What happens with rifles when staying in a big 5 tented camp and a self defense question

[Gemsbok45]

I never sleep better than when I’m in a wilderness camp.Always watchful but grateful for the opportunity! Everyone always told me you would get tired of hunting. At 61 the fire still burns hot!!

 

[Rubberhead]

I didn't notice it while I was there but from watching the video snippets I took, I could see the change in my PH from the first day driving to the range through the last day before I left. On the first stalk, he stopped and lectured me on not using my binoculars because I needed to be ready on the rifle as soon as he put the sticks up. He didn't know, and couldn't have known, that I've hunted and handled a gun my entire life. By the forth day, he was leaving me alone in the blind while he went back to get lunch.

My point is this...PHs, are entirely in charge of everyone's safety. As such, they assume, and rightfully so, that any new client is a complete and utter buffoon until they prove otherwise and even then, I'm sure a good PH will always have reservations. Anyway, I imagine most PHs would think that an unproven client, half scared from unfamiliar surroundings, wandering through camp, in the dark, with a loaded rifle is more dangerous than a whole pride of lions chasing a buffalo past the evening boma.

 

[JES Adventures]

I’ve always had my rifle in my tent as most outfitters provide a rack to place them in. Back in ‘87 we had a lioness walk through camp a couple of nights in the Zambezi Valley in Zim. In 2020, I had elephants pass 5 meters from the tent in the Luangwa.

So, it’s probably best to be aware in your surroundings. At the end of the day your PH will always offer the best advice with regards to your safety, that’s what he’s there for.

 

[fourfive8]

Probably varies with the policy of the PH and outfitter. Every such camp I've stayed in had staff assigned for all night duty to watch for such things. They would also keep one or two fires going and start fires to heat hot water tanks for early showers.

Never really an issue but the PHs would keep their rifles in their tents and I would keep mine in my tent- seemed to be generally understood. I guess the greatest concern for the PH would be a client screwing around with a gun at night and shooting self or someone else by accident or having and AD.

In some areas it is common to have various night visitors like honey badgers or elephants in camp or lions or leopards roaming around the outskirts of camp. Had hyenas come into camp at night a couple of times. My biggest fear always was having an elephant get spooked or get in a scuffle then run through my tent and step on me. I don't think a rifle would be correct prevention or cure for such poor luck.

In certain areas, I guess two-legged miscreants would be a completely different issue. The PH and outfitter would likely make sure the clients and staff would all be on same page for handling such.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

In our camps, rifle comes out of the cruiser cased goes directly to clients tent. In the morning the rifle leaves the tent cased and taken by staff to the cruiser. The only exception is if the rifle needs repairs. Then the bolt and ammo is separated from the rifle.

Again someone refers to Africa as if it was one country. Rules and laws will vary from country to country.

 

[Nkawu]

I would 100% keep a rifle in my tent. A University pal of mine was pulled from his tent by a lion in Botswana not too long ago. No rifle in camp. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13555948/camper-fights-off-starving-lion-battle-botswana/amp/

 

[SRvet]

Thank you for your answers gentlemen. They give the range of answers that I suspected. I’m not obsessing about these questions at all and will absolutely take the advice of the PH but just wondered if there was a “normal” way that things are done. Coming from a country with NO truly dangerous wildlife, other than one mildly venomous snake (that kills the occasional unlucky person by anaphylaxis), going into a DG area is a massive change that I am very much looking forward to!
I can completely see that having a relatively inexperienced client in camp with a rifle might be a liability but that the PH will balance the risks as with any other part of the safari. @Nkawu your friend is both lucky to be alive and lucky to have a friend who would attack a lion with nothing but a stick!

 

[Pondoro]

After seeing big leopard tracks repetedly 10m from my canvas walled hut in the morning I brought my .475 double beside my bed..loaded with 480 grain woodleigh softs..

 

[grand veneur]

Please excuse the novice questions…
Next year I’m hoping to travel to Africa for a second time with some friends. We plan to hunt from a tented camp located within the a big 5 area. In such a situation are there any protocols or standard practices regarding carrying rifles whilst in and around camp. Is it usual to keep your rifle to hand all of the time or are they normally stowed until actually hunting?
Also on a totally unrelated subject, if a non target animal is shot in self defense, what are the legal and financial implications? Let’s say during a buffalo hunt we were charged by a hippo…
Thanks in advance

There are no basic rules, it varies from camp to camp and from country to country how everything is to be done. Even in a tent camp there is a crew that takes care of the customers, especially their safety. It is more common in the camps that the rifles remains in the custody of the client, but unloaded. Sure, you can still keep your rifle and ammunition handy, but you don't go at night for a walk in the camp and certainly not around the camp. During the day, walks around the camp are also not common, we are not tourist, but hunters. When hunting, the PH ensures safety in all cases, the majority of us are not able to recognize a danger in time anyway.

Africa is not without danger, and you have to live with that. There is no zero risk, be it from the game,... or even from the human people.

As far as shooting on game in self defense is concerned, it all depends on the country, because if a species is protected, the situation is far from the same as if this species can be hunted. Discussing it is a topic in itself.

 

[Pondoro]

After all..is not the element of danger some of what draws many of us to Africa..away from the protected life in the western world..?

 

[SRvet]

After all..is not the element of danger some of what draws many of us to Africa..away from the protected life in the western world..?

This is very true!

 

[DLSJR]

SRvet, go and ENJOY Africa! You’re about to experience one of the very best times of your life. Don’t worry about the ‘what if’s’ but instead savor every new sight, smell, , sound and encounter. Be sure to give us all a report after you return.

There is only one ‘first time’ and it’ll be something you remember fondly as long as you live.

 

[Hunt anything]

SRvet, go and ENJOY Africa! You’re about to experience one of the very best times of your life. Don’t worry about the ‘what if’s’ but instead savor every new sight, smell, , sound and encounter. Be sure to give us all a report after you return.

There is only one ‘first time’ and it’ll be something you remember fondly as long as you live.

A little off thread but it’s amazing how little things will stick with you, I reflect on Africa every time I smell a brush fire or see cattle egrets flying around a pasture wishing it was buffalo instead of cows they are circling, I even keep a small flock of guineas around just to hear their chatter.

 

[Cleathorn]

You will love DG hunting, and the PHs are a different breed.

Few years ago I was in a camp on the Zambezi with Mbalabala. Everything was winding down for the first evening and I had the last tented machan on the path away from camp. As I was walking into the dark Lin said “hey there’s an old dugga been hanging out by your tent.” “Ok, I said, should I been worried?” Well, he said “the buff Shi’ism’s be fine, the mamba that’s been over there is your real problem, but you should be fine, good night.”

Assuming he was messing with me, I went to bed. In the morning, I took some great photos of that old dugga standing at the base of the stairs down from my machan. We killed the mamba in the kitchen that afternoon. We used a stick and a pan on the mamba.

I love Africa.

I’ve been in a number of DG camps. I’ve got photos of lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocs and hyena from camp. I’ve never seen or even thought of carrying a rifle in camp. I can say from experience I would more nervous about the gun than the game. I have seen an occasional adult beverage consumed in moderation that would make the loaded rifle problematic. PHs are there to “sort things out” as they say.

Go and enjoy, it’s awesome!

 

[JimP]

I think that I would be more worried about those things that slither on the ground more than those that walk on 4 legs.

I'd just listen to what the PH and outfitter has to say. I'm sure that the question comes up quite often for them.

 

[Longwalker]

You have been given good advice so far. There is so much to experience and enjoy about camping and hunting in dangerous game country that it would be a shame to worry about things too much, just be aware and ask questions of your PH, follow instructions, and use common sense.

On my trip to Zimbabwe three months ago we had lions kill a kudu the very first afternoon, between the cook shack and office building in the camp neighbouring ours. They only carried it a couple hundred meters away before eating it. They posed for some nice photos when we drove over for a look.

That night we had a dozen elephants come and drink a hands width of water out of our small swimming pool as we sat listening to the slurps and grunts 10 meters away in the starlit darkness.

When we actually had to kill a charging bull elephant at very close range in thick bush a week later, the need to shoot and defend ourselves was clear and unmistakable. I had already made my mind up to shoot when the shouted order came from my PH.

Where the kudu was killed...

when we found the lions finishing their meal

 

[Scott CWO]

I wouldn’t worry too much about problems with animals in camp.

I’ve slept under canvas on various African hunts in remote areas for 110-115 nights over the years and never had a problem. I usually have had my rifles in my tent, but only because that’s where we store them. I never keep one loaded (as in a chambered round) in camp.

We‘ve had elephants feeding near my tent; lions and hyenas fighting near the tents, leopard tracks around camp many nights, have had lions in camp several nights, hippos near the tent at night, don’t recall ever having a buffalo in actual camp though they’ve been less than 100 yards from tent during the morning a few times. I’ve never carried a gun anywhere in any camp, except between my tent and the truck.

We‘ve never had a single problem even though we’ve had some ‘exciting’ moments, especially with lions. Just don’t go out of your tent at night, always ALWAYS ALWAYS keep it zipped tight to keep any scorpions or snakes out, be aware of your surroundings early and late and you’ll be just fine.

Hunting and camping in dangerous game country, even if no DG is on license, is wonderful. A remote camp in truly wild country is something to savor. Enjoy every moment.

In less than 90 days my son and I will be enjoying a cold one while watching the sunset, along the Madaba River in the Selous. 16 days with buffalo, leopard, hippo, croc and PG on license. Sleeping under canvas, I cannot wait to return to my favorite place on earth…. Camp in DG country.

+1
This mirrors my experience on nine trips in open DG camps. The exception was my fore mentioned trip to C9. I had lions circling my chalet most nights so it was the only camp where I carried my rifle in the dark to the dining area for breakfast. Otherwise rifles left in sleeping quarters and loaded in magazine only.

 

[SRvet]

Sounds

You have been given good advice so far. There is so much to experience and enjoy about camping and hunting in dangerous game country that it would be a shame to worry about things too much, just be aware and ask questions of you PH, follow instructions, and use common sense.
On my trip to Zimbabwe three months ago we had lions kill a kudu the very first afternoon, between the cook shack and office building in the camp neighbouring ours. They only carried it a couple hundred meters away before eating it. They posed for some nice photos when we drove over for a look. That night we had a dozen elephants come and drink a hands width of water out of our small swimming pool in the starlit darkness as we sat listening to the slurps and grunts 10 meters away.
When we actually had to kill a charging bull elephant at very close range in thick bush a week later, the need to shoot and defend ourselves was clear and unmistakable. I had already made my mind up to shoot when the shouted order came from my PH. View attachment 536076
Where the kudu was killed...
View attachment 536077
when we found the lions finishing their meal
View attachment 536078

Sounds like a very memorable trip!!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A little off thread but it’s amazing how little things will stick with you, I reflect on Africa every time I smell a brush fire or see cattle egrets flying around a pasture wishing it was buffalo instead of cows they are circling, I even keep a small flock of guineas around just to hear their chatter.

Where is home?

 

[thi9elsp]

2 remote trips. Same process. Never had a loaded gun in camp. Only when we left the truck to track an animal.

At night we were escorted to our thatched chalet with screen door / windows and told not to leave until we were called to in the morning. Or, we were escorted to our canvas tent on slab with en-suite, and the door zipped closed behind us. And again, told not to leave the tent until called in the morning.

We had baboons as regular visitors and lions roaming through occasionally. I kept my rifle in the provided vertical rack, shells in the magazine, bolt open and rifle empty. Had something tried to get in I assumed I could get to the rifle and try to protect us. Neither Ann nor I every felt in danger the entire trips (total of 25+ days/nights).

As others have said, if a non-hunted animal charges, the PH will likely have the trackers take you and your companions away from the direct path while the PH dispatches the animal without them worrying about your getting in the way.