Africa advice please

[BRICKBURN]

Nathan, you noted you wanted a challenge. Vaal Rhebok are in the mountains and their eyesight combined withe terrain will prove a challenge. Bushbuck, as already noted, will be more than happy to perforate you if you make a mistake. The thick cover they prefer will provide a challenge.
Two totally different hunts available in South Africa.
Good luck.

 

[Koenig]

Warthog were my favourite. Following them up focussed the mind!! Great hunting though.

 

[zambezi]

Warthog were my favourite. Following them up focussed the mind!! Great hunting though.

Agreed! Shameless re-posting of an exciting warthog hunt I did in 2018.

 

[jer]

Find out as much as you can about the people offering the hunting. Is it mainly shooting from the back of a truck, or actually involve stalking.

Is it organised in such a way that the hunting is really "hunting", or so contrived that they drive you directly to the species you want to shoot, and then the animals are so tame, they stand there asking to be shot !

I went in 2017, and found it very disappointing. The whole setup was designed to get you to shoot as much as possible, as quickly as possible. They even used men on horses to drive herds of animals towards us.

We did "stalk" into a group of Blue Wildbeest, got within about 30yds, with them watching us the whole time. It was more like walking up to a herd of cows. And when we did get close, the PH said they had the wrong colour tags on them, so we couldn't shoot anyway In fact, most of the animals were happy for you to get way closer than was natural.

It destroyed all of my expectations, and the experience for me. I guess I'll go again at some point, but I'll be doing a lot more checking before I do.

The best animal you will shoot, will be the one you have to work the hardest to get.

I have never heard of such a trip before, I assume it was South Africa where the animals are farmed and that would be the most likely place to experience something like you describe. I have hunted SA a few times and almost every place I went the animals were extremely hunter shy and ran a mile as soon as they heard a vehicle or saw you, although I was told that it was because some European hunters like to diesel stalk and that is accommodated if they want it. On foot the hunting was very challenging and great fun even though the areas are technically fenced and that fact is always in your mind when hunting in SA. It would be good if you could post where you had that experience so others don't get caught as well. SA is great if you want your home comforts and prefer to have some degree of civilisation but if you want the "real" Africa try Zimbabwe or Tanzania, both amazing places that give you a different experience because you know its remote and all wild and to me are the true African experience. Asking others about their trips is the best way to find a decent hunting outfitter and be very blunt when making an enquiry and ask exactly how they would do things for you, remember most outfitters are are really hard to offend so dont pussy foot around. And if you are on a hunt and things are not run as you would reasonably expect such as you have described then tell them in no uncertain terms, most creditable outfitters do not want a disgruntled hunter going back home telling everyone that it was rubbish.