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1. Is there any rifle hunting on the bow hunting concessions?
NO! The last rifle hunter(s) that hunted these concessions was in 1999. Since then the areas have been managed, and hunted, by bow hunters only!
2. Is it safe?
Yes, it is very safe. The bulk of your time will be spent in the hunting areas which are quite remote. When you land in Johannesburg you will be met by one of the Choronga Safaris staff and driven directly to the hunting area(s).
3. How many people will be in hunting camp with me/us?
Since our hunting season is so short (6-7 months) we schedule the hunts based on a minimum of 4 hunters in camp for a given hunt. It depends on the size of your group, but if you have at least 4 hunters you should have the camp exclusively to yourselves.
4. What is the best time of year to hunt? What will the weather be like?
Hunting season is from early April to the end of October.
BOW HUNTERS: The best time to bow hunt is from the middle of May through the middle of October. May and early June are still a bit green but the main species are in the middle of the rut which really brings out the bulls. June through August are our winter months. During this time period the area is quite dry making blind hunting very effective. Morning/evening temperatures will be in the high 30's / low 40's and daytime temperatures will reach about 80. September and October are our driest months. They offer great bow hunting but the daytime temperature can reach in excess of 100 degrees. These two months are maybe the best bow hunting months but you need to be able to endure the extreme heat.
RIFLE HUNTERS: The best time to rifle hunt is from early April through the middle of September. Anything later than that and it becomes unbearable to be out in the sun all day long. May and September temperatures will fluctuate from 45/50 degrees in the mornings/evenings up to 90/100 during the heat of the day. June through August will see temperatures range from the high 30's / low 40's in the morning/evenings and daytime temperatures will reach a maximum of about 80. Rifle hunting is very good throughout this entire season.
5. What is there to do for my wife and/or non-hunter?
Please visit the photo safari page for a complete breakdown of available activities.
6. What clothing should I bring?
Laundry is done daily in the South African camps so you don't need to pack more than 2-3 sets of clothing.
2-3 Shirts, 2 Long Pants, 2 Shorts, Socks, Underwear, Hunting Jacket, Light Rain Jacket, A Sweater / Fleece, Hunting Boots, Casual Shoes, Belt, a Hat, Insect Repellant, Malaria Medication, Sunscreen, and a Light Day pack.
If you are hunting outside of the South African camps be sure to pack enough to make it through most of the safari as camp facilities (such as laundry) vary depending on the area.
Camouflage clothing is fine to bring into South Africa for your hunt. If you are hunting outside of South Africa please consult us directly regarding specific laws and regulations each country may have on camouflage.
7. What equipment should I bring?
Obviously all of your primary hunting gear plus the following; pocket knife, flashlight, extra batteries, binoculars, range finder, camera, and a video camera.
Bow Hunters: Remember to pack an extra set of strings and cables to be safe. Also, make sure that you pack DARK hunting clothes. Dark clothes (camouflage or plain) help disguise your movement in the blinds.
Rifle Hunters: Remember to practice shooting off of shooting sticks. Do not worry about bringing your own but please make sure that you are comfortable making quick shots off of the sticks. Please make sure that you pack dark khaki to olive colored hunting clothing. Light colors stand out and will hamper your ability to stalk animals.
8. Is there malaria?
South Africa - NO & YES, there is not malaria in the areas around our main hunting concessions. However, if you are adding any photographic safaris or any big 5 hunting you will be entering malaria areas.
Zimbabwe - YES
Zambia - YES
We recommend that you consult your local physician for their recommendations regarding malaria as well as any other preventative shots/medication they may suggest.
9. Is there anything we can bring the staff/locals?
YES - Old clothes, pocket knives, etc. If you want to bring more than that we recommend you contact Safari Club International and ask them for information regarding their "Blue Bag Program". They will provide you a bag and pay the cost for the extra baggage if you bring over donations for the local communities.
10. What gratuities should we give?
First of all, gratuities are always optional, but very appreciated. Tips encompass a large amount of every tracker/skinner/maid/professional hunter's income each year. We recommend the following:
Chef - $ 50 - $100 / person, Maids - $ 5/day/person, Trackers/Skinners - $ 20/day/person
Professional Hunter - Average Hunt $300, Great Hunt $ 600, Hunt of a Lifetime - $ ???, Terrible Hunt - $ ???, These are only recommended guidelines and they remain the choice of each individual hunter.
11. Is there telephone and/or internet available?
On the South African concessions both are available but service is very undependable so the best option is to notify your wireless provider in the US that you are traveling to South Africa and they will activate your cell phone to work in South Africa. In Zimbabwe and Zambia communications are not always present. If there are telephones and/or internet in these remote location it is available for a fee.
12. What caliber and/or bullets do you recommend?
Please visit our firearm information page for these details.
13. What bow(s)/arrows/broadheads work best for Africa?
Because equipment changes so fast it is better to contact us directly for these answers. Due to the large number of bow hunters we see every year we have the opportunity to see most of the archery world's equipment in use first hand and we know what does work and what doesn't work so please speak to us before going out and spending hundreds of dollars on equipment that will end up costing you thousands of dollars on your hunt.
14. Is there anything you recommend we do to prepare ourselves for an African Safari?
Yes, we recommend that every hunter pick up a copy of the book "The Perfect Shot" by Kevin Robertson. This book is by far the best tool you will purchase before your safari. Not only does it help with specie identification, but it helps demonstrate the major anatomical differences between the African and North American game. You DO NOT shoot these animals in the same place as you would in North America. This book will help you understand why and ensure that you have a great safari.
The only other recommendation is PRACTICE...PRACTICE...PRACTICE!!!
15. When do we decide how we want our trophies mounted?
One thing that you need to think about before your hunt is how you are planning on having your trophies mounted. Once an animal is down we will take pictures and then it will be skinned as per your instruction. The four basic options are:
- Full Mount
- Shoulder Mount
- Pedestal Mount
- Flat Skin (Rug)
It is very important that you have an idea on what you would like to do with each trophy because each type of mount requires different cuts (skinning procedures) and you cannot change your mind after the animal has been skinned.
After your safari if you do decide that you would like another style of mount we can arrange for another skin at an additional cost which will be quoted to you upon inquiry.
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