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Safari Recommendations
Hunting, Firearms & Ammunition
Most hunting in South Africa will be on plains game species. We recommend you bring along your own rifles, as you are more familiar with them. Firearms can be hired by prior arrangement for those hunters wishing to travel without fire arms.
For larger plains game species we recommend; 270, 30-06, 7 mm, 300 Win Mag, 300 Weatherby and 338. For smaller plains game species we prefer; 222, 223 and 243. Most Southern African countries by law require a minimum of 375 for all dangerous game. We recommend at least a 375 on Buffalo or Lion. If you are hunting Hippo, Elephant or White Rhino you may want to consider a caliber larger than 375.
Select a good multi-purpose expanding bullet. Barnes X, Trophy Bonded or Nosler Partition all have proved to work very well in the past. We prefer soft nose tough expanding bullets for large plains game species and solids for smaller plains game species. For all dangerous game calibers we recommend a 50/50 split in soft noses and solids.
For bird hunting, we suggest # 6 or # 7 shot for pigeons and doves, for ducks and geese, # 1 or 2 ¾ shot. When using a 12 gauge shot gun on some of our smaller game such as Caracal or Blue Duiker, we suggest AAA or # 2 ¾. Acquiring shot gun shells in South Africa is not a problem and at your request John X Safaris can arrange for shells to be in camp before your arrival.
Always ensure you have a strong protective rifle case to travel with internationally, with a separate case for ammunition. Having good locks on these cases is essential. We advise you bring along an extra soft case per gun, the soft case not only protects the rifle from dust, but also ensures the rifles are secure in rifle racks on the back of vehicles when hunting.
Zero all rifles with scopes before leaving home. Scopes will be checked again before hunting starts as they might have shifted during transit. Where possible go for a scope with variable power and try and find scope covers, as dust and moisture can affect ones chances of success.
Bring along a good quality pair of binoculars as hunting is more than just the final shot. The more you can see what your PH is spotting, the more enjoyable your hunting experience will be.
A camera is one of the most important pieces of equipment to bring along. Ensure that your flash is working and if possible check that the setting is on the highest possible resolution with digital cameras. Bring extra batteries and charges.
Note that the standard electricity supply in Southern Africa is 220 V AC.
Dave Harwood
dave@johnxsafaris.com
901-267-4489