TIPS FOR THE FIRST TIME AFRICA HUNTERby Enrique del Rosario |
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Planning the Safari: As soon as you start thinking that you would like to go on an African safari start researching and reading all that you can about hunting in Africa. Talk to hunters who have been there (understand that their opinions may be biased and that their experiences may be a bit embellished). Two years of planning, for the first-timer, is about right. Pick your PH/outfitter at least a year ahead of the time you wish to go. Safari bookings can be filled up even two years in advance.
Travel Documentation: Foreign hunters will require a passport and, in some cases, visas to enter Namibia. In the case of U.S. citizens, no visa is required for tourists and hunters. U.S. travellers should apply for their passports at least six months in advance of their departure due to the great amount of passport applications the passport office is receiving and having to process. Money Matters: All financial matters pertaining to the hunt should be agreed upon by you and your hunt host. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask them of your host before you leave on the safari. Many hunt hosts will state the hunt price and fees in Euros. It might be a good idea to keep track of the US dollar/Euros exchange rate and one might be able to get a better bargain if the hunt were to be paid for at the right price time. Clothing: ETEMBA provides free daily laundry service. Bring along 3 changes of hunting clothes and you will have more room in your luggage for souveniers. (see Packing List) Dark khaki or olivedrab cotton shirts and pants blends in well in the Kalahari bushveld. Camouflage clothing should not be worn outside of the hunting area, especially not in Windhoek. Well broken-in ankle-high leather boots are well suited for the terrain. Firearms: For plains game hunting, bring the biggest caliber that you can shoot accurately and comfortably. For my plains game rifle I used a .338 WinMag and a .375 H&H. For big and dangerous game the minimum caliber should be .375 H&H. For small and medium game, rifles between 7x57 Mauser and .30-06 would be very well suited. 80 rounds per rifle are allowed in Namibia but one rarely uses more than 20 rounds per hunt. If you choose not to bring your own firearm to Namibia, ETEMBA has 9.3x62, 8mm Mauser, and .30-06 rifles for rent. Knives: Good to have a knife or a multi-tool around for the field but the skinners and the PH will do all of the game skinning and trophy preparations. Knives make excellent gifts for the PH and the trackers/skinners. Electronics: A GPS is nice to have around but isn't necessary since the guides know exactly where they are at all times and you will rarely ever be alone without them. Two-way portable radio transceivers are handy for communicating with some else in your hunting party. Cellular phones, PDAs, and laptops - if you need them, take them, but as for me, I enjoy being incommunicado while I'm on safari in Africa. Voltage is 220 ac in Namibia. For Americans staying at ETEMBA Farm, they have a voltage converter that you can use to run some small electrical items and for charging rechargeable batteries. Gameboys are great for keeping children occupied during the long boring flights across the Atlantic and over Africa. Optics: Good quality low to medium power fixed or variable riflescopes that can withstand the recoil of the rifle they are mounted on should be carefully selected by the hunter. Unless long range shots are permitted by the PH most shots will be 150 yards or less. Lightweight binoculars and spotting scopes are nice to have to see what the PH has picked out for you to shoot but usually the PH and trackers have already spotted and evaluated the trophy animal before you even know what they're looking at. Laser rangefinders would be helpful for medium to long shots or for bowhunters. Photography: Plenty of opportunites to take breathtaking pictures in and around ETEMBA Farm. Everyone has their own preferences but I took a 10 megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera, an 8 megapixel 15-optical zoom SLR-like digital still camera with optical image stabilizer, and a 3-CCD miniDV digital camcorder. I also took along plenty of memory cards, miniDV cassettes, and rechargeable batteries. Travel: This is the unavoidable most boring part of the safari. Flights and layovers are long so be mentally prepared for it. Ground transportation, once you are in your host country, can be bewildering. If you drive the vehicle yourself make sure you have the proper documentation and insurance. Also, drive on the correct side of the road. Medical and Health Issues: Have a thorough physical exam done before leaving for Africa. Let your hunt host know of any health issues or physical limitations you may have. Do not overexert yourself and, by all means, let your PH know if you are tired or just want to take it easy. Make sure your medical insurance covers your trip and hunt. If not, buy extra health and medical insurance. Bring along your prescription medicines and prescription eyeglasses. I brought 3 pairs of glasses, one was polarized, and the other two were transition/photo-gray coated lenses. Check the inoculation requirements for the area you are going to be in. The central part of Namibia where ETEMBA Farm is located does not require any Americans to have immunizations. Travellers to Caprivi Strip may be required to have an anti-malaria inoculation. HIV-infection has reached over 18% of the population. Food and Drinks: Drinking water at ETEMBA, and throughout Namibia where water is supplied through public water systems,is very safe. Food, as prepared by ETEMBA hostess, Karen Fietz, is healthy and tasty. Most of the meat will be from wild game taken from their hunting ranch or from government-inspected abattoirs. While at the farm, my sons and I ate some of the best meat dishes we've ever had, including kudu, oryx, springbok, and hartebeest. Nathan thinks that oryx is the best tasting meat he's ever had while Rizal thinks springbok is the better. Vegetables served at ETEMBA are grown from their own farm and garden. If you have any special dietary requirements or foods that you want to avoid, let your hostess know about well in advance. Children: My sons, Nathan, 13 years old, and Rizal, 11 years old, have accompanied me during my hunts at ETEMBA, separately and on different ocassions. The experience for them were something that is beyond price and will stay with them forever as one of the great highlights of their lives. They were never bored because he had the Fietz children, Sven (13 years old) and Laura (9 years old) to play with. There was so much for the children to do besides hunting. They went swimming in the swim tank, riding horses around the farm, target shooting with pellet guns, playing with farm animals and house pets, observing and photographing wildlife from archery blinds, playing with the children of the farm workers. For me, it was some of the best times I've ever spent with my sons. Seriously consider taking your children with you on safari. At ETEMBA, children are most welcome. Safety and Security: As with hunting elsewhere, there are dangerous things to be aware of in Africa, though different in some case from what you may be use to in your home hunting grounds. Follow the safety and security suggestions of the PH and tour guide and your safari will be an enjoyable and unforgettable experience. Note: Webmaster Enrique del Rosario is not an employee of ETEMBA HUNT AND SAFARIS and does not represent the company in any way. |
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ETEMBA HUNT AND SAFARIS Armin and Karen Fietz P.O. Box 11630 Windhoek, Namibia Tel/Fax: ++264 61 227440 (to call direct from the U.S.A., dial 011 264 61 227440) Cell: ++264 81 1246409 Email: armin.fietz@africaonline.com.na German Website: www.natron.net/etemba-jagd/ Original English Website: www.natron.net/etemba-jagd/main.html Website by: Enrique del Rosario Copyright © 2007 |
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