Okay, I'm going to admit I'm a nerd - I listen to NPR on my daily commute and actually research some of the stuff I hear.

Today there was a piece about Southern Sudan and a referendum on secession from from Sudan next year. I did a little research because I remembered that Sudan was between C.A.R, Ethiopia and Kenya (Butler gave me a great liberal arts educations ). It would seem like an ideal hunting destination so I googled it and found this site.

http://www.sudanwlsaf.com/

Looks like Angelo Dacey runs Sudan Wildlife Safari and is the most consistent name that comes up. There was a book on the Safari Press website that referenced him. From the website it looks like Southern Sudan was a great area to hunt but most of the hunting stopped back in the 1980's. Actually, Northern Sudan didn't look too bad either.

I'm not booking a flight to Khartoum any time soon but I would love to hear what the hunting was like or will be like if anyone has personal experience or information.

Scott

I certainly do not have any personal experience on hunting in Sudan but I know there was an article in Sports Afield (within the last year I believe) about an American hunter who took a Nubian Ibex there. Talk about exotic. I'd go tomorrow if I could.

Chad is another country that is (or was) open to sport hunting but nobody really talks about it. Craig Boddington hunted there fairly recently - 2001. He took an Aoudad Sheep and some of the really exotic looking gazelles found there. (It may come as a shock to some folks but Aoudad are not native to Texas.) Seriously though, this is another place that I'd drop everything to hunt.

FWIW, I'd feel just as safe in either Chad or Southern Sudan as I would in most of Mexico.

I'm not planning any trips to Mexico any time soon either!

I must have missed the Sports Afield article.

My father (5 times) and older brother(2 times) hunted extensively in southern Sudan in the very early 1980's. I do recall my father saying it was great elephant (100 lbs. plus per side) and bongo hunting around Sakure which is in southwestern Sudan. There was also a park north of Sakure that had good size elephant (80 to 90 lbs. per side was a realistic possibility), but armed gangs entered the park around 1982 and shot the crap out of them. Another area that had large elephant at that time was along the Nile around half way between Juba and Bor. I wouldn't be surprised if there are still some big elephant in the Sudan today (specifically in the Sudd Swamp), but I don't know how you would hunt them, if hunting was allowed in the future.

If you have any questions about what it was like hunting in southern Sudan in the early 1980's, send me the questions and I'll ask my father and get back to you.

I would like to read a narrative!

Agree with Hatari, would love to read the story esp. what you father and brother found most interesting.

Gotta see photos if available!

Thanks

Scott

We need a sniffing icon. As in sniffing for a rat...

I haven't hunted Sudan but FWIW we have started operating in Uganda this year and we've been all the way up the Karamoja and up to the Sudan border, then around the Kidepo NP region, across to the Kenya border, around the Pian Upe region and back to Kampala.

Game populations are lower than places like the Selous GR in Tanzania but are easily in huntable numbers and carrying capacity of the areas is immense.

Scenery is also truly incredible and the best I've seen anywhere in Africa.

There's also a lot of unusual species up there such as lesser kudu, uganda kob, giant forest hog, guenther's dik-dik and sitatunga which is nice.

I won't comment further because I don't want it to sound like a commercial post which it isn't but if anyone gets a chance to hunt in Sudan or indeed Uganda, my advice would be that if you can take tough hunting, you should grab the opportunity with both hands.

Hunts like this are truly the best of wildest Africa and the next generation of hunters won't have the opportunity..... so in other words, this generation is almost certainly the last that will be able to see it as it is.

Here's a pic of the rainclouds coming over the mountains near the Sudan border.



Pic of what I suspect Karamoja Bell called 'The Knob' in one of his books. Pic taken from Pian Upe game reserve.

Remains to be seen...

Shakari - amazing pics! Thanks for the info.

Also saw the biggest buffalo I've ever seen in my life up there.... must have been waaaaaay over 60 inches.

Helluva ugly animal but helluva size!

I flew food relief into southern Sudan during the late 80's and early 90's. There was one hell of a shooting war going on there there and I recall a Sudanese general I gave a ride to from Nairobi tell me that mines were a real problem there.

Recently, a friend of mine was involved in road building near the old unfinished Nile bypass canal. There was some bandit problems in the area and they were equipped with "technicals", Toyota pickups mounting Soviet 12.7's, to keep them at bay.

The war resulted in great depredations among both game animals and the local residents. Starvation was rampant.

I heard that Juba is now quite livable.

My only concern would be uncleared minefields, but I assume an operator would keep you clear of those hazards. Mining wasn't as bad as in Angola, but I would imagine there are still plenty laying around.

I'd try Uganda or other better known areas.

Just some food for thought given the current, general anti-American feelings in the Muslim world:


Map source:
http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/04/15/islamic-terror-on-the-move-in-africa/

For me personally, I think I'll stick to southern Africa if I ever go back again.

Just my two cents....
-Bob F.

Bob,

The difference between southern and eastern Africa is a bit like driving a ford compact and driving a ferrari.

They both beat the shot out of walking but one is a lot more exciting that the other.

That comment shouldn't be construed as a criticism of southen Africa but more to say that east Africa is a very different kettle of fish and of the two, I'd choose east Arica any day of the week because it's a miles better hunting experience of truly wild Africa.

Uganda is a tough hunt and not for cissies but if you can take the long hours of hot, dusty travelling and fairly basic camps then you'll find yourself amply rewarded by a fantastic hunting experience and very welcoming peoples.

I must say that it is quite an amazing place to hunt because you will find larger elephants over there. Apart from that, you can also find some bongo over there.
_________________________
nubian ibex hunting

I was in CAR for the entire month of January this year. It was a truly amazing experience. Completely polar to East and Southern Africa. It is quite dangerous hunting in that entire region of Africa. The PH I had on that Safari was Mike Fell, he told me stories about hunting in Chad years before, He likes hunting in sketchy area's and even he won't attempt Chad or Sudan.

We saw several groups of Sudanese Elephant poachers walking and riding donkeys with AK's over their shoulders. They were the fiercest looking people I had ever seen. I really (almost desperately) wanted to take a photo of and with them. Mike figured it was wise to just let them pass.

The only elephant tracks seen in 21 full hunting days had human and donkey tracks following them. A real tragedy. 3 of the top 10 Elephants (SCI) are from CAR, I think the top one was 147# IIRC.

Steve,

Good to see you posting. How about a couple of pictures of your hunt.

I spent a month in Zim this year. We hunted 12 days in the Omay. It was enjoyable because I was in decent shape from riding my bike. Thanks for the help in getting started.

I am thinking about Uganda in the next year or two. CAR seems interesting also. Safari Lawyer is headed to CAR shortly. Cannot wait for the report.

Map is out of date. Sudan split. There is a new country of "Southern Sudan" and I believe it is primarily "christian".

there is a whole lot in the old literature about Sudan(especially southern) and Chad as its the general area alot of the ivory hunters like Bell went to after moving out of Kenya and similar....the Lado Enclave is in what is now Southern Sudan and anyone familiar with the old ivory hunters/poachers should recognize the area

Hi Mike!!!
Thanks, I read your report, looks like you and your wife had a wonderful time. But who the heck brings a sport jacket and an evening dress on a safari? I'll post up some pics from CAR tonite.

I spoke with S-L last week. I really wanted to make sure he was successful in securing Kocho camp. (which he did) Uganda sounds interesting, if your going solo , maybe we could check it out together.

Ya, bikes are where it's at for overall conditioning. I've hired a coach for this next race, www.tourdivide.org

My CAR, LDE hunt was a dang breeze due to my cycling. We walked 25-35K four days straight following the same herd till I killed at noon on day 5. I felt zero effect form the walking. The Bongo hunting you just sit in a chair, so how hard is that?

Take care Mike, your one of the good guys out there.

Steve

In the mid/late 80's I flew Nile Safaris Aviation a bunch doing consulting work for USAID out of Khartoum. We didn't go south of The Roseries Dam or much south of El Obed because of the Garange army. Nile Safaris hunted all over Sudan but I never had the time to go on a hunt.

Steve,

Do you not wear evening attire around the campfire at night? One must always be prepared.

And you are on a whole different level with the bikes. 2745 mile race, unsupported, you are crazy.

We will be at DSC this year. I am going to look at some options for Uganda. Not even sure what time of the year is best. It could end up being a 2014 hunt.

Take care.

Has Angola opened up for hunting? Several years ago on this forum several folks were going on safari there, never heard if it worked out. I'd be nervous about the mines scattered everywhere, but there must be some amazing animals to hunt as well.

Chuck,

I recently traded PMs with a guy that lives in Angola. He stated as far as he knows the government is not issuing quota at this time including none to residents.

Hopefully one day.

Mike,
Yes, I in fact do wear evening attire around the fire. I just refuse to wear a tie. The last time I did, I wound up using it as a napkin. The hippo tail soup was rather runny and made just a heck of a mess.

I am going to Reno not Dallas this year.

Take care,

Steve

Not Africa but I hunted Kyrgyzstan and found the Muslims to be very friendly towards me. They were concerned I would lump them in with fundamentalist Muslims, which they all hated and said they buried in their valley if caught.

Some of the Nile Sudanese worship the Nile perch if I remember correctely. The Dinka are animist I think.

i thought Ethiopia was more than 60% Christian.....its one of the oldest Christian states....hell the Arc is supposed to reside in a church there....