Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 I took my 300wby and my 30 06 and had an absolutely fantastic time! Here are some picture links. Springbok https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/10295075_10204084135170594_4635747582401722310_o.jpg Blesbok https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t31.0-8/10255914_10204084123250296_6523303235301763227_o.jpg Black Wildebeast https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t31.0-8/10355519_10204084140690732_8737191073397402406_o.jpg Blue Wildebeast https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t31.0-8/10379931_10204084081449251_3543041010785641134_o.jpg It took three years to plan and save for this trip. I am not disappointed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Looks like some real nice animals Leo. Congratulations. And you don't get to bring back any of the meat? I'd hate to see your taxidermy bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Looks like some real nice animals Leo. Congratulations. And you don't get to bring back any of the meat? I'd hate to see your taxidermy bill. FDA won't allow you to bring any meat back. I ate some for every meal while I was there. It's darn good. The place we hunted sells the left over meat. It's part of their profit. If I could bring the meat back it would be much more expensive to hunt there. It's the same kind of deal if you charter a fishing boat in Hawaii. If you want some of the fish you caught yourself many captains make you buy it from them. You are only buying the experience of fishing from them not the fish. Same thing in Africa. You are only buying the experience, hide and horns. The meat is theirs. The taxidermy bill is part of the planning for the trip and I have almost a year before I pay it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Very nice Leo, bet that is an amazing experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Very nice Leo, bet that is an amazing experience. The whole story is here on another forum. I would have posted it here but this forum software crops the pictures strangely and it just doesn't look right. http://forums.huntingresource.com/topic/9354-back-from-eastern-cape-south-africa/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Back from Eastern Cape South Africa Yeah thought i had read somewhere before, may have been one of your prior trips or maybe Al's about not being able to bring back meat. Seems a shame not to be able to at least bring back a few prime cut steaks, but understand the fda regs. What of those is the best eating? Cut and paste the story here in the exotics room if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Congratulations Leo...brings back memories. Still hate I wounded a black wildebeast instead of having one on the wall too. Can't complain though...got the top 3 on my list on the wall. FDA won't allow you to bring any meat back. I ate some for every meal while I was there. It's darn good. The place we hunted sells the left over meat. It's part of their profit. Yep...that's the way it was for us too! Hate most of the forum members don't understand just how good African big game meat is compared to the big game meat we're used to eating here at home. No comparison!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Congratulations Leo...brings back memories. Still hate I wounded a black wildebeast instead of having one on the wall too. Can't complain though...got the top 3 on my list on the wall. Yep...that's the way it was for us too! Hate most of the forum members don't understand just how good African big game meat is compared to the big game meat we're used to eating here at home. No comparison!!! It's not just better than the wild game! If it didn't take a 12ft fence to contain Eland we would be eating them instead of beef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Awesome Leo! You are the African King! So surely you have read up on the African plains game. How many species have you harvested and how many do you have left? Do you go to the same place to hunt each time or do you mix it up? While I hear a lot of bad reports about Alaskan guides and services, I have yet to hear anything but positive reports about African outfitter services. What's your take on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Awesome Leo! You are the African King! So surely you have read up on the African plains game. How many species have you harvested and how many do you have left? Do you go to the same place to hunt each time or do you mix it up? While I hear a lot of bad reports about Alaskan guides and services, I have yet to hear anything but positive reports about African outfitter services. What's your take on this? I have taken 12 different species of African animal. I could take 12 more different species and still not have them all! The variety is simply mind boggling. It's likely I never will get them all. I have been to three different places. All were absolutely excellent. The first trip I got at a fundraiser auction that pretty much no one bid on ($750 for a 10 day trip). The second trip I won on facebook. This trip was a carefully organized group hunt that got us deeply discounted rates from the outfitter and the airline. I can't reveal the price tag but I can honestly say it cost significantly less than a guided elk hunt. And I got FOUR animals instead of a chance at just one. We took three years to save, plan and organize this trip. If I do ever return, I will be going with a group again to cut costs. South Africa is a BIG country. This place was literally more than 700 miles south of where I went the first time. Go 700 miles north or south in this country and the terrain and animals change. Same thing there. I know enough outfitters and guides over there now that I will never have to stress about having a good hunt there ever. I know the drill. I know what you need. I even speak some Afrikaans. Get a group of about six hunters together I'll get you a good deal. Heck, I might even join you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 i'm glad you had such a good time, leo. you have some nice heads there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 i'm glad you had such a good time, leo. you have some nice heads there. It was a great time Steve. Honestly, the Eastern Cape of South Africa is so similar to Wyoming I kept expecting to see you show up at any time! Springbok act a lot like pronghorn and I couldn't help but keep remembering the Bucks for Buckee hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Congrats Leo, they say once you go, you got to scratch the itch to go back...I guess a hunt package is about $6,000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Congrats Leo, they say once you go, you got to scratch the itch to go back...I guess a hunt package is about $6,000? Packages can be had for about $4000-4500 for a 7 day hunt. The variable is how many and what kind of animals you can get under that package. I could have shot an enormous Sable but it was outside the limits of trophy fees included in my package. I could have shot two smaller less expensive antelope in my package but chose to trade them both for the black wildebeast. I'm not sorry I did. Some of the cheaper packages are not good deals and some are great deals. Going with a group really leverages the deal in your favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Awesome! I think of Africa as a pipe dream to hunt. I know you can do it but I've got others first in the list here in North America. Congrats on the trophies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTF Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 It took three years to plan and save for this trip. I am not disappointed! I wouldn't be dissapointed either. Good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Awesome! I think of Africa as a pipe dream to hunt. I know you can do it but I've got others first in the list here in North America. Congrats on the trophies! If I had decided I couldn't hunt Africa until after I had hunted everything I wanted to hunt in North America first (which I still haven't), I would never have gone the first time. The way things worked out, my opportunities to go to Africa came up first. I would have been foolish to pass them up. No regrets. Keep an open mind. Take the opportunities when you get them or all you will have is pipe dreams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 If I had decided I couldn't hunt Africa until after I had hunted everything I wanted to hunt in North America first (which I still haven't), I would never have gone the first time. The way things worked out, my opportunities to go to Africa came up first. I would have been foolish to pass them up. No regrets. Keep an open mind. Take the opportunities when you get them or all you will have is pipe dreams. Yea I'm sure if I had the opportunity I would. I don't blame ya. Never heard of a bad African Safari when it's a safe one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 I looked into hunting the grizzly bear in interior Alaska and had a plan under way for a year. At the end I had about 2 thousand saved when the guide I was dealing with retired! The entire 2 week trip (10 days hunting) was going to be about 12 thousand + taxidermy costs (another 4 thousand for a full mount). I visited the Alaskan forums and read the bear hunting reports. The success rates for this particular guide were above average but out of the 4 or 5 trips I followed one was not successful. I hear all the hunting shows as the unsuccessful hunters (hunting brown bears) indicate they will be back next year, or that just being there was worth it. NOT ME BROTHER! I cant afford to go twice and I can spend a week camping in Alaska for a fraction of the cost. Anyway, I decided to retire the idea once I found out the guide retired. The thing about Africa is that game is so plentiful that you'll be coming home with something. It's on my radar just like a black bear hunt on Steve's Alaskan island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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