Holy crap!!! I've been slowing saving for a hunt, going so far as to swear off any new guns (my weakness). Since last Summer we've been nugging away at our daughter's college education in California. OK, so far, so good. A few weeks back our daughter informed us she was getting married in June -- we like her choice and his parents, so all is well. Daughter's only going to be 19 YOA, but so was her mom when we married and we've been together 23 years.

This afternoon my beautiful bride presented me with the bill for this wedding. By my calculations, a year of my little girl's education plus her weding are...Lord help me...a bargain basement elephant hunt or a real nice buff hunt.

Priorities. Got to work on those priorities.

God bless children who elope!

Eight years ago I offered my daughter $10K to run away and get married. She said, "no way, you'll pay 2 to 3 times that for the wedding and I'll still get the 10K from guests". I blame my wife, she had smart kids.
Good luck on that savings for Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
God bless children who elope!

thank God i have had 4 wives and NO KIDS( took a lot of fancy footwork and planning on my part). and for those of you that say children are the light of your life- i prefer a good flashlight!! no saving for college, weddings or anything else except retirement. leaves lots of disposable income for hunting and fishing.

jdollar, Me thinks one kid would be much cheaper than 4 wives

You need medal if you can still afford hunting in Africa after at least 3 divorce attorneys finished with you.

Badger Matt: Been there, done that, with two daughters and three sons. Paid for all of their college educations(Bachelor's degrees) and two daughter's weddings. Hang in there. In the end it is all worth it, AND you'll get your African Safari.

quote:

Originally posted by jeff h:
jdollar, Me thinks one kid would be much cheaper than 4 wives

You need medal if you can still afford hunting in Africa after at least 3 divorce attorneys finished with you.

no medals are due. the first 3 wives were when i was much younger and didn't have much in the way of assets to give away. married the current wife at age 46( she was 45) and she had already raised her kids and they were long gone!!! all it costs me now is a few Christmas presents.

Matt, don't worry about your old 470 Merkel gathering dust....I took it to Zim and put some ele blood all over it last September.

I even used it to keep from falling over 1000 feet to the bottom of the canyon (hunted the Doma Safari Area mountains). Yes, the once perfect Merkel is now "seasoned" with both the wood and metal showing serious "rock rash". But I love those nicks and bruses because it brings back those fantasitc memories.

All this to say; You're on the right track with the family as "priority one". So when your Africa hunt does come up... you can always borrow the Merkel, especially if it gets you on the elephant & buff hunt sooner!

Cheers!

When my oldest daughter announced her wedding date after I'd already booked my trip to Africa I just told her that she could have what was left. She took it and I went.

Weddings are a total waste of monies. A friend just ponies up $80,000 for his daughters wedding and the marriage lasted 6 months. My daughter is single in her 40's and I paid for my sons wedding and reception - cost $800.

John E -- I know you're just being helpful and I'm truly glad you blooded my (I mean your) double rifle, but that post was just wrong... Congrats!!! Did I miss the pics?

All -- No worries. I submitted my hunting story to Saeed and will soon be a trillionaire.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
thank God i have had 4 wives and NO KIDS( took a lot of fancy footwork and planning on my part). and for those of you that say children are the light of your life- i prefer a good flashlight!! no saving for college, weddings or anything else except retirement. leaves lots of disposable income for hunting and fishing.

My son is the light of my life. You never really know true love until the first time you hold your infant child in your arms and say to him "I will kill to protect you and die to save you" No safari can EVER match that.

BTW, I have hunted Africa and will go back with my son and hunt together. What could be better than that!

No disrespect intended. Just my personal feelings.

I didn't need to read this. I'm 50 with my first child on the way.

I am taking my two sons on their first safari next week!!!--PG for my boys in Namibia, lepoard for me

this going to be spendy but what a hoot!!

Well fellas.
I am looking forward to the day that I can experience Africa with my son.

I think I'm really out in the woods. I'm 50 and haven't yet had a wife. I understand the earlier statement about how had it is swearing off new guns! Children, weddings and education all sound like fun. Wonder if I'll get to experience any othem before they plant me!

I took 3 of my 4 kids, all adults 1 shooter 2 observers, to Zim a couple years ago. Now I have all shooters. Nothing can make a Dad's heart grow stronger than that. Oh by the way I took my wife(not the kids mother) also, she did not become a shooter but is constantly on me to figure out when we can go again. I've created a monster. What a fantastic problem to have.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
God bless children who elope!

Glad I have boys My 11 year old is going to Zambia with us next year

Be good to your children; someday they are going to pick out your nursing home!!

Rich
Buff Killer

I have three daughters. I may have to consider broadening my horizons and accepting that they may want to live with some guy without being married.