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Sometimes as a PH you fuck up and not because of your ability but your decision in the field. I was hunting Darin in the Luangwa with an operator who had proved evidence of big aged Lion. As she arrived the Government implemented the 6-year rule. We had a series of Lion on bait and I had a noted Botswanan PH a chap named Jay in tow and could we together could comfortably assess the age and turned down good Lions in the 5-year category. Lion hunting is always frustrating and one hot afternoon the scouts reported a couple of males feeding on a poached elephant carcass so Jay and I went out and had a look. There were two great Lions on bait and one was magnificent and he became my chosen target. We put up a blind and this was a foregone conclusion. Two elephants had been poached and they were being fed on in a deep thicket. The first Lion came in and was an easy shot but I declined him as I wanted a go at the other who now was feeding on the other carcass out of sight. No worries we had days and we were all confident. On reflection, I should have had Darin shoot him. Jay and I cut a channel to see both Lion and sat again. We were so confident. Little did we know another wounded elephant had gone down to a poacher's bullet and the Lions shifted location at the end of the safari. Darin had a glass of champagne to celebrate the safari. Jay and I subsequently regretted not taking the Lion that presented itself. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | ||
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We have all not shot something only to figure out that we should have shot it. Thank you for sharing that. | |||
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In 1998 I was hunting Brown Bear on Kodiak. We were on Deadman's Bay, an area known for really large Brown Bears. I was there for a representative bear. I was "told" to pass many bears that I would have been completely satisfied with. I went home without a bear (for no reason other than the guides ego). I was given a hunt the following year on his Alaska Peninsula area (Ugashik) for half off. We were on day 13 or so of a 16 day hunt. Saw the first representative bear we had seen. He told me "I think we should wait and find something bigger." My response was, "Is it legal?. He said yes. I told him the decision isn't any longer his. At some point, a believe a professional should be somewhat of a consultant. Advise us if its both legal and representative. At that point IN MY OPINION, its no longer the decision of a PH. To add, The bear I wound up killing was a smaller bear than most of the bears passed on Kodiak. (genetics) Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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That’s how it goes... It’s happened to me more than once, also. | |||
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They say hindsight is 20/20. They also say a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. It is important to reflect on these times as they serve as a great equalizer. IMO, most times, the one that got away is the one we often never forget about and reflect on. It is those haunting memories that drive us to the next hunting experience....and the unknown variables that is true hunting! Cheers | |||
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Not a thing wrong with any of that. However, we are here to kill the intended species correct? Since "none of us measure stuff anyway", if its legal, why not smoke em'? "It's all about the experience." Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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I'd rather pass something maybe I should have shot than shoot something it turns out I should not have. Talking about sex/age here not really inches. ------------------------------- Some Pictures from Namibia Some Pictures from Zimbabwe An Elephant Story | |||
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Never pass on an animal the first day that you would be happy to shoot the last day. ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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"What day does spike season open" Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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Interesting. Lions are notoriously difficult to age accurately. I have been with several PHs, who have seen two lions, regularly. Very little agreement on the age between them. In fact, their opinions changed from time to time, whenever they saw these lions. On passing on a trophy, it is your choice. | |||
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If you’ve hunted very much at all, you’ve passed on a good, mature animal that you thought wasn’t big enough. You may even have passed on that animal and then ended up not taking a bigger one. Or maybe not even seeing another one at all. Maybe I’m cursed, or too picky for my own good, but it’s happened to me several times, including with four of the big five. C’est la vie. Je ne regrette rien. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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I am nuts about pronghorn antelope. Doesn't stop me from being at the meat locker by noon on the first day. We were 15 minutes into an aoudad hunt in West Texas a year ago. 3 30-32 inch rams were 200 yards from the hunting car and I was ready. Guide said wait a minute, fucked around for 3 minutes and it was over. Killed a skinny 28 inch ram 3 days later. Guides can be a pain in the ass. | |||
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As the noted bowhunter Glen St Charles said a long time ago "I'm a trophy hunter, until something better comes by".  Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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In 2019, I drew a 'once in a lifetime' Colorado Shiras Bull Moose tag. It's a two week season. On day three, I saw a great Moose. Thought I might do better, so I passed. Thought about it over night and decided I should have taken him. The next morning, we went back early to where we left him, and he was still in the same spot. Took him at 40 yds. and couldn't be happier. I lucked out. I left for home and packed for a Colorado buck Antelope the following day. I saw a very good buck at 110 yds. about 14" and put my scope on him. Didn't shoot because I was following a nice buck when this 14 incher walked in front of me. I thought the other buck could go 14 1/2 or even 15". I passed, and followed the bigger buck hoping I'd get a shot, cursing myself for not taking the easy 110 yd. shot. The buck was following two does and went over a hill about half a mile away. As I started to get up to go follow the buck after they all had gone over a hill out of sight, I pivoted on my butt to get up, and looked to my right, where I saw a 16" buck 100 yds. away. Brought him home. These two animals were taken within two days of each other. Sometimes things just fall into your lap. I'm not that good as a hunter, but what's the famous expression, 'I'd rather be lucky than good.' | |||
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Glenn was such a cool dude. I spent many days at Northwest Archery chatting with him, and Suzanne, Roger. I was talking to him one time about the challenges of hunting in wet Western Wa, and he said, "Ah, I've got webbed feet - never bothered me." Great guy | |||
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Yes he was.  Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
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On that safari, we would come across a great Sable by at a waterhole but the operator was really reluctant to sell us a tag. Two other Lions took him down and we managed to retrieve the carcass as bait. The magnificent head was returned to the owner. For me, the target Lion was a sitting duck but both Lions and nature are unpredictable. As PHs we often strive for the best. I had a French client that had hunted both Zim and Moz for a big Sable and turned down many in the mid-30s. We were hunting in the Kafue and came across a substantial herd. There was a brute of a bull heavy and broomed off that would have gone 36 but I was looking at an exceptional satellite bull tailing the herd. When I recommended we take him the French man who was concentrated on the herd bull stated that I was no better than my Zim and Moz colleagues. When I directed his binos to the 44 incher he said something in French that sounded like fuck me and catapulted out of the car with his gun. One man that was not doing representative but took him three safaris to get what he wanted. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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I held back on an eland once in Namibia...stupid desicion, in hindsight I should have taken him.. But hunting is hunting, you get some..you loose some.. | |||
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One good thing about passing an animal early in the hunt is, you still get to hunt. | |||
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Some of the best hunts I.ve had I came home empty handed. Dave | |||
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Folks, I think as others have stated if you've hunted enough you've probably been in a similiar scenario to what Andrew described. I also think as a hunter you get to the point eventually that killing something is not as important as the experience. If you didn't shoot that beautiful x,y,z on the first day and didn't find better you can be good with it. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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But after all the definition of experience is a solid collection of fuck ups. | |||
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Glad to here Glad to hear that I’m not the only one to pass on something the first day, that I’d later regret. I did this on a limited entry Idaho mule deer hunt, 2 seasons back. I had hunted hard that morning and we decided to go drive to a new area of the unit to possibly plan a future hunt. Driving up the main road, there was a small strip of public land that was wedged between private property. I looked up and there was a great 4x4 buck standing there staring at us. I got out of my truck and looked it over and decided I did not want to end my hunt early. When the buck turned, I decided I DID want it but it was too late. The buck was gone. I ended up seeing about 20 or more smaller bucks, hunted very hard for a week and ended up going home empty. It was still a great time. | |||
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Perfect! Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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One thing to consider is the purpose of the hunt as well. If the hunt is for a 80+ lbs. elephant bull in Botswana and you shoot a 50 lbs bull then you have wasted a lot of $$$ in trophy fees. Don't forget that in Africa you are paying for trophy fees in addition to daily rates. IF one is there for a specific trophy then it doesn't make sense to shoot anything less and under those circumstances one has to realize that one can go home just with the hunting experience and nothing else. | |||
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If you are a trophy hunter, sooner or later you will go home empty handed. Some of those have been real feel goods. On my first trip to Mexico I passed on 54 whitetail bucks with eight points or more. I came away more jacked up than I had been in years. | |||
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Prime example last November Hunted full 30 days Passed everything I saw in MT and ID looking for exceptional deer and then killed doe for meat and I had a hoot What a month it was It’ll all in the eye of the beholder and as it should be... Andrew, you did all the right things, circumstances just turned different " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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During the Red deer roar of 1978 I was deer culling for the New Zealand Forest Service. From the top of a ridge I heard a stag roaring in the creek about 1000ft below. I was nearly at the bottom, in thick supple-jack scrub when a huge feral boar jumped up and stood looking at me about 10 yards away. At that moment, as I was about to drop the pig, the stag roared again only about 50 yards away. I left the pig and stalked the stag. Emerging into the tall cutty-grass in the creek bottom I saw a movement a few yards away. I got all set and then realised that what I thought was an antler moving was actually a rifle pointing at me. The stag was another hunter using a roaring horn. I shouted and he came out. We were both a bit shaken. If I had shot the pig, as was my duty, that close shave would never have happened. Pondoro Taylor always said you should take whatever the hunting Gods send. He wasn't wrong. | |||
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The most heartbreaking to me was passing on a nice Eland in Masailand because he was a bit too young and finding him a couple of days later dead to a poison arrow. He went to waste. But we set up trail cams and the perpetrators were prosecuted, such as it was. | |||
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I am at the other end of the spectrum. I go to hunt. Not trophy collection. I like to shoot mature animals, preferable very old one well passed their best. Broken horns, one horn, or no horn are first on the list. | |||
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I respect that. Mature, or even truly old, are both good qualities. They are even necessary qualities, I would say. But old and really, really big males are the best combination, in my estimation. These qualities make the true trophy. To find, after fair chase, and to take, one of these old, big males, on his own wild and open ground, is a rare and lucky accident, and what hunting is all about. That next big and wily old brute is always just around the next bend. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Should have, could have, would have, Did'nt. Keeps me going back | |||
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I never hold back, unless its really small  .Part of this mind set is because we sit here and dream about this monster buffalo or whatever we are going to shoot one day and then when that time finally comes we feel its important to achieve that dream! It's okay to hold out, so long as you are willing to come home empty handed with a smile on your face and not post crap reports on AR! Its fine to hold out for a big one if you can afford to do it again financially or have already shot say multiple buff and now looking for something big. A namibian PH once asked me do hunters in the US shoot a huge whitetail deer every year they hunt! I guess that sums it up. Hunt for the experience and enjoy the journey! Arjun Reddy Hunters Networks LLC 30 Ivy Hill Road Brewster, NY 10509 Tel: +1 845 259 3628 | |||
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Arjun, That's what has always been so great about Tanzania. It used to be 3 buffalo on a 21 day license and now its 4. That said, there are quotas in some places. I've hunted where I only had one, but in those places, the one was hard to come by. | |||
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