They were then. in the 1880's or maybe in the 1920's or possible in 1950. no they must have been in 1970 or 80 or 90. when were they? i can remember being in africa during some of the periods of time, i can also remember being in canada, or Montana, or alaska or other lands. When were those golden years. Ask Saeed, or ask Craig Bottington, or Steve Robinson or a dozen others that frequent this site. Those years were in your memory. Yesterday, last year, last decade. Some 37 odd years ago my father told me on his death bed to take some time off, take a vacation. Things will still be there when you get back. He was right, absolutely right. I think I took his advice, at least partially. So to you younger guys, Listen to those who have gone before your, Listen carefully. The golden years are here, now, they are your years, your memories. I know going to africa is expensive, time consuming, you could accomplish much by not going, but can you live the golden years again. Not if you don't try. As i live the autumn of my life, i can't remember a single person, who said, gee i'm glad i didn't go there, i worked instead. m Take the time, Live your life, it only comes once

Well put. I need to send that to my dad, he keeps putting it off and saying he will go in a couple years (been saying that for as long as I can remember) but I worry he will never go. Thanks.

I knew several men who talked about all of the things that they were going to do when they retired. Unfortunately most of these fellows passed away shortly before or after they retired. This had a big impact on me and I decided I would do all that I could to enjoy life and hunt and fish as much as possible. Even if I die tomorrow many of my friends would still talk about what a lucky SOB I was. I have lived out so many far fetched dreams that I have had to start dreaming again. My body may be fifty but my heart and mind still act like a boy. I still long to see whats over the next mountain or around the next bend in the river. Go now and go often, don't wait until it's too late.

quote:

Originally posted by JA:
I knew several men who talked about all of the things that they were going to do when they retired. Unfortunately most of these fellows passed away shortly before or after they retired. This had a big impact on me and I decided I would do all that I could to enjoy life and hunt and fish as much as possible. Even if I die tomorrow many of my friends would still talk about what a lucky SOB I was. I have lived out so many far fetched dreams that I have had to start dreaming again. My body may be fifty but my heart and mind still act like a boy.

Amen!As I turn the big 50 this year and I just received my invitation to join the AARP today.
10 trip under my belt and never regretted any of them. Well one I did but some clown sold me a leopard in Oct in Zim. but none the less. I am blessed and this is sound advice.

PS I am sending the AARP a nasty no thank you letter those Nobama loving idiots!

Indigenous Africans will probably tell you the golden years were before foreigners started taking over their countries and the foreigners will tell you they were the time before the locals took them back.

That aside, the best time to go is always now.

The "Golden Age" of African hunting is generally considered to be 1900 - 1940.

Harry Selby (in an interview in Magnum magazine) mentioned how his mentors and predecessors would talk about "the old Africa" and how he had lamented for it.

He in turn saw an Africa that most will never see again.

quote:

Originally posted by Greg Brownlee:
Well put. I need to send that to my dad, he keeps putting it off and saying he will go in a couple years (been saying that for as long as I can remember) but I worry he will never go. Thanks.

Which is why, in 2003 as she was being wheeled into the OR for heart surgery my mother turned to me and said: "Paulie, when are you and your father going to go to Colorado for elk? When it's too late?" We went in 2004 and it was a dream come true.
In 2008 I handed a rifle to my dad and said "This is my birthday present to you for your 70th. We are going to Africa August 28th. We have talked about it all of our lives and I am not going to wait until it is too late." We went and it was better than a dream come true - it was all of our dreams coming true.

quote:

Originally posted by CCMDoc:

quote:

Originally posted by Greg Brownlee:
Well put. I need to send that to my dad, he keeps putting it off and saying he will go in a couple years (been saying that for as long as I can remember) but I worry he will never go. Thanks.

Which is why, in 2003 as she was being wheeled into the OR for heart surgery my mother turned to me and said: "Paulie, when are you and your father going to go to Colorado for elk? When it's too late?" We went in 2004 and it was a dream come true.
In 2008 I handed a rifle to my dad and said "This is my birthday present to you for your 70th. We are going to Africa August 28th. We have talked about it all of our lives and I am not going to wait until it is too late." We went and it was better than a dream come true - it was all of our dreams coming true.

Good for both of you!
Outstanding!!!

Preach it brother!

How about this idea? Spend some or all of your retirement savings now while you are still healthy and before the socialists find some way to steal it from you?

Now that they have access to our bank accounts it is only a matter of time before they start tapping into the well, my well.

The socialists can go suck donkey cock. I have other plans for my money that includes re-distributing my wealth in Africa.

By-the-way, I am looking for an economical non-export elephant hunt for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Did I mention that the socialists can go suck donkey cock?

GO NOW. Yes indeed! Amen, amen, amen!

I'll be 36 on April 27 with nine international safaris under my belt and a goodly bit of North American hunting too. My plan is at least one international hunt per year until I am 50 and to ramp it up from 50 until I die.

I could stay at home and grind out a few more hours each year, save more money, retire earlier, have a bigger house, flashy car, etc., etc., etc., but I cannot fathom waiting for retirement or semi-retirement to really begin hunting.

Too many people in my business drop dead before 50. If that happens to me, noone will talk about the things that I wanted to do. They'll be talking about what I did.

I'm 38 & leave in 4 days for my first safari. I'll be hunting in Limpopo with Cruiser safaris. I've been hunting since I was 16 & I've never been as excited about a hunt as I am now.
When I was young I looked at many outfitter adds in magazines & anywhere else I could find them. Although I didn't think I would ever be able to afford to go I'm only 4 days away from my trip & it all seems very sureal.
I can't thank my wife enough for talking me into going. She is truely the only reason that I'm able to make this trip. Her ability to save money & plan for our future leaves me in awe. She is an amazing women & I'm very lucky to have her.
I'm sure she regrets the idea now because I havn't even been there yet and I've already told my sons (8yrs and 12yrs) that when they graduate that they won't be getting cars or cash. I will be taking them on safari so they can have something that they will truely remember for the rest of thier lives. This is also my way of insuring that I will return to Africa atleast two more times.
I envy all of you that have been to Africa many times & love to read all of your hunting reports. Keep up the good work & hopefully I can do my hunt justice with a well written report when I return.
Good day all.

My missus told me a few months back to stop talking about it all the time and "just go." 2011 it is.

There is little I envy in my life, but I do envy many of the AR members. I promised myself that I would hunt Africa by the time I turned 50 and I will be there next year on my 49th birthday for my first safari. My dad passed at 60 so I too agree JUST GO! Did I tell you that I cannot wait?!

Amen! Go while you can. You can't go when you're dead.My dad and I were planning a trip to RSA, my first African hunt, in 2001 when he suddenly died of a heart attack at the age of 61. A friend who first convinced me that hunting in Africa was something I could actually do died of a heart attack a few years later (just two weeks before he was due to leave for his first buff hunt.) He was 57. A co-worker's husband, whose birthday was only a few months earlier than mine, died a while back after a mysterious years-long illness. Every time I think that maybe instead of saving money for me to go to Africa (or hunting out west with the kids) I should be saving for my kids' college, I try to remind myself of these guys who died or were badly incapacitated way ahead of when they "should" have been. Yes, I feel a little guilty planning to spend on a hunt next year the equivalent of a year's college tuition, but I earned three post-high school degrees and paid for them mostly on my own (my wife and I were married when I was in law school.) I figure they can borrow or earn the money for school, as I did, but no one is going to help me pay to go hunting in Africa!

quote:

Originally posted by sdirks:
Amen! Go while you can. You can't go when you're dead. Every time I think that maybe instead of saving money for me to go to Africa (or hunting out west with the kids) I should be saving for my kids' college, I try to remind myself of these guys who died or were badly incapacitated way ahead of when they "should" have been. Yes, I feel a little guilty planning to spend on a hunt next year the equivalent of a year's college tuition, but I earned three post-high school degrees and paid for them mostly on my own (my wife and I were married when I was in law school.) I figure they can borrow or earn the money for school, as I did, but no one is going to help me pay to go hunting in Africa!

Amen to that too. Like you I worked to pay my way through HS, college and med school and we (my wife and I) survived just fine.

As has been said by others far more experienced than I - the "golden" time in Africa is the time that you are there. Go while you can and take someone with whom to share the experience.

My first safari was an 'accidental' EBay bid several years ago. LOL
Went to SA in the Limpopo area. A man who looked to be about 75 and 9 toes in the coffin was there to finally live his dream. I thought to myself how lucky I was to be there at half his age and healthy.

When my dad died at age 49 i took along look at where i was and where i wanted to be when i leave this world. So i just grin when people tell me i am crazy for spending a small fortune going to hunt caribou in the artic circle or Kudu in africa. Life is fleeting at best i am going to live it now.

My Mom talked about going to see Europe when she retired. Soon after she was diagnosed with Parkinson's. She never made the trip.

In 2003, when my daughter was in PK3, I met one of her classmate's dad. We've become great friends since. He had just returned from his first trip. Later that school year, I met the PH at the HSC show. As a family we talked about going when the kids were big enough to hunt and remember the trip.

FFwd to 2006, I had a chance to go as one of my friends other friends had to cancel and there was a spot available. I went into my inheritance to go, after thinking about Mom dying without ever seeing Europe. If I never get to go again, at least I've been once!

Very few days go by I don't think of the trip and I'm still working on taking all of us the next time. (She said I could do the first one on by own, but I couldn't go without her the next time!)

No doubt about it, the "golden years" in Africa are whatever years you're lucky enough to be hunting there.