Some good friends returned recently from a very successful hunt in Africa, and they told me that because of the virus, Africa has never been more affordable. If an African hunt is a personal consideration, plan to attend the Dallas Safari Club Expo January 6-9, 2022. Dallas is a very makeable one day drive. There are also direct flights to Dallas out of Sioux Falls.

Outfitters from around the world will be there. You will be able to personally meet your outfitter and plan a hunt within your budget. Other than Africa, all of Europe, Australia, South America including Argentina, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, and all of the USA will be in attendance. The taxidermy displays will be beyond your wildest imagination. All major firearms manufacturers will be there as well as optics companies, RV representatives, ammo, furniture, publications, jewelry, clothing reps, and travel agents. Hunt or no hunt, this is a “must see” show.

Safety wise, I see South Africa and Namibia as being the most stable politically. Botswana and Zimbabwe follow. I would advise staying with your outfitter at all times. He will escort you from the time you leave the airplane. On our first trip to Africa, we walked to the downtown area of Cape Town from our B&B. Merchants later escorted us back to our rooms for safety’s sake. Following our hunt, we rented a vehicle and traversed the Cape without incident. Perhaps that wouldn’t be a good idea today.

What can you expect of an African hunt? Unless you plan to walk down elephants or cape buffalo, the hunt will not be physically demanding. Much of it will involve spotting game from a Toyota Land Cruiser, and then shooting from the road or making a short stalk. It is a comfortable hunt for senior citizens. Typically, your professional hunter or PH drives trails until the trackers riding on the rear bumper pound on the vehicle’s roof. At this, the vehicle stops and a conversion in Afrikans takes place. The PH then decides whether or not to pursue what was spotted. Plan to go during their winter (our summer) for mild temperatures. If snakes are a concern, they will be in hibernation.

The Safari Club International (SCI) trophy measurement book will be your guide. Your PH will not have you take an animal that doesn’t make the SCI record book. On our home front, a deer, pronghorn antelope, or elk that makes the liberal SCI book is a good trophy, but nowhere near Boone & Crockett Record Book standards.

African hunt veterans will readily admit that it is easy to spend as much on taxidermy and shipping as the hunt itself. Though not as costly as full shoulder mounts, my African game skull collection has run into money over the years. If I had it to do over, I’d go with photographs.

Most hunters of Africa make “plains game” their first hunt. These can include kudu, impala, zebra, springbok, red hartebeest, black and blue wildebeest, warthog, and gemsbok. This very economical hunt is then often followed by a dangerous game hunt that might include cape buffalo and perhaps elephant, lion, leopard, and crocs. I have never gone the dangerous game route as I would only jeopardize my life and the life of my PH because of my tremor. Dangerous game is also beyond my budget.

An African plains game hunt is the greatest hunt bargain in the world. Unlike hunts in the USA and Canada, one doesn’t first buy a license that may or may not be filled. A good guided elk or mule deer hunt in our West runs $6000-$10,000. An African plains game hunt that includes 5-6 animals can be had for $5000 or maybe less with this pandemic thing. The biggest expense is travel.

I’d personally recommend Namibia for that first plains game hunt. Namibia’s variety, including dangerous game, is awesome. Unlike South Africa, all Namibian game is unfenced and free-ranging. Much of Namibia is desert-like. I’ve also hunted South Africa’s Eastern Cape out of Port Elizabeth. This country is beautiful. For friends and me, taking our wives along was an additional plus as they enjoyed the country. Typical lodge-ranches compare to American three-star accommodations, and the food is superb. A new strain of the covid virus, Omicron, has developed in Africa. This might change travel/hunt plans. Give me a call if you have hunt questions.

If you enjoy my writing, my books include A Dakota Rod & Nimrod and The Dakota Nimrod Grows Older. Order these stocking stuffers from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You still have time.

See you next week.