Apropos of nothing at all, if you suddenly found yourself $640 million richer tonight at 8pm, what would be your first purchases. Given the proclivity of those that read this board, let’s narrow the field to guns and hunts. So, what would be the first gun and first hunt you would order/book?

A 40-day Big Five hunt for me along with a plains game hunt for my son; a Rigby .450 NE double rifle with the rising bite action or a Westley Richards droplock in .476 NE.

My wife said, if you won think of all the trips you could make to Africa . . . I told her, hell, for that money I can buy my own country in Africa.

Too right, Mike!

I would buy a Tanzania full bag hunt for all the guys who are giving Aaron stick about Tanzania being too expensive - hopefully this will help them see the light!

A Holland and Holland Bespoke Royal in 500NE with matching 450/400, marked No.1 and No. 2.

An extended Safari in multiple countries, starting with Tanzania, the common Safari countries, as well as the more off the beaten path venues such as Ethiopia for Mountain Nyala and such.

Would take the wife and both son's as well.

Just in case you're wondering, I haven't given this any thought prior to your question!

Mike, you still need guns in your country. For me, I have already identified the winner... http://www.csmcspecials.com/product_p/22662.htm

And then of course a long call to Mr. Fulson.

I'd have that Mountain Nyala and bongo booked in short order. Might spend some money on Governor's tags for those hard to draw species in NA.

I think you'd have $300,000,000 or so left after taxes and a third of that would more than cover my wildest dreams so I think I'd have to try and give back through a charity of my choice.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
My wife said, if you won think of all the trips you could make to Africa . . . I told her, hell, for that money I can buy my own country in Africa.

The newest hunting destination...Jinesaniawana

I'd be going on an Elephant hunt for one of those big Botswana bulls. That is if it's still legal to hunt them. As soon as I got back, I'd start looking for a large ranch to buy in the western US so I'd have my own place to hunt Deer and Elk.

I would buy up all the private land I could in a certain western plains state and re-establish free-ranging wildlife and hunting like Lewis and Clark saw!

I would be building health clinics and starting self sustaining agriculture projects across all of sun Sahara Africa. Probably do some hunting while checking out all of those locations.

I'd put it under my matress with the rest of my money like my Polish grandfather taught me.

Buy all the buffalo and elephant quota in two or three prime areas.

Stay 6 months.

Jump from country to country.

Invite family and friends.

I would see how long it would take me to kill more buffalo than Saeed has.

Buy this Evans 450 NE http://forums.accuratereloadin...0101804/m/6121038171 - transfer the money today & hop on a flight and collect it personally & start shooting it tomorrw afternoon.

Book a string of 14 to 21 day hunts starting with Zim for Buffalo, Leopard & PG and moving to a bull elephant and then to Tanzania to be really spoilt - total 6 weeks. Hunt Guinean fowl, sand grouse and francoline too.

While in Africa - buy up a Safari outfitter / concession in wild remote Africa with plenty of game which can be really stalked & hunted.

Now I can relax and really start buying some nice rifles - like a pair of Holland & Holland doubles in 300 HH & 375 HH - both flanged. Also a couple of nice bolt action classics like a 7X57 and a 404 Jeffery.

Then buy some hunts around the world - Sindh Ibex, Markhor, Blue sheep and Urial in Pakistan, Marco Polo sheep in Tajikistan, Brown Bear in Alaska, Bird shooting in Argentina, ....

I would book a season in Africa. Kind of like Teddy, just travel from country to country and see what came into my sights. Oh, did I mention I would be flying my own Pilatus PC13?

A new wheel for my lawnmower.


Dutch

zimbabwe

SSR

I wouldn't spend a penny of it hunting in Africa.

Alaska, Australia, and Argentina would see some of it. There is enough hunting in those locales to amuse me for a long time, and far fewer charlatans operate there than in Africa.

George

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
I would see how long it would take me to kill more buffalo than Saeed has.

My understanding is the payoff is paid annually but (before taxes) amounts to around $60,000 per day. I don't think I could shoot fast enough to avoid saving money on a PG/DG combo anywhere on the African continent. For at least a year, I would just migrate with the hunting seasons.... Namibia, Zim, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, etc. and live in hunting camps. I would also immediately buy one hell of a ranch in the middle of nowhere Idaho to serve as the home address I gave to my taxidermists. I would then do the exact same thing in North America in year 2 of this adventure.

As for guns...I think I have everything I need as it is.

The first thing I would do is buy an obscenely large ranch here in the states. Then a big 5 safari followed by bongo anf LDE. Then a car and gun buying spree the likes this world has never seen.

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:
far fewer charlatans operate there than in Africa.

George

I know that you have been burned multiple times, but I disagree.

Most of the PHs/outfits in Africa have a huge investment in their reputation, and they survive on their hunting business alone.

Most guides/outfits here in the US have income sources other than hunting. I feel that we have more "fly by night" guys here in the states.

You can get burned anywhere. IMO, the best bet is to go with someone with a rock solid reputation no matter where you hunt.

Whoever wins it will be my Grandpa, whether they claim me or not!

quote:

Originally posted by Ma Baker:
I would buy a Tanzania full bag hunt for all the guys who are giving Aaron stick about Tanzania being too expensive - hopefully this will help them see the light!

I would spend a lot of time in warmer,sunnier places.I would buy a big home by the sea with a forest in the back so I could listen to all the birds sing when I wake up.I would hire a cook,a house keeper,and gardener.I would hunt Africa every year for as long as I enjoyed hunting there.I would not hunt in North America because I just don`t feel like it-it is too developed anyways.I would like to visit China and Russia and many other places.

It's always hunting season somewhere on the planet and the fish are always biting somewhere else. I'd make sure my family were secure and then do a bunch of adventuring with my wife.

I would buy the most profitable hunting companies I could in Tanzania, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Canada, US, Australia and NZ.

I would also buy a production company and fund a massive propaganda spree that was pro hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
I would see how long it would take me to kill more buffalo than Saeed has.

I have killed any this year yet!

And I have withrawal symptoms!

And not only was the coffee cold, but it was growing long green whiskers.

I'd take my linens and grundies out of the washer and put them in the dryer since I forgot to do that last night.

I would retire just to hunt the world the rest of life, help my friends and family and needy causes. And very importantly create my own political pac to tell the truth about obama and defeat him in november.

quote:

A new wheel for my lawnmower.

You hunt with your lawnmower??

Well, the winning numbers were drawn and.... I"m not going to Tanzania for 2 months.

Pay off my mortgage, oh I don't have one OK hunt all the spiral horned and pygmy antelope. Does that suprise anyone.

Build a rugby Staduim at the US Air Force Academy and name it after someone else.

Pay o fthe land my home Club owns.

Build a nice comfortable log home with a trophy room that could hold a hell of a lot of animals.

Buy a small lodge in SA I know is available.

Buy another 100k acre area I know is available in SA.

Lease them out to folks I trust.

Spend the rest of my life hunting when and where I saw fit. I pretty much think I would start hunting country by country untill I had hunted every thing that country had to offer then move tot eh next one.

Oh and a lot of my friends would know the joys of safari hunting.

Well, I guess we could afford that double wide we been dreamin' about.....

quote:

Originally posted by Hasher:
...
Oh and a lot of my friends would know the joys of safari hunting.

Wouldn't THAT be one of the very coolest things if you won? I think taking one's friends on the hunts a guy most enjoys would be an incredible way to 'share the wealth'.

I had 4 numbers. Oh yea, I won a 16 day buff hunt here on AR in 2005.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=744108315#744108315

Dreams do come true!

Mike