Anybody that’s been ever had trouble in Africa?

[blackbantam]

We hunted I'm Limpopo South Africa awhile back. I don't think I'd want to drive around on my own, but the PH along with a driver picked us up and dropped us off at the airport and everything was fine. I didn't really understand what it was going to be like, and didn't really like the fences, but it was cool seeing such a variety of animals .

We ran into some local guys along the road and they asked for the stomach of a warthog we shot. They were carrying the tusks from a dead warthog they must have found and gave them to us when we offered to give them the whole pig. So no problems !

 

[Traveler]

I’ve been to Africa many times in different areas/situations, though not hunting. Common sense goes a long way, research and references go farther. Just curious for hunters in Africa what happens to meat, can it be shipped back or typically donated to local people/groups. No issue either way, just curious.

 

[Dust Rider]

We went to RSA in 2008 and it was a great trip. No problems or trouble except from the Vervet monkeys. We traveled in the day time in Cape Town, stayed in Kruger Park then hunted in Limpopo. All of our guides were packing pistols, and were older ex military Afrikan/ Boer.
We ate the prime cuts of meat from our kills for dinner, and the rest went to the farm hands, trackers, help and cleaners. IIRC it was around 2k for the dip and ship. If I make it back it will be to hunt Namibia.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

I went in 2019, not a single problem.

As others have stated, go with a outfitter with a great reputation.

The outfitter I went with had all the logistics planned out to the T. If he said it takes 2 hours to go somewhere, it would be 1 hour and 55 minutes. Everyone working directly for him or people he hired for things beat all my expectations.

It’s a large amount of money, even if your getting a deal for the trip. The initial cost of your “package” shouldn’t be the biggest factor in deciding who to book with. There are a lot of moving pieces to a trip like this. Befor e I went, I never would have guessed that the hunting is just one piece of the puzzle. Booking with a highly recommended outfitter would be #1 on my list.

 

[2531usmc]

I hunted plains game in the Eastern Cape/Orange River 10 years ago with a very reputable PH. Great hunt and took 9 animals. Beautiful scenery.

But sitting around the campfire drinking beer in the evening, the PHs constantly talked about how worried they were about violence from their own staff and were downright scared of the violence against other local farmers. I got the sense that living with the fear of violent chaos was the new normal

would not return….

 

[PNW bow hunter]

I hunted plains game in the Eastern Cape/Orange River 10 years ago with a very reputable PH. Great hunt and took 9 animals. Beautiful scenery.

But sitting around the campfire drinking beer in the evening, the PHs constantly talked about how worried they were about violence from their own staff and were downright scared of the violence against other local farmers. I got the sense that living with the fear of violent chaos was the new normal

would not return….

That’s crazy, the hunt I described above was with Ken Moody Safaris. He’s an American that has been conducting safaris in Africa for decades. His wife goes with him for the safari season, so I don’t think he feels his life is in jeopardy.

Around the campfire we all just talked about the days hunts, and hunting adventures from the past.

Lots of good times with really kind, great people.


I couldn’t imagine the outfitter on a trip telling clients his employees may kill everyone!

That would definitely put a negative cloud over the whole adventure.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Everything is always "fine",,,,,until it isnt.

 

[CoStick]

Are there any statistics that show how many American hunters are attacked each year?

 

[2531usmc]

That’s crazy, the hunt I described above was with Ken Moody Safaris. He’s an American that has been conducting safaris in Africa for decades. His wife goes with him for the safari season, so I don’t think he feels his life is in jeopardy.

Around the campfire we all just talked about the days hunts, and hunting adventures from the past.

Lots of good times with really kind, great people.


I couldn’t imagine the outfitter on a trip telling clients his employees may kill everyone!

That would definitely put a negative cloud over the whole adventure.

Maybe this guy was an outlier; could be…..

I’ve hunted and fished a fair bit across North America and, always, sitting around the campfire we talked big game hunting or fishing. But in SA, they talked about who might want to butcher you in you sleep.

it was very surreal to say the least and I was quite happy to leave.

For work, I’ve travelled across much the pacific rim, Asia, and Europe. Nowhere did I feel as unsafe as I did in SA.

 

[Nerhunter]

I started researching hunting in Africa in 2017, South Africa was already too dangerous for me to take my family there so I went to Namibia in 2018 and have been back twice. We know of landowners in SA who want to sell and leave but cannot As no one will pay them a dime for their land as they are worried it too would be confiscated, leaving them with nothing.

Namibia is much more rural and actually more affordable. Many lodges in SA have had to close and leave the country as the danger level and governments taking farms and ranches from established operators there is at an all-time high! The media does not cover/report any bad news in SA.

I recommend Toekoms Bowhunting in Namibia if you’re shopping around.

Home | Toekoms Bow Hunting Safaris Namibia

Toekoms Bow Hunting Namibia is family friendly and is for the beginner and experienced bow hunter.

www.toekomshunting.com

Ill be back next year for 2 weeks.

 

[jacknifejc]

I just returned two days ago from hunting in Africa. This was my fifth trip, and I have never had any complications.

 

[MightyWhitey]

The more I look in to this the more I’m leaning towards Namibia. Seems like most of RSA is high fence and that’s not what I’m looking to get in to.

 

[MattB]

That’s crazy, the hunt I described above was with Ken Moody Safaris. He’s an American that has been conducting safaris in Africa for decades. His wife goes with him for the safari season, so I don’t think he feels his life is in jeopardy.

Around the campfire we all just talked about the days hunts, and hunting adventures from the past.

Lots of good times with really kind, great people.


I couldn’t imagine the outfitter on a trip telling clients his employees may kill everyone!

That would definitely put a negative cloud over the whole adventure.

I know Ken (hunted with him quite a few times in TN) and would hunt with him in a moment if Africa was my focus. I'd reach out to him or an outfitter with a similar history and get their take, but of the guys I know who have hunted with him all have had fantastic times.

 

[scattergun]

Just wear a t-shirt with the American Flag on the front and a bullseye on the back everything should be fine.

Don’t forget a nice big “MightyWhitey” name tag.

 

[MightyWhitey]

Haha I knew that was coming at some point! Surprised it took this long.

 

[Sevens]

Book with someone reputable and go have a good time. If RSA is your destination, would not suggest spending time in town beyond the airport.

Africa, in general, is just a different place than the USA. It’s the same as going to any foreign country, it’s has its quirks, things to be aware of, and things you should be on guard for, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. Good example, you will get asked for “tips” at the airport (happened to me in Zimbabwe and Mozambique). It’s annoying, but sure wished I could have tipped TSA in Atlanta $2 to have them speed up the firearms clearing process.

 

[Mojave]

Spent 14 days in Namibia in 2005. Ended up getting married in 2010, and started having kids and have not been back since.

I have seen people murdered in broad daylight on the street in Djibouti (Horn of East Africa). The poverty in Dijbouti was at a level that I don't think has been really publicized in 30 years (Sally Strothers?). Coming back on a Recce patrol and we had to drive near a village out in the desert. These people had nothing, they were all sticks and they wanted our trash and we gave them a case of water. You have never seen the level of poverty anywhere in the Western World. I never saw anything like that (murder or poverty) in South Africa or Namibia.

Are you safe? Probably, but I have several African friends that have been murdered lately. A few on their farms.

Botswana and Namibia are safer and with smaller populations, they have crime it just doesn't seem to be as much of it as South Africa. They are also more expensive, but not massively so.

 

[flyfishaz]

Spent 12 days hunting Kikuyu Lodge in South Africa in 2016. Never saw or heard of a crime while I was there.

 

[Mosby]

I used to deer hunt with a guy in Canada who went on a hunt in Africa and got bit by a small speckled cobra on his foot. Snake was under his cot and when he stood up in the morning, it bit him on the top of his foot. Lost the skin from his ankles to his toes from it and he had to stop hunting in Canada because of it. They did a large skin graft, but there wasn't enough circulation in his foot to be able to deal with cold weather. Another guy I knew lost his first wife on Safari. She shot a lion while standing on a vehicle. The recoil from her 300 Weatherby knocked her off balance and she fell backwards and landed on her neck. Died a couple days later. There are many different types of risks that go along with hunting and traveling. Personally, I would never dream of going to Africa to hunt. A level of poverty and risk both human and animal, that I simply don't want to deal with but I understand why others go.

 

[Mojave]

Snake bites can happen everywhere.

A friend and was hunting in Australia and he had a dry bite from a king brown snake. Told me he walked back to the boat expecting to die on the way back, then started back to the car, and loaded the boat on the trailer, and then started to the hospital fully expecting to die along the way. She snake gave him a dry bite.

You can die anywhere.

The guy I shared a camp with in 2005, died in a hotel after he left our camp on his way to another camp in South Africa. Was in his 70's over weight and had health problems.