Greetings from Wales!

[Jaegger]

@Picrite … Welcome to AH family & my best piece of advice, “Don’t Wait to make a Daydream a Reality.”

I was a Skeet/Trap & Bird Hunter most of my life, I retired from the US Air Force @ the ripe old age ( ) 42yrs & I was getting in allot of Skeet/Trap Range time between Mil retirement & my next Big Boy job. I stumbled upon a tri-fold @ Club, “Namibia - 5-days, 3/trophies @ a fair $$.” I had to Google, “where’s Namibia?” I recruited a friend, off we flew, & boots on the ground added 2-days & 2/trophies to the pkg.

It “Ruined my Life - in the BEST Possible Way!!” Place, People, Culture, & Hunting. To date, 3/African Countries, 8/trips, 41/trophies, I just bought my 1st .375 H&H in a classic CZ ZKK 602 this month (who thought!) & planning my 9th return, May ‘23 & 4th Country in Botswana.

ALL over waiting on shotgun shells & a counter Tri-fold advertisement!

Happy Trails.

 

[Picrite]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, it is sincerely appreciated, -especially the safe environment! I have no social media accounts bar a general descriptor on LinkedIn and a family WhatsApp. I’m 54 and married with two kids; been working in the Defence world since my apprentice days in the late 80’s, -an engineer who’s played with the biggest of toys (weapons) all through his life! I live in a rural part of Wales, on some high ground with luscious green fields which supports beef and dairy cattle, and of course sheep!

To try and touch on your remarks, I hunt deer (Fallow), foxes, rabbits, pheasant and partridge in Wales, with other species of deer being added in Scotland and England (Roe, Muntjac, Sika, and Red), together with Pink-Footed and Greylag Geese. I’ve hunted Moose in Sweden, Boar in Croatia, and various plainsgame and buffalo in South Africa (EC and Limpopo). Just embarking on a Leopard hunt in Namibia this July and looking for something else in 2023.

I reloaded for .222, .243 and 7x57 for over 20 years, but kids and a busy work life brought it to a slow demise; I’m hoping to get back into it within the next 5 years, -just as soon as work eases a bit! My go-to rifle in the UK is my Sako .243 (25+ years) and 7x57 (Daniel Fraser now being replaced due to throat erosion); for overseas I use a Sako .375, a Heym .375, or a Heym .416 (which I share with my son). I’m about to treat myself to an English Double, -my wife (bless her) says I should start enjoying a bit of life . In terms of glassware I am a keen supporter of Swaro and Leica binos, and S&B or Zeiss scopes; I've had two Swaro scopes fail on hunting trips with a .375.

There is quite a strong hunting fraternity in the UK but is not openly discussed, I simply stay on guard in some environments, avoiding any overt statements…

Warm regards
Picrite.

 

[Shootist43]

Picrite, we have quite a few members living in the UK. Perhaps you know some of them, if not hopefully you will see their posts and maybe arrange a get together. Your rifles and planned addition will serve you well. Who is your Leopard hunt booked with? Check out some previous posts on Leopard hunts. Some outfitters have greater success rates than others.

 

[MAdcox]

Welcome to the best group on the internet.

 

[browningbbr]

Welcome!

 

[cls]

Welcome to the dark side. Lots of very knowledgeable people here.

 

[BLAAUWKRANTZ safaris]

BLAAUWKRANTZ safaris welcome you to the great forum. Have fun and look forward to you sharing some of your experiences.

 

[riflepermits.com]

Welcome to AH! Glad you found us and joined our community. Let us know if you need any assistance with the rifle import permits, we would be glad to assist you with that

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

Welcome to AH! Glad to have you on board. We would be happy to assist you in any way possible.

 

[Picrite]

Thank you all again for your replies and comments; please excuse the rate at which I respond, -work precludes personal IT.

Shootist43, I'm hunting leopard (and incorporating a family holiday) with Ondjiviro Hunting Safaris, Namibia. As a family its our first foray out of UK since all the C19 lockdowns started in February 2019; I came back from the Shot Show and started feeling bad on the flight home... and everything since then has been behind a mask.

riflepermits.com; thank you for your offer of support Henry, I may be in touch in 6 months as I solidify something potentially in northern Zimbabwe for 2023.

Best Regards
Picrite

 

[CAustin]

Welcome to AH

Following a number of years of dipping into AH I've finally joined.

Looking forward to spending more time hunting as I head into my mid-fifties.

Warm regards
Picrite

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Welcome to the great forum.

 

[jpr792]

Following a number of years of dipping into AH I've finally joined.

Looking forward to spending more time hunting as I head into my mid-fifties.

Warm regards
Picrite.

Picrite
Welcome to a great Forum.

 

[Woodcarver]

Welcome to AH!

 

[Scrumbag]

Welcome from an exiled Welshman in London. Where abouts in Wales?