NBSafaris first trip to Africa! NEED ADVICE

[dsatter]

I'm going to South Africa Limpopo province in april. I am planning on bowhunting about 8 species and try to get as many as possible with bow. The rest will be with gun. Can anyone give me advice on a good bow case to travel with? Also arrow selection.....Its pretty much all plains game im going after:
Kudu,
Gemsbuck or Zebra,
Blesbuck,
Impala,
Warthog,
Black Wildebeest,
Blue Wildebeest,
Springbuck.

I was thinking of using axis arrows with grizz trick broadheads.

Also is 30-06 good caliber to bring?

Any other advice for the hunt?

What kind of apparel should I bring? Clothing and boots?
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[bluefin]

Congrats on your first safari! I went to the Limpopo area in '07 and had a blast.
Can't give you any advise on arrow selection as I'm not a stick thrower.
On the 30-06, that's fine for everything except maybe the gemsbok. They are big and tough. I hit mine with a 338 and then had to finish it with a 375 - a couple of miles later. Of course a perfect shot will take down just about anything but if you wound it and can't find it you pay. The only other thing I shot was the kudu with my 338. Everything else was with a 270. Your list is pretty close to what I took.
On apparel, wear comfortable shoes and cotton clothing. I liked the safari tan and green colors. I didn't wear any camo and my PH never did either. On the shoes, you'll be doing a lot of walking. There are some hills but nothing too ambitious. The terrain is a LOT like S TX only without the mesquite and thorns. Matter of fact, you'll think you're in S TX on a safari farm. LOL
And don't overpack! Just bring 3 sets of clothing. Your laundry will be done every day. Leave some room for some trinkets. On our last day (I had already taken everything I was going to take) we went into town for some souvenir shopping. So leave some room in your baggage for that. And here is a tip, should you find something a little too big for your baggage to bring home, have it shipped with your trophies. A lot cheaper to do it that way.
I'm assuming you're flying into Joberg airport. Don't be surprised to find it to be a very nice airport inside a fairly modern city. But, lock the car doors! Don't talk with anyone other than your PH til you get to camp. You'll understand when you're driving out of Joberg. There's concertina wire on top of enclosed, brick-walled subdivisions. Crime is a big problem there. Now once you're outside of there things are much calmer.
Lastly, know the price sheet for different animals. You'll see other 'trophies' other than what's on your list. Their job is to get you to pull the trigger as often as you can. Stay within your budget. A guy in our camp went a little nuts taking 14 different species. That's an awful lot of space to take up on a wall(s). With that said, I wished I had taken more game...
Take lots of pictures. Pics of camp. Pics of sunrises/sunsets, game, your PH, tracker, maids, dinner, your room, the bathroom, everything. You never know when you will be back and the pics are really what you have to help remind you in your old age of what you did.
Have a great time!

[dsatter]

Congrats on your first safari! I went to the Limpopo area in '07 and had a blast.
Can't give you any advise on arrow selection as I'm not a stick thrower.
On the 30-06, that's fine for everything except maybe the gemsbok. They are big and tough. I hit mine with a 338 and then had to finish it with a 375 - a couple of miles later. Of course a perfect shot will take down just about anything but if you wound it and can't find it you pay. The only other thing I shot was the kudu with my 338. Everything else was with a 270. Your list is pretty close to what I took.
On apparel, wear comfortable shoes and cotton clothing. I liked the safari tan and green colors. I didn't wear any camo and my PH never did either. On the shoes, you'll be doing a lot of walking. There are some hills but nothing too ambitious. The terrain is a LOT like S TX only without the mesquite and thorns. Matter of fact, you'll think you're in S TX on a safari farm. LOL
And don't overpack! Just bring 3 sets of clothing. Your laundry will be done every day. Leave some room for some trinkets. On our last day (I had already taken everything I was going to take) we went into town for some souvenir shopping. So leave some room in your baggage for that. And here is a tip, should you find something a little too big for your baggage to bring home, have it shipped with your trophies. A lot cheaper to do it that way.
I'm assuming you're flying into Joberg airport. Don't be surprised to find it to be a very nice airport inside a fairly modern city. But, lock the car doors! Don't talk with anyone other than your PH til you get to camp. You'll understand when you're driving out of Joberg. There's concertina wire on top of enclosed, brick-walled subdivisions. Crime is a big problem there. Now once you're outside of there things are much calmer.
Lastly, know the price sheet for different animals. You'll see other 'trophies' other than what's on your list. Their job is to get you to pull the trigger as often as you can. Stay within your budget. A guy in our camp went a little nuts taking 14 different species. That's an awful lot of space to take up on a wall(s). With that said, I wished I had taken more game...
Take lots of pictures. Pics of camp. Pics of sunrises/sunsets, game, your PH, tracker, maids, dinner, your room, the bathroom, everything. You never know when you will be back and the pics are really what you have to help remind you in your old age of what you did.
Have a great time!


Any advice on how to handle taxidermy?

[Chunky]

DO NOT have the taxidermy done in Africa.

Pick someone here that you trust. Get some tags from them to leave in Africa. It will take between a couple of months and a year to get your hides and horns shipped back.

I had a deal worked out with my taxidermist that I would have an animal done every couple of months, because I could not afford to pay for ten African mounts at once.

[TXwhtlHNTR]

:smile:

Congrats, you'll love it.

bluefin is right, take LOTS of pics. No matter how many you take, it won't be enough. The PH and helpers may (will) think you're crazy, but take pics of the little things you don't see at home. I took the time to get pics of weaver nests, the salting shed, hornbills, tree leaves, and cheetah tracks. I regret that I didn't take any of the termite mounds. Take at least two good cameras, and (assuming digital) extra cards.

If you shoot tight, the '06 should do with heavy constructed bullets. My eland took three shos to fall, but only because he didn't believe that being dead meant he had to drop. (Didn't even flinch at first shot through the heart.)

Get the sturdiest case you can find. Airlines have mandatory policies requiring the throwing of all firearm and bow cases into hard surfaces with sharp corners. My bow case (VERY HEAVY-DUTY) made it round trip with no damage to contents, but will never be the same. Most of the latches still work, and only a couple holes in the metal. :ohwell: (I wish I was joking.)

For taxi, look into Brush Country Studios. Not cheap, but great work, and when will you go again?

[bluefin]

DO NOT have the taxidermy done in Africa.

Pick someone here that you trust. Get some tags from them to leave in Africa. It will take between a couple of months and a year to get your hides and horns shipped back.

I had a deal worked out with my taxidermist that I would have an animal done every couple of months, because I could not afford to pay for ten African mounts at once.

Ditto what Chunky said. I've read too many reports on what hunter's have had to say about the quality of their mounts over there. And if you don't like their work - what are you going to do when it arrives at your doorstep?
Contact your own taxidermist. Or find one that specializes in African game (I'd suggest one that specializes in African game b/c they're so much different than the game here ie eyes to posture and if they have to patch a hole they'll have the right material). Make the selection before you go. What the taxidermist will do is send you a bunch of tags - one for each animal plus some extras. Then you give those tags to your PH in Africa who will handle the rest.
On the shipping, email your outfitter. Ask him who he uses and with your list what does he expect the cost to be. He won't be able to give you an exact breakdown as fuel prices have been all over the place. I shipped mine by sea (air was waaaay too expensive) and it was fine. Once the package arrives in the States, it'll have to go to customs (another charge). Make sure you use the port of Houston as your destination. If your outfitter uses New York you'll be charged a bunch of extra fees just to get it to TX.

[TXPalerider]

.......... Also arrow selection.....Its pretty much all plains game im going after:
Kudu,
Gemsbuck or Zebra,
Blesbuck,
Impala,
Warthog,
Black Wildebeest,
Blue Wildebeest,
Springbuck.

I was thinking of using axis arrows with grizz trick broadheads.

Also is 30-06 good caliber to bring?

Any other advice for the hunt?

What kind of apparel should I bring? Clothing and boots?
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/images/misc/progress.gif



Other than to say congrats, I can't give you a lot of African advice. The only thing I might suggest is to consider using the Std. Slick Trick Magnums or the Razortricks rather than the Grizztrick. I would be concerned about the Grizztrick's steep blade angle reducing penetration on some animals, especially the larger ones.

Oh and have fun!!!

[Spec-Rig.006]

Any advice on how to handle taxidermy?

We use DSV A/S formerly ABX Logistics to import the hides, the horns and any art work we pick up ... ask for Lenette Lilly ...

Get tags from your taxidermist here, you should have one for the skull and one for the hide ... your PH's skinners will attach the tags after fleshing and salting the hides. You will have to pay to have the hides "dipped and shipped" by a local taxidermist which will cost you about 120 bucks per hide, but other than that ... I'd get the work done here.

The Simpson's, both Garrett and Mike at Conroe Taxidermy can help you out with this, regardless of if you use them or not.

B&B Taxidermy in Cypress also does this and does great work as well.

I've used both for taxi and for help with improtation.

Knock 'em down man ... ! I'm headed to New Zealand in 10 weeks for a little of the same ... ! Good luck ...

Also ... do not forget to have a gin and tonic next to the fire under the Southern Cross ...