North Americas Big Five

In North America I've always thought it was all about "sheep": Dall, Stone, Bighorn and Desert Sheep.

If you need 5.....lets make the Mountain Goat an honorary sheep.
 
Wood Bison
Polar Bear
Grizzly
Wolf
Pronghorn Antelope

These species cover the gambit from ice cap, Boreal forest, mountains to prairie/desert.
When stalked, None of them will be a gimme.
 
OK, well now the way is paved with the comments of folks that can't make a decision, here is my list:
1. Jaguar or Polar Bear (thanks @BourbonTrail we do forget about the third largest cat on the planet).
2. Grizzly or Brown Bear.
3. Any mountain sheep or goat.
4. Moose or elk. Maybe caribou
5. Black bear or alligator. (Never hunted or even seen an aligator, but that would be cool. Killed lots of bears though.)
So there you have it. A concise list of North Americas top five most desired game animals.
 
OK, well now the way is paved with the comments of folks that can't make a decision, here is my list:
1. Jaguar or Polar Bear (thanks @BourbonTrail we do forget about the third largest cat on the planet).
2. Grizzly or Brown Bear.
3. Any mountain sheep or goat.
4. Moose or elk. Maybe caribou
5. Black bear or alligator. (Never hunted or even seen an aligator, but that would be cool. Killed lots of bears though.)
So there you have it. A concise list of North Americas top five most desired game animals.
I love the concise indecision :LOL:…let’s go hunt!
 
OK, well now the way is paved with the comments of folks that can't make a decision, here is my list:
1. Jaguar or Polar Bear (thanks @BourbonTrail we do forget about the third largest cat on the planet).
2. Grizzly or Brown Bear.
3. Any mountain sheep or goat.
4. Moose or elk. Maybe caribou
5. Black bear or alligator. (Never hunted or even seen an aligator, but that would be cool. Killed lots of bears though.)
So there you have it. A concise list of North Americas top five most desired game animals.
Isn't Jaguar currently illegal to hunt in both North and South America? Polar Bear is legal in Canada with a Native present as a guide, but no longer available for import to the US.
 
Isn't Jaguar currently illegal to hunt in both North and South America? Polar Bear is legal in Canada with a Native present as a guide, but no longer available for import to the US.
Yep, that’s why it’s on my “but can’t” list
 
the most dangerous animals in the the US:
1)redheads
2) blondes
3) brunettes

all others pale in comparison, but would list as:
1) polar bear
2) coastal brownie
3) interior grizzly (probably the most grumpy)
4) black bear
5) bison

my list is “bear-heavy” but other than black bear, they just seem to take so much lead.

my humble opinion
 
Grizzly
Buffalo
Mountain Lion
Rocky Mountain Bighorn
Alaskan Yukon Moose
 
New here, but am an animal hunt s much as a hunter.
I am surprised that I have not read bout musk ox or wolf. As far as prestige and danger they both rate. A previous post has 2 fatality from wolves but there are peer reviewed studies that say the number is at least 11 since 2000. Musk Ox actually kill more people not in NA, but they are no joke dangerous. My list (in no particular order) based on danger and prestige/access would be:
Kodiak brown bear (Ursus Arctos Middendorffi)
Free range bison
Musk Ox
Wolf
Cougar

If evaluating danger alone, the bison changes to ranched or on parks, the cougar looses and is replaced by wild dogs (I HATE wild dogs.)

I guess the next discussion would be what single gun to hunt them all with?
 
Although not dangerous game, North America does have the SuperSlam of wild turkey hunting:

Eastern
Osceola
Rio Grande
Merriam
Goulds
Ocellated

Easy to get tags and fun traveling after winter months. I have met some lifelong, very nice friends over the years chasing gobblers.
 
Although not dangerous game, North America does have the SuperSlam of wild turkey hunting:

Eastern
Osceola
Rio Grande
Merriam
Goulds
Ocellated

Easy to get tags and fun traveling after winter months. I have met some lifelong, very nice friends over the years chasing gobblers.
I wanted the slam but $2000 for an Osceola and then another $2000 for Gould’s and $1500 for rio. That’s started to get into African package price right there. I might just stick to easterns for the time being.
 
My state has Eastern, Meriam, and Rio Grand. This year I'm getting all three!
 

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Gents here are my final itinerary for the USA Marketing trip 2025!

Itinerary 2025
12-02 Lexington South Carolina

13-02 Huntsville, Alabama

14-02 Pigott, Arkansas

15-02 Pigott, Arkansas

17-02 Richmond Texas

18-02 Sapulpa Oklahoma

19-02 Ava Missouri

20-02 Maxwell, Iowa

22-02 Montrose Colorado

24-02 Salmon Idaho
Updated available dates for 2025

14-20 March
1-11 April
16-27 April
12-24 May
6-30 June
25-31 July
10-30 August
September and October is wide open
Trying to be a bridge between Eastern and Western schools of conservation.
From India, based in Hungary.
Nugget here. A guide gave me the nickname as I looked similar to Nugent at the time. Hunting for over 50 years yet I am new to hunting in another country and its inherent game species. I plan to do archery. I have not yet ruled out the long iron as a tag-along for a stalk. I am still deciding on a short list of game. Not a marksman but better than average with powder and string.
 
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