I hate to admit to it but I will be turning 50 next year. I plan on booking a super hunt for my birthday maybe a Alaskan costal brown bear hunt or ? What would you book?

Turning 50 certainly beats not turning 50... I'd like to hunt buffalo before I'm 50. It's going to be a close thing though.

Good question, I've never really thought about it. Then again I got a few years to plan. Hmm.....not a hunt but there is one thing I'd like to do before I get too old and while I still can, I think I can still do it anyway, and that would be running with the bulls in Spain

Go for a mountain game hunt. Coastal brownie hunts are not necessarily physically demanding. A mountain goat or sheep hunt is. Do that while you can, and save the bear hunt for the next decade.

The year of my 50th birthday will be the year I do my Africa trip.

Running with the bulls in Pamplona doesn't work well after seven knee operations.

After you pick up your Geritol and good supply of depends, I would suggest you book the hunt you have always wanted. None of us know how much longer we are going to be here. With that in mind I think putting off booking a big time expensive hunt is foolish. If you work at it, you can find a way to pay for it. I'm not suggesting you go broke for a hunt, but has anyone here found a way to keep all that money after your gone. Don't be like my grandfather and put it off until next year only to find there won't be a next year.

A visit to see your doctor?

I would shoot something really big to show all of those young whippersnappers how tough you still are.

OK It depends upon what you have already hunted, and what you crave to hunt, your style of hunting and the degree to which you are able to make it happen. Depending upon the type of sportsman you are, Quail in Georgia might be a better idea, or perhaps Doves in South America. Then again, I still want a nice Muskox... so there are plenty of choices.


What I actually got from my wife for my 50th was a colonoscopy!

I will be at the same point in about a year and a half. I have been thinking about the same thing.......what to hunt for my 50th.

As 308Sako mentioned, a lot depends on what you have hunted. It may be you want to go for something you have never hunted or it may be you want to go for a species you have already hunted and want to do one more time.

I have already hunted cape buffalo a few times and shot a number of grizzlies, sheep and mountain goat, etc. I am not sure what I want to do.......finances will ultimately play a part in my decision.

Your initial choice of going for a brownie is certainly a good one. A big brown bear is one the worlds top trophies. In the end this is a decision that only you can make.

After just coming from one this spring, my vote would be for Kamchatka Brown Bear in Russia.

Mike

I went through the same mental discussion at age 50-

Here goes-

1. Do I like cold, wet weather? No

2. Do I like guides that do not bathe or do not have access to something that will allow them to clean up? -- No.

3. Do I like to hunt where one shot is the end of the hunt? No

4. Do I like a soft bed and gourmet food? Yes

5. Do I like the company of a true professional hunter versus a 2-month guide/cowboy/drywall installer? Yes...

6. Do I like to hunt where I can take my family and have an adventure? Yes

7. Did I want to spend $15,000 on a goat/moose or bear hunt or $25,000 to $50,000 on a sheep (pick which one)- No

8. Would I spent those amounts hunting on other continents and for several challenging species? Yes, heck yes.

I ruled out Alaska, Canada, pen raised deer in Michigan, game ranches in Texas, Russia, China, Turkey and any "stan" country.

That left Spain, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

Compared costs, length of flight, and sense of adventure. Australia and NZ are great destinations - super people, fun, lots of game and relaxing- however, the danger element was missing....

That left Argentina (stags, deer, birds, blackbuck, dogs on pigs or pumas) and Africa (plains game, buff and cats).

Compared game sought and "fun" quotient

That left Africa - so I went and had a blast...

Next trips will be to Spain and Argentina along with Africa....

I'm 58 and my knee went south at 52 so knowing what I know now it would have to be a SHEEP or GOAT hunt maybe both, I shot a Stone sheep back in the 70's and kept put off another Sheep hunt now i'm screwed as far as sheep or goats go unless I can hunt from a helo.

Last year even with the bad knee I took 2 elk 1 Mdeer and 2 pigs and could have whacked a nice black bear if I would have bought a tag, HARD HEAD.

Do the climbing while you can.

ok hunter,

First congratulations on your upcoming 50th birthday. I just went through the same situation with my husband who is turning 50 and retiring. The choice of what he wanted to hunt was his, and he chose Marco Polo sheep in Tajikistan. He said the adventure of the trip, plus the huge horns these sheep possess made his choice an easy one to make.

Best of luck on whatever you choose and I hope you are asking this same question for your 100th birthday.

ok hunter-what type of a budget are we talking about?

Also if you like pm me and we can talk more about this as I work as a hunting consultant and book hunts throughout.

Many thanks and have a great day!

Mark Dobrenski
Rocky Mountain Consulting

I turn 50 nest month, so I feel your pain. Moose & bear can be done in your later years, same for much of Africa. NZ for Thar & Chamois before you are unable to go up & down th emountains. RM goat would be a great hunt too, & you can often get black bear or moose too.

OK, I like your thought of the Brown bear, I would couple that with an Elk for a trip I would really like. Brown's ain't necessarily a piece of cake, plus they can eat you--which adds a little spice to the program. The shear size of the Browns is really appealing to me---and what a handsome trophy.

Congrats on 50, and have fun!--Regards--Don

Hell--everybody i'm 75 and haven't even considered the next hunt yet. just go and do it, what does age or a little pain have to do with it. what are we a bunch of wusses? have hunted all but brown bear in north america and am going several times more on game and areas i like. so i am looking for a hunt at 100 ,,got any advise?

Africa!

Lap dance

First off thank you for the many great responses.

I like the idea of a mountain hunt while I am still capable for sheep / goat some mountain critter.

For turning 50 I'm in pretty good shape I bike 50 to 80 miles a week and backpacked 70 miles last year with the boy scouts at Philmont. But then again I live at 1000 feet

So with that being said I could use some recommendations for a mountain hunt.

The lap dance is a good idea but that’s like hunting deer next to a feeder not much of a challenge

Thanks again

I just turned 46, so my "goal" of shooting a cape buff on my 50th birthday is fairly realistic, if our finances hold up.
On the other hand, ok hunter, it sounds like you're in the same condition-- and altitude-- that I am and a mountain hunt of some sort is a real kick in the pants. Do you bow hunt? I have enjoyed my annual archery elk hunts even more than a trip to RSA I made a few years ago. Running around (sometimes quite literally) at 9000' trying to get within 25 yds of an animal the size of a horse with a tree stump on his head, in hopes of killing him with a sharp stick, is truly a blast-- and good hard work!

okh, NZ offers a great trip for a good price. You can hunt Thar & chamois, thorw in a red stag & trust me, if you don't use a helo, it's a challenging/rewarding hunt. I went a couple years ago & took the wife & she took a girlfriend along. The ladies took a glacier tour for five days while I hunted. Then we got back together & went to see the sights for a week. The people are great, everyone speaks a language you can understand, food is good & the cost reasonable.
Now I want that RM goat to go w/ the Thar before I can't get up & down the mountain anymore. I'm in good shape but the knees are starting to let me down.

Africa! Not South Africa or Namibia, but definitely Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by ok hunter:
First off thank you for the many great responses.

I like the idea of a mountain hunt while I am still capable for sheep / goat some mountain critter.

For turning 50 I'm in pretty good shape I bike 50 to 80 miles a week and backpacked 70 miles last year with the boy scouts at Philmont. But then again I live at 1000 feet

So with that being said I could use some recommendations for a mountain hunt.

Thanks again

If you choose a sheep or goat hunt in Alaska, no need to worry about high elevations, most are shot from sea-level to around 6,000 feet. Don't have to worry about thin air. The mountains are tough, as is the brush, but elevations aren't too high.

You could make it a combo hunt, Dall sheep and grizzly or black bear, or mountain goat and brown or black bear. Granted, you'd have to hunt hard and be pretty lucky to pull that off, but can be done.

ok hunter,

Africa, thats what I did when I turned 50 and it was a great time.

BigB

I am 52 now, and there are still a lot of things I want to do. But tops on the list would either be a NZ hunt for red stag, or a combination Sitka Blacktail and moose hunt, hopefully with a muzzleloader.

By any regards, best of luck on whatever you choose, and congrats. Age is just numbers on paper!

For my 50th I booked a Dall Sheep hunt in the NWT.
This was after I had a knee replacement 9 months prior to the hunt.

The hunt itself was a backpack hunt....Great hunt!
Shot a 40" curl ram

Knee held up well, but now my other knee is going, maybe I need to get back up there before something else goes

28 days in Tanzania. Marco Polo. Both would be on my short list. Maybe a Katmai Brown Bear or if you like fly fishing do a Kamchatka Brown Bear hunt with some killer trout fishing.

My first choice would be an Argali and Ibex hunt. My second choice would be the 28 days in Tanzania, full bag safari. Africa is second only because mountains get harder to climb with age.

Maybe too simple but for a mountain hunt, I always wanted to do a Mt Goat/Black Bear hunt in BC Canada. Maybe add a moose?? Mix & Match?? At least it's not a one shot hunt.

I'm thinkin' Cape Buff for me on my 50th though.

I really like the idea of a Dall Sheep hunt combined with a Bear that would be great. So if you gentleman could please give a few recommendations it would be great help.

Thanks again

I went moose hunting on my 50th. I still think of those weeks nearly every day years later.

quote:

Originally posted by ok hunter:
I really like the idea of a Dall Sheep hunt combined with a Bear that would be great. So if you gentleman could please give a few recommendations it would be great help.

Thanks again

I went with McKenize Mtn Outfitters Stan Stevens.
Stan runs a great outfit, very professional.

Along with some Dall Sheep,they also take some monster caribou & moose.

I'd highly recommend him.

Most of the fun is the planning of a hunt...so enjoy & good luck.

Well I turned 50 a while back, I am looking to retire and well just fish, and hunt deer and elk in season

It wasn't hunting, but last month we did one of my dad's (56yrs) life dreams and spent 6 days rafting the Grand Canyon.

My dream hunt is to spend several days on horseback in either Idaho or Colorado (or Montana) hunting elk. Big wall-tent with a pot-bellied stove, etc. Spend several days riding through the mountains on horseback and end it with a .338 Win Mag through a 6x6 elk.

Thank you again for all the great input. I really liked the Dall sheep idea and ended up booking a hunt with Alaska Hunting Adventures and Matt Snyder. It's a couple years out but half the fun is anticipation.

Thanks again

You couldn't have booked with a more knowledgeable sheep hunter. I've never hunted with him as I am a resident but i've done a lot of research and if I were to do a guided sheep hunt, it would be with him! Excellent choice!!

Go to Africa - better weather, more diversity of game, cheaper than Alaska or Canada for a non-resident, PH's are incredible, food is outstanding, no bugs and a lot more shooting, no mountains....

Regardless of what you "decide" - decide to do it. Don't just say "that would be fun" or "anticipation is the best part of it."

You aren't guaranteed that you'll finish the day, and all the promises you made yourself won't matter if you can't complete the task when the time comes.

I'm not 50 yet, but finding myself on an operating table a couple of years ago (younger than YOU) having the ticker tinkered with reinforced the mindset - get off your ass and do it.

Make an informed decision. Put down a deposit. Purchase the equipment you need. Get in shape. Sincerely invite your loved ones to share the adventure with you (don't be disapointed if they decline - you asked...). And when the time comes - don't find an excuse to back out.

This ain't no dress rehearsal.

Dave

50, hell that pasted me 25 years ago. i book several hunts every year, some local and some international. your not going to live forever, so go for the gusto. spend the kids inheritence.i'm 75 and still bookin.