Background - Have travelled the world for work and fun. Have hunted in most of the great places. Nearly always take my wife. No desire for "great physical or mental challenge". In other words, I have no desire to climb Everest or Kilimanjaro or do the Iditarod. Have hunted most of the best places in Africa.

Want to do 2 or 3 or 4 more big hunts before I retire.

Listed below are ideas, but what would you do?

Question:
Pick one, add a comment or another option I have not thought of....

Thanks!

Choices:
Pakistan for urials and other great animals
Spain for the ibex and others
Europe/UK for roe deer and other deer
Ethiopia (again) in a different area
Namibia - Caprivi

 

Ethiopia hands down if you’re bringing your spouse. The cultural experience is second to none and the hunting is pleasant and not gruelling with lots of variety.

A funny question from someone who has been to so many places.

Might be an idea to talk to your better half.

Discuss each destination and they have to offer.

That way you both can reach a desirable decision.

I’m thinking about Pakistan for myself but if my wife was going with me I would definitely pick Spain.

I picked the Uriah’s. The Country is low, so not lung busting. You will walk and climb enough that it is not jump out of the truck shoot.

One can always hunt for deer.

Urials give a part of the world I have never seen.

Depending on where you are at, you might be hunting in Asia. Pakistan also has native Nilgai and Axis deer. I think it is the closest one will come to hunting India.

My Wife would not go to Pakistan. We both love Europe.

I'm With JA. Spain is a beautiful place and offers much for the tourist.

Well I voted for Ethiopia. My wife would not go on the euro hunts as she would find that too tame and civilized. If not going to Africa I think it would be the northern territory in OZ for banteng and water buffalo.

If your wife is going with, back to Ethiopia.


If you are going solo, Northern Pakistan. Husband has said the hunt for Himalayan Blue Sheep in the KVO of the Gilgit-Baltistan region was his favorite hunt.

Ross, have you done Red Stag in Argentina?

I’d go for Ethiopia. So many interesting places and so much interesting game. For me personally, Ethiopia is perhaps the perfect cultural and hunting adventure in Africa if traveling with your spouse.

I hunted Scotland in October,would not do it again. Too formal for me and Christen,gamekeeper carrys your gun ,sets it up on the stag he wants you to shoot and works the bolt!Start hunting @ 10 am and done by 3 pm.The touring and history is great,just would not hunt.Left 2 sets of stag antlers behind estimate of $ 2000 to ship home.Carry on was not an option to ship. Btw tested positive for Covid and kicked my butt for 8 days.

I think I would have a go at Asian water buffalo in Australia's Northern Territory.

I may still do that, God willing.

I have been fortunate enough to hunt big game on all of the other continents, except Antarctica, where hunting is of course not permitted.

I would rank it if I was doing it as a combo adventure/hunt
1. Spain
2. Ethiopia - I am assuming not for Mountain Nyala.

3. Pakistan (this would be 1 if you were not taking a female companion…)

I would redo Tanzania or Zimbabwe/Zambia as much as do the Caprivi.

Other options- New Zealand- mountainous, but civilized and spectacular scenery.

Australia for buffalo/Banteng-

Argentina for combo buffalo/birds.

Honestly, that’s more some of my list, god and finances willing.

quote:

Originally posted by hvrhunter:
I hunted Scotland in October,would not do it again. Too formal for me and Christen,gamekeeper carrys your gun ,sets it up on the stag he wants you to shoot and works the bolt!Start hunting @ 10 am and done by 3 pm.The touring and history is great,just would not hunt.Left 2 sets of stag antlers behind estimate of $ 2000 to ship home.Carry on was not an option to ship. Btw tested positive for Covid and kicked my butt for 8 days.

I feel the same way about Scotland.

I don't know if I was treated like royalty or an idiot. Not sure if there is any difference, when it comes right down to it.

Spain is a fantastic country to visit hunting or not . I have been four times , soon to be five .

I remember hunting an 80-year-old for Sitatunga. It was a tough hunt and he stated it was his last safari in Africa. Six years later he booked a buff hunt and stated he only wanted to hunt an old Buffalo. He bust his ankle on the first day and I had to support him for the rest of the hunt. He got his Buff and then stated again that it was to be his last safari.

How many times have I heard that?

quote:

How many times have I heard that?

Probably as many times as someone also says that this is the last rifle that they're going to buy.

if you just wanna show up and shoot something give Texas a run.

if you wanna hunt all day every day pick some public land somewhere and take your rifle for a walk every afternoon.

I like Andrew's response. I'm Old, but net dead. Of those offered, I'd pick the Caprivi, but I've always wanted to hunt Zambia.

As Jon mentioned, Argentina. You can stop in Buenos Aires for a great time and take in a tango show with your wife. BsAs is the “Paris of South America” before you venture forth to your hunting destination. The history is amazing.

Red stag in Patagonia or even other provinces to allow water buffalo and bird hunting in addition to the stag. That’s a hunt from March to May, as that’s during the roar/rut.

If you like to fish, you can catch massive trout on flies in Patagonia or golden dorado on flies or bait to the north before or after shooting many birds. At the tail end of your trip spend a couple of days in Mendoza or Cafayate tasting great wines.

Thanks for letting me have fun spending your budget on a great trip!

Come to England and hunt Roe Bucks in August in the rut.

Or combine Chinese Water Deer and Muntjac in November/December.

I have an AR member here right now hunting Chinese Water Deer and Muntjac.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

quote:

Originally posted by hvrhunter:
I hunted Scotland in October,would not do it again. Too formal for me and Christen,gamekeeper carrys your gun ,sets it up on the stag he wants you to shoot and works the bolt!Start hunting @ 10 am and done by 3 pm.The touring and history is great,just would not hunt.Left 2 sets of stag antlers behind estimate of $ 2000 to ship home.Carry on was not an option to ship. Btw tested positive for Covid and kicked my butt for 8 days.

I feel the same way about Scotland.

I don't know if I was treated like royalty or an idiot. Not sure if there is any difference, when it comes right down to it.

We have thought about doing this trip/hunt.Is this the norm? Are there estates that allow a actual hunt without the ridiculous controls? That type of supervision on a hunt would not be fun.
4WD

Argentina for birds and some other stuff.
Northern Territory in Australia for buffalo.
New Zealand?
Mauritius?

When hunting in the UK as a visitor you will always be accompanied just like anywhere else in the world. The degree of supervision on Scottish Highland estates for Red stags is traditionally greater than for other species. Most estates are constantly endevouring to improve the genetics of the species by shooting from the bottom up instead of the top down. The gamekeeper (Known as the Stalker) should be choosing the worst stag he can find instead of the best. Hummels (antlerless stags) are shot first, then switches (stags without any tines), switch tops (with brow, bey or tray tines but no tops) and lastly 10 or 12 point heads. Money can of course buy you a real trophy but is it the right thing to do?
Here in New Zealand most people shoot the best they can find so the difference between stags on public land and private land is like they are different species.
If you want a more flexible hunt try Roe, Muntjac, Fallow or Chinese Water Deer in southern England. There are few hunts where experienced old hands can still get buck-fever but I have seen it often during the Roe rut when a beautiful little buck answers a doe call and comes charging right up to you.
It's a lot cheaper than Scottish stags too!

I am rapidly coming into the same situation.. After my Tajikistan trip and a few more more challenging trips (Mongolia, Pakistan) I too am looking for more relaxing hunting environment..

I choose Spain - hunter friendly, great weather, great wines, great food and beautiful women (for us single guys LOL)..

Lots of species to pursue - Ibex, roe deer, chamois, fallow deer, stag and beautiful women.. Oh.. did say that again :-)

.

Hey Ross. 2,3 or 4 big trips now and then retirement! What are the hunt plans for when you retire - little trips ?? Just fooling. Cash flow is great when you have it for the big trips!

If it were me I would look at

1. Aussie - Northern Territories buff, pigs, banteng and maybe a big salt croc

2. Malaysia - totally different - a few deer and hogs and exotic stuff and then a week of sites and great food and hospitality

3. Scotland - a week of walked up grouse over top dogs (forget the driven grouse, walked up is much more of a day and more relaxed and fun), red stags (and on the right estate you can carry your own rifle and have a proper stalk / hunt) and then some touring. And I would use this as an excuse to buy a new rifle too - maybe a .300 H&H or a 7x64 !

4. Hungary - a week at the start of the roe rut in August targeting large bucks! Beautiful animals, exciting hunting / calling, great food and hospitality and then a few days in Budapest to round it off. (And this is not an expensive hunt.)

And as a Plan B should any of the above not work out, I would look at Argentina - stags, buck, hogs and a few days top wingshooting!

Whatever you choose, enjoy the planning and I am already looking forward to the reports!

Best, Charlie

Charlie, Northen Territory Australia. Banteng are a good hunt but there are so many on the Cobourg Peninsula it only takes one or two days to choose your bull. Limited water in the Dry concentrates the herds. They are very flighty and can have attitude.
Many outfits offering Banteng are operating on the outer edge of legality. Try Karl Goodhand who has a legal concession.
Water buffalo are not like African buff. Nothing like as challenging but still worthwhile.
Crocodiles are protected. You can watch someone else shoot a trapped one but that is as close as you will legally get to a croc hunt.
I agree entirely about walked up grouse compared with driven. Much more sport even if the bag is small. Most estates on the Scottish Borders offer driven partridges at much less cost than driven grouse.
Spain is a great vacation especially if taking your "better half". I wouldn't shoot partridges there, they release on the day of the shoot unlike Britain where they are released months previously.
The various Spanish Ibex sub-species only seem to vary with the amount of domestic goat DNA in their ancestry. That doesn't detract from the fun of the hunt but it does bring into question the prices they charge. (I expect a furious reaction from the Spanish members but show me the science not the pride)

The amount of game around Europe is enough to keep a serious hunter busy. Good/great Accommodations, culture and food, plenty of history and architecture to boot. I love Africa, but how many Impala or Warthogs can someone shoot?

Roe, Fallow and Stag, a fair number of different Ibex, Brown Bear, Mouflon and Wild Boar.

After hunting all over Africa, I’d give Europe a serious look. As Africa slowly destroys its hunting industry with rising prices on hunts, trophy fees and dip/pack/shipping costs, Europe looks way more enticing.

Spain is a bit pricey, but offers a lot of animals. Eastern Europe has some very reasonable prices and good trophies. $10k can get you a lot of hunting in Bulgaria or Romania.