

I think I probably already did my dream safari in 1990, a 2 week hunt in the Okavango for lion buffalo, and sitatunga. I flubbed the lion part, got my second buffalo and scored on a nice Zambezi sitatunga. Fabulous place to spend time in. Bongo hunt in central or west Africa would sure be at the top though.