Leaving for Africa 7/29

[xxlx7]

First out of country experience, we are hunting with Numzaan safari's out of South Africa. doing a 7 day hunting trip, blue wildebeest, impala and blesbuck plus hopefully either baboon or warthog, haven't decided which yet. This is going to be awesome! Hoping for suggestions on what to bring from people that have been, or any advise!! Also for taxidermy, do most everyone bring their trophies back to get done in the states or have them done in Africa then ship them back?

Kyle

[Ridgerunner]

dream trip there, I've heard Africa is addicting, consider yourself warned......

[Duckslayer89]

How do you ship all the meat home? Gotta be $$$!

[BNAElkhntr]

You'll Have a Blast!   Its a Hunter's Disneyland

[hunterofelk]

Your hides, skulls, and horns will need to be "dipped" or sterilized for transport to US.  The outfit your hunting with should have someone they recommend.  After learning my mistakes, I would have a taxidermist in US mount the trophies.  My animals got mixed and lost at South African taxidermist. Cost more in US, but much better. My springbok was gold medal, but the one I got in the crate was average.  Kudu wasn't mine neither was gemsbok.  There was little I could do. Live and learn.

[Muleyslyr]

How do you ship all the meat home? Gotta be $$$!

Illegal to bring the meat back. Usually goes to the trackers and there families or donated. Gemsbok is by far best meat I've ever tasted! Shame I couldn't bring some home.

As far as the mounts, I'm with hunterofelk...have it done here! The Kudu I shot is also not the one I got back. All nine of my animals are average at best and between taxidermy and shipping cost me about 9k! One full body mount on my Steenbok ($1300) and shoulder mounts on the rest.

[Rob]

I'm doing my 3rd trip in July, I'll be landing back in the states the day you leave.  Zim for me (I don't learn lessons well), and I am looking for hippo and croc.

I chronicled my 2012 trip here:
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64016.0.html

May be some tidbits there that help.


Also, TONS of info here:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com


For taxidermy, that is a personal choice.  African taxidermists are cheaper, but shipping is more.  They tend to be a bit faster, but the quality can be all over the board...  I have Jerry Huffaker do my mounts.  He is in Texas.  http://www.huffakertaxidermy.com/ 

Make sure whoever you go to has experience doing African mounts.  They are not the same as North American mounts.

Buzzy in North Bend does good African work. not sure who else here in Washington does.  Get that decided on BEFORE you leave.  If you have it done here, you will want your taxidermist to send you with laminated tags to be attached to your mounts to ensure they get shipped back.  Expect to wait 12 to 24 months for your finished work to be on the wall.

Reach out with any questions you have.  Happy to steer you wrong.

My biggest advice is, learn to "roll with it".  You can't control Africa.  It does what it does and you need to adapt.  Things take longer, plans will likely change. If you get stressed by it, it will detract from the experience.

[bugs n bones]

I'm doing my 3rd trip in July, I'll be landing back in the states the day you leave.  Zim for me (I don't learn lessons well), and I am looking for hippo and croc.

I chronicled my 2012 trip here:
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64016.0.html

May be some tidbits there that help.


Also, TONS of info here:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com


For taxidermy, that is a personal choice.  African taxidermists are cheaper, but shipping is more.  They tend to be a bit faster, but the quality can be all over the board...  I have Jerry Huffaker do my mounts.  He is in Texas.  http://www.huffakertaxidermy.com/ 

Make sure whoever you go to has experience doing African mounts.  They are not the same as North American mounts.

Buzzy in North Bend does good African work. not sure who else here in Washington does.  Get that decided on BEFORE you leave.  If you have it done here, you will want your taxidermist to send you with laminated tags to be attached to your mounts to ensure they get shipped back.  Expect to wait 12 to 24 months for your finished work to be on the wall.

Reach out with any questions you have.  Happy to steer you wrong.

My biggest advice is, learn to "roll with it".  You can't control Africa.  It does what it does and you need to adapt.  Things take longer, plans will likely change. If you get stressed by it, it will detract from the experience.

Rick at cedar river taxidermy would be my first choice for African . Always go look at the quality of the work before making a decision. Compare prices too

[Fish4Fun]

You might want to look at Peter's Taxidermy in Grahm too, I know and his wife hunt over there and have some pretty nice looking mounts in the shop.

[xxlx7]

Thanks guys! We are pretty excited, checking on lots of good information that you guys provided.

Kyle

[xxlx7]

Well like everybody that has gone to Africa has said, it is awesome. We had a blast, even our wives went hunting with us everyday. We had great success with the animals we wanted to hunt, we chose to NOT shoot a lot of animals we had planned on shooting, I guess sometimes the picture taker comes out instead of the trigger puller in me. I have tons of pictures, but I'm on a work trip so the few on my camera are what I can post.

If you want to do Africa, do it, you won't regret it at all. Well, maybe, because once you get back home you start saving to go back. Honestly, I could be a reverse snowbird and go there every summer for their winter.

Kyle

[Rob]

Well done!  Amazing place huh?

post some more photos of the animals you passed on!