When I returned from a seven-day buffalo safari in Tanzania last September, friends who were planning their own safari asked what I’d learned on the trip. Here are a few of the tips I shared with them.
Heading for Africa
Preparing for a safari is almost as much fun as the trip itself.
The anticipation has been building for months, and at last the day is almost here. I’m getting ready to leave for a safari in Namibia, via a flight to Washington, DC, where I’ll connect with South African Airways to Johannesburg, and then on to Windhoek.
Preparing for an International Hunt
A successful hunt begins well before you take that first step out of a vehicle, lodge, tent, or your back door. It pays to plan ahead, and this goes double when you are heading out of the country.
Keith Atcheson with a Botswana elephant.
The Only Way to Fly: Airplane travel with firearms and ammunition
An overview of the TSA rules for flying with your hunting firearms, ammunition, and other hunting equipment
They took my Swiss Army knife. They took my mini screwdriver repair kit. They even took my tweezers once. But they haven’t taken my guns yet, and if I pay attention and follow the rules, they hopefully never will.
Super-Safe Travel with Firearms
Tips and tricks to ensure your hunting guns arrive when you do.
To my knowledge, firearms have not been used in the hijacking of an airliner in decades Sportsmen’s firearms checked as legal baggage have not been involved in any airline hijackings since—well, ever.
Book ‘Em!
What you should know about hunt booking agents
If you want to hunt in an unfamiliar destination but aren’t sure where to begin or how to choose a reputable outfitter, start by contacting a hunt booking agent. The best way to ensure you’re working with a trustworthy one is to make sure he or she is a full-time agent with at least five years
Guiding Lights
How do you know if the guide who takes you on your dream hunt is any good?
Have you ever been on an outfitted hunt where you suspected your guide had been the cook or maybe the wrangler the day before you showed up? Well, perhaps he had.
Shootin’ Irons
Iron sights are still useful in some hunting situations.
I’ve written about iron sights before. It seems me that, in these days of almost universal scope use, shooting with iron sights is almost a lost art. This is regrettable for two reasons.
Five Secrets to Successful Glassing
The very best binoculars won’t help you unless you know how to use them correctly.
We were very early in an Alaskan bear hunt. The area was good and the weather forecast was favorable. We had time, so we had no reason to be in a hurry.
Hunting Rifle Prep
Getting your rifle ready for a hunt means putting in some quality range time and checking for functionality as well as accuracy.
Over the years I have hunted with a wide assortment of rifles, and I’ve seen all kinds of bizarre problems pop up. Most are fixable, but the most important thing is you need time to fix them.
