As most of us have done, the following is a summary of the evolution of a hunter that has discovered the uniqueness of Africa.

Phase 1

As a kid, read Ruark, O'Connor, Capstick and Corbett. Watched Tarzan, Hatari, the Naked Prey and Breaker Morrant. Became infatuated with hunting and especially animals in Africa.

Phase 2

Grew up in a family that condoned hunting and guns. Shot squirrels and rabbits and moved up to deer. Usually with your dad or uncles. Liked the outdoors and sought new places to explore.

Phase 3

Went to college, got a job, got married, had kids. Hunted when you could get away. Started trying to plan economy hunts for mule deer, elk and antelope. Travelled to Wyoming and Colorado and had limited success due to limited funds and resources.

Phase 4

Got a better job, kids are older and may be in college, wife prefers to see you get away for a hunt to get the "wildness" back in your soul. Start reading about hunts in South Africa and Namibia.

Phase 5

Discovered accuratereloading.com, wore out your computer trying to decipher truth from fiction and gather information on how to "do" an African hunt that will not bankrupt the family. Read Bell, Selous, "The Covenent" by Michner, Boddington, Flack and others. Are hooked on the dream to "do" this.

Try to convince the wife this is as economic as other hunts, sell some guns and start researching airline tickets as well as areas. Go to SCI or the Dallas Safari Club conventions. Get totally overwhelmed at the various hunts, countries and animals. Come home confused and dazed and but not discouraged.

Phase 6

Contact a couple of safari outfits and agents. Sort through BS and narrow the choice. Get prices for the "dream". Shocked at the prices and start to trim the list. Better yet, start to figure out how to come up with more money. "Spend" next years bonus, cash out old savings bonds, garage sale and start merging frequent flyer accounts to get all of the miles on Delta or BA.

Narrow the choice to two and talk to them. Try to negotiate. No real luck. Make choice based on "feel" of the safari company or agent. Tell wife that you making a deposit on a hunt. Respond to her shrieks - "It's my money and this is what I want to do. I am not getting any younger and it is better this than a mistress or a Corvette." She gives in.

Phase 7

You wear out the Cabela's catalogue. You fire 2000 rounds through your best rifle. You ask the agent or safari outfit 4,596 questions to be sure you don't forget anything and that you fully know what you are getting into. You tell them you want to take 10 animals in 7 days. They suggest a longer trip or lowering the body count. You are confused as you thought this was possible. They tell you to take it easy, enjoy the experience. You want bodies and horns.

Phase 8

You pack twice, then a third time. You get on the plane and wait 18 hours to get to Joberg. You are wired. You meet the PH at the airport and he patiently waits for all 23 questions about everything before he answers - "Not to worry, we have it handled".

Phase 9

You hunt and have the greatest trip of your life. You do not get the 10 animals in 7 days but get 1000 memories and some great trophies. On the way to the airport, you start your plan for the next trip because 1) your wife had a great time, 2) this beats Rock Springs, Wyoming all to heck, 3) you were treated like royalty, and 4) Africa feels like home to the hunter.

Phase 10

You ship everything home, hides/heads/horns. You mount everything and are stunned at the bill. Why did I do this? you ask yourself. You hang the trophies, you remember the campfire and the PH's stories. Now you remember why.

Phase 11

You graduate to dangerous game. You contact your South African PH for a recommendation for a buff hunt. You learn quickly that there is a big difference betweeen DG and PG in terms of cost and effort. You start your research but can more quickly narrow the field. You look at Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana trying to sort out what you want. You find that ZIm is the cheapest but with inherent risks. You want to hunt Tanzania but it is expensive. You want to look at Botswana but find the costs every higher there. Your wife is asking questions like "honey, did we make the mortagage payment last month or did you pay the kids tuition?". You answer - "yes of course" but are wondering how to afford the next adventure.

Phase 12

You save up the dough. You make the deposit. You buy a .458 Lott, shoot it and then sell it for a .375 H&H. YOu practice. You gather up the needed gear and go. You have a "rush" that you cannot get anywhere else when you shot that first buff and heard the death bellow. You are truly sick and do not want the dream to end. You go home, debate getting another job or just shucking the one you have and moving to Africa. Better yet, you decide to be a home bound booking agent. You have been twice and now are an expert. You research this but learn that there are hundreds of agents and the pickings are pretty lean if you want to make a living selling dreams. You decide to keep your day job.

Phase 13

After 3 years, you have saved up the money needed to do a PAC elephant hunt. You now know the drill. You pay the deposit, get your tickets 330 days in advance, you lock down all of the costs that you can. You know that you cannot bring home the entire hide this time and decide to take pictures. Your clothes are tattered but you are not buying anything "new" in order to save money. You take your PAC cow but low and behold, a trophy bull is available, just for you. You debate for about 30 seconds, call your agent and promise to pay, and go after that bull. You take the bull after 5 days and repeated encounters with other elephants. You are totally hooked and your PH is on speed dial.

Phase 14

You sell the house and relocate to a condo, the wife goes to work, the kids move out, you cash out your 401k to go after Mr. Big Tusks in Botswana. You buy a double rifle because that is how it "is done". You buy a .470 NE used from another reformed dreamer who nearly lost his wife over his addiction. You go. You have more fun that should be legal and take a 60 pounder on day 11. You celebrate and plan the next trip. This time, you make the deposit before you leave.

Phase 15

You get home, write up the mandatory trip report for AR. You answer 121 questions about your trip online. You are now the "old hand" at this and can dispense advice because you have made the trip and posted pictures.

Phase 16

You repeat Phase 14 and 15 about 6 more times.

Phase 17

You decide that this is crazy, doing the same thing over and over again. But are still hooked. You try Cameroon for bongo, you go to Ethiopia for Nyala, you chase Vaal Rhebok in RSA, but are hooked on hunting. You go to Benin for lion, to Moz for sable and on and on.

Phase 18

Your wife tries to have you committed as you have spent your retirement on hunting and chasing the dream. You tell her that you can always earn more money. You then dream up a plan - take the grandkids to Africa!!! Presto, you are a hero again as grandma wants to go as well. You head to RSA and shoot 25 springbok, mountains reedbok, vervets and such with your 6 grandsons and have a ball. You forget about elephants and revel in seeing Africa as "new" again through their eyes.

Phase 19

You start talking about more hunts with the grandsons and you are forever a hero in their eyes and have succeeded in hooking the next generation.

I suppose that I am somewhere in limbo between thirteen and fourteen on the "Evolutionary ladder" that you have designed.

I give you credit, for many of us here that is a pretty accurate timeline.

Between 9 & 10 and well on the way to 11 & 12!

At stage 12. AND You are so right on.

Very well done!!! and right on!!

I'm at level 12. I keep thinking of moving up to 13 (elephant) but then I realize how many more buffalo I can shoot for the same amount of money.

Oh yeah, forget the 458 lott get a 404 jeffery.

I only see one small problem, in phase 9-Anything, and I mean anything(yes even a colonoscopy)is better than Rock Springs Wyoming

Sometimes not in that exact order, but so right.

DogCat;
Excelent evolution description!!!,
Many of us shurely felt that You read our mind , jajaja, What a predictable victims we are !!!
AT 11 Phase , But without specific trophy (but no repeat the same hunted) Just enjoy the Hunt, friends, BBQ .Phase 20, 21 ? Happy or Sad End?

at Phase 11. I am going to Zim in Sept for my 1st buff hunt.

Guillermo,
Always a happy ending....

Jeez... I'm only somewhere between Phase 5 and 6 and after reading that, I think I'm screwed. I haven't even made my first PG hunt and I'm already dreaming of a DG hunt.

You left out the divorce and bankruptcy phases. . .

Hurtling towards 14.

But we don't have kids and my wife enjoys africa as much as I, if possible, so that squews the whole deal.

Personally, I am working towards the "crazy/grumpy old man who has been everywhere, done everything and wants to tell you about it" stage.

Hello, my name is Les and I'm in step 14 of the program............

I'm definitely phase 11. Trophies from first hunt are shipping in a couple of days and I am already planning a tuskless hunt for 2010.

WELCOME LES!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
You left out the divorce and bankruptcy phases. . .

dogcat, excellent post, but here is a wife's perspective.The year is 1993.

1-Husband tells wife he wants to hunt Africa for leopard and a "few" plainsgame. Wife knows it is her husband's dream from all the books by Elgin Gates, Bob Swinehart, etc. laying in strategically positioned places.Wife knows it is out of budget. Husband produces a brochure from Tony DaCosta, 10 day leopard, kudu, warthog, and two impalas for $4995 in Zimbabwe. Observers $100 a day. Wife agrees this hunt has potential and she always wanted to see Victoria Falls.

2- References checked, hunt and flights booked for July 1994. Wife cannot believe we are doing this as "working people do not go to Africa".

3-Arrive in Bulawayo and are met by Brian Van Blerk. Clear customs and drive to camp. Wife and husband wonder where all the animals are and ask the PH. PH responds "where do you think you are on the fu#%*ng Serengeti". This has the makings of a fun trip.

4-Meet husband's PH and the hunt begins the next day. Husband tells PH if a zebra becomes available he would like to take it as we will probably never get back to Africa. Day is spent obtaining female impalas for bait. Late in the afternoon, a zebra and kudu are taken. Africa is an amazing place.

5-The leopard is taken and there are days left to hunt. A set of eland tracks are crossed and the PH asks if husband is interested. Eye contact is made with the wife and off they go. Soon a shot is heard and they return to the truck for help to pack out the huge animal.

6-A waterbuck that is estimated to be 30 inches is repeatedly being seen near a swampy area. The PH advises one is left on quota if interested. PH says the trophy fee is $1000. Husband tells wife we will NEVER get back to Africa. Wife agrees and by nightfall the waterbuck is in the salt shed.

7-Wife gets an impala and is completely in love with Africa. Hyenas calling at night, leopards grunting, sundowners and great friends.

8-The only trip to Africa has turned into six, with the seventh planned for Ethiopia. The wife wouldn't trade those trips for anything and they will remain with her forever.

Kathi,
You are hopelessly addicted. There is no 12 Step program to help your case other than more trips to
Africa with the rest of us addicts....

That was great, just great.

I am hard at work on step 12 for 2009, I can't stand it. I HAVE to go back!

I am definately through phase 12, waiting on a 2009 Buffalo hunt...In phase 12 I actually bought 4 - 375 H&H's and shot them all before choosing a Ruger RSM...Very neat read...I don't know if I will get past stage 12 or not...Haven't been bit by the Elephant hunt yet, but Leopard is definately in my future!

quote:

Originally posted by LRH270:
Hello, my name is Les and I'm in step 14 of the program............

Now that's funny!!!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Phase 19

You start talking about more hunts with the grandsons and you are forever a hero in their eyes and have succeeded in hooking the next generation.

...........And then you die, go to the happy hunting ground, and start all over again, with everything new!

I just completed phase 10 and can't wait to move on to 11!

One of the best posts I have read on AR for quite sometime.

I am at stage 11, booked my first buff hunt in Zim for next July.

I resemble portions of that except I went straight to DG. I look forward to many more days spent in Africa.

Kathi, the response of your PH regarding Serengeti is typical but well deserved, eh?

I just compressed stages five through eleven into about two years.

I'm truly lost now.

Larry

Hutty,
I wrote this as I got tired of the threads on "why we suck" and the problems between outfitters and customers. I need to remind myself why I like to do this and remember the joys of going.

Excellent post, I'm working on stage 13.

Great post and great addition by Kathi. I've got two pair: 9s & 10s and I'm tryin real hard to draw the 11. This stuff is SO addicting.

I left out a stage of the evolution of the African Hunter -

Stage where you study and study and worry and worry about the right bullet and caliber for buff, then discover that the advice of the experienced hunters (shoot what you shoot the best and use a quality bullet) is the best advice. So instead of worrying, practice with that "best" gun until you can hit a tsetse fly between the eyes at 50 meters....

KATHY!
By any chance do you have a single sister?
Max

If you cut that to the core it amounts to the kids growing up and leaving home for whatever reason and you retireing..

Then you can afford to hunt and your on your way to Africa and the kids inherentence is a garage and den full of mounted heads! and good on ya!

I am at phase 8 and mashing 9-11 into one phase....August of 2009....already won my .416 Rigby @ SCI banquet

at 16 and drooling for 17. got it done since 03.
Thank god for the cancellation hunts.
HELP!!!