Wives in Africa

[John Sturtevant]

Anyone every taken their wives to Vissers....and if so how did they fare?

We’ll be there that last 2 weeks of July, in the Matablas camp.   Going in a few days early to bum around a sightsee…and give bags a chance to catch up if need be.

She’s the one that talked me into this...
Not a hunter but will be in the blind from time to time.   Want her to enjoy herself enough that she makes me go back.  

[BUFF]

My wife enjoyed it, she sat in the blind with me a couple of afternoons. Tell her to take a book there was no TV

Talk to your PH. My wife is a total non-hunter and my PH has a whole itenerary of things for her to do while I am hunting. I bought my package at an auction and when i told her she was going with me she said "you are going on a hunting trip, what am I going to do?". She now has shopping trips, trip to a museum, trip to a spa, and other things to do all set up for the days I will be hunting.

Bisch

[John Sturtevant]

Thanks...she's pretty good at keeping herself amused.  

I found a picture of an electrical wall outlet in SA on the 'net one day to see what adapters I would need.

Called to my wife to "come and look...I found a picture of a wall outlet in Africa".

She hurried over and looked over my shoulder, looked at me....and asked "what the heck is that?!"...

I said " a wall outlet....you know....to plug stuff into"..

She gave me "the look", and said "I thought you said it was a picture of a MALL OUTLET"...

[thinpointron]

Most women love Africa. My (ex-) wife went twice with me. On her first trip she shot 14 arrows and brought home 14 trophies! For trip two it was 10 arrows and 8 archery trophies, along with a very nice Cape Buffalo taken with an open-sighted .375 Winchester Safari Grade.

By all means make Africa a family experience, if at all possible.

[Brent Hill]

If you can, try to schedule in some side trips for her.  Between the  Matlabas Game Hunters (near the Visser camp) and Pilanesburg / sun city, there is an open air market that we stopped at on our way to Sun City.  Now the Sun City casino was not my cup of tea but my wife (and maybe yours) likes to shop.  So I gave in quickly in hopes of convincing her to return.    The market was a  neat experience and my wife broke the spirit of many peddlers with her brilliant negotiations.  Great place to pike up trinkets for nothing.   We also did two days at pilanesburg ? sun city casino and she got to hold numerous lion cubs at the lion park nearby.  She loved it.   Next year, we are going to stop at kruger national park.  Last thing, in july, it will be very cold in the mornings.  My wife did complain a bit so take precautions or atleat more winter clothes for your wife.  Hope that helps.   Bhill

[Jeff Sample]

Although we had planned for my (non-hunting) wife to go with me, because of the unexpected arrival of our son a year after I booked, she had to stay behind when I hunted Melorani last year. My hunting partner's wife made the trip, and I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it. Make sure there are other things to do for a non-hunting spouse while you are hunting, e.g., day trips, photography, etc. At the PBS gathering in Pittsburg my wife spoke to a number of non-hunting wives who have accompanied their husbands, and the majority opinion was that reading and/or sitting in a blind with hubby gets very old! Seeinf some sites before or after your hunt helps too.

[John Sturtevant]

Thanks for the advice guys....
Don't know if this is a once in a lifetime thing or a first of many trips.  78 days to go....if I was counting days.  

[Biggie Hoffman]

My wife LOVED it. We stayed with Vissers for a 10 day hunt and had Dreis' daughter Natalya guide us for 10 days seeing the culture, Kruger, a Tea Plantation etc.
The girls sat with us a few times but mostly enjoyed camp and did some day trips as well.

[Bow n' errors]

Good thread.  My wife and I are planning a Plains Game safari, probably with DV in 2012, after she returns from deployment to the desert this year.  It's our (her) reward for making it through what we expect to be a challenging year.
She's looking forward to the safari, but not hunting, so other activities for her will be necessary. Has no interest in sitting in a blind with me (I don't think, maybe she would after hearing of the game sighting opportunities).
If anybody's wife has made the DV trip and would not mind sharing specifics with my wife (so we can make informed plans with DV), please invite her to send an email to my better half at:
[email protected]
Her name is Laura (and she's a cool gal - airborne, high speed Army Officer and helicopter instructor pilot for the CA National Guard).  No hurry, but looking for things she might look forward to while she's ducking bullets in the desert.
Thanks very much for any sharing.

[calgarychef]

I don't know where you're going but take a look at the "midlands meander" you can google it and find out more.

[jonsimoneau]

My wife and I did our honeymoon at Vissers, and she Loved it! She does not hunt, and was given many options of things to do, but she enjoyed sitting in the blind with me most of the time.  Have Vissers set up a couple of champaign brunches for you in the mornings.  She really enjoyed that.  We also spent a couple of days just relaxing by the pool.

[John Sturtevant]

Wife had a great time.   Really helped to go over early and bum around a few days without hunting.   Fortunately she’s good at keeping herself amused….although other ladies in camp would be helpful.  Next time....  

[hunt it]

Ask your outfitter to have another gal in camp such as one of PH's wives or daughters etc. Then have them plan day trips for gals. Many outfits don't really want PH's wives/girlfriends around camp but if you request it they will. It will be much more enjoyable for your wife to have another gal around. On one safari, the PH's wife and my wife got along so good we took them to Vic Falls for 3 nights on us at end of trip. We all had a fantastic time and it was a nice treat for the PH and his wife as well.

[CB]

I definately thought having wives around camp would be good.  I didnt do it because of the cost, but wish I would have.  The accomodations were nice and they could bounce around from sitting in a blind to doing the day trips to other activities.

[Dan'l]

A friend and I took our wives on a plains game hunt in Namibia last year.  His wife is a hunter who didn't hunt on the trip, but spent everyday in the blind with him.  My wife is a non-hunter who couldn't understand how I could sit in a treestand all day.  Both had a terrific time.  My friend's wife took fantastic photos and videos of his hunt.  Mine made great friends with the couple who ran the camp for the outfitter and has stayed in touch via email since.  She went to Etosha park, shopping in town, and spent a relaxing time with good company in a lovely setting.  And best of all, she sat in the blind with me a few times.  Afterwards, she said, "now I understand how you can sit there in a blind or treestand all day."  She's still not a hunter, but finally she "got it!"  We're going back next year, and she's looking forward to it as much as I am.

[Spinealigner]

I took my wife and two kids with me to Namibia.  Everyone had a great time.