I'm in the process of applying for a position as a foreign service specialist. Absolutely no idea of where I would be posted.  If I was sent to a place like South Africa, are there any benefits of being more "local"?  Like bot having to worry about shipping trophys back home, or being able to keep some of the meat?  I realize that most of the meat tends to go to the local villagers, but I figure if you shoot a 1000 lbs animal, maybe 40 lbs of meat wouldn't be that big a deal.

I know plenty of people have hunted in places like Germany while stationed there.  I was just wondering if anyone has had an experience of hunting exotic game while living there, vs doing a week or two trip.

Doubt our diplomats get to take personal firearms along on assignment. Your opportunities will depend on where you are.

Never worked for the state department, but when you are stationed somewhere, you have free time. If you're somewhere that has such activities, I'm sure it will be easier and cheaper to organize something than doing it from the US. Also whoever you work for likely has rules to follow. You won't have been the first employee to want to do a particular activity, so they likely have covered it already in the handbook.

If you can do a hunt, you won't be bringing your own gun most likely, but if you sign up for a hunt, the PH will have a gun for you to use/rent. You'll still have to pay all the normal fees/rates, etc. The only place you'll definitely save money is on the plane ticket. If you are already in place, you might also be able to shop around more and get better deals or better info about who is the best outfitter to go with, etc instead of relying on online forums and review sites to shop around.

Now if you somehow befriend a PH outfit, you'd likely have more access to those activities for potentially cheaper amounts.

If you're in Kenya or somewhere with such wildlife, game drives (ie. safari without hunting) are easy. We just take our own pickup onto the preserve in Kenya. You pay to access. You can even go camping, etc (and wake up to lions outside your tent *cough*cough*). In Ghana, you typically go with a guide who has a rifle for elephants in case they get violent (also most of it is a game "walk" more than a drive).

I realize that at most posts I wouldn't be able to bring my own rifle with me, or at least the process will be so onerous it won't be worth it. I had planned that I would need to rent one from the guide outfit.  At this point it's just daydreaming about where I might get sent.  I definitely plan of doing game drives if the opportunity presents itself. Reading about some of the preserves in different African countries sounds pretty amazing. I like the idea of doing a once in a lifetime thing potentially multiple times in a 2-3 year posting.

Africa is awesome.

So when you say "diplomatic mission" do you mean you've applied for the state department? Or what?

Have you actually gotten hired on and are awaiting an assignment? Or just submitted your application?

Yes, State Deparment. I've passed oral evaluation and have a tentative offer. Currently in medical and security check, then suitability. At that point I'm put on a register for up to 18 months when I can be selected to be hired. From my understanding, my specialty is fairly hard up for qualified candidates, so I'd guess I have about 90% chance of being hired, but I could be off base on percentage.

It's going to vary from country to country and post to post. You could have a cool Ambo/CDA and RSO combo that will help you with the hunting rifles or a group that tells you to pound sand regardless of the laws of the host nation.

I'm more curious where you plan on keeping a big freezer of meat? LOL

I'm not looking to bring back hundreds of pounds, but it would be nice to be able to make a few meals back home with family, and maybe share some with co-workers.  I realize housing is what you get, and am under no illusion that I'll have some sort of massive area to store a bunch of meat, even if I could bring it back with me.

The being in country for a duration of time say a month or three you might be able to arrange something with a guide for a hunt cancellation backfill on the cheap.

I am speculating of course.

Edit, maybe book a regular trip and if you are satisfied run the idea past the guide for the backfill hunt.

What section of the foreign service did you apply for? DSS?

It will vary based on Chief of mission policy, the country you’re in and if you live on or off compound (the later two will really be the questions COM most likely isn’t going to allow perosnal weapons on compound) . I work with the former ARSO to an African country and he did a lot of hunting there but I’m not sure if it was with personal weapons or rentals. Feel free to shoot me a message if you get the job and find yourself heading to FASTC for training.

If you mean back home as in the states that won’t happen, you can only bring meat back from Canada, there is no importation agreement for wild game meat with any other country.

I was agency and was stationed overseas.  I was mainly middle east and north Africa, so not quite what you are looking for. Personal firearms are only allowed at a post if the Ambo oks it. It can happen. I even know of one guy who acquired a firearm in Europe and got it imported back to the US legally.

I never did a safari but you get vacation time so it shouldn't be a problem. Sometimes there are areas they don't allow you to go because of security reasons but that might not be an issue for your posts. The places I was at were a bit more sporty at times.

Facilities Management Specialist.  Making sure the lights turn on when they are supposed to, the toilets flush, and the HVAC works.

No, I mean if I am at a post - say, Windhoek, Namibia - and I do a safari somewhere within the country, or maybe South Africa. Can I bring a cooler full of meat back to where I'm living in Windhoek?  I will be  wherever I am sent for two years for the first two assignments.  

This triggers another question: how would trophys work if I'm not shipping directly back to the US?  Not really interested in full mounts. Maybe horns/antlers and skins. I know there's a whole process to preserving the trophys. I wonder if there are many taxidermists locally, or if it's assumed it's  all getting shipped off so nobody does it there.

Your guide will have all the info you need. They will even supply guns and ammo. That’s what you pay for. But the hunt and taxidermy fees will not be cheap. Don’t forget the tip.

GSO seemed like a tough job every post I was at. That dude was always getting a call and constantly having to do shit. His phone never stopped ringing.

There are definitely taxidermists in South Africa.  A friend has been there twice and had his taxidermy done there and shipped back.  Not sure about other countries, but I suspect you'll have options.  He's happy with his taxidermy, but I'm sure that it's hit-or-miss there just like it is here.  When I get there in a few years I'll probably do the same.  I don't recall the name of the taxidermist he used.

I'm not really interested in mounts.  Don't have the room and don't think my wife wants animal heads on the walls. I'm looking more at tanning hides, which I imagine would be a little more hit than miss.  Maybe some skull mounts or something with the horns of the animals. I have to actually get the job, then get assigned to a country that offers these kinds of opportunities.  Still a long way to go. Mostly dreaming right now.

He did get his skins tanned from the first trip.  Not sure if the taxidermist does that in-house or outsources.  They definitely do skull mounts; he has a painted impala skull mount on the slow boat right now along with an assortment of other things.  I'll see how it looks in a few months.  His taxidermist is Trophy Solutions Africa in Polokwane, SA.

Temporary importation of firearms into South Africa is pretty painless. It is less than 6 months though as you need a return ticket home.

I do have a friend who is permanently importing a rifle into South Africa that I sold him. It is a process, and you really need to know someone who knows someone, otherwise the permit gets processed in African time….

I think it worth it though, and I would never hunt dangerous game with a rented rifle. It is usually done on foot, at extremely close ranges. Snap shooting a lioness at 7 yards gets your heart really pumping. In my opinion, the more intimately you know your rifle, the better.