Thoughts on Africa

[BillinOregon]

Fellas, I just got back from my first hunt in Africa, but with that "passing fad" manure and a scoped CZ in 9.3X62. Nonetheless, as we spotted and stalked our quarry in the thorn and mopane savannahs, I kept thinking about the game, the cover and the possibilities for a muzzleloading hunter. I think a lot of African PHs would be surprised how well a muzzleloader would fit in for plains game hunting. None of the shots my brother and I took for kudu, gemsbok, warthog and mountain zebra would have been too far for a conical-shooting .451 like a Whitworth or a Volunteer, and most would have been fine with a .58 or larger round ball, or a .50 or larger conical. The game we hunted ran from under 200 pounds (warthog) to close to 900 (zebra and kudu), with the gemsbok or oryx at 550-600. The main challenge would not be getting within 100 yards of the game, but getting your PH to embrace the capabilities of a well-built muzzleloader with stout loads and a good field shot behind the butt. Finding caps and BP can be an issue, but I think that can be resolved. Anyway, don't think small about where your muzzleloader might fit in. The Boer voortrekkers used the same guns we all love, and settled a very challenging land. Food for thought.

 

[Rebel]

Glad ya made it home safe Bill and didn't wind up a Snack. :grin: Sounds like you had a good time.

 

[d.thomson]

I tell ya that would be an altamite hunt for me. How did all the game taste.
The South Africans on this forum seem to be able to get Bp,and caps allright. Mabe the out fitter could cover that.
Sounds Like you had a great time. F.K.

 

[Wehrmacht]

My thoughts on hunting in Africa would be to move up to a more modern firearm than my flintlocks. Maybe something like a fine double rifle. Something like a Rigby or Kettner or Cogswell & Harrison! Ahhhh....Cape Buffalo with a Manton double barrel hammer rifle :bow: :bow: :hatsoff:

 

[BillinOregon]

Rebel: We had a great time.
F.K.: The hunt was far more reasonable than you might imagine -- about half the price of a moose hunt in Alaska. We ate gemsbok, kudu and zebra -- all excellent. The warthogs went to the staff, who love the meat. Even ate some smoked elephant. Kinda chewy.
D.F.: Jim Gefroh and his clients have had wonderful luck with their big bore flinters in Africa. I was talking about this with the PH, and the main concern is fire danger as the vegetation is very dry and veldtfires can grow huge in hours.

 

[Matabele]

Great to heaar you had a good hunt!!

Im from Zimbabwe but just moved to SA, just to let you all know that muzzleloaders have recently been deregulated in South Africa. That is no licence is required to own one. Its taking off really well here and you wont have any problems finding powder or caps (standard types, BP replacements Like Pyrodex etc. are harder to find)...or flints for that matter.

Landowners are also coming round to the idea of hunting with muzzleloaders, so if you are interested certainly put the idea to your PH, you'll be pleasantly surprised :thumbsup:

 

[shmrck1]

Bill,
I'm a bit surprised about eating of elephant.
I know there are rouges that must be harvested but
can you still get a license to hunt them. The fee
would have to be outlandish. I thought they were
fairly well protected throughout Africa,But especially in the south. Just wondering...
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[shmrck1]

Matabele,
If your having trouble getting flints I would you suggest you PM rich pierce here at the MLF. He offers excellent flints at a very reasonable
price. Don't know about shipping to S.Africa.
snake-eyes:thumbsup:

 

[Matabele]

Thanks for the heads up on the flints snake-eyes, I think I worded my post a bit back to front as we can get flints here with no problem...its always good to have a back up supplier though, thanks :thumbsup:

Also elephants can still be hunted in southern Africa. Mainly in Zimbabwe as the country has a good population of them, but also in SA...however I think wherever you go be prepared to put aside upwards of US$50,000 :shocked2:

 

[BillinOregon]

Snake eyes, the elephant populations are in by far the most trouble in the central and north of Africa, where they are generally NOT managed in a way that lets sport hunting greatly enhance their value to the local communities. The ele we snacked on was a small piece of a 65-pounder killed on the property we hunted under quota from the Namibian government, but not by me of course, as I am not a rich orthodontist from Texas, but a poor old journalist from Oregon.

 

[Dobson]

Hi there, i live next to kruger national park and there is about 4000 to many elephant in the park creating a huge problem to the environment (they eat soooo much). They arnt huntable at the moment but there are big debates over what to do, and guess what, the bunny huggers cant come up with a good answer. So the debate rolls on and on and on cos nobody dare cull or hunt due to public outcry. The Okavango in Botswana also has the same problem and you can hunt them there but as you know they arnt exactly cheap. There are however many outfitters working the Okavango. I know the effectivness of a well loaded ML but dont underestimate africas big game. Not only are the big big stuff tough but a lot of the plains game is tough as well. I regularly read about blue wildebeast that run miles before finaly being brought to book. I know many people who have shot something and just not found it. You will need a mother of a ML to clap an elephant, the proffesionals are using solid monolithic type bullets in 40 and 50 cals to get the penetration required and whilst Muzzleloaders are certainly catching on here you would need an extrordinary gun/load combination to do the job properly. So foget your 58 cal round ball it will splatter in the skin and you have a very angry ele. Food for thought.
Regards
Dobson

 

[Dobson]

Matebile, where are you located i am also in SA, in Nelspruit. Please supply email address.
Regards
Dobson

 

[Titus]

Bill, very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your trip to SA. Good list of game you took and many congrats on them. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Did you at least get to eat some of the warthog before it was given away? its real fine meat if prepared correctly. Nothing like pork though. :grin:

 

[shmrck1]

Titus,
The one thing I notice about post from other countries,states or even counties...Everyone is proud of where they live. It it hard for me to conceive of Africa,Alaska or even Idaho,Wyoming or
Montana. I envy all of you, but I love living in
central Ohio. But I can still dream, and live where you are....
snake-eyes

 

[Titus]

Very proud to be a South African snake eyes. :hatsoff:

It tears me apart to see that we are following in Zimbabwe's footprints.

 

[BillinOregon]

Titus: Nope, the warthogs went to the camp staff, who prize the meat even above gemsbok, which was our PH and his family's favorite. The gemsbok, kudu and mountain zebra meat was excellent.

 

[BillinOregon]

P.S. We hunted in Namibia, west and north of Otjiwarongo.

 

[Trailgunner]

Dear Sir; I am going on my 1st African Safari to S.Africa on Sept.9th/2007 with Leon & Mandie Meyer of Leon Meyer Safaris. I was going to go with just my .30-06 or use on of their rifles. But now that you've mentioned the possibility of BP over there I'll have to ask them. Does a muzzleloader still have to clear US and S.African customs? Any other info will be appreciated. BTW I will be hunting only plains game.Thanks.Paul Cantin.

 

[Titus]

Paul, they will still have to clear customs, but it wouldnt be a hassle. Custom guns without a serial number is a big no no with customs, so bring a production ML in at least 50 cal, if you want to use your front stuffer. African plains game can be quite tough, especially if you plan on taking blue wildebeest.

The only problem you might encounter is buying powder.

If your PH has a permit to buy, store, use and transport BP, it wont be a problem at all. You can sight your rifle with Goex which is similiar to the German Wano we have here. We pay about $35 per pound of powder here and about $10 for 100 caps.

 

[shmrck1]

We pay about $35 per pound of powder here and about $10 for 100 caps.

Titus,
Wow,$35 a pound!!!Is that from a local dealer
or shipped to you???The most I have ever paid for a pound of Goex powder is $15 from a local
gun shop.If I order in quanity from Graf&Sons,
I can get the equivilent of WANNO for approximately $12 a pound.Is the powder you get
taxed heavy or what????
snake-eyes:hmm: