Must do hunts - species & locations?

[fourfive8]

A better way to think of dangerous game would be- "potentially dangerous game" Also, Africa has underutilized, excellent bird hunting and fishing- so often overlooked. Easy to combine most any DG hunt with plains game or any combination of hunting, photographic and fishing. Time and money are the only limiting factors I know of.

Believe me, you don't have to hunt or shoot an elephant to get full appreciation. Standing really close to a big bull in his space looking up and thinking "oh my!" is fully adequate. Hunting crocs or hippos isn't my thing, nor are the big cats. IMO , tracking dagga boys or eland is the best of Africa.

 

[Bullthrower338]

We share a few bucket list hunts - namely Yukon Moose, Africa, and Western Elk. I might want to throw in a Mule Deer hunt with my Elk.
Bongo would be the best hunt in a lifetime - I don't know if I could ever fork over $30,000+ to hunt one though. I enjoy hunting but I don't know if I could commit to a $30,000 trip!

Stick around here long enough you will! Bad, Bad influence here! But gotta love it!
Cheers,
Cody
PS. Bongo, Mtn Nyala and Elephant in that order

 

[biggiesmalls]

A better way to think of dangerous game would be- "potentially dangerous game" Also, Africa has underutilized, excellent bird hunting and fishing- so often overlooked. Easy to combine most any DG hunt with plains game or any combination of hunting, photographic and fishing. Time and money are the only limiting factors I know of.

Believe me, you don't have to hunt or shoot an elephant to get full appreciation. Standing really close to a big bull in his space looking up and thinking "oh my!" is fully adequate. Hunting crocs or hippos isn't my thing, nor are the big cats. IMO , tracking dagga boys or eland is the best of Africa.

Not a huge bird hunter - although trying a day of wing shooting or two in Africa would be awesome. Of course, the fishing has to happen sooner or later. Tanzania is on my list and probably Namibia for copper sharks (surf shark fishing is probably half of all fishing I do). Perhaps a Tanzanian plains game and Buffalo hunt, plus tigerfishing safari, plus wingshooting could be arranged. THAT would be cool.
I wouldn't do a big cat hunt, but a hippo or maybe croc hunt isn't out of the question. Elephant and rhino are, financially, never going to happen. Buffalo are the most likely DG I will ever hunt.

Stick around here long enough you will! Bad, Bad influence here! But gotta love it!
Cheers,
Cody
PS. Bongo, Mtn Nyala and Elephant in that order

Better save the post when I said that, and check back in, say, five years. Then see if I'd fork over the $$$ for a bongo hunt.
Mountain Nyala are beautiful, some of my favorite antelope species. That hunt is far more attractive cost wise than a Bongo hunt - but still pricey!

 

[Royal27]

Dangerous Game. Anywhere truly wild.

It's different. It's the best. No feeling like it.

 

[RogerHeintzman]

Welcome to AH biggiesmalls.
Loaded question. Mind won't stop long enough to answer.

 

[mark-hunter]

Early dawns in May, and roe deer stalking on open European plains.

 

[ActionBob]

No doubt elephant in a wild place.... And buffalo. And being on the track of a leopard behind a pack of dogs, cat growling.... But the one answer to your original question is elephant in a place like Zimbabwe.

If you really don't want to shoot one, do a buffalo hunt in an area with elephant. Book enough days, and try to arrange with your PH to take you tracking elephant, get in close for some pictures, and back out without being detected..... But carry a big gun and know how to use it, in case things get intimate. I can remember like it was today, being surrounded on 3 sides by over 50 elephant and the PH wispering we must go because if we get in trouble ,we don't have enough bullets between us to shoot our way out. And several other instances... like my first sighting of a wild elephant in the bush... looking up and having a young bull standing there, maybe 20 yards away... And tracking a buffalo in very thick bush, i mean you can't turn around quickly thick... When a bull jumps to his feet 10 feet away and snorts at you for a few seconds that seem like 5 minutes. Gun up but nothing but a black blob screened in green to point at.... A lot of living can happen in a couple weeks on such hunts.

But still elephant up close, they are so damned big and magestic. Besides, I doubt there is an animal existing today that so desperately needs managed hunting to survive in those wild places.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Excellent post Bob! One day!

 

[BobT]

My dream hunt is a traditional East African full bag safari, if I hit the lottery I'll do that first. I would also love to stalk Roe Deer somewhere in their native habitat. A driven grouse hunt in Scotland with a matched pair of doubles is on my wish list too. Those North Carolina Black Bears have been in the back of my mind for years as well as a barren ground Grizzly . These hunts just scratch the surface.

 

[biggiesmalls]

No doubt elephant in a wild place.... And buffalo. And being on the track of a leopard behind a pack of dogs, cat growling.... But the one answer to your original question is elephant in a place like Zimbabwe.

If you really don't want to shoot one, do a buffalo hunt in an area with elephant. Book enough days, and try to arrange with your PH to take you tracking elephant, get in close for some pictures, and back out without being detected..... But carry a big gun and know how to use it, in case things get intimate. I can remember like it was today, being surrounded on 3 sides by over 50 elephant and the PH wispering we must go because if we get in trouble ,we don't have enough bullets between us to shoot our way out. And several other instances... like my first sighting of a wild elephant in the bush... looking up and having a young bull standing there, maybe 20 yards away... And tracking a buffalo in very thick bush, i mean you can't turn around quickly thick... When a bull jumps to his feet 10 feet away and snorts at you for a few seconds that seem like 5 minutes. Gun up but nothing but a black blob screened in green to point at.... A lot of living can happen in a couple weeks on such hunts.

But still elephant up close, they are so damned big and magestic. Besides, I doubt there is an animal existing today that so desperately needs managed hunting to survive in those wild places.

Awesome post. I don't know if I could ever pay $26-40K to kill one animal - but getting up close to them and photographing then would be amazing.
What is the danger level of getting that close to an elephant(s)? Is it something where you have a decent chance of not returning alive from?

I'd be a little nervous even to hunt buffalo. Realistically - not a high percentage of people die hunting them - but the fact that it could happen would me up the night before. But that's part of the fun of it.

 

[biggiesmalls]

I need a few trophies in my room one day, aside from African and Argentinian animals. Trophy whitetail, trophy elk, and trophy black bear are the only big game I need here. Moose or mule deer might be cool to add but not necessary.

I've got some small game and bird hunts I need to do though. Canada goose hunt, duck hunt, big turkey hunt, and a pheasant hunt for the birds. Maybe partridge or grouse - not priorities though.

Never hunted either, but I've heard coyotes and squirrels are both very fun hunts. Not the best trophies but both sound pretty fun. Also heard good things about raccoon, rabbit, and even gator hunts.

So much to do, so little time!

 

[Brent in Az]

21 day full bager in Tanzania.

Dog sled Polar Bear hunt

Marco Polo sheep

If only.......

 

[Bullthrower338]

I would say your odds of not returning from a trip to the grocery store are better than getting killed hunting DG. I'd much rather be taken out by a pissed off buff than an drunk illegal without a drivers license or insurance.

 

[cpr0312]

21 day full bager in Tanzania.

Yeah add that to my list also!!!!!!!!

 

[Neale]

21 day full bager in Tanzania.

+2
By some of the responses, I do pitty the Bongo when the economy improves

 

[tarbe]

I have been trying to get Mr. Buffalo out of my mind and heart for most of the past two years.

NOT WORKING! He's been stuck in my brain for 50 years now and my attempts to purge have been in vain.

God willing, I am going to MOZ/ZIM/TAN. Heck, I don't know where yet...but I am going to go. And Kathy is coming along.

Cape Buffalo, with Livingstone Eland on the side and hopefully find a place that also gives a shot at a spotted dog. I also do still need a big wartie!

We've decided once the mortgage is paid off (trying for the end of next year, depending on bonus payouts) then it is full speed ahead on planning the safari.

 

[spike.t]

God willing, I am going to MOZ/ZIM/TAN. Heck, I don't know where yet...but I am going to go. And Kathy is coming along.

dont forget zambia........

 

[tarbe]

dont forget zambia........

I was going to write "Moz/Zim/Tan/Zam" but that sounded too much like the name of a boy band!

 

[spike.t]

I was going to write "Moz/Zim/Tan/Zam" but that sounded too much like the name of a boy band!

you better copyright it fast.......

 

[Desert Dog]

Always wanted to do one of those 3-4 week classic full-bag African safaris (just don't have the time). Polar bear and Marco Polo Argali would be a hunt of a lifetime too.

But, I would settle for actually drawing a desert bighorn tag before I am too old to use it.