What to carry

[Red Leg]

A water bottle. Mix with orange squash the night before, then freeze overnight. The following day it will gradually defrost into cool orange squash.

One orange for each person in your group.

What the devil is an orange squash?!?

Sounds like something a menopausing vegan would order with her latte.

 

[Major Bonkers]

A cordial.

orange squash in British English​

(ˈɒrɪndʒ skwɒʃ )
NOUN
British
an orange-flavoured drink made from fruit juice, sugar, and water

 

[Red Leg]

A cordial.

orange squash in British English​

(ˈɒrɪndʒ skwɒʃ )
NOUN
British
an orange-flavoured drink made from fruit juice, sugar, and water

Sounds dreadful. We likely would call it Kool aide.

A cordial in American usage is a sweet after dinner drink, served as a liqueur. One may take the place of desert.

George Bernard Shaw had it right.

 

[CoElkHunter]

When the time comes and that 60" kudu is staring you down at the end of a narrow 100 yard lane and the tracker has the sticks set up and the PH whispers "shoot!", I wouldn't be fumble frogging around with range finders, power settings on the scope or thinking or doing anything but getting the rifle on sticks, crosshairs on the spot and squeezing the trigger.

Yep. On my one African PG hunt, I deferred to my PH as to the animal we were going to go after HE sized it up through his binocs. I had no idea what a GOOD animal was or not. With a .300WM sighted in at 200yds., whether an animal was at 50 or 300yds., a standard 3.5x10 scope without any BDC was all I needed. Same here when I hunt elk. Most are "snap" shots within 150yds., cause elk won't wait around for one to adjust their scope or fool around with rangefinders. A friend of my father in laws has missed at LEAST two elk fumbling around with the turrets on his scope for elk at 200-300yds.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Nobody ever shot anything with a pair of binoculars.

That said, take them with you. My only caveat is knowing when to use them, and when to stop using them and shoot. Some folks get caught up in trophy judgement and miss the broader experience.

At home, I have only used them glassing for elk, so they aren’t really part of my normal kit. I didn’t carry or use any binos in Africa, but they would have been nice to see the animals from the truck. Otherwise, I only took a Buck 119 and a 5 round ammo pouch on me. I had other stuff in a backpack..that I left in camp. Next time, I will bring binos and a cross body harness

 

[CoElkHunter]

Nobody ever shot anything with a pair of binoculars.

That said, take them with you. My only caveat is knowing when to use them, and when to stop using them and shoot. Some folks get caught up in trophy judgement and miss the broader experience.

At home, I have only used them glassing for elk, so they aren’t really part of my normal kit. I didn’t carry or use any binos in Africa, but they would have been nice to see the animals from the truck. Otherwise, I only took a Buck 119 and a 5 round ammo pouch on me. I had other stuff in a backpack..that I left in camp. Next time, I will bring binos and a cross body harness

I ALWAYS minimally carry in warm weather TP, water, pocket knife, compass and something to set the forest/brush on fire in case I get lost so someone will find me. LOL I bought a pair of low end Leupold binocs just for my African hunt. I guess I thought my ancient Bushnells' wouldn't be good enough (they're as clear as the Leupolds). Anyway, I used the binocs VERY little and ended up giving them to my PH at the end of the hunt, who was using a well worn pair of Vortex binocs. BTW, I HATED the harness and pouch the Leupolds came with. I'm going to buy the ones by Rick Young that have the adjustable straps with no pouch.

 

[Hunt anything]

IMO I think you’re cheating yourself if you don’t use your binoculars, you can miss a lot if you leave them in the truck. I left mine in a Argo on my first buffalo hunt and have regretted it every day. It’s a long story of why. I use them everyday on the farm and hunting. On a hunt it makes you part of the team but don’t get to carried away using them when you should be shooting as others have said .

 

[CoElkHunter]

IMO I think you’re cheating yourself if you don’t use your binoculars, you can miss a lot if you leave them in the truck. I left mine in a Argo on my first buffalo hunt and have regretted it every day. It’s a long story of why. I use them everyday on the farm and hunting. On a hunt it makes you part of the team but don’t get to carried away using them when you should be shooting as others have said .

You're right. I ALWAYS carry them when elk, deer or pronghorn hunting here. Of course, I know what I'm looking at and for. I did use them a little in Africa, but as far as the game goes, I again deferred to the PH's expertise as to which animal we would go after.

 

[Hunt anything]

Nobody ever shot anything with a pair of binoculars.

That said, take them with you. My only caveat is knowing when to use them, and when to stop using them and shoot. Some folks get caught up in trophy judgement and miss the broader experience.

At home, I have only used them glassing for elk, so they aren’t really part of my normal kit. I didn’t carry or use any binos in Africa, but they would have been nice to see the animals from the truck. Otherwise, I only took a Buck 119 and a 5 round ammo pouch on me. I had other stuff in a backpack..that I left in camp. Next time, I will bring binos and a cross body harness

True nobody has shot anything with a pair of binoculars but A LOT of game has been shot because of binoculars. 20% of my whitetail deer and maybe out of my 30 or so African game 5 or 6 of the animals were spotted with binos first.

 

[CoElkHunter]

True nobody has shot anything with a pair of binoculars but A LOT of game has been shot because of binoculars. 20% of my whitetail deer and maybe out of my 30 or so African game 5 or 6 of the animals were spotted with binos first.

Another "consideration"? WHY do some of these binocs come with a "pouch" to carry them in? Neither my PH or tracker had pouches and I've never used one when hunting big game here even in the NASTIEST of weather. I just tuck them under my jacket/shirt top when it's raining or snowing (read blizzard! LOL). The pouch and accompanying straps that came with the Leupolds I bought were made for a midget! I strapped it on ONCE and the pouch was on my upper chest almost to my neck and was really a PIA! Never again! When I gave them to my PH, he said he was going to cut off the pouch straps and just use the remaining binoc straps. IMHO, the pouch is another marketing gimmick.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Absolute newbie here. Making plans to go on my first African hunting trip ever and looking for advice from those that are more seasoned than I. I know the PH typically carries binos/range finder. Should I? I see the advantage of having my own binos, but I also see the advantage of having my hands free. Is there anything that should be on my person that I might not think about?
Thanks to everybody for their help. I am very grateful for this open and sharing community!

On my last safari, I carried a range finder on my belt (wouldn't do that again), a knife (didn't need to use it, but hey everyone should have one on a hunt) and 8:extra rounds in a cartridge holder. I used my cell phone for pictures and had a good camera in a case in the rig for better photos. I carried my binoculars with a chest harness. There is a lot of stuff to look at while hunting, and you won't want to miss it. I would almost just as soon forget my rifle as binoculars on any hunt. Carrying things on your belt and chest harness leaves your hands free to handle your rifle. If you are taking two rifles, take two loaded cartridge carriers and make sure you have the one on you for whichever rifle you are using. I keep the gear on a separate belt and just strap it on when I step out of the rig.

Go light, just not too light. You are going to have a hell of a time on your first safari!

 

[JimP]

My binocular carry for Africa was a simple harness, it wasn't a Rick Young one but similar with wider straps. Here in the US I use a Badlands pouch that encloses the binoculars, too many times I have had twigs, snow, or something else on the lenses that caused problem. Plus with the enclosed Badlands no dust get onto the lenses either

As for using them, when we spotted my gemsbok he was quite a ways away in a herd where we had plenty of time to size him up and watch them as them moved. But when it came close to shooting time the binoculars were put down. Same with my kudu this past year. We watched him for 5 or 10 minutes before I took the shot. The rest of my animals happened quick enough that there wasn't time to look at them through a pair of binoculars and then get the rifle up to take the shot.

 

[CoElkHunter]

You know, and I firmly believe, it's what HAS and WORKS for the individual hunter. Try different things. Some like pouches for their binocs, some don't. Some want to carry a knife on their belt, some don't. I carry two skinning knives in my backpack when hunting here because with the backpack "belly belt", a knife won't work on a belt. I carried a pocket knife in Africa because I wasn't going to do any field dressing. When not carrying a rifle, I carry my Glock 10mm in the quasi holster on the front of my backpack. Some carry extra rounds on the buttstock or in their pockets. Really, whatever has worked for you hunting here in the US, will work for the most part hunting PG in Africa.

 

[trperk1]

Seems like we all agree with one thing, what you carry is a individual decision!

 

[Rare Breed]

Sounds dreadful. We likely would call it Kool aide.

A cordial in American usage is a sweet after dinner drink, served as a liqueur. One may take the place of desert.

George Bernard Shaw had it right.

Redleg are we enjoying a couple of fingers of an amber liquid tonight? Lol!!!

 

[zephyr]

 

[Art Lambart II]

@zephyr nice pic, whats in the maxpedition pouch?

 

[zephyr]

@zephyr nice pic, whats in the maxpedition pouch?

Camera, Flame, Ceramic Sharpening Rod, GPS

 

[migrabill]

I always take binoculars, Leica Geo I’d 10x42s, but on my last hunt in western Tanzania I found myself leaving them in the truck s we were doing a fair bit of walking and I sure as hell didn’t need range finding binoculars when buffalo hunting. They’re going with me again this August, but so are a pair of compact Leica’s that I’ll barely know are around my neck.

One thing I haven’t noticed to be mentioned much is a very high quality flashlight or headlamp. I take both, but leave one in the truck and one with me. Felix lights are excellent.

The Geo's are a little out of reach for me. I just picked up the Leica Trinovid 8x42's.

 

[migrabill]

Looking at some of these lists I would suggest you put anything in the truck that makes you happy, but don't drag most of that around with you.

I always carry binos. I am getting pretty good at judging most African game and enjoy dialoguing with my PH about which animal to take and why (enjoyed it when I wasn't so good at it). Never much got into the "shoot that one" relationship. Most of the time I use a left hip carry.

Ammunition goes in my Murray belt which also carries one of @Von Gruff 's wonderful knives and a water bottle or two goes in a tracker's pack.

Finally, a cell phone (the new ones do extraordinary photography) goes in my back pocket, a small LED flashlight in a front pocket, and glasses (shades if a bright day) on the bridge of my nose. That is it.

For whatever it is worth, I have not brought my range finding binoculars to Africa though I use them extensively here, South America and Europe. I have a lightweight set of Leica 8x40's that are perfect for a long day tracking a buffalo,

Thanks for your input. I just picked up a pair of Leica Trinovid 8x42's.