Hunting Blogs

Hunting In Third-World Africa: Risks And Rewards

By: Tom Miranda

Dec 20

I love bowhunting in Africa. I've traveled to the Dark Continent more than 20 times on safari, and each time I feel like a kid in a candy store. Africa is pure adventure. My adventures have taken me to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and now Mozambique.

Mozambique is situated along the Indian Ocean on the eastern coast of southern Africa. The country is very remote and the wild home of elephants, lions, leopards, cape buffalo, hippos, crocodiles and an equal helping of plains game that are all unique and tough to bowhunt.

The photo above shows us getting our daily water at the community well. In rural Mozambique there are very few shops to buy bottled water, and the only water available in camp is pumped from a stream for showers. This well provides clean water for the local village as well as us safari hunters.

Hunting in Third-World Africa requires lots of homework. It's essential that your tetanus and hepatitis shots are current, and that you begin a regimen of malaria preventative before the trip. Malaria kills many people in Africa and has an incubation period of 7- 30 days, so you can get symptoms even after you get home. Tsetse flies are another bothersome nuisance and can cary dreaded sleeping sickness.

It's also not uncommon to have snakes in camp; we had both an asp and black mamba visit our safari camp!

Many would say, "Wow ... why risk so much to hunt?" I say there's no risk for the hunter who is prepared, and hunting in Africa is the adventure of a lifetime.

Stay tuned for more from Africa ...

2 comments

# npaul
Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:40 PM
I love Africa. I have not had the opportunity to hunt Africa but I have visited. I was in Kenya but the animals and the scenery is every bit as you would expect and more. There is no way you can describe it… you just have to see it. I hope I will be able to return as a hunter one day but until then, I’ll just keep reliving the moments that I spent there.
You are totally on target with the need to be prepared. We didn’t have to worry about Malaria or getting a lot of shots due to the area we were traveling to but I can’t stress enough the need to be prepared. You can’t just run to Wal-mart if you forget something. Do your homework and be prepared and your trip to Africa will be the most amazing trip you can take.
# wsmith27
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 10:51 AM
I would like to point out that there are parts of South Africa and Namibia that are malaria free. They serve bottled water and goo home-cooked meals. It is always good to take the precautions Mr. Miranda mentions, but we don't want Africa to sound like a scary place. Anyone who can afford to whitetail hunt can make a trip to Africa, and should for that matter. Don't be stupid when you go, but don't be afraid to go either.

Post Comment

Only registered users may post comments.