What do you do when you fill your package early?

The last couple of times I’ve done that has been in the Save with CMS. We changed camps to their Matombo camp overlooking the Zambezi and fished for a few days.
 
If you're lucky enough to fill your package early what do you do with your extra days? Do you feel obligation to the outfitter to keep hunting? Sitting at camp is no fun. Many times you cant find an alternative.You committed to the days and do you feel the PH has a commitment to at that point "babysit" you. That situation can become akward for both parties.
The PH keeps you hunting-or may recommend other options to keep you engaged. You can arrange payment options that can keep you going. Every trip to SA I've filled my hunt package early.
 
In South Africa, I keep hunting. Although, my safari company has given me sight-seeing tours to get away from camp for a day or two. Bird hunting with a borrowed shotgun was great!



In countries where you have to have a pre-purchased a permit for everything, bird watching, sight-seeing, and fishing is not a bad option...

Especially where monsters, such as this, can be found:

1733016581243.jpeg
 
I booked an 8day safari in Limpopo this year. I had five animals on my list plus the option of taking a Baboon and/or a Warthog if/when encountered. By the end of day 4, I had tagged out except for the Baboon and Warthog. I sat down with the PH and discussed options. For one day, the owner/PH took me to the local taxidermist to get ideas for how I wanted the trophies mounted. We went to lunch at a sports bar and explored the local SA beer list. It was nice to have a relaxing break from being out in the field.

The next day we had planned on going fishing and Baboon hunting on another concession where more baboons existed, but local forest fires forced the owner to cancel stating that they were too busy fighting fires to allow us onto the property. So, we went on a half day photo safari in the 60,000 ac Big Five Game Preserve which was located only a few miles to our Northwest. That was fun and memorable. Got to see Lions, Rhinos and tons of other animals. On the next day, I planned a hunt with the PH to sit quietly on a mtn overlooking a small pan to try to ambush either Baboons or Warthog. We sat in the sun in folding camp chairs. It was a perfect last day of hunting and very relaxing. The "Zen" feeling that came over me lasted for weeks after I came home. Late that morning when we got bored with our pretend hunt, we called up the truck to take us out on a hunt for an Impala which I had pulled from my 2025 game list which I had already booked and moved it onto my 2024 list. We had a textbook stalk on a small herd and tagged a massive Ram with a near perfect shot from my 308. I suppose I could have napped by the pool but I wanted to get in a bit more hunting. Transformed into full Predator Mode.

Other options might be to borrow/rent a 223 or 22lr rifle from your PH and do some varmint hunting for squirrels, groundhog like animals, monkeys, or other small game/varmints. We had golf, fishing and other options to choose from as well. You are lounging in Paradise. Do what you want. On my last day on the way to the airport in Joburg. My PH took me to two of his most favorite gun stores to meet the owners and play with the toys. We then went to a native art store and got souveniers for the family, and then to a sporting goods store to see some double rifles, etc. We capped this off with dinner together before parting company at the AP.

Impala.jpg
 
If you're lucky enough to fill your package early what do you do with your extra days? Do you feel obligation to the outfitter to keep hunting? Sitting at camp is no fun. Many times you cant find an alternative.You committed to the days and do you feel the PH has a commitment to at that point "babysit" you. That situation can become akward for both parties.

If I’m not interested or cannot add more animals I will I’ll change my flights and go home!

I really don't like sitting around and the cost to change is usually minimal and well worth it to get home days early. I can often go back to work early as well and easily recoup $.

Now some folk don’t like to do that, may be retired, have a nagging wife, or feel that already paid for the trip etc.

But for me at this point I always leave early if I can, means I had a successful trip!
 
My third gun always is a drilling.
I love bird hunting!!!
Out there is so much small stuff - just kill someone else...

HWL
 
I booked an 8day safari in Limpopo this year. I had five animals on my list plus the option of taking a Baboon and/or a Warthog if/when encountered. By the end of day 4, I had tagged out except for the Baboon and Warthog. I sat down with the PH and discussed options. For one day, the owner/PH took me to the local taxidermist to get ideas for how I wanted the trophies mounted. We went to lunch at a sports bar and explored the local SA beer list. It was nice to have a relaxing break from being out in the field.

The next day we had planned on going fishing and Baboon hunting on another concession where more baboons existed, but local forest fires forced the owner to cancel stating that they were too busy fighting fires to allow us onto the property. So, we went on a half day photo safari in the 60,000 ac Big Five Game Preserve which was located only a few miles to our Northwest. That was fun and memorable. Got to see Lions, Rhinos and tons of other animals. On the next day, I planned a hunt with the PH to sit quietly on a mtn overlooking a small pan to try to ambush either Baboons or Warthog. We sat in the sun in folding camp chairs. It was a perfect last day of hunting and very relaxing. The "Zen" feeling that came over me lasted for weeks after I came home. Late that morning when we got bored with our pretend hunt, we called up the truck to take us out on a hunt for an Impala which I had pulled from my 2025 game list which I had already booked and moved it onto my 2024 list. We had a textbook stalk on a small herd and tagged a massive Ram with a near perfect shot from my 308. I suppose I could have napped by the pool but I wanted to get in a bit more hunting. Transformed into full Predator Mode.

Other options might be to borrow/rent a 223 or 22lr rifle from your PH and do some varmint hunting for squirrels, groundhog like animals, monkeys, or other small game/varmints. We had golf, fishing and other options to choose from as well. You are lounging in Paradise. Do what you want. On my last day on the way to the airport in Joburg. My PH took me to two of his most favorite gun stores to meet the owners and play with the toys. We then went to a native art store and got souveniers for the family, and then to a sporting goods store to see some double rifles, etc. We capped this off with dinner together before parting company a


Perfect! His can you run.put of things to.do in Africa?
 

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Grz63 wrote on roklok's profile.
Hi Roklok
I read your post on Caprivi. Congratulations.
I plan to hunt there for buff in 2026 oct.
How was the land, very dry ? But à lot of buffs ?
Thank you / merci
Philippe
Fire Dog wrote on AfricaHunting.com's profile.
Chopped up the whole thing as I kept hitting the 240 character limit...
Found out the trigger word in the end... It was muzzle or velocity. dropped them and it posted.:)
 
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