Just put in for big game combos

[Wildabeest]

OK, a bit of a rant here, and looking for a reality check from others in the HT community. I just put in for Big Game Combo tags plus Deer B tags for my son and I in MT this year. Close to $3k for us with points and all the other BS fees. Add to that the cost of flights for him, gas and other expenses, it’s a $5-10k endeavor. For what is likely a meat hunt. For that money, we could do a $100+ dinner once a week for a year. Is it really worth it? For me it is. But damn, it’s causing me to pause think about the logic of it. If I mentally categorize it as “vacation expense” it’s easier to swallow, but that just seems f’d up to me. Help me!

 

[OntarioHunter]

You can travel to South Africa, hunt nine days, and shoot six plains game animals for less than that. Or a cape buffalo bull and sable bull for about $14K plus airfare. That includes guide fees and lodging/meals. And you will see countless animals of various species ... every day. Sure, you can't bring the meat back but as you said, it's not remotely cost effective here anyway. I go back to Montana and shoot a deer and go through the motions of elk hunting. Not a great experience. Not like it was when I was growing up. Side by sides running all over the place, slob hunters, and really very little game relatively speaking. In Africa I see no other hunters in the field. That in itself is worth the price.

Hunting Africa is a hidden treasure. Think about it. Also, most safari outfits offer excellent packages for two hunters. SCI silver medalSCI silver medalSCI gold medal

 

[devon deer]

It's the experience and challenges Montana can throw at you is what I liked
Case in point, I have travelled all the way from the UK to Montana 4 times to hunt, but only once to South Africa, I think that speaks for itself.
Good luck on your hunt with your son, you will love it.
Cheers Richard

 

[ashersdad]

Totally understand your point. With my two boys it just gets more and more expensive every year, especially now that one of them is officially an "adult". I just keep reminding myself that in a few years they'll both be gone and I can always make more money, but I can't get the time back. Money spent on experiences with our kids is money well spent imo.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I think vacation expenses is definitely the way to look at it, still cheaper than a trip to Europe or something.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You can travel to South Africa, hunt nine days, and shoot six plains game animals for less than that. Or a cape buffalo bull and sable bull for about $14K plus airfare. That includes guide fees and lodging/meals. And you will see countless animals of various species ... every day. Sure, you can't bring the meat back but as you said, it's not remotely cost effective here anyway. I go back to Montana and shoot a deer and go through the motions of elk hunting. Not a great experience. Not like it was when I was growing up. Side by sides running all over the place, slob hunters, and really very little game relatively speaking. In Africa I see no other hunters in the field. That in itself is worth the price.

Hunting Africa is a hidden treasure. Think about it. Also, most safari outfits offer excellent packages for two hunters. View attachment 215693SCI silver medalView attachment 215694SCI silver medalView attachment 215695SCI gold medal

I will consider Africa hunting when I see someone post a story of doing it DIY… sleep in a tent, gut and gill your own animal, walk, no PH, no trackers.

“But but it’s too danger…”

Yeah it’s a interesting vacation but not comparable to DIY hunting the US, is it “bad” no, but it’s not remotely close to what I’m after.

 

[devon deer]

I think vacation expenses is definitely the way to look at it, still cheaper than a trip to Europe or something.

Not if you know someone who lives there

 

[BlakeA]

7-10 day all inclusive beach vacation with my family > NR Montana Big Game Combo and it's not even close.

 

[drexal]

It sucks, but even worse would be if tags were priced such that everyone put in for them.

 

[MarvB]

Fully understand, it’s a real thing perspective wise. I hunt my home state as well but our deer herds suck, elk getting harder to draw, archery no longer OTC, and I like seeing new places. I view it as a vacation whether it’s with fam&friends or I’m solo. Actually view it as TWO cuz my Fall endeavors are typically balanced by one for the Mrs in the spring!

 

[Panda Bear]

It's the experience and challenges Montana can throw at you is what I liked
Case in point, I have travelled all the way from the UK to Montana 4 times to hunt, but only once to South Africa, I think that speaks for itself.
Good luck on your hunt with your son, you will love it.
Cheers Richard

It speaks for itself, for you, but I am not sure "everyone" would have the same feelings about "the hunt they prefer"

Doesn't this fall into the " one woman's nightmare is another woman's dream" analogy. Or each person have different dreams, different reactions, and prefer different hunts and types of hunts.

We have people visit who will only hunt via river rafting, while others enjoy going out on dog sleds, some prefer riding horses in the mountains while looking for Stone Sheep, some do a different style of hunt each year and in my humble opinion, none of them are wrong.

Yeah it’s a interesting vacation but not comparable to DIY hunting the US, is it “bad” no, but it’s not remotely close to what I’m after.

This is exactly what I mean "it is not remotely close to what I am after" and that is the bottom line when you write a check, doing what works for you. Doesn't mean it is not the cats meow for someone else, just not for you.

Totally understand your point. With my two boys it just gets more and more expensive every year, especially now that one of them is officially an "adult". I just keep reminding myself that in a few years they'll both be gone and I can always make more money, but I can't get the time back. Money spent on experiences with our kids is money well spent imo.

Wildabeast, the post above might help you accept and/or digest the cost a bit better. But, simply stated, go where you want to go, afford, and will enjoy, whether it is hunting in Argentina, Montana, Europe, Africa or drum roll please, Canada And, maybe a different location each year would be fun and educational for you and your son. Later in life he will tell people, Dad and I had a 100 dollar dinner every week or Dad and I went to Montana, Alaska, Canada, New Zealand, Africa, Argentina, and hunted Elk, Doves, Caribou, Red Stag, in ( fill in the location ). I Agree with the quote in the post above. "Money spent on experiences with our kids is money well spent"

 

[tjones]

You can travel to South Africa, hunt nine days, and shoot six plains game animals for less than that.

Comparing a Montana DIY hunt to anything in Africa is rather silly.

 

[devon deer]

It speaks for itself, for you, but I am not sure "everyone" would have the same feelings about "the hunt they prefer"

I was speaking for myself

 

[Irrelevant]

It is crazy expensive. But that's going to be the only way "we" reduce demand to the point where you can consistently do it.

 

[MarvB]

It is crazy expensive. But that's going to be the only way "we" reduce demand to the point where you can consistently do it.

So you’re saying by driving the price up and costing us more money, initially, we are driving demand down to where we will then get the opportunity to actually draw more often and therefore spend even more money

Damn straight, hell I’m in

 

[Irrelevant]

So you’re saying by driving the price up and costing us more money, initially, we are driving demand down to where we will then get the opportunity to actually draw more often and therefore spend even more money

Damn straight, hell I’m in

Out of state hunting for things with antlers/horns is for 1) the rich and 2) middle incomers who prioritize their spending for this specific activity.

It is not "for the masses", no matter how much people may claim that it is.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Obviously I can speak with some authority from both perspectives. I was raised in Montana and continue to hunt there every year DIY. It is about the experience for sure and I don't get upset if I come home empty handed. Truth be told, living alone I have hard enough time consuming a deer and nine pheasants. It's been said I eat like a bird and that's probably no exaggeration. Shoot an elk and I'll be feeding a lot of friends and family. But I hunt them with my aged diabetic brother because it's great being with him. However it is difficult putting the blinders on to look past the hordes of yahoos on ATVs etc.

Three years ago I was wandering through a gun show where my daughter had a booth for her taxidermy business. Ran onto this very personable big fella and we started chatting. He hadn't made the rounds yet and was interested in her taxidermy (turns out he formerly ran a very successful lodge up here). So I pulled out my phone and showed him some pictures. Then he pulled out his and showed me some photos of his African trip. Nice but I'm a roughing it DIY kinda guy who likes to pursue game not shoot them from a blind over a waterhole. He smiled. "Well, if that's what you want, this outfit can fix you up. They can give you a hard hunt." I was intrigued and contacted them. One thing led to another and they fit me in late in the season with a package deal that was too hard to turn down (kudu, gemsbuck, blesbuck, impala, springbuck @ $4900 - shot three more animals additionally for trophy fee each). Turns out the gun show guy and I became close friends and he decided to go along. The first morning was almost a disappointment as I had four animals in the truck before noon. That was unexpected lucky and with the exception of the warthog which was essentially a varmint shot from the road on the way back to the ranch for lunch, each provided a good stalk. The abundance of game of all sorts was mind boggling. Giraffe, rhino, impala, hartbeest, eland, baboons, warthog, blesbuck, blue wildebeest. Hundreds of animals in just a few hours hunting. Sure, I got to shoot some (a lot more than expected, but the three plains animals I took that morning all would make SCI book - hard to pass them up) but the experience of seeing that show was worth the price. I'm hunting with a PH who is a great young fella. His best friend owned the property and doesn't let anybody but Glen bring hunters in. He treats me like I'm family when we hunt the place. I stay in the house, not a lodge.

What surprised me is how cagey the animals are even when I know they're not being hunted a lot. Some species more than others of course and some properties more than others. I found buffalo and kudu right at the top for difficult to hunt. Both like heavy cover and they are SMART. And of course buffalo are big and tough and very dangerous. Kudu are probably the most difficult to hunt plains game, free roaming (no fence will hold them), and the most spectacular trophy. If I had the space for more of them (have two euros of each on the wall now) that's all I would hunt. Very challenging. The first trip to Africa I had seven animals including buffalo by the end of the third day. I had the rest of the trip for kudu and almost didn't get one. I shot my bull just before dusk of the last day. Saw maybe twenty shooters but they usually eluded us or when I finally did get a couple of shots I missed because my scope had broken after taking the gemsbuck.

I should add that though I usually prefer hunting alone, I do enjoy my PH and tracker being along. Both are true hunters and very much enjoy the stalk. My PH gets more excited than I do. It's almost funny. "Settle down, Glen!" Our tracker the first trip was an undependable drunk but this last fella is great. The eyes on those little fellas are amazing. MBL should put some scouts over there. Teach them the game and put them in lead off position. With eyes like Ted Willians they'd be on base every time. Anyway, the lodge scene doesn't turn my crank much. This last trip I spent most of my time with the property owners' families in their homes. I really enjoyed that. Having these huge properties (kudu property was 36,000 acres) all to myself was nice and took me back to my youth when public land hunting was like that in Montana.

 

[Schaaf]

You can travel to South Africa, hunt nine days, and shoot six plains game animals for less than that. Or a cape buffalo bull and sable bull for about $14K plus airfare. That includes guide fees and lodging/meals. And you will see countless animals of various species ... every day. Sure, you can't bring the meat back but as you said, it's not remotely cost effective here anyway. I go back to Montana and shoot a deer and go through the motions of elk hunting. Not a great experience. Not like it was when I was growing up. Side by sides running all over the place, slob hunters, and really very little game relatively speaking. In Africa I see no other hunters in the field. That in itself is worth the price.

Hunting Africa is a hidden treasure. Think about it. Also, most safari outfits offer excellent packages for two hunters. View attachment 215693SCI silver medalView attachment 215694SCI silver medalView attachment 215695SCI gold medal

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

This is exactly what I mean "it is not remotely close to what I am after" and that is the bottom line when you write a check, doing what works for you. Doesn't mean it is not the cats meow for someone else, just not for you.

Someone tells the story about their trip to Africa, posts pics. The comments are to the effect of "Cool trip, would love to go there one day"

Someone tells there story about a really tough moose hunt, or complains about the logisitcs of a fly-in caribou hunt, or mentions the cost of an elk tag and ON EVERY SINGLE THREAD there is some old dude "Well you could go to Africa twice for that price, you don't have to pack anything out and the (insert racial epithet if prior to 2015) trackers do all the cutting up for you"

So yes I agree different strokes, but the Africa guys need to chill on the hard sell to everyone on every thread, cool you went to Africa. Doesn't mean we need a pic of your wildebeest on every 4th elk thread.

 

[ccc23454]

Someone tells the story about their trip to Africa, posts pics. The comments are to the effect of "Cool trip, would love
So yes I agree different strokes, but the Africa guys need to chill on the hard sell to everyone on every thread, cool you went to Africa. Doesn't mean we need a pic of your wildebeest on every 4th elk thread.

I am just surprised he hit one he was aiming at...(previous thread) lol. But yes your right @wllm1313 .