Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: robtattoo on June 10, 2008, 01:30:00 PM
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Anyone who's hunted Namibia/South Africa before, what should I be taking with me?
So far my list reads like this (for a 7-day hunt);
Bows - 2
Arrows - 12
Camo Pants - 2pr (ASAT & US Desert)
Camo shirt - 2 (ASAT & Realtree)
Undershirt - 2
Hat
Wool Jacket (nights & mornings)
Flashlight - 2, hand held & headlamp
Sharpening kit
GPS
First aid kit
Knife - LOTS! :D
Shooting glove + spare
Armguard
Shorts - 2pr*
Flat soled, lightweight boots
Sneakers*
Casual shirts/T-Shirts*
Water bottle - 2, 1pt bottles
Fanny pack
Underwear/socks
Books (for the hide)
Camera + video camera (spare batteries)
Game/shot ID books
Optics
Insulating/electrical tape
* indicates stuff to wear/use around camp
Can you see anything that I'm obviously missing?
How much water would I expect to get through in a day?
Can you recomend anything I haven't mentioned? (Headnet, camo face cream etc...)
Thanks in advance forany help/advice. This will be a true Hunt of a Lifetime for me. Once I get relocated to the US, I doubt I'll ever be able to afford to do this again (certainly not for a long, long time ayway!) & I'd hate to miss something silly.
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You kit list looks pretty good there, mate! ;)
There are a couple of things I'd recommend you add:
Insulation/Electrical tape (very useful for a "quick fix" etc.)
Dark gloves (that are cool enough for you to wear in reletively hot weather) and face paint/veil - Your hands and face are the FIRST thing that an animal will see, both in the hide and walk and stalk, so I'd recommend that you where face paint/veil and gloves. You probably won't need the face paint or veil in the hide, but you will need the gloves in the hide (especially on your bow hand), and you will most probably need both when walking and stalking!
I'd also recommend you take a pair of binoculars.
When I'm hunting in South Africa, I probably drink , on average, about 3 litres of water a day.
Hope that has helped in some way! If I think of anything else, I will chime in! :D Good luck with the hunt man! :thumbsup: I wish I was joining you guys! ;)
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Thanks Nige. Would camo cream or burnt cork do the job? I struggle to shoot well wearing a glove on my bow hand.
I normally keep a burnt cork in my pack anyway.
Insulting tape is a great idea too :D
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Yeah Rob, camo cream or a burnt cork would do the job well. I've also rubbed ash from a fire on my face before.
Anything that will take away the shiny glare we have on our skin will work. So burnt cork would work well! I would rub a bit of camo cream or burnt cork on the back of your bow hand as well, because this part of you body is VERY visible to the animal. ;)
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Sunscreen , first aid kit and items for tips for skinners and trackers and camp staff. Rob, small items mean alot to the trackers,skinners and camp staff. Items such as ball hats, work gloves cheap digital watches all work good for gifts to give these folks. I also like to visit a local grocery store at some point and buy them some items that they like for snacks/treats and soap/lotion/shampoo etc for any female staff. Again small items but stuff they do not have extra money for and will really appreaciate. Some camps also have a group/staff tip pool that hunters pay into and it gets divided up. However, it is nice to give each one of your team something as well. You'll probably have a spare knife for the PH. Last but not least don't forget, pet mongoose to keep mamba's out of your blind! :biglaugh:
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Rob,
take at least one spare string for your bows and have them settled in to correct brace height with nocking point adjusted.
* 5min. Epoxy for emergency repairs of sorts
* same with Superglue
* this modern types of harness for your binos are great
* bow quiver
I worked into light camo gloves for both hands as I found the camo paint wearing of rather quick - and to replace it every time is somewhat inconvenient. I cut of the fingers on that for my shooting hand half way, so I could pull it over the shooting glove. Later shot even bare fingers ... as it was necessary to untie from thorns almost everywhere in the bush and the gloves like to hang on on them.
Good luck and enjoy :thumbsup:
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iv got 3 gloves and 3 stings all shot in that i take ... :bigsmyl: :goldtooth:
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A multi tool for field repairs.
Superglue, as mentioned, is a life saver.
Otherwise your list a whole lot like my own.
Good luck,
J
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If hunting is on foot , take the camo. If it is from a blind then forget it and take dark or black upper clothing and whatever is quiet and comfortable for the bottom. Remember that in cool "winter weather" it canbe quite chilly out of the sun. Comfort, entertainment, and don't bothr to take extra "stuff" because it is on someones ranch, and you really are NOT in the wild where you need to be able to get anything at any time. If you shoot trad equipment just make sure that you have you basic stuff and then relax.
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extra batteries for the headlamp and flashlight. tweezers for thorns and splinters, first aid stuff if the PH does not have. Have you practiced shooting as if you were in a blind?
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I know some may frown on this but they love Marlboros. If not your guide there's plenty of smokers. I don't, but I know from being in the Army in Germany, they are a global exchange. They are $20.00 a carton duty free and they trade at four-five or more times the exchange for goods in the markets. I came back with a boat load of African stuff plus one of the PH's loved them. Nambias a funny country they don't import anything, it's all local, so boros are a treat. Plus drug store meds of any kind stomach, head, cold, all that stuff it's very hard for them to get. Our PH's mom had stomach problems for years, I gave her Nexium, gone. You'll have a great time Namibias a awesome time. Good Luck Bring plenty of arrows and broadheads. African game is tuff and they seem to snap every arrow you stick them with.
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I really would take more arrows and a couple of Judo points
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I will second the cigarettes to use as trade or token of appreciation. Also I found when I was there that the best thing to where in the blind was black instead of cammo. Joseph
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When are you going? Remember it can be cold in the mornings. I have had below zero several times in July - add the wind chill and it is bitterly cold. Depends on where and when, but be prepared.
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Rob, I read your posts from the Namibia trip. Sounded absolutely fantactic. I'll be hunting with Piet in August next year, and your posts have answered a lot of questions about what to expect.
Now that you've got the experience behind you, I'd be interested in what you would change if (when?)you go back again. What would you change from your original gear list? What items you brought were unnecessary? What did you wish you'd brought with? Were 12 arrows enough or did you wish you'd had 36? Were the clothing choices you made a good match for the weather you experienced?
Any help or observations you can offer would be much appreciated. Regards,
Dan'l
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Hay Dan'l
I was with Rob on this trip to Namibia, and one thing i remmber about the week that we spent on that ranch was that the huts you sleep in are far from warm, and at night it was really cold.
And at night it was like sleeping in a freezer, first night i maned it up and slef by my self, the next night, Andy(tradtusker) and u got about 10 blankets and 15 pillows and a few skins threw it all on to the big bed and climed in. It was pritty cozy then, with nothing more then your face sticking out of the covers.
So if your not takeing a woman with you to keep warm would probly recommend a sleeping bag to have under the 15 dovets,
Ow and have a quick breez throuhg the bed stuff be for climing in, i found a few cockroches that needed flicking out.
Thus warm cloths in the monring, eg hats and gloves are a MUST, i dident really beleve it but is dose get REALLY cold, saying that of all the places we went in Namibia and SA this summer that ranch was by far the coldest.
Have fun on your trip, Whats on your hit list???, there are lots of piggys on the farm, There expencive and not that big, but lots of them so if you have the cash may was well blow a few holes in them.
James
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Hi Dan, First thing I'd do is cut down on the amount of clothing I took! Piet has a laundry service (apparently this is common in Africa, but I didn't know 'til I'd lugged a wardrobe full of spare drawers & socks halfway round the globe :rolleyes: ) which will keep you in clean clothes all week. 2 pairs of everything is ample!
I'd recomend taking either a back, side or tube quiver too. Even if you use a bow-quiver take the additional. You'll want it STUFFED with guinnea-fowling arrows (100 shots in 8 hours would be easily feasible, if you wanted. It does make for a nice break from big-game hunting to just spend 1 day on the birds alone!) A dozen arrows will do fine if you're not bothered about the birds, but them there fowls is tough on an arrer!
Despite the daytime heat, at 4:00 AM it's bloody FREEZING! Expect to be in a blind by 5:00 Take a good, warm jacket & a thin but warm sweater. You WILL need them ;) A Wooly hat & gloves are fairly essential too (ask me how I know :rolleyes: !) Temperatures can drop well below freezing in the darkness hours.
Don't forget the notebook & pencil, get hold of a good Bird book for Soutern Africa & if you've only got cheap optics, I really, really recommend investing in something better. You can spend hours each day just spotting & the difference is staggering! (That's my only regret. I was using some cheap 8x25 optics & missed so much that I could've seen. I've since upgraded to some mid-range Bushnell 10x40s ;) )
The only thing I would definately do different is go later in the year. We arrived right at the beginning of the season, but the rains had only just finished & the land was lush with vegetation, meaning that the game didn't need to come in to water. I would leave it until mid/late September. The game will be a little more twitchy, but you'll see a LOT more of it.
Don't be scared to let the guides know what it is you want to do either. If you have a specific list of game you'd like, let them know & they will do their utmost to get you on it. If you're not happy with any of the guides also, don't be afraid to switch off to another. You're paying, it's your hunt so make sure you get out of it what you want. I know that one of our party didn't particularly get on with one of the PHs & it caused a bit of an atmosphere until he switched off to a different PH.
Oh, pack your sense of humour. You'll need it! You will get fun made of you/your bow/arrow/broadhead/clothing/optics choices. Give as good as you get! It's all part of the experience, Africans have a very different sense of humour so be prepared ;) :D
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Oooh. Just a thought;
Buy yourself a book on shot placement for African Game & study the heck out of it. Shoot further forward & higher than you'd expect (you can't really be too far forward. Straight up the front leg-line & mipoint of the body should do you for most game)
Oh yes, boots. Don't take heavy, cleated sole boots. Moccasins or very lightweight, flat soles are perfect for stalking. Converse Hi-Tops are perfect! Take a full headnet if you fancy a stalk too. Burnt cork is OK, but a face-veil or headnet are better.
Most of all, just enjoy the experience. Don't go with a set-in-stone goal of 'X' amount of animals, it's best to just wait & see what turns up (but make sure you can afford the shot ;) If you hit it, you pay for it! I'm still looking for my Gemsbok, just in case :D )
Trust your guide's judgement on size too. Everything is far, far bigger than you'd expect! A good Gemsbok is the size of a racehorse! :eek:
Everyone told me the same thing before I went, but you really can't believe it til you see it at 40 feet! Honestly,you'll be sat there looking at an Eland, thinking 'Jeez, it's HUGE!!!' and then it's Mom'll show up ;)
Have a great time out there & don't forget to take many, many pictures!
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some great advise from both above :thumbsup:
like Rob mentioned latter in the season would be better we where too early and hit a cold spell too much green around.
also Peit and Lucus where good and they had a guy from zimbabwe that was Top notch called Joram i would recommend asking Peit to have him there, there was another PH that was there to.. being polite id say he was an idiot ( know it all big ego typical big five PH talking about clients in africaans behind there backs i was very unhappy with and should have asked him to leave but didnt want to spoil our time there, id make sure he was not there.
if you want any more info on the area etc just drop me a PM
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James,
Thanks for the advice. Let me say the trek you and Tradtusker went on after the time at Piet's looked idyllic, and the photography was really top-notch. Looks like you two had an experience in Africa you'll never forget.
I will have a woman with me, but a sleeping bag is still not a bad idea. Of course, if she reads the bit about the roaches in the covers, she may elect to stay home: another good reason to take a sleeping bag.
I've got Namibia on my mind almost all the time. Probably be back with more questions before August rolls around. Thanks again. Regards,
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Rob & Tradtusker,
Again, thanks. Appreciate the time spent answering basic questions.
The tip on shot placement guide is a good one, and a bird book too would be a good idea. I've pruchased several guides already; soon I'll need a book bag along with a back quiver.
I've got some image stabilizing binoculars I plan to take (plus batteries).
Regarding a notebook, I'd pretty much decided not to bring a laptop, but I don't think I've actually written a page by hand in 10 years. Guess that's a decision I'll make later.
Wish I'd heard your advice on booking earlier, but we're locked in for August at this point. As for the cold nights and mornings, I'll be prepared for cold weather. Guy going with me said it snowed one day last time he hunted Namibia. How were daytime temps? In the comfortable range (70-80F/21-27C)?
Good advice on footwear. I'd planned to bring hunting boots, but something considerably lighter makes more sense, especially if most of th time is spent in blinds.
About blinds: Several folks advised you to wear black, especially black or dark glove on your bow hand. Did you follow that advice? I'll remember your tip about a facemask.
As a trad archer (and not a great one), I'm concerned about longer shots. Your recounting suggests most shots are 20 yards or under. True?
Again, thanks for the advice. Later on, I may ask about the decisions you guys made on care of trophies and taxidermy, and if you'd change some of those decisons if you could; but you've given me enough to think about for now. Regards,
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Dan, the notebook need only be a pocket size thing. I spent all week just jotting down lists of sightings & memorable happenings. It's quite staggering how much you'll forget! :D
At the beginning of July, the temperatures mid-day were hovering around the low 80's, but it will have warmed up a little by August (The Wife just got home from South Africa & the temps during September were in 3 figures!)
Clothing inside the blind is up to you. Dark colours would be a preference (I spent the week in ASAT or old Mossy Oak though & I did OK!) A dark glove for your bowhand is important though.
All the blinds (If my memory serves...) are set within 20yds of the water & your shot distance could be a LOT less (I had a Springbok at a mineral lick, 5 FEET from my blind!)
Practice shootin through a small window, if possible. Even though the blinds have good ports, there's netting pulled over them, narrowing your window right down. If you can get a piece of plywood or similar, cut a 12" wide by 18" high hole, with the top edge at around 5' high & practice shooting through this (Stand with your bow about 18-24" from the window) It really messes with your judgement & takes a little adjusting to. Unless, of course, you're used to blind hunting! :D
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Oh, and take a few good books with you (I recommend anything by Peter Hathaway Capstick to get you in the mood!) it can get really, reeaally boring after 8 or 10 hours in a blind!
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Take a small tin of Zambuk ointment - it's cheap and has a thousand uses and lip balm.
Watch out for ticks - you DO NOT want to get tickbite fever. The bites from pepper ticks itch like h*ll at the best of times. I don't like repellents because of the smell, so have a shower with puppy shampoo when back in camp. Seemed to have worked the last time in the bush.
If you suffer from hayfever take meds. Sneezing and hunting don't go well together.
Always shake out your shoes/ boots to make sure that they are empty before putting them on.
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Hay Daniel, I bet you got Africa on the Mind, i do, and im not even going any time soon :)
I think i will put some of my pics and words together over the xmas hols and post it up here, so you can get a bit of an idea where your going and what is was like for me,ect,
And a bit closer to the time im sure we can give you a bit more info on the place, whats hides were sucessfull ect, but im sure animals move ect it wont be the same for you, but its allways nice to now some thing for befor you get there, to get you all excited,
I dont now about the other guys but im still waiting for the taxedermy work, so im sure we can give you ower thoughts on that later in the year.
So tell us a bit about your trip, how manny days, what bow are you taking , what arrows and BH,s , how manny people are going ect,
If you dont mind me asking, how much are you aiming to have for tropys,
James
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ya its about time James put together his hunt the guy cleaned up over there with his trusty silvertip his success rate for tacking game with the trad bow is impressive
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HaHa, Thanks bud,, but we all now it was beginers luck, you now as well as i do that i cant hit anything.
But im not joking, things got out of contorl this trip, those animals jumped in to my arrows. The only thing that was jumping out of the way were the Gunny fowl. :) :) :)