We are taking my Dad on his FIRST African Safari!!!

[Ontario Hunter]

Best news I've heard in a while--enjoy yourselves to the max!!
BTW, if he is retiring as a machinist, set him up a well equipped shop with a metal lathe, and he could re-barrel, re-chamber, and customize your firearms as well as make a little money. He could thread barrels for suppressors--the list is endless!

Good idea. I had a local machinist open up the bolt face on my 8mm 98 Mauser for 404 Jeffery. He'd never done any gun work before and did a fine job. Reamers can be rented for a song and setting the headspace really isn't rocket science if one has the equipment. I think your dad would enjoy keeping his machinist oar in the water sticking guns together.

 

[Ragman]

That is so awesome. Your Dad sounds a lot like mine. Dad finally retired from farming 3 years ago at the age of 78. It has always been a dream of mine to take him on a big hunt somewhere but he always used the excuse that he couldn’t leave the cows. Now that he’s retired he says it’s Mom he can’t leave for that long! And he says he’s too old to make the flight to Africa even though at 81his health is excellent.
When he was a young fellow there were no hunters or fishermen in the family so he is pretty much self taught until a little fellow who moved to Saskatchewan from Quebec took him under his wing. His name was Phillip LaChapelle. He taught Dad more about hunting, fishing and trapping than he ever could have learned on his own. And as a harness racing jockey he became Dad’s mentor in becoming a jockey himself. It’s still his greatest passion. So I owe a lot to Phillip.
I can’t complain about him not wanting to make a big trip. I still get to hunt at home with him every year and we go fishing together often. I love every second of it. I can’t wait to read about your adventures with your Dad. I am going to live vicariously through you!!! Cherish this trip!

 

[Shootist43]

Gina, taking your dad on an African hunt is a fantastic idea. He can use your 404 Jeffery and you can back him up with your 450 /400. Have you decided on an outfitter yet, or are you waiting till after the SCI Convention in Nashville to do so? Who knows maybe we can arrange a hunt for your family and mine at the same time. THAT would be a "trip."

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I’m hoping one day my kids take me to Africa!

 

[Just Gina]

@Just Gina and @ActionBob this is just more reinforcement on you both being good people. That is awesome to read and I'm excited to read the reports! Good luck and congratulations to your father on his retirement!

@Inline6
Thank you! He is supposed to retire May 31. He has been saying he is going to retire the last few years, and when it comes down to it, it always gets put off until next year.
We had been talking about going to Africa in 2024 and a few weeks ago we started talking about how he should go with. Cross your fingers he actually retires! He is already shopping for things for this trip and he is talking about it constantly, which is great!

 

[USN]

This post just made my day! Enjoy this special time and Happy New Year. I would love to hear the stories he tells his buddies upon return. The barber shop would be silent listening to his tales. Enjoy

 

[Just Gina]

That is so awesome. Your Dad sounds a lot like mine. Dad finally retired from farming 3 years ago at the age of 78. It has always been a dream of mine to take him on a big hunt somewhere but he always used the excuse that he couldn’t leave the cows. Now that he’s retired he says it’s Mom he can’t leave for that long! And he says he’s too old to make the flight to Africa even though at 81his health is excellent.
When he was a young fellow there were no hunters or fishermen in the family so he is pretty much self taught until a little fellow who moved to Saskatchewan from Quebec took him under his wing. His name was Phillip LaChapelle. He taught Dad more about hunting, fishing and trapping than he ever could have learned on his own. And as a harness racing jockey he became Dad’s mentor in becoming a jockey himself. It’s still his greatest passion. So I owe a lot to Phillip.
I can’t complain about him not wanting to make a big trip. I still get to hunt at home with him every year and we go fishing together often. I love every second of it. I can’t wait to read about your adventures with your Dad. I am going to live vicariously through you!!! Cherish this trip!

@Ragman
Thank you. Our Dads do sound quite similar. We invited mother to go and she immediately said no. She does not like flying at all.
What is going to be so special to me is that I have never been hunting with my dad. This will be the first time we will be hunting together. I am looking forward to sharing the adventure with everyone here!

 

[Just Gina]

Gina, taking your dad on an African hunt is a fantastic idea. He can use your 404 Jeffery and you can back him up with your 450 /400. Have you decided on an outfitter yet, or are you waiting till after the SCI Convention in Nashville to do so? Who knows maybe we can arrange a hunt for your family and mine at the same time. THAT would be a "trip."

@Shootist43
Hi Art! Had a great time chatting on the phone this morning! We have not decided completely on the outfitter but hopefully will have that nailed down soon. And yes, that would be quite the trip if we all could go on a hunt together! It is just so exciting planning this!

 

[Just Gina]

This post just made my day! Enjoy this special time and Happy New Year. I would love to hear the stories he tells his buddies upon return. The barber shop would be silent listening to his tales. Enjoy

@USN
Thank you. I was talking on the phone to Art this morning and was telling Art how it is all Dad is talking about and he is already preparing. Dad called me this morning while he was out shoe shopping! I love it!

 

[cash_tx]

My last hunt with my dad was about 21 years ago in the Texas Hill Country on our lease near Wimberley, so this is very heart-warming to witness. I would love to have taken him on an adventure to someplace like Africa or Alaska before he passed three years ago, so God bless the two of you for doing this for your father.

 

[Spooksar]

Good of you and Bob your dad will love it, I’ve just turned 71 and last year I did my 14th Safari in Africa.

 

[Rare Breed]

What a wonderful gift! I would have loved to get my dad over to hunt but just couldn't get him on a plane for that long.
I hope yall cherish every minute of the hunt with him as he is in for a real treat!

So wonderful!!! I wish I could have taken my dad. I have decided however to take the 30-06 to hunt my leopard in 25 given it was his favorite rifle…I will be thinking of him!

 

[sureshot375]

I’m excited for all involved. I can’t wait to see how it plays out.

 

[Wheels]

. I get to go to Africa with my two favorite Bobs!!

I thought you went to Africa with your two favorite Bob's in 2021.

I'm blessed to have gone on many hunts with my Father in Africa.

Really happy for all of you. You will have the time of your lives.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Excited for all of you and that you’ll get to experience your dad’s first time in Africa.

I took my dad on what was my first trip, and his first trip to Africa for Father’s Day a few years ago. I had to push him to hunt, not just be there as an observer since he really didn’t understand hunting in Africa despite being a lifelong hunter. He ended up taking 1 Impala and it ended up being one of the best experiences of his life.

 

[Just Gina]

The replies I have received are so heartwarming. So many of the responses also confirm that there is no time like the present to go on this hunt. We never know what tomorrow will bring.
He is already studying shot placement since it is different, clearly, than anything he has hunted before. I love how excited he is!

 

[PARA45]

Out freaking standing!!!!! Congratulations to the three of you. This is going to be a wonderful and cool trip. I can't wait to read this report. Keep us updated on your dad's preparation. I can only imagine his excitement.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

May every father be blessed enough to have a daughter like you, @Just Gina

I have also taken my father on 4 of my African safaris. I hope to take him to Zambia in 2025, for my next safari (God/Allah be willing). So far, he enjoys hunting Cape buffalo and impala immensely. But being the ardent wing shooter that he is, he enjoys hunting francolin the most in Africa.

My daughter is an avid huntress, as well. While I have taken her on 2 African safaris so far, she has only taken me elk hunting in the United States till now. But I am more than happy enough with that.

 

[randallhebert]

May every father to blessed to have a daughter like you, @Just Gina

I have also taken my father on 4 of my African safaris. I hope to take him to Zambia in 2025, for my next safari (God/Allah be willing).

View attachment 578133View attachment 578134View attachment 578135View attachment 578136View attachment 578137

That will be so amazing. Hope ya'll have a wonderful trip and the memories will warm your heart forever that you got to spend time with your dad in africa. My dad was a million questions after my son and my first trip. We had talked about going back before he got sick and passed away. Take plenty of pictures so we can follow the hunt.

 

[cpr0312]

Awesome! I'm sure a great time will be had by all!