African Hunting Research Tools
"Research is the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind." Marston Bates
There is no shortage of African hunting research tools. A quick surf on the net will turn up hundreds of African hunting companies, hunting directories, hunting forums, hunting equipment stores and hunting information sites.
There are countless hunting magazines, though fewer dedicated to just African hunting. Don't discount African hunting books which are often a mine of practical information.
You've probably been 'researching' your interest in African hunting for years but when it comes to the actual time when you've decided to go....
Don't start too early. There is little point in researching countries, areas or companies for a safari you hope to do in 5 years time. By the time your hunt date rolls round the country may have been taken over by a mad dictator, the area may have changed hands or the game been poached out and eaten by refugees.
The only proviso to the above advice is if you want to hunt a special, sought-after species like Mountain Nyala where you need to book about 3-4 years in advance. Also if you want to hunt an animal which has a limited annual quota, ie a trophy elephant in Botswana, early booking is advised.
Try to start seriously researching your hunt about 18 months to 2 years with a view to booking and paying the deposit about a year in advance.
Having said this, you may want to wait until the last minute in case you can get a cancellation hunt. It is worth noting that cancellations are few and far between with the best hunting companies.
African Hunting Research Tools
Printed And Internet Magazines On African Hunting
These are excellent sources of knowledge, information and advertisements. These are magazines specialising in African hunting. Other magazines specialising in non-African hunting or sporting firearms may occasionally feature African hunting articles and adverts.
Internet Hunting Forums
Internet hunting forums can be very useful indeed, but be warned, they can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can ask questions about specific hunting companies, areas or PHs and you’ll get a lot of responses very quickly. However, you need to bear in mind that some of these responses will be from people who have an axe to grind and others who are 'instant experts', who think that because they’ve spent a few weeks in one African country, they know the entire continent and all it’s hunting intimately. These responses might well give you a degree of useful information but remember 'due diligence'. The good news is that you will also get responses from people who actually do know what they’re talking about and are not afraid to admit a lack of knowledge on aspects of a topic that they don’t know about. So you do need to be able to sift the wheat from the chaff which should be fairly easy after a few weeks of reading on the forum.
Other Hunting Websites
Professional Hunters Associations
Hunting Conventions
Hunting conventions such as the ones held by Safari Club International and the Dallas Safari Club are another popular way for hunters to select a safari company. The conventions are great fun, very informative and a lot of hunters book their hunting safaris there but remember, not all hunting safari companies attend.
Hunting Company Websites
These are usually your first contact with a prospective hunting company. Good sites will make it easy for you to make contact via email and should tell you everything you basically need to know to narrow down your options. Most sites will publish the prices for the coming season but if you are looking to hunt several years ahead, these prices will only be a guide and are only useful to make general comparisons between companies. Other companies do not publish hunt prices, preferring you to make contact with your hunt requirements and then they will quote you for a tailor-made safari.
Hunting Company References
These are of limited use as most companies are hardly going to release contact details of any unhappy clients. Still they are a good chance to question and chat with someone who has been to a certain area with a certain company/PH.
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