Safari Season 2024 Has Started - Where We Going?

[Cleathorn]

It’s always time to Cape Buffalo. It’s never not time for Cape Buffalo. And a 375 is good medicine for Cape Buffalo. Good luck finding the right place for you, I love the trip planning process.

Montana rifle elk hunt for me and two sons-in-law. At the upcoming DSC, hope to find something for 2025. Thinking it's time for a cape buff

 

[Cleathorn]

I

Can you provide some details on this!?! Thats a lot of hunting!!

I started with the Grand Slam Club Ovis Capra World Slam, which is 12 capra species from around the world. Finished that plus a few extra, last year, with a combination of chamy, Inex and tahr.

As part of that, I hunted 5 different chamois species, in Spain, France, N Macedonia, Slovenia and New Zealand. SCI has an Inner Circle award for chamois, and it takes 6 species for the Diamond Level (a slam so to speak), so I’m going to get my 6th by hunting the Carpathian Chamois in Romania, which are the largest of the chamy.

I never actually submit for the awards, but i do find the awards categories a useful tool to plan hunts. I would never have gone to Slovenia accept chasing chamy, and it’s become one of our favorite places.

Chamy are fun to hunt, and they live in the most spectacular places on Earth. The ibex, tahr and mountain goat all live in incredible mountain habitat. It is significantly less expensive to hunt the capra’s than it is to hunt sheep, and for the most part they live in the same places/environments. So when i want to mountain hunt, I hunt the capra species and since I “save” so much compared to sheep hunting, I get to go more often. And that my friend is how to make ‘girl math’ work!

 

[AES]

Rockwood in the Kalahari
Afognak Kodiak
BC Canada BBear

 

[LivingTheDream]

It is significantly less expensive to hunt the capra’s than it is to hunt sheep, and for the most part they live in the same places/environments. So when i want to mountain hunt, I hunt the capra species and since I “save” so much compared to sheep hunting, I get to go more often. And that my friend is how to make ‘girl math’ work!

I think I have the same "Girl Math" issue, I decide to hunt Ibex in Spain last year because it was a mountain hunt in a cool place and it was cheaper than a sheep hunt...Now I am researching different ibex hunts in Asia and I saw my first Chamois this past December so thinking I need to hunt them too. You got to hunt some unique countries chasing them!

 

[Cleathorn]

I think I have the same "Girl Math" issue, I decide to hunt Ibex in Spain last year because it was a mountain hunt in a cool place and it was cheaper than a sheep hunt...Now I am researching different ibex hunts in Asia and I saw my first Chamois this past December so thinking I need to hunt them too. You got to hunt some unique countries chasing them!

Feel free to DM me to discuss. I’ve also done a lot of research on this, and learned some very good stuff along the way. Happy to share. I’ve hunted all the ibex in Spain, and now planning to book a Bezaor in Turkey and a mid-asian or a Pamir (basically the same except for a slightly different region) in Tajikistan.

I won’t book a typically “4night/5day” type hunt for these species anymore (except maybe Asia). It’s done differently in Europe, and I found it much better to take my wife of a kid (or both) and also combine touring, eating, visiting castles, etc. The fly fishing in Slovenia is for example world class (I didn’t know that), and Serbia and Macedonia are beautiful, agricultural places with a very old and storied hunting tradition and comparativly inexpensive.

There are ways to hunt Europe (or NZ) that are less expensive than the ‘posted-rates’ and it works out well for everyone. Happy to share.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

My 2024 is completely open as of right now. It really depends on what tags I draw here in North America. You can also bet that some turkeys will die in a few months.

My fingers are crossed for at least one of the Alaska species I put in for. I'm likely a couple points shy from any of the Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, or Utah tags I want but sometimes lady luck shines on you. Idaho and New Mexico are completely random and I only swing for the fences. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont seem like they'll never happen despite almost 20 years of applying but I'll still apply. Colorado just doing points and might snag an OTC tag.

I'll be at DSC looking for something I can slide into this year. Something in Spain or Europe seem to be calling but Africa always seems to lure me away. Might consider Greenland for MuskOx and Caribou in 2025 as well ....... I have too many plans, too little time off, and too small of a bank account to fund what I really want

 

[AZDAVE]

Niassa september 2024 with Kwalata Safaris for buff and plains game for my much better half and myself.

 

[Mekaniks]

This is going to be a bird year for me…

Waterfowl (Greese, Cranes, Ducks) and Upland birds at the @RockinG Ranch in Texas next week….

Turkey with Okanogan Valley Outfitters in May…

Waterfowl in Argentina with @MG Hunting in June…

Cranes and Geese in Delta Jct Alaska with Goose Shack Outfitters in September…

Upland birds with the kids and family at Limits Game Ranch in Oct….

Working on putting together a Sandhill Crane trip to Canada in October or November…..

 

[migrabill]

In addition to South Africa in June I have a bear hunt in the North Woods of Maine in September.

 

[Scott CWO]

I’m not quite sure yet. Just returned from Tanzania the end of November. Going to Italy for a couple weeks in April for a family trip.

Have been considering a rhino hunt or dart hunt to complete my Big Five. Also considering a LDE and roan but then I might be tempted to book a mountain nyala hunt to finish my spiral horn slam but not sure I want to spend the money. Not completely sure if I will hunt Africa again?!? Sounds crazy but could be. What do you guys think I should do?

 

[375Fox]

I’m not quite sure yet. Just returned from Tanzania the end of November. Going to Italy for a couple weeks in April for a family trip.

Have been considering a rhino hunt or dart hunt to complete my Big Five. Also considering a LDE and roan but then I might be tempted to book a mountain nyala hunt to finish my spiral horn slam but not sure I want to spend the money. Not completely sure if I will hunt Africa again?!? Sounds crazy but could be. What do you guys think I should do?

I’m not sure where you should go next, but I really hope that wasn’t the last Africa hunt report we see from you. I’d really like to read a mountain nyala report.
If you’d like to give Africa a break have you considered water Buffalo in Australia? There is some true wilderness still available to hunt there. Have you thought of hunting Europe? A spring hunt for beceite ibex and roe deer in Spain is a great hunt and a very unique region to hunt in.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I’m not quite sure yet. Just returned from Tanzania the end of November. Going to Italy for a couple weeks in April for a family trip.

Have been considering a rhino hunt or dart hunt to complete my Big Five. Also considering a LDE and roan but then I might be tempted to book a mountain nyala hunt to finish my spiral horn slam but not sure I want to spend the money. Not completely sure if I will hunt Africa again?!? Sounds crazy but could be. What do you guys think I should do?

I think you need to finish the spiral slam

 

[LivingTheDream]

I think you need to finish the spiral slam

I agree!!

 

[Ryan Brown]

First safari for me with Kambako in the Niassa.

 

[Doubleplay]

I'll be in Argentina for Red deer with my wife in March then to SA at the end of June to spend time with family and hunt for 2 months in Africa.
After that maybe to Europe for Red deer or Asia for an Ibex and Maral hunt in the Fall.

 

[1dirthawker]

Not completely sure if I will hunt Africa again?!? Sounds crazy but could be. What do you guys think I should do?

i think you should hunt brown bears in Alaska.

 

[Hank2211]

Ethiopia in March for the two bushbuck there, hopefully an gerenuk (some license issues) and a giant forest hog! And whatever else I can get that I don’t already have . . .

 

[camlo]

I have crossed the 100 day threshold. Meeting my friends at DSC on 1/12 to have a face to face with our PH to get the rest of our questions on the table. Cape buffalo, lioness and bird hunting are on my menu. The rest of my party is after PG and fowl. We are taking a professional outdoor photographer I have worked with in the past to document our trip. To say I am excited is an understatement. I have been reading about Africa since I was a young man and to be staring a trip in the face is unbelievable.

Good luck and Godspeed to everyone this year. I hope 2024 is everything you want it to be and more. Our Safari is on the books for 4/15-4-27 and I will update this community accordingly.
CL

 

[Rare Breed]

I’m not quite sure yet. Just returned from Tanzania the end of November. Going to Italy for a couple weeks in April for a family trip.

Have been considering a rhino hunt or dart hunt to complete my Big Five. Also considering a LDE and roan but then I might be tempted to book a mountain nyala hunt to finish my spiral horn slam but not sure I want to spend the money. Not completely sure if I will hunt Africa again?!? Sounds crazy but could be. What do you guys think I should do?

i am going on a Rhino dart hunt for my big 5 with Wintershoek in April. i will let everyone know how the hunt turns out

 

[Scott CWO]

i think you should hunt brown bears in Alaska.

Well that’s a given! See you there!