The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting I wish I had hunted....Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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The post by Bill C. of the 86K Lion hunt caused me to remember my husband's 2000 lion hunt at $900 a day for 15 days. Have times changed!!! Knowing now what you didn't know then (isn't that a Toby Keith song) what would you do differently? Hunt Kenya before it closed? Lion? Tiger in India? Jaguar in South/Central America? Sheep before the price went through the roof? I was just interested in what the AR members feel they coulda, woulda, shoulda. Kathi kathi@wildtravel.net 708-425-3552 "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." | ||
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Ah, hindsight. I would have waited in the bush around Vaughan Fulton's camp for an addtional two-three weeks and taken a stab at the problem lion that mrlexma killed... _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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I wish I had gone to Africa for the first time in 2000, before the tech bubble burst, when I had the money and was planning to go but thought it was too expensive and put it off! ------------------------------- Some Pictures from Namibia Some Pictures from Zimbabwe An Elephant Story | |||
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That's why I'm hunting lion next year in Zambia. I don't see the prices getting any cheaper. ____________________________________________ "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett. | |||
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Hunted Alaska when it was $5,000 for 21 days and an all game license. Returned to Zim with Dave Jobert and Geoff Broom after they visited me in the 70's. Dave was always keen on getting ahold of my latest balsa wood Bass lures. Hunted Argali Sheep when I couldn't figure out how to pronounce Altai. In 1973, I was a youngster working for a wholesale sporting goods dealer. I told one of my friends (who had just asked me to go on a Goose hunt with him to Texas at $125 for 3 days; food & lodging included) that one day we'd price ourselves out of the hunting business. Geez, Kathi, now I'll be day dreaming all day  David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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...simple question, simple answer: Kenya before it closed. | |||
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Bought every double rifle I could get my hands on from 1976 till about 1990. Selling them today I could afford those $82k lion hunts Perception is reality regardless the truth! Stupid people should not breed DRSS NRA Life Member Owner of USOC Adventure TV | |||
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I wish I had spent more time with my father hunting and shooting and sometimes just talking instead of so much time with my friends being stupid. I wish I had spent more time with my children when they had all the time in the world for me now that they don't. I wish I was still healthy enough to work hard at hunting all day and enjoy every minute of being cold wet and hungry instead of working so hard at trying to stay healthy enough to hunt one more time. I wish the world around me were as peaceful as I feel sitting under a tree watching the world around me. | |||
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Frank - that is simply wonderful. My dad is still around and spry enough to hunt with me, so I'll do it; my kids are only three and five and still love their dad, so I'll try to spend more time with them (hopefully hunting  ); I'll remember you when I'm "enjoying" the cold weather; and I promise to enjoy more peacefulness under a tree. Thank you for pointing out the important things in life.  _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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I know exactly what you mean. I derived my love for hunting from my father. He was a school principal in Alabama and never had the money for big hunts, but he was a slayer of rabbits extraordinaire, and taught me how to still hunt gray squirrls and stomp the honeysuckle along fence lines to flush out rabbits. I've often wished he could have been with me in the Selous last yaar, stalking buffalo and watching the lion and elephant and all the rest, and seen those fantastic sunsets across the Kilombero river. Listened to the hippo grunting and heard the faraway sound of a lion's cough. I owe him big time and it's too late to repay him. Maybe somewhere, he's been a passive participant. One never knows. | |||
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1971-72 (don't recall which), Jack Atcheson offered me the opportunity to take advantage of a cancellation for a 28-day, full-bag safari in Kenya..... the daily rate was $3,000 -- not per day but for the entire 28 days in total. The only problem was it required 2 hunters and I couldn't find someone to go along with me on short notice.......talk about missing a chance of a lifetime for the Big 5 and more. DB Bill aka Bill George | |||
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Frank great post ! I always tell younger people the same things. Alot of water over the dam now and my parents are gone, my greatest regret would be I never told my mother I loved her. | |||
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I don't have many regrets. When I think I'd like to do something, it's not too long before I try it. I've been using that "who knows, I might be dead next year" argument for well over 50 years now.   | |||
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So have I. And it's paid off. I've outlived a lot of friends who didn't die of old age, either. I wish I'd gotten into African hunting sooner. That's my great regret. During my earning years, with free rides on several international carriers, I could have done a lot more by far than I'll ever have the opportunity to do at my age. | |||
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To quote Frank M: "I wish I had spent more time with my father hunting and shooting and sometimes just talking instead of so much time with my friends being studpid. I wish I had spent more time with my children when they had all the time in the world for me now that they don't. I wish I was still healthy enough to work hard at hunting all day and enjoy every minute of being cold wet and hungry instead of working so hard at trying to stay healthy enough to hunt one more time. I wish the world around me were as peaceful as I feel sitting under a tree watching the world around me." Well said Frank. I vote this as an AR quote of the year! Good hunting, David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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DesertRam, that was just damned hard work by a great PH and pure blind luck on my part. But here he is just for old time's sake : I don't think (much) about lost opportunities or what I should have done. Second guessing past decisions is a no-win proposition. What's done is done. I just try to learn from past mistakes and plan as well as I can for the next adventure. BTW, Kathi got me two flight postponements and eventually home from the extended adventure that got me that lion!  Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Frank Thanks! That was wonderful. I'll try to keep those thoughts in mind always. | |||
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Oh my gosh what a great lion and a terrific story to go with it. Frank | |||
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I couldn't have changed the past as it was what needed to be...but I am trying hard not to have regrets on hunting from here on out. I can't do everything of course but I am learning that I can do some very enjoyable hunts on a fairly regular basis. I hope I can keep that up. _______________________________  | |||
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While I wish I could have done those things, I have no regrets as the facts are that I was never in a financial position to do any of that stuff. I have done all that I could afford, and hope to be able to save enough to do more down the road. Am very happy that I haven't put off anything (that I could realistically have done) so far. Cheers Canuck | |||
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Frank: Mrlexma: Fantastic! | |||
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Mrlexma-and my favorite PH to boot!!! Bob Clark | |||
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See that lion? That's why it's a "wish I coulda, man I shoulda" situation. What an awesome hunt and a wonderful trophy. _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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If a similar deal comes up today I bet you wouldn't have any problem finding another hunter. Times have changed alright! _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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Cindy Garrison... | |||
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I have few regrets... hunted hard when I could afford to but I passed up a Botswana buffalo hunt in the late '80's when you could shoot 2 buff in 10 days in the Delta for $6000 all-in! Just couldn't swing it at the time but my older buddies who could go still talk about hunting buff on the palmetto-covered islands with a wistful look in their eyes. Hunt now while you can, ladies and gentlemen, prices aren't coming down and opportunities will get more limited... the same old supply/demand thing going on in a politically unstable world! Nice thoughts to help you set your moral compass, Frank. On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! - Rudyard Kipling Life grows grim without senseless indulgence. | |||
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For the younger viewers: I made a list of Hunting experiences I wanted to have before I concentrated on my drooling. I did this when I was in high school. It was obvious that I was going to need serious money so I transfered to a private school and worked like a dog through high school and then 7 more years beyond. I married a like minded lunatic and we both lived well below our means. Every 4-5 years we would take a vacation and check one more hunting experience off my list. On January 15, 2009 if all goes as planned I will have finished my list. I will be 44 years old then.  | |||
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SG, it would be interesting to see your list. Congrats on working hard to make your dreams reality. However, you've achieved all of your list by 44? You need a longer list! _______________________________ | |||
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I can't really regret not hunting the stuff that was unattainable before I had the scratch to pursue them. If I was older and had been rich I could have hunted the black rhino in his natural habitat and the Bengal tiger in india but I wasn't. I've taken what good opportunities have presented themselves to me often when I really could not afford it. I have no regrets! 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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I think I was 15 but even then I read everything I could find on hunting and wildlife. Glad I wasn't born now they would make me take drugs wear a helmet and probably classified me as a psycho. 1. Moose 2. Elk 3. Antelope 4. Mule deer 5. Blacktail deer 6. Mountain Lion 7. Bobcat 8. Black Bear 9. Brown Bear 10. Polar Bear 11. Musk Ox 12. Swan (My Grandpa had one mounted and it is one of my strongest and earliest memories. Finally got one last fall.) 13. Zebra 14. Warthog 15. Bongo 16. Lord Derby Eland That is a boy's dream. My friends have asked why it doesn't include sheep of any kind or the big 5. I can only say I was 15. But even today after shooting many non list animals I have no drive to hunt any sheep although I have done some sheep hunting. As to the big five, I think the information I had then eliminated them. Even to this day I can still see the old photos of some fat old guy with a stupid hat ringed with zebra or leopard skin standing on his lion or what have you. Oh well, to each his own. Its hard to have regrets when you have done what you wanted to do without exception. | |||
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Interesting list...10, 15 & 16 in particular are not exactly inexpensive. What is left to take on that list? _______________________________ | |||
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Two left. The last 2. | |||
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Man, you got that right, instead I sold out in '78-80! | |||
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I would have hunted Zim in the early 80's with my father and his partner shot 4 Sable in 1 day for lion bait. I would have hunted more with my grandfather. | |||
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Well, I missed the tiger in India by a year, buy I made Kenya and the black rhino along with the lions. I didn't miss out on the Sudan or the CAE (now R), but I tangled with the Durge in Ethopia and missed out there on the Mtn Nyala. Really, not much regrets except the tiger and when you look back at the facts it probably should have happened quicker so it would have been more than a year. | |||
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Back in the early 80's I was stationed in Alaska. My hunting buddy wanted me to go hunt brown bears on Kodiak but I had drawn a very limited goat tag. He came back with a nice brownie and I went off on a grand adventure goat hunt taking a very nice old billy. I don't regret my decision back then but I do wish I could have taken advantage of hunting kodiak bears for the cost of a resident tag back then compared to a guided nonresident hunt now. Scott | |||
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I made that Okavango/Chobe hunt back in the late 80's. Buff,sable,kudu,wild,etc.,etc. for a total of $7450 tax,title and license. It also started my love affair with Africa. Best money I ever spent! I listened to my dad who was a depression kid talk about the things he wish he could have done in his lifetime. All he could afford to do was work and try to raise us kids right. I was in Zimbabwe in '98 when my dad died, had just brought in my "dream leopard" when word reached me of his passing. Always figured that leopard was his last gift to me. Thanks again, dad! | |||
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I hunted Africa when it was "cheap", the only thing is is wasn't cheap then, it was only cheap by todays standards...In 1954 I made 286.00 per month on the El Paso Police Dept. In 160 I bought a Holland and Holland .470 for $2500 at a gunshow, but never fired it as ammo was unobtainable and if you found it the cost was too high at $35.00 per box..but hey my grandfather was a Texas Ranger and he paid $7.50 for his Colt 45 and $14.00 for his Win. M-92 and they took 40 cents out of his paycheck each month to pay for them..I have both guns and that documentation...My dad sold cattle for 9 cents per pound... Bottom line is: NOTHING HAS CHANGED AT ALL, EVERYTHING IS RELEVANT. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I, for one, think that since the conception of safari, we as hunters tend to think that those that came before us always had it so much better, and that isn't always true. At no point in time has the safari industry been more organized, productive and available to the common man than now. I'm 36 years old, and I've been on two safaris and have booked my third, and believe me, if you asked me ten years ago, Africa would have been a pipe dream at best. Someone once told me "The only thing worth collecting in life is experiences". I'm a firm believer in that, and as long as my family is well provided for, and I'm not committing financial suicide, dammit, I'm going hunting somewhere. I think we should all be thankful in this day and age of lost common sense that we still have this opportunity to hunt Africa, and the more of us that stand behind it, the longer the industry will last. I hope to meet you guys in an African camp someday... BN Phil Massaro President, Massaro Ballistic Laboratories, LLC NRA Life Member B&C Member www.mblammo.com Hunt Reports- Zambia 2011 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1481089261 "Two kinds of people in this world, those of us with loaded guns, and those of us who dig. You dig." | |||
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I wish I could go back and thank my grandfather for giving me my first rifle at age 5 and two more by age 7. I have always be nuts about guns which of course led to hunting. It would be great to share some of my hunting moments with my grandfather and my father. Both of them had guns and did some hunting but they were too busy being successful ranchers to take time to go do much hunting. You can borrow money but you can not borrow time. Go hunting with your family. | |||
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