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

[Justbryan]

I have not commented yet but for me it is New Zealand. I have hunted Red Stag, Fallow Deer, Rusa Deer, Tahr, Chamois, and possum. What a great hunt, beautiful country, friendly people, great food, top notch outfitters.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have not commented yet but for me it is New Zealand. I have hunted Red Stag, Fallow Deer, Rusa Deer, Tahr, Chamois, and possum. What a great hunt, beautiful country, friendly people, great food, top notch outfitters.

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Opossum?

 

[Justbryan]

Opossum?

Yes, opossum if you want to be grammatically correct. My wife loved spot lighting them. There were so many that we were shooting every few minutes. The trees lit up like it was Christmas when spot lighted. They have a beautiful and very soft fur, nothing like our opossum in the US. Fun, fun, fun.

 

[Mopani]

Both my guided African hunts were waste of time and money. For many years I have hunted Africa on my own, just with a local Black who knew the farm, these hunts were extremely rewarding.

One guided hunt was marvelous: the Slovenian Alps, hunting chamois. I’m still dreaming of that little hut in the middle of nowhere, the modest guides, the curious dormice (whose droppings sometimes fell into the blend of coffee and slivovitz)…

 

[Northern Shooter]

I think I've narrowed down my preferred choices to a guided Elk and Bison hunt in Western Canada this year.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Yes, opossum if you want to be grammatically correct. My wife loved spot lighting them. There were so many that we were shooting every few minutes. The trees lit up like it was Christmas when spot lighted. They have a beautiful and very soft fur, nothing like our opossum in the US. Fun, fun, fun.

Interesting. Any photos you can share?

Safe hunting

 

[Justbryan]

Interesting. Any photos you can share?

Safe hunting

Stock Photos but you get the idea. They are having a significant negative impact on the ecosystem. If not hunted regularly they destroy trees and vegetation. They can make an area look like there has been a locust plague.

Also, they mix the fur with Merino wool to make incredible socks.

 

[CoElkHunter]

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Stock Photos but you get the idea. They are having a significant negative impact on the ecosystem. If not hunted regularly they destroy trees and vegetation. They can make an area look like there has been a locust plague.

Also, they mix the fur with Merino wool to make incredible socks.

Wow, that doesn't look anything like the opossums here. Almost looks like a wallaby with darker fur?

 

[Sideshow]

Driven boar hunt in France. Was a great weekend over there

 

[VonJager]

The closest thing to a Safari, as I have found, was actually fishing at Tropic Star Lodge.

 

[edward]

africa will always be my favorite,my wife likes alaska,i got a brown bear and she got a black bear.

 

[Sideshow]

Opossum?

Not trying to be a smart ass, but in NZ we spell it without the O.
Yeah and they’re a pest. Used to shoot them in the spring when the buds were coming on the willow with a full moon.
Could be a lot of fun. Just don’t get caught between them and a high spot. Seen one run up my brothers leg and then proceeded to hold on tight to his hat while he tried to get rid of it. Of course I helped by rolling around on the ground laughing my head off

 

[HankBuck]

I was very pleased with my one African Safari (Tanzania) with my 18 yr old Son. We hunted Buffalo, plains game, hyena etc.. I also had Hippo & croc on my license but passed several easy opportunities at bull Hippo - No interest and no interest in sitting on a river bank waiting for a croc either. The hunt was a nice combination of effort (walking, walking, walking) and comfort (greatest Tent & dinning ever). For Me - I want “effort” to be a part of a great hunt - it has to be hard for it to be great. Therefore Africa was Not hard enough, even though I failed to take a Buffalo due to my poor decision to pass old bulls under 40” (stupid decision that I regret) and later a poor shot on a decent Buff. Alaska Spring Brown Bear hunt also failed to make my “Great” list. Many Days waiting in camp, in tents on top 5 feet of snow pack, with only the guides out searching for sign that a boar emerged from it’s den. On Day 6 one was spotted 10 miles from Camp. On Day 7 my guide and I headed out on snowmobile to find it. We did, then stalked one mile to get into position, the decent size boar (8’ 5” hide) walked thru tight trees & frozen creek bottom to within 50 yrds, only presented a head shot - I took it and all was over....about as exciting as shooting a rabbit. I was “satisfied” to succeed in getting a good trophy but disappointed that there was No excitement, it just didn’t “feel” like much of an accomplishment.
My best hunting experiences have been any DIY deer hunts, DIY black bear hunts, and my 2 Guided Elk hunts. They had the combination of “effort - success, and satisfaction” that I enjoy and make me feel like I accomplished and “earned” something.

 

[Nyati]

No, nothing like Africa.

 

[Mongoose4percent]

It wouldn’t be on the same level with Africa, but a trip to Australia to hunt feral game, would be awesome. Populations are out of control, so not much if any kind of limit.

Camel, Water Buffalo, Scrub bull, Donkey and Brumby.

The Camels grow to large size, comparable to an Eland. Scrub Bulls & Water Buffalo could be classed as semi-dangerous.
It’s controversial, but I read an account of a Brumby hunt, and was intrigued. Full-grown stallions are worthwhile quarry.

Again, no where near a hunt for African big game, but rugged country and no bag limits.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Sideshow,
We call them Possums here in the U.S. also.

I don’t know anyone that calls them Opossum’s.

Certainly not the late George Jones. :>)))

 

[Foxi]

I would like to hunt in North America again (3x so far).
Actually, I am a man of the north.
But the prices have become so terrible there that it makes me sick ........
10 days Yukon hunting for moose on horseback USD 30.000.- and the travel costs and other things come on top of that.
You can get a lot for that in Europe or Africa.

 

[revturbo9967]

Well, I wasn't responding to him so why's he writing like I was? Seems there has been more than enough articulate responding on this subject. I'll continue to eat dinner with farmers and their families and the other side will continue to eat gourmet meals in a wilderness thatched roof dining hall. And we'll both sing our respective praises. Nothing will change. And that's okay. Move on.

I have never read such a twisted assumption.

I find some of your posts very inconsistent. You question ethics for someone to hunt with hounds or over bait but have zero issue shooting an animal behind a fence, which very well could have been placed there for the shooting. You use the fact that you eat with the farmers as an angle to argue those who hunt wild areas, must be rich and snobby and not be on a hard hunt. I can assure you hunting in a wild area will be physically harder than a non wild area.

Most of us who are hunting these wild areas do so to be guaranteed a wild hunting experience, and are willing to make the sacrifice of spending more to do so. My sacrifice is I must wait 2-3 more years to return, rather then hunt every year or every other due to funds. Myself and many others on this forum want to HUNT and not stack animals on the wall. Many find fenced hunting not real hunting, and can easily choose to look down on your hunts and make fast assumptions, but they don't.

I suggest you listen to what some others have mentioned and do some reading on this forum. You will find a lot more information outside of your little bubble.

 

[revturbo9967]

I think I've narrowed down my preferred choices to a guided Elk and Bison hunt in Western Canada this year.

I have never been on a bison hunt, but my father in law has. It is a good hunt for meat, but relatively uneventful from what he said.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have never read such a twisted assumption.

I find some of your posts very inconsistent. You question ethics for someone to hunt with hounds or over bait but have zero issue shooting an animal behind a fence, which very well could have been placed there for the shooting. You use the fact that you eat with the farmers as an angle to argue those who hunt wild areas, must be rich and snobby and not be on a hard hunt. I can assure you hunting in a wild area will be physically harder than a non wild area.

Most of us who are hunting these wild areas do so to be guaranteed a wild hunting experience, and are willing to make the sacrifice of spending more to do so. My sacrifice is I must wait 2-3 more years to return, rather then hunt every year or every other due to funds. Myself and many others on this forum want to HUNT and not stack animals on the wall. Many find fenced hunting not real hunting, and can easily choose to look down on your hunts and make fast assumptions, but they don't.

I suggest you listen to what some others have mentioned and do some reading on this forum. You will find a lot more information outside of your little bubble.

Let's see ...

There's my PH glassing for kudu last year. Before the day is done we are hunting in the mountains beyond. Same property.

And this is the same property. We were after a bull that hung out in the canyon in center of photo. I eventually shot him at the bottom of the pointy hill near top right of the photo.

This is the pointy hill at the end of the canyon, accessible by 3 mile hike mostly straight up and very rocky. When I took this photo a small herd of gemsbuck was crossing to the right at the top of the canyon. I probably shot the bull this year.

And this is on the other side of the same mountains. Thick and VERY steep. It's so thick the owner really has no idea how much game is on the land. Four cow nyala were spotted from here crossing a small clearing on the ridge running down from the right. Eventually a bull followed them down. After a 2 hr stalk and standing on the sticks for 1 hr 20 min, he finally got up and gave me a quick shot through a 2' window in the brush next to the river. Fairly certain I snagged an infected tick here.

Yep, hunting these South African "farms" is just a walk in the park. Pffft! If the client wants hard hunting, most operators know where to find the right property. My guy sure did.

Seems you're the one guilty of stereotyping. I know what works for me and what doesn't. Hanging with a bunch of stuffed shirts who are into dressing fancy and play acting is not my thing. I had to put up with it on the job. Being retired means stepping away from that crowd and back to my roots. Farmers are more my kind of people. They always have been.