Africa calling

[Kapow]

I've had a couple of trips to Sth Africa and Namibia in the last few years. I only hunted with the bow and shot a few nice animals (actually enough for my taxidermist to rub his hands together) by walk and stalk. The closest I got was about ten yards from a couple of warthogs and impala but also close enough to shoot Kudu, gemsbok, eland, wildebeast and zebra amongs others.

What struck me whilst walking around was how the terrain and vegetation as well as the hunting style would lend itself to hunting with a traditional muzzleloader.

Seriously, with a scoped centrefire I could have shot a complete bag of trophy animals in 2-3 days.

So i was wondering if anyone on this site has ever ventured over there for a traditional style hunt and if so what calibre/equipment did you use? What would you consider adequate? I am thinking that a Leman .58 shooting roundballs would be about right. Some pics would be nice to fuel the idea.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Well somebody come on, both kapow and I are waiting. I really want to see some pictures of african critter hunting. It is summer here, no in season hunting available, I'll settle for a weird looking deer. :rotf:

 

[tg]

The owber of Dixie guns works went on an African Safari many years ago it is captured in an article in the #2 BP Digest, circa 1978 and goes into a lot of detail as to bore size for various critters and such this magazine is usually available on Amazon for around 10 bucks and well worth it one thing I would add is that for a hunt of such cost and scople that one would want to be as close to being truely traditionaly outfitted as one can possibly be from ones ability/knowledge of the topic. good luck and enjoy the journey if this adventure comes to be.

 

[Kapow]

Well maybe I'll just have to go and blaze a trail. :hmm:

It doesn't have to be expensive. The way things are economically there are always free hunts coming up where you just pay for what you shoot or other discounts.

I reckon you blokes spend all your money on new guns and there's nothing left in the hunting kitty. I've seen a few stories and dvds of inline m/l hunts but lets not confuse that with hunting... :blah:

 

[luieb45]

I think some guy in the '70s took the dangerous 5 in africa with a .58 cal hawken shooting a 500 gr. bullet or something like that. I don't think it worked that well on elephant though but for what you describe something like that would be fine.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

Luie may be referring to Val Foggett, the founder of Navy Arms. Try a google search on him as he hunted Africa with muzzle loaders produced by Navy Arms.

Snow

 

[bdhutier]

Well somebody come on,... I'll settle for a weird looking deer. :rotf:

Made my night!! :rotf:

 

[BillinOregon]

Actually, a guy named Don Kettelkamp has hunted Africa and Australia with a number or repro and original ML arms and taken virtually everything. He used to write about his hunts in the now-defunct Blackpowder Hunting magazine. Also, Colorado gun builder Jim Gefroh has taken at least some of the Big Five with his 10- and 8-bore flintlocks.
I hunted Namibia in 2007, but a CZ in 9,3X62; I agree there would have been plenty of opportunity to take good animals with a muzzleloader. Hope to do just that some day.
There's at least one magazine published in South Africa that is devoted to BP hunting.
One of my favorite books on the subject is "Wild Beasts and Their Ways," written in the late 1800s by Sir Samuel Baker. Lots of detailed discussions on rifles, calibers, bullets and powder charges.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thanks for the tip on the book, I just ordered one from Amazon.
My all time favorite book is "African Rifles & Cartridges" by John Taylor. He does have some comments on hunting with BP cartridges which I find very interesting. His only mention of muzzleloaders runs something like "the lion had been previously wounded by some coon with an old gas pipe muzzleloader". :haha:

 

[pmwest]

Check this out:

Hunting Southern Africa with Muzzle Loading Rifles
by Donald Malson & Don Kettelkamp

$2.00 from NMLRA

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I notice that hunters who go to Africa shoot a lot of different animals.

What it's like to get a licence there? Do you need a licence for each animal?

 

[Kapow]

Obviously it varies depending on country but the usual situation is that the outfitter (PH) is licensed to guide and is allocated a certain number of animals. I think on private property the animals are his to do what he wants with.

I'm amazed that given the number of bowhunters and c/f rifle hunter who go each year from the US there are little or no trad m/l hunters. I think you guys need to fix that and get of your backsides.

Have a look at a company called Crusader safaris. They seem to be m/l friendly and will probably be my first port of call for my next trip.

With the bow I've stalked and shot: 2 x zebra(30m & 42m shots), 2 x eland (45m & 35m shots), two wildebeast bulls (25m & 35m shots), 4 x warthogs (20m to 30m), 4 x impala, 2 x gemsbok, 1 x kudu (30m but lost).

I'm not trying to show off or anything, just trying to show that with a bit of effort and patience you can get more than close enough to shoot trophy game with a muzzleloader without boring yourself to death in a pit blind. I'll chuck in a couple of photos, sorry there's no iron in the photos. I really hope I inspire at least one of you guys to get over there. I love the place. All the best.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Real nice. :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

The problem with hunting Africa with Muzzle loaders is getting black powder. You cannot carry it on any passenger plane with you, or even shipped with luggage. And, apparently its difficult to buy in Africa, too. At least that is what has been discussed here on the forum when this issue has been raised in prior years. :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Kapow]

Try harder I reckon. It may be difficult to get in some areas but with enough notice I'd be very surprised if someone couldn't get their hands on some. Otherwise there'd be no blackpowder shooters in the country.

In any case, watch this space...the next trip I do, my stinkgun is coming with me. I'll focus on species which like the open country and are traditionally hard to get close enough to with bow. eg black wildebeast, springbok, reedbuck, bushbuck as well as the usual suspects - warthog, blesbok etc.

I hope that paves the way for others.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Showing photos like that, puts the urge on me. Maybe I can pawn some of the wife's stuff and plan a trip. :rotf:

 

[BillinOregon]

Kapow: A powder called Sannadex is available in South Africa. It is pink! Good news is it actually works in flintlocks. Google the WhiteSmoke web site in South Africa. Lots of BP hunting chat there.

 

[Kapow]

That's the spirit mate, I like your style. :thumbsup: