What Animal to take?

[Clayton]

This is off topic & I'm a little slow thinking about it, but Thank You for your service to the country. It is appreciated.

 

[huntinlabs]

This is off topic & I'm a little slow thinking about it, but Thank You for your service to the country. It is appreciated.

thank you sir this hunt is a gift to myself and wife since within the past 2 years we have been separated a total of 20 months. Also it is kind of a I made it home from my 3rd deployment gift since I am still alive. we had some very close calls over there (ended up losing 2 good buddies) and it puts things into perspective of you only live once.

 

[cpr0312]

Thank You for your service to the country. It is appreciated.

A big +1 on that, thank you sir!!

 

[huntinlabs]

A big +1 on that, thank you sir!!

Thank you as well

 

[Shootist43]

Welcome and thanks for your service. Depending on the date of your hunt your decision doesn't have to be made immediately. I's nice that you are taking your kids with you. The experience is one that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I took my boys last summer (they are a little older than yours (48 & 52) but fully enjoyed by all. Anyone that hunts will appreciate your trophies. Regardless of what you select, THEY ARE ONLY GROWN IN AFRICA!! Best of luck to you.

As a side note I can only hope that on your future deployments that you and your family feel that "we" the American people have your "six." As a proud Veteran I can state without equivocation that I would not have liked serving during these past eight years. Judging from the caliber of men being considered for various high offices our Servicemen and women will be held in much higher esteem and be treated accordingly.

 

[huntinlabs]

Welcome and thanks for your service. Depending on the date of your hunt your decision doesn't have to be made immediately. I's nice that you are taking your kids with you. The experience is one that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I took my boys last summer (they are a little older than yours (48 & 52) but fully enjoyed by all. Anyone that hunts will appreciate your trophies. Regardless of what you select, THEY ARE ONLY GROWN IN AFRICA!! Best of luck to you.

As a side note I can only hope that on your future deployments that you and your family feel that "we" the American people have your "six." As a proud Veteran I can state without equivocation that I would not have liked serving during these past eight years. Judging from the caliber of men being considered for various high offices our Servicemen and women will be held in much higher esteem and be treated accordingly.

Thank you for your service as well. To me the time spent with my family since i deploy about every other year or get sent away in some form is more important than trying to get both animals. I have had people tell me that I should just get the animals I want and not bring them. I even had one person call me crazy for not getting what I want. But to me I would rather not get some animals and have my kids there to experience what will more than likely be the once in a life time hunt for me.

 

[Art Lambart II]

My avatar says it all, take the Zebra, but take enough money for the black as well. It' very, very, hard to stick to your package on your first safari.

 

[huntinlabs]

My avatar says it all, take the Zebra, but take enough money for the black as well. It' very, very, hard to stick to your package on your first safari.

It wont be hard for me since I have budget constraints..

 

[wesheltonj]

I think you will find most places have a price for jackal and baboon. I know where I went they did, when I arrived there the owner said that I should shoot all I wanted at no charge. I am not so sure I would want to pay for a jackal when most landowners just want them dead.

 

[hunting4sanity]

The choice between a black wildebeest and a zebra would be a tough one. I was fortunate enough to get both on my one and only safari. I had a pedestal mount done of my zebra and it might just be my favorite taxidermy from the safari. Where and who are you hunting with? Look at pics of taxidermy of both and see if that swings your decision. Thanks for your service and good luck on your safari, you and your family are in for a great adventure!

 

[petrusg]

Hunt them all, you're in Africa so make a plan!

 

[Silence]

Black wildebeest are very crazy animals.... I had great fun hunting them, the behaviour is special. Zebra, of course, is a very esthetic animal, it looks great as a mount or rug.

 

[huntinlabs]

Hunt them all, you're in Africa so make a plan!

I wish I could afford to hunt them all lol

 

[huntinlabs]

Black wildebeest are very crazy animals.... I had great fun hunting them, the behaviour is special. Zebra, of course, is a very esthetic animal, it looks great as a mount or rug.

The problem I have is that I have yet to see a shoulder mount (really the only kind I like) just wow me from a zebra. they have magnificent pedestal mounts of them but I also have to keep in mind weight since we move around so much and I'm only alloted so many pounds

 

[huntinlabs]

The choice between a black wildebeest and a zebra would be a tough one. I was fortunate enough to get both on my one and only safari. I had a pedestal mount done of my zebra and it might just be my favorite taxidermy from the safari. Where and who are you hunting with? Look at pics of taxidermy of both and see if that swings your decision. Thanks for your service and good luck on your safari, you and your family are in for a great adventure!

Thank you as well. I haven't decided who I am going with but at this time it looks like more than likely @Pawprint Safaris because even though I haven't even spoken to pieter yet him and his US rep @Bill C have bent over backwards to make this hunt affordable and they keep surprising me with offers and prices

 

[Grady]

Huntinlabs....Just my opinion. If you are not going to do the rug or a pedestal for the Zebra, then the Black would be my choice. I was able to get a Blue on my first and a Black on my second trip. While I definitely like the Zebra, and had some of the same constraint the you have with the moving and the weight allowances (I am retired now), I think the combination of the Black and the Blue is a better choice right now. Maybe after this trip, you could start saving for the next trip and let your kids take the Zebra.
Once you get over there and see what there is, I am sure you will start planning your second trip before the first is over. It might take a few years of saving, but by then your kids would be old enough for the actual hunt. They will have memories that they will cherish for a lifetime.
On my second trip, a Nyala was on the top of my list...until my daughter saw one. Then it became the top of her list....the things we do for our kids! Either way, whenever the topic of the trip comes up, she has the biggest smile on her face as she tells the story. In my opinion, letting her shoot the Nyala was well worth it! Now I have an excuse to go over again.

 

[huntinlabs]

Huntinlabs....Just my opinion. If you are not going to do the rug or a pedestal for the Zebra, then the Black would be my choice. I was able to get a Blue on my first and a Black on my second trip. While I definitely like the Zebra, and had some of the same constraint the you have with the moving and the weight allowances (I am retired now), I think the combination of the Black and the Blue is a better choice right now. Maybe after this trip, you could start saving for the next trip and let your kids take the Zebra.
Once you get over there and see what there is, I am sure you will start planning your second trip before the first is over. It might take a few years of saving, but by then your kids would be old enough for the actual hunt. They will have memories that they will cherish for a lifetime.
On my second trip, a Nyala was on the top of my list...until my daughter saw one. Then it became the top of her list....the things we do for our kids! Either way, whenever the topic of the trip comes up, she has the biggest smile on her face as she tells the story. In my opinion, letting her shoot the Nyala was well worth it! Now I have an excuse to go over again.

I am leaning towards the black for now. You may find this funny but I just don't want my black to look small next to my wifes blue lol. Will I ever go back to get the zebra or black if I decide the zebra? Who knows.

 

[curtism1234]

The problem I have is that I have yet to see a shoulder mount (really the only kind I like) just wow me from a zebra.

I feel the same about a Zebra rug. I want to like it but something just doesn't look right...

As others stated, a zebra is one of a few plains game that is synonymous when I think of Africa. It would be hard to pass that up if you truly think this will be your one and only chance.

That being said though, I think it would look great to have both a black and blue wildebeest together on the wall.
The other thing to consider is not every operation offers black wildebeest. Everyone has zebra. It may take you 20 years to get back to Africa, but you can easily be able to hunt zebra.

Not to change the subject, but have you considered / do they offer gemsbok? The prices normally fall in line with zebra. If one could have only 1 shoulder mount and it could not be a kudu, many many people would choose the gemsbok.

Another consideration is to not do taxidermy and have some large pictures made up. That's not the route I like to go, but something to consider and it would either A. save you thousands of dollars or B. allow you take both the zebra and black

 

[huntinlabs]

I feel the same about a Zebra rug. I want to like it but something just doesn't look right...

As others stated, a zebra is one of a few plains game that is synonymous when I think of Africa. It would be hard to pass that up if you truly think this will be your one and only chance.

That being said though, I think it would look great to have both a black and blue wildebeest together on the wall.
The other thing to consider is not every operation offers black wildebeest. Everyone has zebra. It may take you 20 years to get back to Africa, but you can easily be able to hunt zebra.

Not to change the subject, but have you considered / do they offer gemsbok? The prices normally fall in line with zebra. If one could have only 1 shoulder mount and it could not be a kudu, many many people would choose the gemsbok.

Another consideration is to not do taxidermy and have some large pictures made up. That's not the route I like to go, but something to consider and it would either A. save you thousands of dollars or B. allow you take both the zebra and black

They do offer gemsbuck and I haven't thought of that. Why would a lot of people choose that. We have a sort of gemsbuck here in the states and its not that costly to hunt them. Or I have been told it isn't that much to hunt them. They are everywhere in New Mexico near the El paso area. As a matter of fact I almost ran one over during IR driving training preparing for my last deployment lol.

 

[billc]

It was great talking with you and Pieter likes familys who hunt and goes out of his way like no one I ever have seen to do the best he can. Make your list in your mind because it could change 10 times before you go and then change again as you see the animals in the bush. LOL We can do the stuff in budget but picking the stuff is the real hard part as they all have a beauty about them that make you want one.
As I told you last night when we talked just wait to you see a big red hartebeest on a hillside with the sun shining on him. You just may need to pick between a blue,black or red then. Just know if the other hunt does not work and we get you over on a hunt with us we will do the best we can for you to take what you like.