Bringing the right equipment can go a long way towards having a great hunt. Read on to learn what items are on our recommended Africa hunting equipment list.
Here is our recommended Africa hunting equipment list. The items listed here are applicable to the hunts we offer in South Africa. We offer daily laundry service on all of our Africa hunts, so don’t overpack. Camouflage is allowed, but not required for hunts in South Africa.
Note: the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase.
Recommended Africa Hunting Equipment List
- Passport
- Copy of SAPS 520 form and pre-approved firearms permit (if Applicable)
- CBP Form 4457 or Weapons License (if Applicable)
- Medical Evacuation Insurance (Highly Recommended)
- Letter of Invitation (We’ll send you this before your hunt)
- Original birth certificate and signed parental consent affidavit for all minors in your party
- Visit the South Africa Department of Homeland Affairs for more information
- 3x Shirts (Green or Khaki Recommended)
- 3x Pair of Pants (Green or Khaki Recommended)
- 2x Pair of Shorts
- 3x T-Shirts
- Sweatshirt and/or Light Jacket (if Hunting June, July, or August)
- 5x Pair of Socks
- 1x Pair of Well Broken-In Boots
- The importance of bringing good footwear cannot be emphasized enough. As long as they fit you well, are broken-in, and are comfortable enough for you to wear while walking several miles a day, virtually any non-insulated hiking or hunting boots will work. If you want to buy new footwear for your hunt, we highly recommend Lowa boots, particularly their Innox Mid TF line.
- Make sure you break-in your boots before your hunt!
- 1x Pair of Sandals/Flip-Flops
- Belt
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Hydration Backpack (also known as a Camelbak)
- This will really make your life easier when hunting during the warm season from September through May.
- Lightweight Gloves
- Binoculars
- We recommend high quality 8×42 or 10×42 binoculars like the Leupold BX-2 Acadia, the BX-4 Pro Guide, or similar models made by other companies.
- Camera With Charger & USB Cable
- Video Camera With Charger & USB Cable
- Flashlight/Headlamp (I personally use a Black Diamond Storm headlamp on all my hunts and cannot recommend it highly enough)
- Reading Material
- 40-60 Rounds of Ammunition Per Rifle
- 40 Premium Soft Points (if only hunting plains game)
- 40 Premium Soft Points & 20 Solids (if hunting buffalo)
- Soft rifle case
- Simple gun cleaning kit containing basic gun cleaning supplies (CLP, bore snake, and/or segmented cleaning rod)
- Personal Toiletries (Toothbrush, Razor, Etc.)
- Malaria Prophylaxis (if hunting in Limpopo Province)
- Ciprofloxacin Prescription
- Anti-Diarrhea Medication (Loperamide/Imodium)
- Lip Balm
- Sunscreen
- Aspirin/Ibuprofen
- Insect Repellent
- Type M Electrical Plug Adapter
- Make sure your electronics are rated for 220v!
- Our camps in South Africa have a reliable supply of electricity.
Though you are by no means required to do so, there are several books and other pieces of gear we recommend that our hunters use to prepare for their trip.
Kevin “Doctari” Robertson is a veterinarian and a long-time professional hunter from Zimbabwe. He puts his knowledge of animal anatomy and experiences hunting game in Africa to good use in his books. These books are very useful references for shot placement as well as just general information about some of the most popular species to hunt in Africa.
His book The Perfect Shot is full of useful information for hunters booked on any hunt in Africa. We also highly recommend reading his book Africa’s Most Dangerous prior to hunting Cape Buffalo with us. You may also purchase a pocket sized mini-edition of The Perfect Shot that only contains the shot placement diagrams to bring along with you on your hunt.
In addition to those books, Safari Press produces a line of targets for African plains game and dangerous game that use Kevin Robertson’s shot placement diagrams. Not only do they show the bone structure and location of the vital organs on many commonly hunted species of African game, but they are also helpful for getting you used to seeing these animals in your scope and identifying the right place to aim. We highly recommend purchasing some of these targets and spending some time at the range with them before your hunt.
Finally, you should expect to take virtually all of your shots from the standing shooting position using shooting sticks. We have a set of tripod shooting sticks for you to use in Africa, so it’s not necessary to bring your own sticks with you. However, we do recommend purchasing a set and practicing with them at the range before your hunt.
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If you have questions regarding our recommended Africa hunting equipment list, please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer them.