This sucks! Due to the freeze in bonuses I was forced to postpone my Zambia lion hunt with Muchinga Adventures until 2010.

I want to publically thank Wendell Reich and Laura DuPlooy for working with me on this.

It might have gotten me too. I was hoping to go back to Africa next year but may have to wait until 2010 as well. Maybe there is still hope to able to do a plains game hunt in 2009.

Feel fortunate if you have a job....

I had work lined up for winter...now I'm gainfully unemployed

Makes me grateful to have made the trips I've done....

And any in the future...sweeter


Dan

the economy got me too!! Got me over a thousand dollars discount on a year end Buffalo hunt with Buzz and Myles.

17 days and I will be headed over the big water.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Lee,

Sorry to hear that. More time though for the anticipation to build, to plan, to practice at the range and think about new rifles, etc.

Glad I am not an outfitter given these uncertain economic times.

My future Africa plans are on hold for the moment. Hopefully this will come right soon.

'Cancelled my buff hunt for next June a few days ago. 'Just isn't prudent at this time.

Tough time to be a booking agent too. I'm getting lots of emails about cancellation hunts. Someone poised to leave on short notice could do pretty good on some of these opportunities.

Sorry for your delay. My buddy and I are doing a buffalo hunt while you were in camp.

I think its going to get a lot of us next year.

Small businesses will be trying to keep things together through Christmas then ..... hopefully the government has a lot of unemployment money.

I'm doing just the opposite. I figure things are only going to get worse with the new POTUS so I'm looking for a hunt for this spring. PH's, agents etc take a look at my post in the "Classified" section under PG hunt wanted. The mods moved it there from the "Outfitters/discounted hunts". Guess this new area is more appropriate.

Due to both age and resources I had more or less recociled myself to maybe only one more hunt in my lifetime more or less just for some inexpensive plains game just to go back once more. The latest crash has reduced my 401K account by 50% and will probably go lower. This removes any possibility of the resources being available for another trip. At my age it is unlikely the market will ever regain any significent amount to allow for saving for another trip. No big deal, it just removes the anticipation factor but in no way diminishes the memories of trips past.

The economy got us and we cancelled, then thought better of it and rebooked. The future, to say the least, is uncertain. We're going, anyway. Probably not the best decision, but don't want to lose a large deposit and will cut back on the plains game. Likely my last safari, all things considered.

Well, we have a supply of work through the Government of the Virgin Islands and Uncle Sugar and since our goal is to spend the last penny the moment we draw our last breath; if we are still alive next year we will be in Zim.

It got me good and proper.

As of a few days ago:

Unemployed, all nun void
(Walking round like I'm Pretty Boy Floyd)

Lyrics courtesy of?
10 points to anyone who knows it and can hand-on-heart say they didn't use Google etc.

It got me. I don't know why I thought buying GM & Ford stock was a good idea. Unless they turn around I am out until 2010 or later. Anyone want some GM stock for $10 per share?

16 Days!!

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

quote:

Originally posted by MotorCity:
It got me. I don't know why I thought buying GM & Ford stock was a good idea. Unless they turn around I am out until 2010 or later. Anyone want some GM stock for $10 per share?

Take it easy! Hindsight is always 20/20. To be honest - I expected this turmoil 2 years ago!

Hell! This slump wasn't what hurt me. It was ENRON that got me long ago!

Of course, if I'd stop buying double rifles, maybe I could go back to Africa, for a couple buffalo next year! Can't have it all!

I still have the funds available for my March PAC ele hunt avilable but further plans have to be on hold as my hunting funds are in a 401-k account that is to low to draw on at this time.

465H&H

Me, too. my portfolio has been gutted, like by a third. I can't afford the multiple tuskless hunt I have booked with Buzz next July. I'm going anyway. At my age and with my back will I be able to do it when and if things straighten out? Maybe. The way I have it figured I can't afford to not go.
The silver lining, if there is one, is not having to figure out how to pay for this stuff in retirement. Since I may now not be able to consider retiring any time soon, that's off the table!
At least I'm working, if not earning as much as a couple of years ago.

Timing is everything - I retired at the end of August and watched my savings vaporise before my eyes. Earlier in the year I had commissioned a rifle to be built and put down a deposit on a plains game hunt. I've canceled the rifle and am selling what things I can (hey, it cleans up the house, too...), but it's May in Namibia or bust for me!

I got hammered. We're down by over 50%. All of those years of doing without to save what we could and Poof! it's gone.

I was extremely blessed in 2008. Hunted 3 continents with my 3 boys, taking bighorn, elephant, tahr, red stag, and a very nice mule deer.

Due to the economic downturn (recession?) my plans changed from an travel hunt in spring to a backpack trip with my boys. I am looking forward to spending that time with my sons as much taking them to an exotic location. I guess the point is that I do not have to travel half way across the world to do what we love - sharing the outdoor experience with friends and family.

Hard times do not last. Good luck and happy hunts to all!

Don't worry Barack will have this all starightened out in 6 months.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by Palmer:
I think its going to get a lot of us next year.

Small businesses will be trying to keep things together through Christmas then ..... hopefully the government has a lot of unemployment money.

I think it's a good time for small business because the big businesses who were levelling them are now being levelled!

Fortunately(?) I'm already into my August '09 buff/ele hunt half way with the deposit, and have most of the rest covered (except extra trophy fees if things are available). It will preclude another trip though, unless things turn around drastically.

Hope everyone here gets back on track quickly, and with many more hunts ahead of them.

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
Don't worry Barack will have this all starightened out in 6 months.

465H&H

Hey 465,
the unfortunate fact is that a lot of people actually believe that.

Misguided or stupid??? In some cases, both.

My 401K is 50% gone, but I consider myself lucky that my hunt was not scheduled until 2010, maybe the economy will be a little more stable by then. On the plus side, I'd already saved half the fees for 2010, and that money is in fixed rate CDs. I do not want to end up seeing my dreams of a "last safari" going down in political flames. We should all be praying!
LLS

Geez, I just got back from Namibia 5 months ago and was hoping to plan to go back in 2010...

It seems it would be unwise for me to go again considering the tough economic times ahead of us, so much so that I decided to have several more of my last PLAINS GAME trophies shoulder-mounted instead of skull/horn mounts as originally ordered!

I think reality is setting in on me and I think my first trip this past MAY is most likely my last considering my financial woes!

I am so grateful for scraping up every penny I had in order to go and taking all the animals me and my son did...12 in all...

Its the best thing I've ever done with my son and for that matter the greatest thing I've done for myself!!!

I hope that others who can make it next year can go because after that who knows???

Wishing everyone the best!

This is why the advice to go while you are able is good. If you wait, there are any number of issues that can deter you.

My business is great. I am hiring new people and paying large year end bonuses.

Having said that, my personal investments and retirement savings have been hammered to levels I thought impossible. I have a retirement plan that I have funded yearly for over 20 years. I have less in it now that what I put into it!

I have had most of my real estate long enough to not have a problem. However, it is all down in value from their peak values.

I was going to build a new house, largely so I could have a bigger trophy room. Not now.

Good luck guys. I feel for you.

quote:

Originally posted by pichon1:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by 465H&H:
Don't worry Barack will have this all starightened out in 6 months.

465H&H

Hey 465,
the unfortunate fact is that a lot of people actually believe that.

------
I was on a plane towards a Montana elk hunt next to a probably Phd educated woman who resided in Manhattan. She was in her early 60's I'd guess. The subject came up of immigration and the border fence (since I'm from Texas). I can't remember her words exactly, but she indicated that she had no doubt that Barrack Obama would easily figure out and solve the immigration problem, single handedly. Her fervor was positively mind boggling.

quote:

Originally posted by Cazador humilde:

quote:

Originally posted by pichon1:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by 465H&H:
Don't worry Barack will have this all starightened out in 6 months.

465H&H

Hey 465,
the unfortunate fact is that a lot of people actually believe that.

------
I was on a plane towards a Montana elk hunt next to a probably Phd educated woman who resided in Manhattan. She was in her early 60's I'd guess. The subject came up of immigration and the border fence (since I'm from Texas). I can't remember her words exactly, but she indicated that she had no doubt that Barrack Obama would easily figure out and solve the immigration problem, single handedly. Her fervor was positively mind boggling.

Mate,
I'm sure he can cure everything from bed wetting to baldness!!

keep it up about obammy: I may just stay in Harare and apprentice to some PH...

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...
15 days until I leave for Harare...got a date with a 40"+ buffalo.

Is it even theoretically possible that Obama could do more damage to the economy than Bush/Cheney and their Merry Republican Pranksters have done??

Seriously, if he wanted to do worse, how would he go about it?? Convert to Zimbabwean dollars??

Does nobody remember Bush and Gore arguing about what to do with those budget surplusses they were going to have to deal with??

Bush/Cheney certainly solved that problem for us...

One of three Democrats in Tennessee and he shows up here.....

Jefffive

You are not alone. Obama has not even taken office and people are questioning whether he has the skills to govern. Considering what has transpired since Bush took office, Obama is infinitely better qualified than the smuck that currently resides in the White House.

Thank God I was sitting in Halim Airport, Jakarta, in January, about to fly down to Papua, and I couldn't get my investments out of my mind. I didn't know what particularly had me spooked, but it had me, big-time. I found a computer, got on the Internet and sold a ton of stocks and mutual funds. For the next month I wanted to throw-up every time I thought about it. That move in hind-sight will probably get me back to Africa as often as I want, buy me a nice house, and more. What I've kept is down, but I will survive.

Right now everyone needs to hunker-down in their foxhole, and either wait it out, or buy into the market if you can.

Today, I'm just glad my wife and I left Mumbai early last year. There are worse things than having a sick 401-K.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
One of three Democrats in Tennessee and he shows up here.....

So you like the Bush/Cheney economy?? You like that we have gone from having a budget surplus and a realistic chance to pay down the National debt to nationalizing the banking sector and incurring debt your Grandchildren will be paying interst on??

You are proud of belonging to a Party that would rather transfer money to oil companies and China by the boatload than risk having Democrats do something with it that helps somebody?? A Party who doesn't think any land is worth setting aside for wildlife or wilderness or scenic value if any Republican can possibly make a nickle off of destroying it?? A Party who thinks that tearing entire mountains in West Virginia down to get the coal underneath and dumping the rubble into rivers and creeks makes perfect sense??

Of course, that's all probably Obama's fault, despite the fact that he's not President yet.