What would you do? 30th B-day present.

[ar15meister]

I am new to this forum but not new to forums in general. I know they are a very valuable tool so I thank you in advance. Let me preface this by stating that I am at a bit of a loss regarding making a decision right now on a hunt for my 30th birthday. I have hunted whitetails in Ontario for many years and I have been to Alberta twice and shot one Boone&Crockett whitetail and one smaller but respectable one there.

I am planning a hunt for the next year for my 30th birthday. My budget is 10k at the very upper end. I am married with a 9 month old, self employed in family business. We do quite well but I am not 'rich'. The 10k would be indulgent but not put me into debt.

I am considering a couple of options.

1- Mule deer and Elk combined in Northeastern Alberta. this hunt is 6 days and cost 8k. The chances of success on one of the animals is about 100% and on 2 is about 50% per the outfitter. HUnting for elk is done in the woods calling, etc and mulies are hunted mainly in 4x4 and stands in fields.

2- Prairie mulie and Whitetail hunt in southern Alberta. This is mainly spot and stalk in open country. Trophy potential is world class. cost is 7500-8500 depending on success. hunt is 4 days.

3- African Plains Game. Cost is all of 10k and I can likely hunt 5 animals in South Africa.

I need one gorgeous trophy for the fireplace in the house I am building but I am a big taxidermy guy. Mainly euro mounts.

One thing I am remembering is that a mulie/elk solo hunt is about 5-6k in Alberta and can be done later on.

I am really at a loss. All of these hunts are very different for me as an eastern whitetail treestand hunter. I love the allure of Africa but I am also a huge fan of Alberta and the different hunting methods.

I don't have many friends who hunt since I live in downtown Toronto so I have very few people to advise me. PLease give me any insight you may have.

p.s. my ultimate dream would be a cape buffalo hunt but they start at 15k total and go up up up from there. Maybe for my 40th........since I would need a big gun, etc.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Alberta deer populations are getting the SH*T kicked out of them this year (winter).
I have been out today (-29C) attempting to kill every Coyote I saw. Packs are running on top of the drifted snow and taking deer out in numbers that concern me.
The Coyotes would not even come to a Rabbit distress call. FAWN yes, rabbit no!
Not every area has been hit the same but, there is more snow that you can shake a stick at in too many places.

North Eastern Alberta for Elk??? NO.
Not sure what you are calling NE Alberta. Since folks in Toronto think Sudbury is Northern Ontario. (Lower latitude than Lethbridge)

There are some incredible monster WTD to be found in Alberta. They are not behind every tree, but pick a good outfitter.. You have been here before. You know what to do.

Prairie MD can be a great hunt. There are some good ones out there. They are a lot of work.
Open country hunting for you folks that live in the trees is usually over whelming.
Finding a great WTD and MD in the same area, hmmm. Rare.
Pick one species and chase it as hard as you can.


Different hunt; Namibia and RSA Plains Game can be done within your budget.

I have Elk, Moose, B&C MD B&C WTD, Sheep, etc and I remember them all. I have fallen for Spiral Horns.

That Kudu Mounted either Euro or Shoulder Mount. Very, very hard to beat above a fireplace.


Have fun planning.
Make sure you write that hunt report and share some pictures here.

 

[ar15meister]

The Elk hunt is in Grande Prairie area.

The WTD and MD hunt would be with Trophy Hunters Alberta in the southern WMU's along Montana border. Outfitter told me the MD are amazing here. He also said there is potential for a monster whitetail.

What would you do?

also I just reread and meant to say I am NOT a big taxidermy guy but I do want one really nice mount for above my fireplace.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The Elk hunt is in Grande Prairie area.

The WTD and MD hunt would be with Trophy Hunters Alberta in the southern WMU's along Montana border. Outfitter told me the MD are amazing here. He also said there is potential for a monster whitetail.

What would you do?

Given the fact that you are asking on AH, it leaves me suspect about your subconscious desires here. Think on that one and it may answer your question.

Now, you are asking a guy who LOVES to hunt in Africa right?!

I have some guys that I have taken to Africa that are your age and they loved it.
Plan return trips and talk about the next trophy hunt there. There is an awful lot of variety to hunt. Geography and species.


Ok, GP is in NW Alberta. BIG difference than NE Alberta for Elk.
They have a lot of snow up there this year.
Diamondhitch may be able to jump in here.

Not sure about what kind of hunt you are expecting?
B&C of a decent bull? Hunting crops or Mountains on Horseback?

Trophy Hunters Alberta; Which WMU's do they operate in?
WTD along the Montana border. NOT where the majority of the big WTD come from. I have seen one monster down there in a lot of years.
There are some incredible Mule Deer in Southern Alberta.

 

[ar15meister]

I made a mistake and yes of course GP is NW. The outfitter said nice bulls but nothing spectacular. It is a bush hunt, not sure about horses. Lots of walking he said. Outfitter is Red Willow Outfitters. I also looked at MIkes Outfitting but they are booked until 2015.

As for WMU's for mulies it is "These 4-day 'Trophy' prairie mule deer hunts are our highest demand hunts for Alberta's largest trophy mule deer and are operated in the wide open prairies of southern (WMUs 102, 104, 106, 108 & 110) and eastern (WMUs 160) Alberta." The adition of a whitetail would be based on opportunity or if I kill a nice mulie on day 2 I want to stay and do something. It is an additional $1000 for the whitetail if I decide to take one.

Then of course there is Africa and I spoke with Wintershoek and Hot Fire at the Toronto hunting show and liked them both, pricing is comparable.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

The sheer variety and number of game animals in Africa makes it well worth the trip. Virtually every mammal, bird, plant, and landscape will be new to you. The study, planning, and anticipation are half the fun.

I wish I had the good sense to go to Africa when I was just 30 -- good on ya!

I'm sure you'd have a great time in Alberta or Africa, but for my $10K Africa is the way to go.

 

[accipiter]

Welcome to the forum.

Although you do not know many people in Toronto that hunt, there are probably some guys here on the forum from the Toronto area that have hunted in Africa. Either way, everyone on here is helpful regardless of where they are from.

I think you should go to Africa because it will be a new hunting experience, outside of your regular hunting grounds in North America.

About the fireplace mount - I think a kudu would look great.

I also dream of hunting a cape buffalo. As an alternative, you can hunt for a cow at a much cheaper price. This is the option I will take at some point.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I made a mistake and yes of course GP is NW. The outfitter said nice bulls but nothing spectacular. It is a bush hunt, not sure about horses. Lots of walking he said. Outfitter is Red Willow Outfitters. I also looked at MIkes Outfitting but they are booked until 2015.

As for WMU's for mulies it is "These 4-day 'Trophy' prairie mule deer hunts are our highest demand hunts for Alberta's largest trophy mule deer and are operated in the wide open prairies of southern (WMUs 102, 104, 106, 108 & 110) and eastern (WMUs 160) Alberta." The adition of a whitetail would be based on opportunity or if I kill a nice mulie on day 2 I want to stay and do something. It is an additional $1000 for the whitetail if I decide to take one.

Then of course there is Africa and I spoke with Wintershoek and Hot Fire at the Toronto hunting show and liked them both, pricing is comparable.

No issues about making a mistake just confusing to me.
Someone selling you an Elk hunt in NE Alberta is suspect in my books.


WMU 102 and 160 are a long way apart. If you are hunting for four days that is a big waste of time.
You are much more likely to get a MD and WTD in 160 than in 102.
Different country in both zones. All open country.
I like them both personally. I however get to hunt more than four days.

I don't know those Alberta outfitters personally. So I can't add anything.

Glad you got out to the Toronto Show and got some information.
Both those outfitters are members here.
As some results from a recent poll on outfitter queries showed me, hunters check with very few outfitters before booking.
I would suggest looking around AH and do some comparison and make sure you are getting what you want in Africa.

Hope this helps. More folks may chime in with some ideas.

 

[ar15meister]

I am leaning towards doing Africa because of the expense. If I am spending that kind of money it makes sense to me to do something truly exotic.

I can always get back out west in Canada to do a fun Elk or Mulie hunt for 5-6 grand at a later date. It wouldn't be one of the 2 species combined ones I am looking at this time around but there are many good hunts to be had it seems for around those prices.

I am, howvever, a bit nervous because many have told me that if I go to Africa hunting I will want to go back. I keep thinking that I should just hunt the Mulie/Elk this time around and save, save, save for when I can afford a no holds barred buffalo/kudu safari along with my wife at a really good outfitter.

Then again, who knows what the future can hold. I may become ill, have ill family, or a million other things that could keep me away.

Again, it is a very hard decision and I know some people enjoy shopping for stuff like this; personally I hate it but I am scared of having 'buyers remorse'.

 

[accipiter]

You are wise to be cognizant about changing circumstances. When I was 30, I could go anywhere at any time. My job was less demanding, no children at home, and my health was perfect. As the years passed, I had some health issues and it became more difficult to travel due to health and family.

If you can go to Africa now, I would do it.

By the way, as far as having your wife come along - that is not a large expense. The outfit I went with charge $150 per day as an observer fee. That price seems to be common at South African outfits. The real expense would come with shopping!

 

[ar15meister]

I would love to have my wife come along, the expense doesn't seem unreasonable at all even with the addition of a flight for $1500, but convincing her to leave her 9 month old baby with grandma for 10 days is very challenging. I am lucky to have such a loving wife and mother for my daughter but it does make me wish I took her to Africa for our honeymoon before children and responsibilities set in!

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH, I would recommend a plainsgame hunt in Africa.

Within your budget, any of the outfitters on AH will be able to offer you a great hunt, a taste of Africa.

Then you will be hooked, and will come back, until you get your dream buffalo.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Ok, GP is in NW Alberta. BIG difference than NE Alberta for Elk.
They have a lot of snow up there this year.
Diamondhitch may be able to jump in here.

This was my 1st though, we are experiencing the worst winter that I can remember. Snow has been up to an elks belly since the end of November. When Christine shot her cow, dec 21, it took us 20 min to walk 300yds to get to it. (thank god for 4wd tractors!) The snow has since settled but is still extreme and crusted, game is dying off at an alarming rate here.

As much as I hate to say it the next few years in this part of the province are likely to be nothing short of terrible. I would not recommend anyone booking a hunt here in the next couple years anyway. I am not sure how bad it is way down south but it could be different there.

Its too bad you were not actually looking at NE Alberta, I am working there right now and snow conditions are quite favorable and the moose and deer are doing quite well. Next year should be a good year here.

Not sure about what kind of hunt you are expecting?
B&C of a decent bull? Hunting crops or Mountains on Horseback?

Great point, competition is intense in agricultural areas and trophy quality is generally limited to mostly 3-5pt bulls with the odd 6x thrown in for good measure, emphasis is on "odd".

Areas along the mountains produce some good bulls in the 280-320 class but ease of access will greatly determine success rates. Populations are much lower in the areas that produce the bigger bulls. Do not come with any expectation of any bull over 320 unless you are willing to eat ALOT of tags, B&C - forget it, go to AZ.

Muleys up in the GP area have been spotty for some time. My boss hunts there and has been disappointed for several years, the already depressed muley population up there will certainly be decimated even further this winter. Not a good prognosis for sure, I will not be wasting my priority points on a muley draw this year that is for sure. (at least not up north anyway)

WTD along the Montana border. NOT where the majority of the big WTD come from. I have seen one monster down there in a lot of years.

My thoughts exactly, Albertas big whiteails are mainly located in the parkland areas of central Alberta and along the Boreal fringe just like in SK, not the prairies. I spent some time working on the prairies this summer, the guys there were as awed by my whitetail experience as I was with their Muleys.

I guess what I am saying is, even from a residents point of view Africa is looking real good right now.

 

[enysse]

Based on the guys winter report from Alberta, I'd be heading to Africa. You will enjoy all the walking and stalking there...go ahead with Euro Mounts.

 

[Royal27]

I am leaning towards doing Africa because of the expense. If I am spending that kind of money it makes sense to me to do something truly exotic.

I can always get back out west in Canada to do a fun Elk or Mulie hunt for 5-6 grand at a later date. It wouldn't be one of the 2 species combined ones I am looking at this time around but there are many good hunts to be had it seems for around those prices.

I am, howvever, a bit nervous because many have told me that if I go to Africa hunting I will want to go back. I keep thinking that I should just hunt the Mulie/Elk this time around and save, save, save for when I can afford a no holds barred buffalo/kudu safari along with my wife at a really good outfitter.

Then again, who knows what the future can hold. I may become ill, have ill family, or a million other things that could keep me away.

Again, it is a very hard decision and I know some people enjoy shopping for stuff like this; personally I hate it but I am scared of having 'buyers remorse'.

I'm with you and the buyer's remorse.... That being said, I haven't had one second of remorse since "writing the check" for Africa, and I don't leave until August for Safari number one. Oh, and I've already planning Safari number two (I'm not rich either, but I've been bitten by the bug...).

Like Brickburn said earlier, sure seems like you are subconsiously trying to talk yourself into Africa now, and nothing wrong with that!!! You can make it happen with your budget, and take the wife if you plan carefully. Airfare is the killer, but you can find deals where she would be included other than that.

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

I would go with Africa your young still. Things can change importation could get harder and harder as well as trophy fees on the rise. You can always hunt in your own back yard so to speak. I book my first trip to Africa when I was only 26 and have not looked back or regretted it in any way

 

[RickB]

Go to Africa. That will be just about the only response you will get from most of us! We are all addicts. Its like asking an alcoholic if they want an apple juice, a coke, or a bottle of Jack Daniel's? JD will be chosen every time. Yes some will want the JD and coke, but most will want the JD on the rocks! I am in the boat of do it while you can. With kids and other life responsibilities, it only gets more and more expensive to go again. Just my 2 penny's!

 

[sestoppelman]

Africa! You can hunt deer any time. I made my first trip at 32, took my wife, but we had no kids yet. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see where you said that your wife wanted to go to Africa. Maybe she doesn't care.


As to all the 'what ifs' in life..Life is full of events, some good, some suck. You cannot plan your life on what MAY happen someday. Go now while you are young and healthy, you can hunt deer when you are older and want to stay closer to home. African hunting is changing rapidly, and while it will likely remain viable for the foreseeable future, it probably wont get better over the long haul.

 

[Royal27]

Go to Africa. That will be just about the only response you will get from most of us! We are all addicts. Its like asking an alcoholic if they want an apple juice, a coke, or a bottle of Jack Daniel's? JD will be chosen every time. Yes some will want the JD and coke, but most will want the JD on the rocks! I am in the boat of do it while you can. With kids and other life responsibilities, it only gets more and more expensive to go again. Just my 2 penny's!

Great analogy and so true!!! This has definitely been true for me.... Even though I haven't hunted Africa yet I have been there, so I have a rough idea of what I'm in for. And yes, I'm addicted....

And Sestoppelman, I think you're right. I just assumed the wife wanted to go because mine does, although I'm not taking her on Safari number one. I'm just glad she only wanys to observe!!!

 

[AZDAVE]

Africa! as many have said you can hunt deer and elk at any point. Kudu above the fireplace will be great. I have hunted western US for deer and elk most my life, deer east of the mississippi, and black bear in AK. Been to africa once and going back.