As departure for South Africa looms large I finalize my packing list, see what luggage I need and do a packing “dry run”.
Strategy
“Pack your bags then throw out about one-half of everything you packed.” I’ve seen that recommendation a couple of times when people ask what to take to South Africa on a bowhunt. Since I’ve been known to pack not only a kitchen sink, but a spare kitchen sink as well, I thought I should heed that advice. I’ve made my list, checked it 25 or 30 times and am fairly confident I know what I’m taking. Besides the standard check lists I use for every hunt I took a lot of input from a Tips and Packing List thread on Accurate Reloading.
Here is my packing list in both Microsoft Excel version and Adobe Acrobat versions. If you see something I’ve forgotten or something I’m taking unnecessarily please leave a comment below.
- Africa Packing List in Excel - Hunting List
- Africa Packing List in Adobe Acrobat – Africa Pack List
Laundry is done daily in camp so a lot of extras are not needed. I went with olive drab cargo pants for the most part so they can serve double duty as hunting and travel clothing. Blackout gear is prevalent on the list for blind hunting. One odd item, I suppose, is the long underwear. The performance material tops serve as blackout outerwear alone in warmer weather so are a good double-service option. Additionally, as a runner, my body fat tends to be less than five percent and I’m often chilly in mild temperatures. It will be winter in South Africa in August.
Luggage Choices
After reading innumerable discussions about one bow or two and rolling duffels versus hard cases I chose an SKB double bowcase. I’ll pack my two bows and arrows in the case cushioned by much of my daily clothing. Another small suitcase will hold the remainder of clothing and gear. Finally, a large backpack will serve as a carryon. It will hold my in flight necessities such as I-pods and reading material as well as all my electronics including camera, video camera, rangefinder and binoculars. That way they are close at hand and not in my checked luggage.
An SKB double bow case, small suitcase and backpack. Note the lime green Gracy Travel tags.
Dry Run
A couple of weeks ago I grabbed all my gear and packed everything up using my packing list. My bow case came in at forty-four pounds which is quite acceptable. Despite my best efforts and my check list I managed to forget my primary release. So, the effort was definitely worth my time – I learned a lesson to be more careful. Hopefully, all this work will come to fruition with a successful trip to South Africa.
happy hunting, dv
If you liked this blog you may like the following:
- Short Draw Bow Speeds And Technical Discussion
- Short Draw Bow Kinetic Energy And Trajectory
- WWAC – What Would Africa Cost?
- dv Goes to Africa – Expenses Part I
- dv Goes to Africa – Expenses Part II
- dv Goes To Africa – Bow and Arrow Set Up
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