Aside from Africa, what are some memorable guided hunts around the world that rival the experience of an African Safari?

[WAB]

I have really enjoyed driven shoots in Scotland. We typically cull red deer while we are there, which is a very different experience to stalking stags.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I can’t isolate one hunt that “Rivals” Africa. They are all special for their own attraction. A guided elk hunt or elk drop camp in a wilderness with Scott CWO. Shot a monster bull with CWO

Being dropped in Alaska for a 14 day DIY moose hunt. They are special because of the solitude and being alone with good friends.
My last drop camp moose hunt. It rained sideways for the first 5 straight days. I sat on a beaver house with a thermos of coffee and called occasionally for 5 days while watching beaver and otters. I had good gear and loved it.

When the weather broke the moose were on their feet and the rut was on. It got cold and crisp and the five days of embracing the suck paid off. Hearing wolves every night and my buddy and I each killing mature moose was worth two weeks of living like a homeless person for one animal.

Scott I’ve climbed 4 peaks over 20,000 ft in Nepal and seen some of the animals that live there. Blue sheep are special just because of the terrain they live in. And the risk you take to hunt them. Similar to NA mountain goat. With a lot taller hills.

Africa is special because you could spend 4 lifetimes and 5 fortunes chasing 50 entirely different animals. Or subspecies

It’s hard to breakaway from any “favorite” hunt and venture into completely new species, continent, style of hunting. But it’s nice to sample a variety of hunts.

my elk from the Comanche Wilderness hunt
And Moose and Buffalo. I can’t say one is my favorite because of the uniqueness and memories of each location.

 

[jimmywallstreet]

One can never get enough of hog hunting at the ranch either

 

[Daveboone]

Memorable depends too much on what it means to you, and what you get out of it. I loved Africa, it was all I hoped, but I am called to the north....I am drawn back to the northern western peninsula of Newfoundland....wild, like the earth was new after the glaciers passed...the same for northern Quebec. Moose, caribou, damn big black bears, which you can count had never seen man before.

 

[Scott CWO]

I can’t isolate one hunt that “Rivals” Africa. They are all special for their own attraction. A guided elk hunt or elk drop camp in a wilderness with Scott CWO. Shot a monster bull with CWO

Being dropped in Alaska for a 14 day DIY moose hunt. They are special because of the solitude and being alone with good friends.
My last drop camp moose hunt. It rained sideways for the first 5 straight days. I sat on a beaver house with a thermos of coffee and called occasionally for 5 days while watching beaver and otters. I had good gear and loved it.

When the weather broke the moose were on their feet and the rut was on. It got cold and crisp and the five days of embracing the suck paid off. Hearing wolves every night and my buddy and I each killing mature moose was worth two weeks of living like a homeless person for one animal.

Scott I’ve climbed 4 peaks over 20,000 ft in Nepal and seen some of the animals that live there. Blue sheep are special just because of the terrain they live in. And the risk you take to hunt them. Similar to NA mountain goat. With a lot taller hills.

Africa is special because you could spend 4 lifetimes and 5 fortunes chasing 50 entirely different animals. Or subspecies

It’s hard to breakaway from any “favorite” hunt and venture into completely new species, continent, style of hunting. But it’s nice to sample a variety of hunts.

my elk from the Comanche Wilderness hunt
And Moose and Buffalo. I can’t say one is my favorite because of the uniqueness and memories of each location. View attachment 555178View attachment 555179View attachment 555180View attachment 555181View attachment 555182View attachment 555183View attachment 555184View attachment 555185View attachment 555186

Giant moose! Congrats! I hope to hunt moose someday. For now, my Septembers are too busy to get away.

 

[R.M.C.]

Africa definitely beats everything I've tried but I thoroughly enjoyed hunting black bear in northern Alberta. I shot a bunch of beavers with a .22 and caught northern Pike every other cast in the nearby lakes . Not to mention I shot two bears, one black and one cinnamon. There was something fun to do all the time. I'd go again in a heartbeat if I wasn't saving up to hunt Africa again lol

 

[TheGrayRider]

Stroking the ego, my most memorable hunt was an Arizona desert bighorn sheep.

For pure fun, nice people, and enjoyment, hunting and partying with the Cajuns down in the Louisiana swamps and marshes is hard to beat.

Just go, TheGrayRider!

 

[Doubleplay]

No doubt Africa is a unique experience.
However my most memorable big game hunt to day was a do it yourself Ibex hunt with a friend who lives there in the West Taurus mountains in Southwest Turkey back in early 1990's.
It's a beautiful area with pine forests, clear streams, steep mountains and plenty of game including ibex, bear, boar and game birds. Where we were hunting Aegean sea and Greek Islands were visible.
We ended up shooting two decent Ibex in the first day from the same group, simultaneously.
Took us two days to skin and pack them out and spend the rest of our time chukar hunting in the same area with our dogs.

 

[Connor Baumgarten]

You can’t do a hunting safari there anymore but the Indian subcontinent(India/Pakistan). On top of a elephant you would stalk for tigers,leopards, sun bears,rhinos,Nilgai,black bucks, axis deer in the south. And in the Himalayas you had markhor,ibex,blue sheep, wapiti,snow leopards, brown bears. Outside of Africa I feel like it’s the closest to it.

 

[Tanks]

Nothing compares to Africa.

Driven pheasant hunt in Scotland where one goes to a different estate each day to shoot comes close. I think @Red Leg has done partridge hunts in Spain, and he might pipe in with his opinion of those.

 

[Red Leg]

Nothing compares to Africa.

Driven pheasant hunt in Scotland where one goes to a different estate each day to shoot comes close. I think @Red Leg has done partridge hunts in Spain, and he might pipe in with his opinion of those.

Africa is unique - and because it is a big and culturally diverse place, neither the game nor the environment is the same at every destination. It is why I urge everyone to try something beyond South Africa after a first safari there.

I have never hunted the UK but driven red legs and flighted ducks in Spain is a special experience as well - shooting and culturally. I was using a loaned pair of AYA 12 bores and all the guns were assigned a "secratario" who loaded insuring a ready gun was always in the hand - each drive is typically fast and furious for a few minutes.

With respect to Europe, I really enjoy hunting roe deer. In April, we are off to Spain again with another couple. We will hunt the Gredos and Beceite regions. He will be hunting ibex ( I have taken both), and I will be pursuing roe deer. We will also spend several days playing tourist in Madrid and in the South with our spouses. Spring a year from now, I will be in Hungary, again hunting the little deer.

Two other regions that have earned repeat visits have been spot and stalk hunts for black bear in British Columbia and bird and red stag hunting in Argentina. I have scheduled a water buffalo and stag with @MG Hunting in two years.

There is a lot of adventure still out there.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

A few years back I was roped into filling in for a hunter who dropped out of a party goose hunt in Saskatchewan. Not a great experience. Weather was frightfully cold and outfitter just dropped us off and left. Field hunting. It was so cold I left the dogs in my Jimmy. One morning we FINALLY did get some good shooting for a little over an hour. Had to fend for ourselves for meals and not much available in that little town. The crew went back without me the following year and had a horrible time. That was my only guided experience until going to Africa the first time in 2019. I confess I was very skeptical but met a guy at our local gun show who convinced me to give it a try. Then he decided to tag along. We subsequently became best friends. Sadly, Gary's health deteriorated afterwards and he's no longer able to return. I enjoy meeting landowners and sometimes stay at their homes. For most guys the lodge experience is important. Not for me. I've spent a lifetime solo DIY hunting, sometimes for weeks on end in the wilderness. At first that kind of hunting was required due to personal circumstances, but it soon became what I prefered. Africa is different and I have really taken to the change. Never thought I would. But that's what Africa does to people.

 

[Doubleplay]

Nothing compares to Africa.

Driven pheasant hunt in Scotland where one goes to a different estate each day to shoot comes close. I think @Red Leg has done partridge hunts in Spain, and he might pipe in with his opinion of those.

I did driven shoots both in Hungary, Bulgaria and UK for pheasants and gray partridge.
They are fun and nice and I would do them again.
But just like doves in Argentina I consider them shooting and not hunting.

 

[gillettehunter]

Africa is truly a special place. Surprised no one has mentioned New Zealand. Granted big red stag are estate hunted animals, but go get a tahr and chamois without a helicopter. Those are some great mountains! There are also elk, Fallow and several deer species that can be hunted there.
One of my most adventurous hunts has been in Kyrg for Ibex and Marco Polo sheep. You are way beyond civilization for those hunts. Again some wonderful mountains.
Bruce

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I was close friends with the then Thai ambassador, which permitted me to hunt this gigantic Seladang bison near Chiengmai, Thailand in 1979.

It was an extremely regal experience. Even though I barely succeeded in bagging him.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I made this post mainly to open up new horizons and hunt outside my norm which is white tail, black bear and moose in Northern Ontario.

I've never gone on a guided hunt but its something that I'm interested in pursuing, A few hunts I have on my list.

- Brown bear - Whether it's in Yukon/Alaska or somewhere in Europe. Who continues to offer a brown bear hunt aside from Russia?

- Bison - Yukon/Alaska, others?

- Elk / Caribou - Most likely in Western Canada or Alaska.

-Sheep / Mountain goat hunt - I've never experienced this type of high altitude hunt before using a lightweight rifle.

- Buffalo - Aside from Cape buffalo, what are some good options? I've been considering experiencing a buffalo hunt in Australia's Northern Territories. Any others worth considering?

- Wild boar (driven hunt?) I know this is quite popular in the States but also in many eastern European countries. Which would you recommend?

And anything outside of the norm. What are some unique species and hunts in say Europe that we just don't get to experience in North America?

 

[Tanks]

... Africa is different and I have really taken to the change. Never thought I would. But that's what Africa does to people.

You really should try some of the other African countries and different outfitters. Quite a bit different than the South African hunting farm experience.

 

[Tanks]

I did driven shoots both in Hungary, Bulgaria and UK for pheasants and gray partridge.
They are fun and nice and I would do them again.
But just like doves in Argentina I consider them shooting and not hunting.

Well, one could say anytime one is stationary and either standing at pegs, or blinds etc. one is shooting and not hunting. Applies to doves, ducks etc.. The most important question is if one is outdoors and having fun.

If so, then, there is no reason to get pedantic about it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You really should try some of the other African countries and different outfitters. Quite a bit different than the South African hunting farm experience.

I enjoy the farmers ... a lot. My kind of people. The kind of folks I grew up with. I've done a lifetime of remote solo wilderness hunting that was certainly a lot wilder than the pampered camps of "wild Africa." Last month I spent several days trying to harvest a South African "game farm" management cow. That herd was extremely cagey. Never got a shot in spite of several days of very hard hunting in difficult terrain. Nothing wrong with that kind of experience. Anyway, my 800 sq ft home doesn't have room for any more buffalo skulls. I'm having trouble finding a place to hang the latest springbuck. I think it will have to be management hunting only from now on.

 

[Doubleplay]

Well, one could say anytime one is stationary and either standing at pegs, or blinds etc. one is shooting and not hunting. Applies to doves, ducks etc.. The most important question is if one is outdoors and having fun.

If so, then, there is no reason to get pedantic about it.

Hunting by definition is something you don't know what the outcome will be and I think it's the biggest difference!
There's a reason in UK driven pheasants, ducks, grouse etc... is called "shooting" and not hunting pedantic or not.
You are telling people to try different places in Africa than typical game farm experience which I totally agree but on this subject respectfully I do not.