Need new Hunting buddies

Anyone else have a lack of friends willing to pony up the cash it requires to go on good hunts? Most of my friends look at me like I'm crazy when telling them the cost of some of my travels. I'm not wealthy and most of my good buddies make fair wages. I realize I am addicted to this crap, but it is frustrating not having anyone around that can appreciate my illness and share is the fun.

Most of my friends are here now, so that has helped a lot.

Outside of this site, and my cousin who got me hooked, I agree with you though. Even my hunting friends think I'm crazy, or they are at a point in their lives where small children make it difficult.

Some people have different priorities than others, that and liquid income to go on hunts out of the good old USA or even their own state.

I have a few friends that would love to head over to Africa but they are so far in debt that it is out of the question and the ones that can afford it no longer hunt.

It is interesting that I was talking to another hunter on another forum and telling him how cheap a safari in Africa can be but he said that he couldn't afford it no matter what since he was on Social Security and it wasn't that much when another friend of mine on the forum sent me a message about this safari that he had planned for this coming May. Now this was just last August but I told him to send me some more information on it. Well, to make a long story short I will be going on my first safari in a little more than 2 weeks. It is funny in that while I am retired the other hunter that I am going with are not and I have been the go to person on what needs to be done. From airline tickets, rifle permits, and this new BS for exporting firearms. Just tonight I got a email from one of the hunters asking about the lockable ammo boxes that are being discussed on the forum here in another thread. So I quickly became the subject matter expert on just about all of what is going on from the time we leave to when our trophies return home to our taxidermist.

It is also interesting in that my brother in law is now talking about a fishing trip to Alaska in the near future. I tried to get him to go 7 years ago when I first retired but he didn't want to go and said that it was too expensive for a couple hundred pounds of fish.

For me, it came down to wanting to live life. A financial advisor would probably tell me not to go on the Africa trips, or at least to spend less. But what happens when I lose my job or my health five years from now and can't go???

I will regret not going. I won't regret going, ever.

I'm pretty much at the point where I do things on my own, or I'll pay my boys way if I want someone else. Most of the people I know that hunt would love to go but can't get their act together

85Tecate said:

Anyone else have a lack of friends willing to pony up the cash it requires to go on good hunts? Most of my friends look at me like I'm crazy when telling them the cost of some of my travels. I'm not wealthy and most of my good buddies make fair wages. I realize I am addicted to this crap, but it is frustrating not having anyone around that can appreciate my illness and share is the fun.

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I'm in the same boat. My friends are all cheap skapes. I'm not wealthy either but I budget for my hunts. I've not done several things in the last couple of years because I didn't have anyone to go with. A lot of times it's more affordable when you can split gas and hotels etc....

Spooksar said:

Most of the people I know that hunt would love to go but can't get their act together

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Couldn't agree more. Went with a buddy on my first hunt and since then can't seem to get anyone to get it together, although they always say they want to go. So I gave up waiting and go on my own, and have developed a couple of PH's that I usually hunt with. They know me and we have a great time.

Don't depend on others. You have to drive this yourself.

I've been taking my wife with but she has had enough hunting and wants to do other things so I'm about to be in the same boat. I would love to go with my brothers but one does not hunt and the other has 4 kids to get through college first, he is 13 years younger than me.

I do think it is more fun to share the experience with someone.

At this point in my life time is my most valuable commodity. Not that money isn't a concern, but I can work that out easier than the time... yet as Royal says, I want to live life while I can! So lots more to come.

Been in the same boat....for years. If I didn't go and do the trips I did on my own, I'd have never left the state I currently reside in. I've been down south a few times, and out west a few times, and went to Africa for the first time last summer. I must say if it wasn't for my wife, I probably would still be dreaming of Africa; she went with me (she doesn't hunt), but is more experienced with travel (esp. foreign travel) than I am, so I was glad to have her along. My buddy who I was supposed to go with backed out......as have all of my "buddies" that said "Yeah, I'll go.....get me the information!"....until it comes time to pony up some dough.....then there are all sorts of excuses!
I look at my mom and my in-laws.....both in their 80's and now at a point in their lives were they don't have any money and are in poor health and can't do the things that they always dreamed of doing. I don't wish to be the same way. Worked with a gal whose dad retired to WY; he always wanted to hunt, but died of a heart attack before he ever got a chance at a season out there........ironic thing was, the ambulance that was taking him to the hospital got stuck in the mud!
While I plan on being financially responsible, I do NOT intend to worry about finances............after all, the bank can't get money from a corpse!(and at that point, I won't care).
As for sharing the experience, that can be cool........but one can run into difficulties if both folks aren't on the same page.

Well I'm glad that I'm not the only one with a lack of hunting friends, or at least friends willing to go overseas. I always get the deer in the headlights look and the statement that Africa must be really expensive.

I'm not a wealthy person by any means but make a decent living. I also don't stop at starbucks 4 times a day, my cars are 10 and 11 years old, our family doesn't go out to eat every night, I don't have the latest and greatest cell phone, I live in my means and carry no debt but for my mortgage.
I do have 2 younger children (ages 9 & 7), but I put money aside for there future as well as mine. I can say that they don't go without. If they do want a high ticket item, I make them get it the old fashion way, SAVE for it.
For the cost and experience there is no doubt that a plains game hunt is the best bang for your buck (no pun intended). But many people don't get that. They don't question someone who has gone on a $6500.00 hunt in the States, but will say you're crazy that you are planning to go to Africa and shoot 5-6 animals for the same cost. As of now I look to go solo, as my wife has no interest in travelling overseas, which is a shame, but there are places in the world I want to see and people I want to meet. When my boys get older I have a feeling I may be forking out more cash. But by that time I'll be more than content to be the observer.
How does the quote go by A Sachs? "Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives." It's so true. Continue to hunt solo my friends!!

For me it all started over 30 years ago, I wanted to go to Wyoming and hunt Mule Deer and Pronghorns. I tried for several years to get my brothers to go along, they would agree to go and ten some thing would come up, so I just gave up on them. Then my father had a heart attack, he was only 61 years old and had just realized his life long dream of becoming a pilot. He waited his entire life to get his pilot license, as a teenager he was the first employee of the York airport and helped to turn the old potato farm that he worked on into an airport. Then the war started he enlisted in the Navy, stayed in for the duration, got out went to work, started a business of his own, got married, raised a family and kept coming up with one excuse after the other not to become a pilot. At 60 he decided it was time, he went into it full bore got his license, bought a plane, was flying all over the place and wham a heart attack and mandatory surrender of his license. Well I took one long hard look at his situation and became more determined then ever to get to Wyoming to hunt. Only problem was I had a wife a mortgage, a couple of young kids and all of the other bills that go along with being a family man. As luck would have it I attended a class reunion and was sharing my story with a few old friends, long story short the next fall 3 of were in my buddies pick up truck headed out to make a dream a reality. I got hooked on traveling to hunt and for the next 20 years or so worked 2 and some times 3 jobs to pay for the trips. On all of the trips I went on finding someone to go along to share the experiences and the expenses was the hardest part. I hunted all over North America from one end to the other always telling myself that one day I would get to Africa to hunt, only trouble was none of my friends had any interest in going. Then in 2009 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, surgery was my only option because there was no cure for it. With the surgery I was given a 25% chance of survival, well it all worked out and I was pronounced cancer free a year later. After that I started getting real serious about a safari in Africa but no one was interested in going along, not even my wife. Then in early 2011 while hunting in south Texas I started having chest pains, I did what any other hunter would have done, I ignored them and finished the hunt. I told my wife about the pains when I got home and the next thing I knew I was in the hospital getting an emergency stent placed and setting an appointment for open heart surgery. During my weeks long recovery period I used my time wisely and booked my first safari, telling my wife the hell with everybody else I am going even if I have to go alone. Well my family didn't want to see me going by myself so my son, my youngest daughter and wife decided to go along. We went to Namibia on a PG hunt for 10 days and had a blast. The following year my son and this time my oldest daughter went to Zim on a buff hunt and had a wonderful experience. Now I don't have to look for hunting buddies anymore, my kids are just as hooked as I am and have jobs where they make good money and have plenty of vacation time. I guess I was never smart enough to have a job like that.
Any way what the moral of this story is don't wait make your dream hunts come true, you never know when it might be too late. Sorry for the ramble.

I agree with the rest of you. Its all about spending money on what makes you happy. That especially easy because I don't have kids. I think you should spend all of your moeny on a bedroom, bathroom, television, car, and guns/hunting. Just have to convince by partner of this...

My son and I went in 2012 because for 3 years running people wanting to go out west with me backed out when it was time to apply for tags.
My wife said "you 2 go as long as you carry me within the next 5 years."
She has some health issues.... arthritis and bulging discs in spine, sciatica, arthritis in knees and hips and ankles.
So, I decided I would push to go in 2014.
People looked at me funny going back on a 2 year turnaround. Almost felt like I had to apologize to other people for how I was spending my money.
But, I just knew it was the best for us. I didn't want to kick the can down the road too long and her not be able to hunt.

Well, 2 months ago she woke up numb from the chest down.
MRIs confirmed a new diagnosis for her. She has Multiple Sclerosis.
She is getting better, but who knows how this will progress or not progress.
Going in 2014 was the absolute right decision for us.

We still have more plans for the future. God-willing, she will go some more.

Life is short. My Dad died 6 months before he was to retire at 65.

I look at life as an orange. I want my wife and I to squeeze all the juice out of this orange and leave nothing.... no juice.. no pulp...only the peeling (and want to remove some of the zest too, lol) for them to bury.

Biddleman said:

... my wife has no interest in travelling overseas, which is a shame, but there are places in the world I want to see and people I want to meet...

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I gave up on my hunting buddies long ago, some story as the rest of you, either no interest or gung ho until it is time to book.
My Wife would love to go but she prefers to use her vacation 3 day eventing so I am not waiting for her either.

85Tecate said:

Anyone else have a lack of friends willing to pony up the cash it requires to go on good hunts? Most of my friends look at me like I'm crazy when telling them the cost of some of my travels. I'm not wealthy and most of my good buddies make fair wages. I realize I am addicted to this crap, but it is frustrating not having anyone around that can appreciate my illness and share is the fun.

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Ditto that!

Royal27 said:

For me, it came down to wanting to live life. A financial advisor would probably tell me not to go on the Africa trips, or at least to spend less. But what happens when I lose my job or my health five years from now and can't go???

I will regret not going. I won't regret going, ever.

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I agree! You never know when life circumstances will change and you can't do it any more.
I laugh at people sometimes. I am sure we all know so many people who have $75,000 in an RV but look at me like I am a Rockafeller when I take an international trip each year! Really? They just can't imagine going to Africa on Safari. Or they say I'll have to take the whole family. Nonsense! Go if you can go and don't look back!

Regards,
Philip

This is my 5th year in a row going to Africa all but 1 has been on my own, 1 was with my youngest son and wife. Next year the whole family is going me, my wife both sons and grandson. Me and my sons are going to hunt wife and grandson will relax

I don't have any friends.........will you be my ffffriend???? I'm told I'm too miserable......twitch....twitch...snicker!
As I tell people "I'll be less miserable if you'll be less stupid!"

Spooksar said:

This is my 5th year in a row going to Africa all but 1 has been on my own, 1 was with my youngest son and wife. Next year the whole family is going me, my wife both sons and grandson. Me and my sons are going to hunt wife and grandson will relax

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Yea I've been on most of my hunts by myself. I am not waiting around to put together a group. As they say the clock is ticking! I did take my son to Namibia for a graduation present. That was fun. Africa is nice for group hunting most of the time but some hunts are not. The ibex hunt for instance. Everyone said oh my goodness you are going to some "stan" country in Asia all by yourself! I responded that I was not going to be friends but to find one old goat.
Regards,
Philip

Looking at this, we should ask Jerome to add a page called
"The buddy up" this page would be for hunters looking for other hunters to share a hunt......