Once in a lifetime "adventure hunt"

[Jpsmith1]

To each their own.

But if I can’t bring back something memorable from the hunt (besides memories) then I’m not going.

Africa is reasonable until you factor in taxidermy. And you can’t bring meat back.

For me, I would do a horseback moose/caribou combo in BC.

I have even looked into cull hunt opportunities in Africa.

I can't stress enough how little "trophies" matter. A nice head to hang would be sweet, but the photos, the stories and the experience is truly what I'm after.

Maybe it's from a long string of unsuccessful hunting and a life where this deer is my singular "trophy" not "one of" but my only trophy that I've come to find my trophy elsewhere.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I fell for the “Africa is cheap” moniker. I had a budget in mind and didn’t seriously look into it until this year. Went to DSC and Atlanta and spoke with several outfitters.

Narrowed it down to 2-3 and started crunching numbers.

My wife will join me on this hunt as an “observer” so 2 plane tickets, observer fees, etc…

When I put all the numbers together, flights, hunt, tips, taxidermy, shipping, stateside broker…it will be over $30k.

I just can’t wrap my head around spending that much on a hunt yet.

I can afford to pay for it cash, but………


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[hereinaz]

Yo, if this isn't a joke, we need to talk.

I got the gear. Like, I can be ready to rock in maybe half an hour, just gotta pick my load out based on weather and maybe reconfigure my pack to tote it all.

Arizona was definitely a state on the list of places to explore because y'all have some interesting opportunities based on how your tags work. At least that's what I understand from some pods I've listened to. Thanks Randy Newberg.

2025 might be screwed for me because we have a kid getting hitched.

Serious.

PM your phone number. Let’s get 2026 in the plan. Elk and antelope deadline is coming up. Get a point for elk at least. IMO

 

[gonhunting247]

I get what you're saying, but let me relate a short story from last spring to maybe help put into perspective why "on my own" might not be the best option.

I had been wanting to hit up a big chunk of public about an hour away, so I went and did a shed hunt. Hiked a few miles, found a couple sheds. But here's where the problem lies.

I pulled into the parking lot. No cell signal. Not a problem. So I fired a text off figuring the phone would send it when it found a signal. Never did. Couple hours later, I'm back at the truck. Realize the message didn't send. So I scooted to a spot where I did get signal, and my phone didn't stop for like 5 minutes. Message after message on all the different platforms. My wife was losing her shit because she hadn't heard from me.

I called and talked her down off the ledge and she still broke down when I got home and she saw me. So a solo trip a days drive or more from home is going to be a potential problem. We are working on some strategies for her to cope and for me to communicate and I'm trying to wean her off of the need for 'instant hubby' but its a long process.

In talking further about it, she has a point. She knows that, once my boots are on the ground, there's not much that can stop me from getting back to the truck. It's the drive there that worries her, and the longer the drive, the more worry..

Ya that will be something you'll need to work out with her. I hunt solo a lot and we have a good understanding that sometimes there's not much way to communicate. That said there are tons of hunts that you can do out west with plenty of opportunity to touch base. Just do a little research first. That's part of the adventure

 

[waspocrew]

From your post, it sounds like Africa is what you’re looking for. Do it!

 

[Corymhoward]

I’d love to hunt Africa

 

[7mm-08]

I get what you're saying, but let me relate a short story from last spring to maybe help put into perspective why "on my own" might not be the best option.

I had been wanting to hit up a big chunk of public about an hour away, so I went and did a shed hunt. Hiked a few miles, found a couple sheds. But here's where the problem lies.

I pulled into the parking lot. No cell signal. Not a problem. So I fired a text off figuring the phone would send it when it found a signal. Never did. Couple hours later, I'm back at the truck. Realize the message didn't send. So I scooted to a spot where I did get signal, and my phone didn't stop for like 5 minutes. Message after message on all the different platforms. My wife was losing her shit because she hadn't heard from me.

I called and talked her down off the ledge and she still broke down when I got home and she saw me. So a solo trip a days drive or more from home is going to be a potential problem. We are working on some strategies for her to cope and for me to communicate and I'm trying to wean her off of the need for 'instant hubby' but its a long process.

In talking further about it, she has a point. She knows that, once my boots are on the ground, there's not much that can stop me from getting back to the truck. It's the drive there that worries her, and the longer the drive, the more worry..

Instant can be solved with a sat phone and less instant can be solved with an inreach. Subscription services are expensive, but what's it worth to keep that stress out of your family?

 

[Jpsmith1]

Instant can be solved with a sat phone and less instant can be solved with an inreach. Subscription services are expensive, but what's it worth to keep that stress out of your family?

I did have that question about those I was planning to ask. How fast are the inreach devices.

Knowing that they're "less than instant" is helpful as I've never used one. We talking seconds, minutes or hours for a message?

We played around with the Satellite texting on my wife's IPhone and I was hoping to see more progress on the ability to use a cell on the Satellite network. I've planned to rent one for times when I was heading to areas where I know signal is poor.

 

[7mm-08]

I would say that there are not hundreds but thousands (if not tens of thousands) of folks on this site who have inReach devices. I have used one for more than ten years with excellent results. There are some variables involved (tree cover, satellite positions, etc.) but on average, I'd say my wife receives messages from me within five minutes and responses back are generally on that order as well. Not perfect (like a sat phone is with a call and answer situation) but the device purchase prices are reasonable and the subscription plans are fairly economical.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I would say that there are not hundreds but thousands (if not tens of thousands) of folks on this site who have inReach devices. I have used one for more than ten years with excellent results. There are some variables involved (tree cover, satellite positions, etc.) but on average, I'd say my wife receives messages from me within five minutes and responses back are generally on that order as well. Not perfect (like a sat phone is with a call and answer situation) but the device purchase prices are reasonable and the subscription plans are fairly economical.

This is the answer for your communication problem. Inreach for now, maybe in a few years all phones will have satellite capability.

I say go every year to somewhere new. Why have 1 adventure for 10, 20, 30k when you can have ten or fifteen for nearly the same price? I can go west for less than 3k. That’s a lot of trips.
When I plan myself a “big adventure,” I’d like for it to be a moose trip. But I’m not waiting for a day that might not come, I’m going to hunt as much as possible until then

 

[Traveler]

I get what you're saying, but let me relate a short story from last spring to maybe help put into perspective why "on my own" might not be the best option.

I had been wanting to hit up a big chunk of public about an hour away, so I went and did a shed hunt. Hiked a few miles, found a couple sheds. But here's where the problem lies.

I pulled into the parking lot. No cell signal. Not a problem. So I fired a text off figuring the phone would send it when it found a signal. Never did. Couple hours later, I'm back at the truck. Realize the message didn't send. So I scooted to a spot where I did get signal, and my phone didn't stop for like 5 minutes. Message after message on all the different platforms. My wife was losing her shit because she hadn't heard from me.

I called and talked her down off the ledge and she still broke down when I got home and she saw me. So a solo trip a days drive or more from home is going to be a potential problem. We are working on some strategies for her to cope and for me to communicate and I'm trying to wean her off of the need for 'instant hubby' but its a long process.

In talking further about it, she has a point. She knows that, once my boots are on the ground, there's not much that can stop me from getting back to the truck. It's the drive there that worries her, and the longer the drive, the more worry..

You’re really contemplating a trip to Africa after this story?

 

[Jpsmith1]

You’re really contemplating a trip to Africa after this story?

Absolutely. Tacking an inreach on to the cost of that trip is nothing.

 

[timekiller13]

I get what you're saying, but let me relate a short story from last spring to maybe help put into perspective why "on my own" might not be the best option.

I had been wanting to hit up a big chunk of public about an hour away, so I went and did a shed hunt. Hiked a few miles, found a couple sheds. But here's where the problem lies.

I pulled into the parking lot. No cell signal. Not a problem. So I fired a text off figuring the phone would send it when it found a signal. Never did. Couple hours later, I'm back at the truck. Realize the message didn't send. So I scooted to a spot where I did get signal, and my phone didn't stop for like 5 minutes. Message after message on all the different platforms. My wife was losing her shit because she hadn't heard from me.

I called and talked her down off the ledge and she still broke down when I got home and she saw me. So a solo trip a days drive or more from home is going to be a potential problem. We are working on some strategies for her to cope and for me to communicate and I'm trying to wean her off of the need for 'instant hubby' but its a long process.

In talking further about it, she has a point. She knows that, once my boots are on the ground, there's not much that can stop me from getting back to the truck. It's the drive there that worries her, and the longer the drive, the more worry..

I get that. My wife worries more about me driving solo long distances than she does about me being in the woods alone.

If you have a new iPhone it has satellite messaging capabilities. My hunting lease, although not far from home (about 2 hours) has very spotty service. Now with the satellite messaging capabilities, I know I can always contact someone or emergency services even if I don’t have cell service.

Best thing to do is the designate times to contact each other. And let your spouse know that where you will be going may have poor cell service. I always tell my wife “if you haven’t hear from me by X time, then send help.” It’s part of respect in a relationship. If I say I will contact her by a certain time, then I make the effort to do that. But, I’m also realistic with her. She knows she may not hear from me for 12-16 hours. I also send my wife dropped pins on maps to let her know where I am. Drop pins for her on where I park and at various spots I am hunting. Also, if you have Life360, she can see where you are (if you have service) or at least see where you were the last time you had service. Some people may find all this to be extreme or needy. But when you are married and have children, it’s part of your adult responsibility to try and stay safe and stay in touch.