OT: African Safari

Dawgbite

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Nov 1, 2011
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teddy roosevelt smile GIF


I have a 405 Winchester that I’ll sell you!
 

Ranchdawg

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Dec 13, 2012
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I went to Zimbabwe on a hunt in 2000. Awesome trip that will remain embedded in my memory forever. I have a beautiful .378 I can sell you for the trip. I bought it to go buffalo hunting but never made it back. It has never been fired. PM if interested. My wife shot guine fowl and we went tiger fishing as well. Got a zebra, impala, wildebeest and warthog. I hunted on foot and in open range. I wouldn't go in the penned areas or ride in among animals. The animal I shot were totally consumed by us and the local community. I was impressed when they took me to the processing center. They zig zag cut the hearts and hung them to dry to make jerky. They used even the bones to make art work to sell.
We rode horses around Victoria Falls and spent 4 days at Tiger Bay. They told us to stay in our huts at night because the hippos came through to graze. That happened every night. We also stayed in a condo near Victoria Falls with a nice restaurant on a ridge overlooking a water hole where the animals congregated. One night when we left the restaurant a proprietor caught us cand told us an elephant was eating from a tree near our condo. Boy, was that a sight to see. What magnificent creatures to see in their natural habitat.
We spent time in Harare, Joburg and Sun City. It remains one of the highlights of my life.
 

aTotal360

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Nov 12, 2009
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If it's a hunt...Don't tip the natives, only the PH. That will probably be the first thing they tell you. Also, don't tip with souvenirs like handmade knives, liquor, or jewelry. They want cash.
 

Car Ramrod.sixpack

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Sep 21, 2017
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The two recommendations I can give.

First get in contact with your regular doctor and let them know where you are going and ask for any vaccines you may need and request some general medications for your trip. When I travel to Belize my doctor will give me a prescription for a couple stomach bug medications and a general antibiotic. I had to use the stomach bug medication on my last trip to Belize and I was in rough shape even with the medication.

Second I would invest in a medical / emergency evacuation insurance policy. I use Global Rescue any time I travel out of the county (see link below). If you are injured or have a medical emergency they have resources around the globe to stabilize you in country and then get you back to the US for treatment. Also if there any type of governmental uprising or environmental disaster they will come and extract you. I personally know two people that have had to used the medical evacuation policy.

Global Rescue Link

I just saw that you are not hunting but a good piece of advice for those planing on taking firearms abroad. Research the gun laws in the countries you have layovers in especially overnight ones. You can even get in a bind flying domestically such as New York City (I cant remember which one is that is owned by NYC) and LAX that have very strict gun laws. I have heard multiple stories about hunting parties missing / delayed flights in those airports and have to spend the night. The difficulties are once you receive the firearm from the baggage office you are now in possession of a prohibited item and could delay your tip even further. I am getting ready for a hunting trip to France this December. After a lot of research and personal accounts of going to England and France to hunt we are shipping our shotguns to the estates where we are hunting and back home to mitigate the above mentioned issues and so we can hop around Europe without any issues.
 
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The Peeper

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Feb 26, 2008
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I am getting ready for a hunting trip to France this December. After a lot of research and personal accounts of going to England and France to hunt we are shipping our shotguns to the estates where we are hunting and back home to mitigate the above mentioned issues and so we can hop around Europe without any issues.
Don't worry about ammo for the France trip, just show those animals the gun and they will lay down and surrender in fear.......
 

jethreauxdawg

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Dec 20, 2010
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Shot a bear (tied up to a tree)
Wrong. His guide, Holt Collier, was pissed Teddy didn’t follow directions and missed his opportunity to harvest a bear. Holt reportedly gave him a good chewing for it in front of a group of people. Holt then found another bear, lassoed it, tied it to a tree, and told Teddy something to the affect of “hear you go, hope you can shoot this one”. Media members were present, Teddy then pardoned the bear because there was no sport in it.
 

DoggieDaddy13

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Dec 23, 2017
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Didn't quite get were you were going in Africa, but do your research and try to book all of your tours beforehand.
 

Bowdawg

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Jan 8, 2023
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Yep.

Ought to read some Peter Hathaway Capstick books on the way there. Extra motivation to make the shot.
100%. Those are some of my favorite books. I have most of them. They are all great But “Death in the Dark Continent” is my favorite. It’s about hunting the big 5 and all the crazy stories around numerous hunts.

My one tip would be make sure you know what you are getting in to before you go. By this I mean lodging and after hours relaxation. This is even more important if your wife is going. Some places put you up in one place but you hunt a long way away and it’s not on property. One of the biggest things for me is taxidermy. Make sure you understand the ins and outs 100% of this. Yes you can get them done cheaper there, but you better know what you are getting and sign a contract on all extra fees associated. They will nickle and dime you to death if you don’t and hold your trophies. I have friends that have never received their trophies after supposedly being mounted from 10 yrs ago. Plus understand who the taxidermist is and check references. There has been some questionable work come back from Africa. If you decide to ship your capes and horns back to the US make sure you speak with them about how these are prepared before crating and shipping. You need to know what and how you want it mounted so you can tell them how to cape the animals properly. Also make sure you have all your legal paperwork for the US lined up to receive them.
If you need a taxidermist recommendation in the US, I can supply mine. They go above and beyond when you decide to work with them. They send you the tags to take to the outfitter before you leave and handle all the legal paperwork and importation. They also do phenomenal work and will build any form for any animal along with natural structures you would like with it. They provide updates for every step from shipping to completion, along with pictures. Once they are done they will deliver to your house and hang them if you want. I will attach some mounts and rugs they have done for me from overseas.

Also if you need an outfitter recommendation, I can give that as well. Just let me know.

IMG_6843.jpegIMG_6840.jpegIMG_6839.jpeg
 
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DoggieDaddy13

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Dec 23, 2017
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Wrong. His guide, Holt Collier, was pissed Teddy didn’t follow directions and missed his opportunity to harvest a bear. Holt reportedly gave him a good chewing for it in front of a group of people. Holt then found another bear, lassoed it, tied it to a tree, and told Teddy something to the affect of “hear you go, hope you can shoot this one”. Media members were present, Teddy then pardoned the bear because there was no sport in it.
I think Holt suggested the Imperial President wasn't the hunter he advertised himself as and that he could go bump a stump.
 
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DesotoCountyDawg

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Nov 16, 2005
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100%. Those are some of my favorite books. I have most of them. They are all great But “Death in the Dark Continent” is my favorite. It’s about hunting the big 5 and all the crazy stories around numerous hunts.

I think it was in Death in the Long Grass he talks about that either he or someone with him shot a leopard but just wounded it. They started to track it and after hours of tracking they realized that the leopard had doubled back and was hunting them.
 

dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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100%. Those are some of my favorite books. I have most of them. They are all great But “Death in the Dark Continent” is my favorite. It’s about hunting the big 5 and all the crazy stories around numerous hunts.

My one tip would be make sure you know what you are getting in to before you go. By this I mean lodging and after hours relaxation. This is even more important if your wife is going. Some places put you up in one place but you hunt a long way away and it’s not on property. One of the biggest things for me is taxidermy. Make sure you understand the ins and outs 100% of this. Yes you can get them done cheaper there, but you better know what you are getting and sign a contract on all extra fees associated. They will nickle and dime you to death if you don’t and hold your trophies. I have friends that have never received their trophies after supposedly being mounted from 10 yrs ago. Plus understand who the taxidermist is and check references. There has been some questionable work come back from Africa. If you decide to ship your capes and horns back to the US make sure you speak with them about how these are prepared before crating and shipping. You need to know what and how you want it mounted so you can tell them how to cape the animals properly. Also make sure you have all your legal paperwork for the US lined up to receive them.
If you need a taxidermist recommendation in the US, I can supply mine. They go above and beyond when you decide to work with them. They send you the tags to take to the outfitter before you leave and handle all the legal paperwork and importation. They also do phenomenal work and will build any form for any animal along with natural structures you would like with it. They provide updates for every step from shipping to completion, along with pictures. Once they are done they will deliver to your house and hang them if you want. I will attach some mounts and rugs they have done for me from overseas.

Also if you need an outfitter recommendation, I can give that as well. Just let me know.

View attachment 614813View attachment 614816View attachment 614820
I hate to dis anybody's interests, but taxidermy has always been so deeply weird to me. Obviously lots of folks are into it, even including some non-hunters.
 

CochiseCowbell

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Oct 29, 2012
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Wrong. His guide, Holt Collier, was pissed Teddy didn’t follow directions and missed his opportunity to harvest a bear. Holt reportedly gave him a good chewing for it in front of a group of people. Holt then found another bear, lassoed it, tied it to a tree, and told Teddy something to the affect of “hear you go, hope you can shoot this one”. Media members were present, Teddy then pardoned the bear because there was no sport in it.

Correct.

This was a really interesting read.


1721834181286.png
 
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ckDOG

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Dec 11, 2007
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I hate to dis anybody's interests, but taxidermy has always been so deeply weird to me. Obviously lots of folks are into it, even including some non-hunters.
Hunting is fun hobby and skill. And tasty. Never really understood the trophy aspect of it though.
 
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jethreauxdawg

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Dec 20, 2010
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Hunting is fun hobby and skill. And tasty. Never really understood the trophy aspect of it though.
Trophy hunting is what saved wildlife populations in North America. You can thank Teddy Roosevelt for that. I don’t know tons about the guy, but saving wildlife and creating national parks puts him pretty high on my list of favorite presidents.
 
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ckDOG

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Dec 11, 2007
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Trophy hunting is what saved wildlife populations in North America. You can thank Teddy Roosevelt for that. I don’t know tons about the guy, but saving wildlife and creating national parks puts him pretty high on my list of favorite presidents.
Oh yes. Hunting is an essential aspect of wildlife management. Teddy was the man for several reasons. But I'll still never understand the appeal of the trophy part. Just never computed with me. To each their own though.
 
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Maroon Eagle

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May 24, 2006
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Oh yes. Hunting is an essential aspect of wildlife management. Teddy was the man for several reasons. But I'll still never understand the appeal of the trophy part. Just never computed with me. To each their own though.
Trophy hunting makes perfect sense.

A lot of folks have the urge to have a visual record and show what they’ve done.

For hunters, they want to display taxidermy.

For folks who love live music, it can be t-shirts or show posters.
 

aTotal360

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Oh yes. Hunting is an essential aspect of wildlife management. Teddy was the man for several reasons. But I'll still never understand the appeal of the trophy part. Just never computed with me. To each their own though.
I'm a huge hunter and I'm fine with trophy hunting. But certain things strike me as strange to "hunt". Giraffes being at the top of the list.

You also have to know that there are rogue animals in every flock so they essentially auction them off to the highest bidder. Either a rich attorney comes over and shoots it and they make a mint or they just put a bullet in it themselves and no one makes money. It's a necessary process.
 
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Ranchdawg

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Dec 13, 2012
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Trophy hunting is what saved wildlife populations in North America. You can thank Teddy Roosevelt for that. I don’t know tons about the guy, but saving wildlife and creating national parks puts him pretty high on my list of favorite presidents.
Africa too. Without hunting the animals have no value which means poachers have free reign. The economics are very important to the local towns.
 
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