Favorite Hunt?

[CJW]

Midwest whitetail will always be my favorite hunt as far as big game goes. There's nothing like a whitetail staring through you and crunching through the dry fall leaves. Rabbit hunting with a couple buddies in the hardwood creek and river bottoms is right up there. In fact, a hardwood creek or river bottom and it's inhabitants anywhere is pretty special. I always enjoy the Africa hunts in the dry riverbeds the most. Africa was a great adventure but being lead around will never be my favorite no matter the animals involved. If I could take off by myself or at least do the leading it might be a different story. No disrespect to outfitter's or PH's intended. I've just always been that way. Not being expected to jump in on gutting, loading unloading, etc. really threw me off as well. On the other hand, if I take someone out hunting or fishing and I lead them to success I get just as much enjoyment out of it.

 

[Green Chile]

You bring up a good point CJW...of course we aren't in charge on African hunts but we are the client. If you want to help gut, load, whatever then you should jump right in! I wouldn't even second guess that. I like to jump in and do various things to joke around with the trackers, etc. I always learn more of their language and practice with them. In Zim last time, while loading heavy animals, I was yelling in Ndebele "Pakamisa"...lift it up...or while dragging leopard baits and gut piles...."donza lappa"...drag over there... and the guys were laughing. I say jump right in and make it what you want. I think most people would appreciate it. Even if I don't help, I say sabonga (thanks) and make eye contact.

 

[CJW]

@Green Chile I did jump in when I felt like it but being a client was just very different for me.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Most trackers take great pride in their rather prestigious position. I was told by my PH they can get quite indignant if a client tries to usurp their role, e.g. "jumping in" and gutting an animal. Letting them do it shows respect. The last thing in the world I'd want to do is be disrespectful to my tracker.

 

[CJW]

Most trackers take great pride in their rather prestigious position. I was told by my PH they can get quite indignant if a client tries to usurp their role, e.g. "jumping in" and gutting an animal. Letting them do it shows respect. The last thing in the world I'd want to do is be disrespectful to my tracker.

I shouldn't have said gutted because nothing was actually gutted in the field. They cut up the animals in whatever fashion back at the house. I did get looked at like I had two heads by one of the staff while helping unload an oryx.

Anyways I'll let the thread get back on track.

 

[lawrence_court]

I've been lucky with trips, but there are only two things that I've found unbeatably and uniquely exciting. The first is being in thick woods, for whitetail, when you suddenly know a deer is coming right at you; the second was my first marlin when the flat calm water just exploded and a car sized piece of chrome just shredded the water in huge spouts and holes, with the 130 grinding out faster than I could ever have imagined. Both situations make me feel like my heart and lungs are about to collapse.

 

[Green Chile]

I need to do more blue water fishing. I haven’t done much besides halibut and cod in Alaska.

 

[Red Leg]

My worst experiences hunting have been opening weekends. I gave that up back in the early nineties after almost having a shootout with some guy who was hopped up or drunk or both. Have no idea what his problem was ... I don't think he did either. I find it is impossible to get away from opening weekend idiots. One of my dogs was almost shot because an unescorted kid with a gun was scared of bears. And people fighting over who shot the bird. Why should they care? It's only a bird. "Here, you take it. That way I can shoot another one." Duh! It seems every year someone gets killed squabbling over a blind or a dead duck. And the opening weekend skybusters! Lordie! Any bird that flies over is in range ... even if it leaves a vapor trail in the upper stratosphere. No, I wait till the snow flies and temp falls below freezing. Morons are generally a cold blooded species.

That can absolutely be true a lot of places depending upon the game. I can't speak for Minnesota, but Duck hunting throughout coastal Texas and Louisiana is primarily on leased property. Both states are rigorous with regard to trespassing. So, opening day of duck season is a celebratory event - unless it is hot and the mosquitoes are in squadron strength. Deer hunting through Texas and most of the South is the same thing. There are exceptions, but on the whole there is relatively little land that isn't owned or leased where one can simply park a car and go hunting. As you suggest, such a place I would avoid like the plague. Even access to wildlife management areas can be quite limited. I know Canada is quite different.

 

[Red Leg]

My first love will always be ducks over decoys - more the pity, it is something I haven't done in years.

But next and very close on the list is cape buffalo. Nothing quite like deciding to pull the trigger on one of those beasts.

Third is a toss-up between quail and European roe deer. Did the former last weekend and the latter is coming up in April.

I am at the point in my life, I don't really care if I shoot another whitetail. That is not meant to disparage them as a game animal all. I simply have done that enough.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

My first love will always be ducks over decoys - more the pity, it is something I haven't done in years.

But next and very close on the list is cape buffalo. Nothing quite like deciding to pull the trigger on one of those beasts.

Third is a toss-up between quail and European roe deer. Did the former last weekend and the latter is coming up in April.

I am at the point in my life, I don't really care if I shoot another whitetail. That is not meant to disparage them as a game animal all. I simply have done that enough.

If there was more waterfowl jump shooting available, my decoys would be in the bin at Salvation Army. Unfortunately, it seems these days every creek and slough has to have some rich game hog's McMansion with a view parked on it. I still have one spot that hasn't been ruined ... yet.

 

[David AK 53]

Geese or Sandhill Cranes over decoys in a North Dakota or Texas harvested grain field!

 

[gearguywb]

To me, the planning and preparation are part of the enjoyment! Range time, gear lists, etc.

I love hearing elk bugle in the high country in late September.

Sitting in a blind listening to the geese and ducks talk…watching, waiting, anticipating. I am headed out to hunt honkers this morning

 

[Nyati]

Either my Beceite Ibex in the hills of NW Spain, or my Buffalo in the hills of KwaZulu/Natal

 

[RichD]

Either my Beceite Ibex in the hills of NW Spain, or my Buffalo in the hills of KwaZulu/Natal

Both sound like great hunts.

 

[steve white]

Woodchuck hunting in my native Potter County, Pennsylvania in 1988. I have recently served on the Marine Corps Rifle Team and was at the top of my shooting ability. I took a weeks leave and spent every day scouting the fields for ground hogs.

I was armed with a M98 Mauser with Nazi eagle stamps, 26" Douglas heavy barrel chambered in .22-250, a Jaeger trigger, and glass bedded by me. I had my handloads dialed in for .5" MOA or better. Then there were no available laser range finders or wind meters for the a yet to be invented smart phones. Rather it was all field craft to estimate the range and wind and calculate the drop and deflection of the projectile. I made a few 400 yard shots which a few years ago I returned and verified that distance with a $100 laser rangefinder. My, how things have changed.

The photo below was 36 years ago... Those days have been superseded with "deadlines and commitments" to quote a Bob Seager song. Many of those fields are now posted No Trespassing, and the abundant population of woodchucks has been greatly reduced by eastern coyotes.

I still have and always will have that rifle, although she has been re-barreled. Its a good feeling to have shot out a barrel working up load, practicing, and hunting varmints.

I suppose I at this point in my life my youthful days are but a memory. I will have to be content to plan and execute an elephant hunt.

View attachment 584717

That's a mighty long scope--what kind is it?

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

That's a mighty long scope--what kind is it?

To quote Tom Selleck's Jessie Stone character,
"The information is there, if you look for it."

Sorry, I forgot to list it. It is a 15x Unertl Ultra Varmint with adjustable objective. Not much prior to that photo, Unertls, Weaver T-series, and a couple others were the only scopes that would reliably "track" as one added elevation and/or windage on the target range. Plus, the glass was superb for the time on the Unertls.

 

[fourfive8]

Well, sitting in a blind, "hunting" whitetails, waiting for the feeder to dump goodies or watching a bait planted field, overlooking a bulldozed/chained strip through the mesquite or even a trail intersection where for weeks prior you've cataloged bucks by name coming and going via a trial cam is not my idea of a dream hunt of any kind. Get into a large, unrestricted area where you actually hunt whitetails, mano a mano... now that is a different story. Can be as rewarding and as challenging a hunt as any for any big game anywhere. Add to the whitetails' keen senses and awareness of their territory to a habitat of steep, rocky, broken, scrub thicket covered terrain all on public land and you have a hunt! Do it right by stop and go still hunting an old Coues' buck in his territory, and report back on what kind of hunt that was Hunting most whitetails that way has almost become a thing of the past as best I can tell. I remember reading all the stories of generations of the Benoit family in Maine still hunting those buggers on their own terms years ago. Now it's all trial cam cataloging, blinds and tree stands, whispering to a video camera over your shoulder while waiting for 12pt Fred to show up.

 

[Elkeater]

Well, sitting in a blind, "hunting" whitetails, waiting for the feeder to dump goodies or watching a bait planted field, overlooking a bulldozed/chained strip through the mesquite or even a trail intersection where for weeks prior you've cataloged bucks by name coming and going via a trial cam is not my idea of a dream hunt of any kind. Get into a large, unrestricted area where you actually hunt whitetails, mano a mano... now that is a different story. Can be as rewarding and as challenging a hunt as any for any big game anywhere. Add to the whitetails' keen senses and awareness of their territory to a habitat of steep, rocky, broken, scrub thicket covered terrain all on public land and you have a hunt! Do it right by stop and go still hunting an old Coues' buck in his territory, and report back on what kind of hunt that was Hunting most whitetails that way has almost become a thing of the past as best I can tell. I remember reading all the stories of generations of the Benoit family in Maine still hunting those buggers on their own terms years ago. Now it's all trial cam cataloging, blinds and tree stands, whispering to a video camera over your shoulder while waiting for 12pt Fred to show up.

Grew up hunting Midwest whitetails out of blinds. Now I hunt coues whitetails here in AZ. Coues are no joke. They are small, blend with their environment ridiculously well, live in rough country that is steep and slippery and filled with things that stab, sting, and bite. They are also rather jumpy from being chased my mountain lions all the time. And as a plus they taste fantastic.
One of my favorite critters to chase.

 

[Green Chile]

Coues is my fav deer to hunt. They really push you and show the gaps in your skillset, whether that's physical fitness, hydration discipline, shooting, glassing, patience level, etc. They are the smallest but have had the biggest impact on me as a hunter showing me where I need to improve. When someone looks at a Coues rack and says something negative about how small they are or something about their score I just think...you have no idea what you're talking about. And If you have been lucky enough to score easily on Coues, I kind of feel sorry for you. You don't know the depth of Coues hunting yet.

 

[375Ruger416]

Favorite hunt? Yes.

If it’s legal and sustainably managed, have at it and tell me all about it…