Over two decades ago wildlife biologist and outdoor writer Larry Weishuhn hunted in Africa for the first time. That trip changed his life. Here he discloses what kit he can’t leave behind when hunting the Dark Continent.

I had dreamed of going on safari since I was a youngster in short britches. When I learned to read, a friend of our family gave me a copy of J. A. Hunter’s book. I was hooked. Someday I’d go on safari!

During my early writing years, while working as wildlife biologist, I received several invitations to hunt in Africa. I would call the editors I was working with and explain my desire to accept the invitation to hunt kudu and other exotic critters across the whale pond, but their response was always the same. “That’s great Mr. Whitetail but our readers are not interested in Africa, they love whitetail!” So I was never able to go.

Finally, in 1994 I decided it was time to go to Africa, even if the publications I was writing for did not have readers who cared about hunting the Dark Continent (even though I strongly suspected they did). I went to South Africa with several friends including Kim Hicks and Jay Novacek (the former Dallas Cowboy). The three of us at the time, besides being friends, were also partners in Texas Hunting Directory. We hunted the eastern part of South Africa and had a blast.

I lamented having not gone to Africa sooner. The flight home was a long one, but all the way back to Texas I dreamed and schemed about how I could get back as soon as possible.

Since that time I’ve gone on safari in Africa quite a few times, sometimes twice a year. I have now hunted South Africa a couple or three times as well as Zimbabwe, Benin, Burkina Faso, Uganda and Namibia many times. Namibia has become somewhat of a home away from home, particularly hunting with Corne Kruger’s Omujeve Safaris. I have been in their camp when family members have proposed marriage, had weddings, had children and of course numerous birthdays.

Later this summer I’ll be heading back to Namibia to hunt on a couple of Omujeve’s concessions, specifically the Waterburg Plateau for eland and then on to the Namib Desert for springbok and gemsbok. I’ve not hunted the Waterburg before, one of the few areas in Namibia I have not yet chased critters. Several years ago, before I started hunting with Corne’s outfit, I hunted the Namib Desert with Fred Burchell. I hunted Namibia numerous times with Fred before moving over to Omujeve. The Namib was and probably still is one of the most remote areas of Africa, and one of the least populated by humans. I can hardly wait to get back!

Preparations for my trip started several weeks ago at the Dallas Safari Club Convention where I met with Corne and set up hunt dates. I then contacted Steve Turner from Travel with Guns. They will meet me at the airport to help clear my rifle through customs, and then again when I leave the next morning for a flight from Joberg to Windhoek. I’ve got a letter of invitation from Corne and the appropriate paperwork I need to get my rifle into Namibia.

I also knew I needed Form 4457 from the local Customs office, as well as notarized copies. I doubled checked to be sure all handwritten completed forms were legible (I have very poor handwriting) and got them to Travel with Guns to do their magic.

I checked too, long before my scheduled departure that I had several extra, open pages in my passport, that it was completely up to date, then made a couple of color copies of my passport which will again be kept in the notebook. I also keep a copy of my Global Rescue card.

My choice in firearms is a new Ruger Guide Rifle in 375 Ruger. I love the shorter barrel (which in no way has an effect on accuracy) because of ease of handling. When hunting dangerous game, I remove the sling, so it can’t get hung up on anything should I need to bring it to my shoulder to shoot quickly. My Ruger loves Hornady 300 grain DGX (Dangerous Game eXpanding) and 300 grain DGS (Dangerous Game Solid) ammo. On all Ruger rifles I put on a Hornady Cheek Piece so I can carry extra ammo and my gun permit. This cheek piece can be set up so it perfectly aligns your eye to the sights, in my instance a variable scope. I’ve got about two months left before I leave so at this time the jury is still out on exactly which scope I’ll use. I’ll spend some time at the FTW Ranch on their SAAM (Sportsmans All-Weather All-Terrain Marksmanship) ranges before I make a final decision.

Most of my larger caliber Ruger rifles are sighted in at either 50 or 75 yards. This one I’ll likely sight in at 75 yards since I may be shooting out to 200 or so. Sighted in at 75 yards I should easily be within the vitals of most African plains game out to 150 to 175 yards without hold over.

I always carry a pair of binoculars. But once the animal is spotted and the stalk is on, for the most part I do not use my binos. I leave that up to the PH. Too often I’ve seen hunters looking through binoculars when they should be ready to look through their scope! My favorites are 10x42. Rather than carrying them around my neck, I hang them so they are under my left arm, out of the way in case I need to quickly shoulder my rifle.

Regardless of where I hunt, I use shooting sticks. This time I plan on using one of Vanguard’s sticks. The sticks will fit handily in my Boyt double rifle case, along with my rifle which I’ll have in a Boyt soft case. I always put my rifle in a soft case before putting it in a TSA-approved hard, lockable case. Some places I travel require the rifle to be encased when traveling in the field.

A couple of years ago I started wearing a cartridge belt when hunting in Africa, made for me by Chris McClean from Houston. To make the individual rounds easier and quicker to extract I leave a space between each of the rounds.

For years I’ve worn tall leather boots. About a year ago I started wearing Kenetrek boots because I love how comfortable they are. I also generally wear gaiters to protect my lower legs from thorns. When hunting “snakey country” I switch my gaiters for snake leggings. Thankfully, when I will be in Africa it will be their winter time and most snakes will have crawled into a den, or at best be sluggish because the cooler weather.

I’m taking over a couple of cool weather jackets made by Drake Waterfowl. Pre-dawn temperatures can be cold but then usually warm up. I’ll also include sun screen. And even though it is going to be cool there could still be some pesky insects. As a precaution, before leaving I’ll treat my jackets, hunting vest, shirts and pants with Passport Health’s Permethrin Clothing Treatment.

I’ll also take some laminated taxidermy tags with me that have my name and contact information on them as well as The Wildlife Gallery address and so they can do their taxidermy magic. I take three to four tags for each of the animals I intend to take while in Africa, but then a small hand full of extras in case I find something not on my plan I really “need”!

Even though I have a couple of grand hunts before heading back to Africa, I’m counting the days until I leave….