$20k+ and what to do?

[TheGrayRider]

No.

No, No.

I can't take it with me, but I can give me kids and grandkids a better start than I had, which was a better start than my dad had.

You can spend your money or someone else eventually can spend your money for you.

From dust though came and dust though shall return.

Go ahead and finance someone else’s entertainment. I could care less. It ain’t mine.

Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think. Chinese proverb.

Happy travels and mostly happy hunting!

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

You can spend your money or someone else eventually can spend your money for you.

From dust though came and dust though shall return.

Go ahead and finance someone else’s entertainment. I could care less. It ain’t mine.

Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think. Chinese proverb.

Happy travels and mostly happy hunting!

I hear you, but borrowing against your house is spending the banks money, not yours. Frankly, that kind of advice would likely lead to someone not owning a home in the first place. Or spending retirement trying to climb out of debt instead of enjoying life.

 

[justdada]

To the OP, keeping that cash in an account that is accessible when times gets rough would be the best use of funds IMO... cause who knows when tough times will come, right?
Part 2, my two worst finger nails on chalk board phrases are, " I could care less" and "I seen a good investment".
Seriously, the word is "saw" and the phrase is "I COULD NOT CARE LESS". Meaning, you have no further margin for consideration of their opinion.
Most financial advisers, of which I am not, suggest 6 months savings... I would start there, if you haven't already

 

[Huntnut60]

Sounds like you really want to go sheep hunting and a dall sheep hunt is the only one within that budget aside from drawing a tag. Even then, you will probably spend more than than getting a dall, but there might be some cancellations resulting from the corona virus and you might get a good deal this year (although you will need to get up there fast). If that is what you want to do, start calling outfitters and tell us the story when you get back.

I got my Dall on a cancellation hunt:Only way I could make it happen. If you have a limited budget, use your hunting dollars wisely. But somehow, go sheep hunting if that is your dream.

 

[Carnage2011]

Book the Dall Hunt. If you want to hunt sheep you are in a solid spot. There are cancellations popping up like crazy in Alaska right now.

If you find a 20k Stone hunt DO NOT book it.....any outfitter that has an opening and is that cheap isn’t worth a chit.

 

[Cheesehead]

To the OP, keeping that cash in an account that is accessible when times gets rough would be the best use of funds IMO... cause who knows when tough times will come, right?
Part 2, my two worst finger nails on chalk board phrases are, " I could care less" and "I seen a good investment".
Seriously, the word is "saw" and the phrase is "I COULD NOT CARE LESS". Meaning, you have no further margin for consideration of their opinion.
Most financial advisers, of which I am not, suggest 6 months savings... I would start there, if you haven't already

Thanks man for the input. But doing ok on the money front.

 

[Cheesehead]

Go hunting tahr and chamios in New Zealand. Then in your spare time dream how'll you will spend your remaining $17k

@Kiwi, your stuff always inspires me.
Wifey and I spent some time in NZ on a work trip (lovely Napier and thereabouts) a few years ago.

She keeps bugging me to go back. Doesn’t take a lot of prompting, given all the lovely vineyards and the nicest drivers in the world, so as soon as the toddler gets a bit older, I’ll be there for sure...possibly bothering you for hunting tips!

 

[Kiwi]

@Kiwi, your stuff always inspires me.
Wifey and I spent some time in NZ on a work trip (lovely Napier and thereabouts) a few years ago.

She keeps bugging me to go back. Doesn’t take a lot of prompting, given all the lovely vineyards and the nicest drivers in the world, so as soon as the toddler gets a bit older, I’ll be there for sure...possibly bothering you for hunting tips!

Good to hear you enjoyed your time here. Happy to help with your return trip planning in any way.

 

[Cheesehead]

I’d first get your wife a generous gift for A. All her support through the aftermath of your accident and B. Her generosity in saying the settlement money is just for you rather than both of you.

Beyond that, don’t lose sight of your dreams. A lot of people share their idea of what hunt they’d do, but that’s their dream, not yours. If sheep slam is your biggest dream, you have the $ to do an awesome sheep hunt, go sheep hunting!

@ElkFever2 great point.
helps support the NZ trip a la Kiwi’s suggestion, or else either an SA safari (wifey lives vineyards) or an AK cruise for black bear / fishing.

 

[Cheesehead]

Good to hear you enjoyed your time hear. Happy to help with your return trip planning in any way.

Cheers mate!

 

[Sasquatchewan]

I personally would put that towards a couple VERY decent elk and caribou hunts. But that's me, as a sheep hunt is nearly impossible for me to get on, I have kind of turned the page on that.

If a sheep hunt is what you want, DO IT! It's cliché but you truly only live once, go hunting!

 

[Cheesehead]

Well if I had that chunk of change I would do a Yukon moose hunt. Always been on my bucket list.

Man, that’s a great shout. Been on my mind for a lot of years, although I’m cheap enough I’d probably go unguided AK.
On that note, if anybody in 2021 / 2022 is planning an unguided AK moose hunt, and needs a halfway competent buddy, shoot me a pm!

 

[NEWHunter]

$23K? Should have called Gruber.

Seriously though, if sheep is the dream and $23K is the budget, dall sheep it is.

Personally, I’d probably go do a hunt for a giant elk on one of the reservations down AZ way. If not that, I’d use it to float some of the more expensive tag fees for say WY bison and NM sheep and hire an outfitter once I drew.

 

[farmerboy1381]

Follow your dream, but if you are asking mine. If I had the money and could possibly get myself in a position where work would allow it all. I would buy about a grand worth of new gear give the rest to the wife one August/September and tell her I am taking off work and hunting till January. No one species or hunt would tempt me enough to drop that much money, but the thought of an entire fall to explore multiple species and states with no other worries or time restrictions. Now that would get me excited!

 

[Steve O]

I’ll come back and read all the great advice later. My advice as a guy who killed a Stone‘s ram at 32 and has been trying like hell to save for a Dall is you aren’t going to out save a sheep hunt...and I am really, really happy every day when I look at my ram and relive that hunt for the past 20 years. I’d be on the phone to Alaska; Billy Mollis or Jonah Stewart and get my Dall hunt booked ASAP.

 

[sneakypete]

Would have to add another $20,000. AT LEAST!!!!!

Stone Sheep with a very well known outfitters like Stone Mountain Safaris/ Folding Mountain outfitters are 48-50k not including tags, travel, taxidermy, tip. They get it because Stone sheep are only in BC/ Yukon to extent. They are by far the best looking sheep with there dark chocolate hides.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Give me $19,500 K and I'll put you on a P&Y antelope. I'll even put you up in my house with showers, comfy beds, and expert meals.

Didn't realize that there were antelope in Kentucky

 

[JohnCushman]

Didn't realize that there were antelope in Kentucky

I'm still in Colorado

 

[WesternRookie]

If I were you I would put a deposit down on a Dall hunt.....You said you make good money and are set for retirement, so better yet, put a deposit down on a Stone hunt. You can make more money in the next year or two to bridge the gap as needed.

 

[The Long Hunter]

Dall sheep ... Or maybe a couple of ibex in Spain or Mongolia .. Exotic is cool!