| By Jim Curcuruto, Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation
The Hunting Wire’s Voice of Leadership Panel (VOLP) started in 2021 and has provided dozens of terrific articles on hunting-related topics over the past four years. One topic that we have yet to cover is giving helpful tips that every hunter should know when preparing for their first African safari hunt.
We have not covered this topic because the VOLP facilitators, Jay Pinsky, Peter Churchbourne, and I, have limited experience. Of the three of us, only Jay and I have been on an African safari hunt. I traveled to South Africa last July and Jay in 2018.
Below is a brief list of my helpful tips, but we rely on you, our Hunting Wire readers, to send your tips on this topic. We want to hear what you wish you knew before heading off on your safari hunts and any helpful tips you’ve learned over the years that you would like to share with fellow hunters.
Please email your tips to Jay Pinsky, jay@theoutdoorwire.com, and myself, jimcurcuruto@yahoo.com. We will collate and print them in an upcoming edition of The Hunting Wire.
Here’s my list of helpful tips to get the ball rolling:
1. Make a Wish List of the Game You Would Like to Hunt. The outfitter you select will be able to provide you with a list of game animals that are available to hunt on the property. If they do not have a particular species you are interested in hunting, you can ask your outfitter if they can access other areas where that game is available. Also, please review the list with your Professional Hunter (PH) / guide and tell them which animals you are most interested in hunting.
2. Understand Costs Involved with the Trip. There are several obvious big-ticket items that you can track quite easily, such as airfare and the safari package you purchased. Other items to consider learning about before your trip are taxidermy costs and crating and shipping costs to get any taxidermy items back to the US. These expenses were thousands of dollars for me, even with just a few animals. Additionally, consider learning about gun and ammo rental fees and suggested tips for your trackers, guides, lodge chef, and service staff so you can prepare in advance.
3. Prepare for Long Travels. I often travel domestically and fly at least once a month to attend a conference or seminar. Still, even with a busy travel schedule, I was a bit overwhelmed by how long it took me to get to the outfitter’s lodge. I started in Connecticut and flew down to Atlanta, where I flew nonstop to Johannesburg, South Africa (SA). As the flight arrived around midnight SA time, and the lodge was a seven-hour drive from the airport, we spent the night just north of Johannesburg. The following morning, we drove the remaining six hours, and when all was said and done, including time zone changes, my trip took more than 24 hours.
4. Prepare for all different types of hunting. I was not sure what to expect on my first safari hunt. On the first day, we hunted in blinds near watering holes, but most of the other hunts involved much more tracking than I expected. Walking several miles each day carrying a heavy rifle in the dry heat was tiring, and I wish I had known better so I could have done more cardio work before my trip.
5. Take ‘Blue Sky’ Photos. Your camera will get a lot of use as there are so many different things to see that you’ll want photographs of to remember. When it comes to harvested game, take plenty of time to snap many quality photos to share with your friends and family. One trick my PH told me about was ‘blue sky’ photos. As you can see from the embedded photos, an average sized Warthog or Impala can look monstrous with the right angle and a blue sky behind the animal. An additional tip to remember is rubbing a handful of dirt on any blood on the animal will remove the blood and make for more appealing photographs.
6. Schedule a Meat Donation Trip. Hunters in America donate millions of meals worth of game meat each year and are primary contributors to solving the hunger crisis in America. I had always heard that no meat goes to waste from harvested animals during African safaris. My PH told me that, aside from feeding the hunters, the lodge staff, and their families, any extra harvest is donated to local schools, churches, or villagers. I was fortunate that my PH grew up as part of the Venda tribe, and upon my request, he scheduled a meat donation trip to a local Venda tribe village. It was an incredible experience witnessing first-hand how our extra harvest was so important to the village we visited. I suggest you schedule such an event. Here is a brief video from the donation event.
7. Duty-Free Deals. This final tip is for my fellow high-end whiskey drinkers. The duty-free shop in the Johannesburg airport has various quality whiskeys. The prices were a third of what they cost in the US so be sure to save some time at the airport to visit the shop. You can purchase two bottles, which will be waiting for you as you board your flight. In addition to alcohol, there are good deals on colognes/perfumes, food, and collectibles.
Again, we’d love to hear and share your tips, so please email them to Jay Pinsky, jay@theoutdoorwire.com, and myself, jimcurcuruto@yahoo.com. We will collate and print them in an upcoming edition of The Hunting Wire. Feel free to send along any suggested outfitters that you believe would also be excellent recommendations for first-time safari hunters.
2023-2024 Voice of Leadership Panelists
Jon Zinnel, Federal Ammunition
Dan Forster, Archery Trade Association
Brent Miller, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Rick Brazell, First Hunt Foundation
Mark Peterson, Worldwide Trophy Adventure
Michelle Scheuermann, Bullet Proof Communications
Facilitators
The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community. |
