NAMIBIA: Off To Namibia

[Mike Wachtel]

Thanks! I got a bit better layover schedule, less time in Jo'berg (6-1/2 hours), so we may only go outside for a smoke, but won't try to head to town. Mike.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

If your baggage is checked theough then u will be in transit. You cannot gonoit of airport
If you have to claim your baggage and weapons and then check back in which start 3 hrs before flight then u really dont have much time after u collected luggage and been through passport control etc and then have to check back in

 

[Mike Wachtel]

OK, thanks. Wow I hate air travel, foreign or domestic...They used to have smoking lounges (glass smoke-filled, horrible cubicles); last one I remember may have been Munich 10 or 12 years ago. So rub my nose in my habit and deny my personal choices when it would be simple to accommodate in so many ways. Mike.

 

[Mountaineer]

Last Summer I traveled from Windhoek to Johannesburg via Airlink. Airlink had a codeshare agreement for luggage and guns with United. When I checked in in Windhoek I checked luggage and guns all the way through to Newark. Good luck.

 

[WAB]

Congrats on your monster leopard! Not sure where to post my question, and as things are constantly changing, searching for answers. On the way home from Namibia on August 4, 2022, we have a 7-1/2 hour layover in Johannesburg before departing for Atlanta (then another 7-1/2 hours more waiting in Atlanta to depart for Des Moines; brutal).
I understand we can leave the Jo'berg airport, then check back in; we arrive in Jo'berg from Windhoek at 3:30 PM, don't depart for Atlanta until 11:00 PM.
Is that enough time to leave the airport, have dinner somewhere in Jo'berg, and get back through customs for our 11;00 PM flight?
If so, any recommendations where to go for dinner or what to do to kill time?
Thanks! Mike Wachtel, Lacona, Iowa

Quills restaurant at the intercontinental hotel is excellent. It is on airport property and should be doable with your layover. I would not leave the airport property with that layover.

 

[Hunt anything]

I have to agree with Jeff about USFWS being anti hunting, I have several friends in the service and most work in migratory birds. They get pressure not to talk about their hunting. A couple just gave up and retired but a few are staying in and fighting for hunting. They say that the influx of young people coming out of college with no outdoor experience is crushing the service.

 

[CAustin]

Well folks I went to pick up the mail Wednesday mid day and to my great surprise and relief contained there in was an envelope from the United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service. After a mind numbing seven months I now have a CITES permit to import my Leopard. Amazing that it takes this long to get something from the government that you paid for in advance. Why they sent the permit to me vs my import agent is a mystery but we can now start the long journey to my taxidermist here.
Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement and to a couple you still waiting on leopard import permits keep your fingers crossed.

 

[CAustin]

Picked up this at the recent Safari Club International Kansas City Chapter for the Leopard.

 

[AZDAVE]

Charlie all I can say is congratz!!!! I talked to my import agent and my permit is in the last stage with fish and wildlife. I should be a few weeks to a month behind you so I will keep checking my mail in case they send mine to me instead of the import agent.

 

[Mike Wachtel]

Last Summer I traveled from Windhoek to Johannesburg via Airlink. Airlink had a codeshare agreement for luggage and guns with United. When I checked in in Windhoek I checked luggage and guns all the way through to Newark

Quills restaurant at the intercontinental hotel is excellent. It is on airport property and should be doable with your layover. I would not leave the airport property with that layover.

Quills sounds great, we happen to be platinum members of IHG/Intercontinental Hotel's chain. Not that it makes any difference. Are there lockers or storage facilities available at OR Tambo so we don't have to take our carry on's with us and back through security? I think our checked bags should go from Windhoek all the way to Des Moines; Delta from Jo'berg to Atlanta to Des Moines. Thanks! This site is great, so many helpful tips for a 67 year old African hunting "rookie"! Mike.

 

[CAustin]

Charlie all I can say is congratz!!!! I talked to my import agent and my permit is in the last stage with fish and wildlife. I should be a few weeks to a month behind you so I will keep checking my mail in case they send mine to me instead of the import agent.

Hope you get it soon buddy

 

[Mike Wachtel]

Charlie all I can say is congratz!!!! I talked to my import agent and my permit is in the last stage with fish and wildlife. I should be a few weeks to a month behind you so I will keep checking my mail in case they send mine to me instead of the import agent.

I just received great news from my PH in Namibia! I had initially booked for a leopard safari for my first African hunt. After booking, my PH, Francois Roberts, recommended that I switch to plains game, since he had seen little leopard activity. Great honesty from him. Then this week, several months after booking, I received an email that he had seen 4 cats and tons of tracks in the last few days on the property! He offered to get the permit at his expense, so I can take a cat if we come across one on our 12 day safari, I would only pay the increased daily rate if I score! I jumped at the deal; hope they hang around until late July when I arrive! Question: anything I can do to facilitate the import of a leopard trophy from Namibia to the US? I plan to use Rainer Sentefol to ship from Namibia, and Tom Kelly of Trophy Shippers to receive in Chicago. Tom has recommended contacting John Jackson of Conservation Force for import advice; I see that John Jackson has a list of conservation and hunter advocacy creds longer than my arm! Don't know if he would help a single hunter like me...but any advice from anyone on this site on what I can do in advance to help get a leopard home to the US if I happen to be successful? Thanks! Mike Wachtel

 

[CAustin]

I just received great news from my PH in Namibia! I had initially booked for a leopard safari for my first African hunt. After booking, my PH, Francois Roberts, recommended that I switch to plains game, since he had seen little leopard activity. Great honesty from him. Then this week, several months after booking, I received an email that he had seen 4 cats and tons of tracks in the last few days on the property! He offered to get the permit at his expense, so I can take a cat if we come across one on our 12 day safari, I would only pay the increased daily rate if I score! I jumped at the deal; hope they hang around until late July when I arrive! Question: anything I can do to facilitate the import of a leopard trophy from Namibia to the US? I plan to use Rainer Sentefol to ship from Namibia, and Tom Kelly of Trophy Shippers to receive in Chicago. Tom has recommended contacting John Jackson of Conservation Force for import advice; I see that John Jackson has a list of conservation and hunter advocacy creds longer than my arm! Don't know if he would help a single hunter like me...but any advice from anyone on this site on what I can do in advance to help get a leopard home to the US if I happen to be successful? Thanks! Mike Wachtel

Mike somehow I missed this post. I don’t think there is anything that will speed up the process on either side of the ocean. Just have your import agent file for the US CITES permit and let the wheels of government turn…..slowly but eventuall.

 

[CAustin]

Folks I Am happy to report that my leopard skin and skull have arrived at the D&L CHB warehouse in Chicago IL. From the 22nd of June 2021 to the 15th of August 2022 Is how long this process took. I thought he would never make it to the USA.

 

[slam8031]

Congratulations!

Mine is expected to ship 20 August 2022 and land at JFK ON 24 August. Can’t wait! I hunted in November 2021. Filed my own paperwork online with USFWS in January 2022. Personally I think the e file system is the faster way to go to receive the permit, whether using assistance or filing individually.

 

[TDB333]

I would recommend you contact John J immediately. He's in the know on the permits, licenses, etc.. Don't chance it. As for Trophy Shippers, wouldn't recommend them for anything. Damaged a couple of my trophies from my last Buffalo hunt in Namibia & it took me over a year of threats, etc., to get reimbursed for just the taxidermy & shipping.!

 

[404Jeffry]

View attachment 405708Nothing wrong with dinner if you like eating at 11 pm

Gaegogi meat?

 

[CAustin]

The skins of the leopard and the steenbuck arrived at the tannery while I was in Zimbabwe and the skulls made it to my taxidermist in Missouri last week, I plan to pick up the leopard skull this Thursday on my way down to deer camp in Arkansas. Then I will get it to an official SCI measurer ASAP.

 

[CAustin]

This arrived today via FedEx.

 

[CAustin]

And this came as well.