Go Fund Me for a Safari?

Xpraetor said:

@Mtn_Infantry , we've had disagreements , but on this we are 100% simpatico.

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Thank you, I think most of us can agree and disagree with respect. We’re all passionate and I make no qualms about being opinionated at times. @Sabre makes a valid point. There are a lot who came before us who didn’t get the same treatment and respect. There’s also a lot of dick measuring today among veterans, and a lot of challenges with the system itself.

FWIW on the other disagreement, I completely understand the views and sentiments you had.

Mtn_Infantry said:

Thank you, I think most of us can agree and disagree with respect. We’re all passionate and I make no qualms about being opinionated at times. @Sabre makes a valid point. There are a lot who came before us who didn’t get the same treatment and respect. There’s also a lot of dick measuring today among veterans, and a lot of challenges with the system itself.

FWIW on the other disagreement, I completely understand the views and sentiments you had.

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Roger that .....

& same, same

I guided a guy to a nice moose on October 1st. He died on October 8th and left a young wife and 4 year-old daughter behind. I just contributed to his daughter’s college fund in lieu of something else, similar to a Go Fund Me. Then I saw this thread and as an employer of three retired SOF operators, I say this to the OP: GTFOH!

Mtn_Infantry said:

Thank you, I think most of us can agree and disagree with respect. We’re all passionate and I make no qualms about being opinionated at times. @Sabre makes a valid point. There are a lot who came before us who didn’t get the same treatment and respect. There’s also a lot of dick measuring today among veterans, and a lot of challenges with the system itself.

FWIW on the other disagreement, I completely understand the views and sentiments you had.

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I think many of us are fairly opinionated at times. We can all likely be unified in agreement that the OP posting this, especially in the tone it was presented, makes us all cringe and dislike how he is representing service members.

I am a 20 year veteran.

There are lots of service organizations designed to give guys free hunts. You could apply for one of those.

VA money is distributed fairly equally across all veterans. I don't think it is perfect but I think they do a good job of not rewarding special forces operators, and not punishing everyone else for not being one.

Always annoying when a clerk who gets a hysterectomy gets 100% VA PNT, while a ranger who has a screwed up back and was hit by a car riding his bike to work is only at 80%. Mostly this has to do with the Ranger not putting in the effort to or being embarrassed by asking for the other 20%. These are true stories of people I know.

I believe if you serve and got a medical retirement and you are 100% PNT you should get both the VA and the retirement based on your years, not based on 20. This is not the way it is.

Most retirees I know draw VA disability at some level and a retirement. However you feel about it, I personally feel as though the abuse you take in that 20 years can be significant. I was an aircraft mechanic, and went through 15 deployments. Anyone in the trades or combat arms is fairly lucky to be able to retire at 20 or whatever they get out at. I have been smashed hard in my trade.

I was slated to get kicked out at 18 by Navy med board, but my command fought for me and I got to run the clock out. More commonly this would not happen.

I support the companies that give military discounts. Guidefitter and others.

Scott CWO said:

. I just contributed to his daughter’s college fund in lieu of something else, similar to a Go Fund Me.

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Imo this is an appropriate application of charity and that kid needs to get that 529 money stuffed in now so it has time to grow. Good on you for helping out sir. Its a horrible thing when a daughter grows up without her father, especially with the state of society today. I have a 5 yr old and couldn't imagine not being there for her. If the family is ok with strangers contributing, please let me know, id like to do so.

Flipper Dude said:

Dude’s avatar is him with a freaking caribou and he wants others to pay for his African safari?

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I will take a donation to my "I'm too lazy to work, send my ass to Alaska to hunt Caribou on your dime, suckers" hunting fund... minimum contribution amount is $5000, donate today!

Nicholas Barcomb said:

I haven't been on here in a while. So, as the thread title suggests, is this something that I should do, or are there other, better options?

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I think there are better, more respected options out there, yes, absolutely.

I would contact outfitters and ask if they give a mil discount. Some do, like Kaiwhai Safaris advertises. You can also contact airlines and ask for a discount, maybe not on the ticket but baggage, etc.

Others have given great advice on what else can be done on your side. I too want to go to Africa one day with my wife, but I would never dream of starting a go fund me campaign.

Utilize the internet to seek out organizations that specialize in veteran outreach programs and get involved there.

Good luck.

I didn't ever come up with a way to ask outfitters for a military discount like sounding like an asshole. Or feeling like one.

Big companies it doesn't bother me. Most companies you flash your retiree ID card and they give you the discount. In New Mexico it basically meant the state Tax went away at places like Bass Pro, Sportsman's Warehouse and Home Depot.

Muskox said:

I didn't ever come up with a way to ask outfitters for a military discount like sounding like an asshole. Or feeling like one.

Big companies it doesn't bother me. Most companies you flash your retiree ID card and they give you the discount. In New Mexico it basically meant the state Tax went away at places like Bass Pro, Sportsman's Warehouse and Home Depot.

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Might just be me, but I feel weird doing it at restaurants and companies that advertise it. I appreciate it, some cashiers will ask, but always felt weird asking.

I wonder how many African Safaris I could’ve paid for by asking for a discount or taking advantage of all those Applebee’s Meals on Veteran’s Day.

Mtn_Infantry said:

Might just be me, but I feel weird doing it at restaurants and companies that advertise it. I appreciate it, some cashiers will ask, but always felt weird asking.

I wonder how many African Safaris I could’ve paid for by asking for a discount or taking advantage of all those Applebee’s Meals on Veteran’s Day.

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The meals on veteran's day are a nice gesture, but I have no interest in sitting in a packed restaurant full of people looking to chat about "the good old days". I have also heard a lot of complaints from servers about those events because they claim people don't tip a lot of the times on that day, which is disappointing to hear.

I don't think I could bring myself to ask an African outfitter about a military discount. It feels extra weird asking a business in another country to discount you based on military service in another country.

Maybe if they really marketed it and seemed to want clients to take advantage of it, but I haven't really seen that personally.

Mtn_Infantry said:

Might just be me, but I feel weird doing it at restaurants and companies that advertise it. I appreciate it, some cashiers will ask, but always felt weird asking.

I wonder how many African Safaris I could’ve paid for by asking for a discount or taking advantage of all those Applebee’s Meals on Veteran’s Day.

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Same, restaurants feels different. Besides I look like Santa Claus and I regularly get asked if I want a senior citizen discount. 62 is ten years away but I am not going to turn it down.

As a disabled vet depending on your percentage you could be receiving up to what, 4200 a month of tax free income? Two of my friends get at least 4k a month. Just go get a job on a drilling rig to pay your bills and save that disability money for a year and you have a banger safari paid for.

So you are not struggling to make ends meet, you just want a “buffer” to lighten the load of taking a vacation?
I also don’t want to pay for luxury items I don’t have to pay for, should I start a gofund me to upgrade my base model Chevy work truck to a ZR2? I would look so much cooler pulling my trailer to the jobsite.

The victim, somebody owes me, culture that has evolved out of or has led to this “go fund me” construct is a culture and mentality that is completely “foreign” to me and the way I was brought up. Sad that it seems to have cheapened and devalued true and legitimate charity.

Sabre said:

I don't think I could bring myself to ask an African outfitter about a military discount. It feels extra weird asking a business in another country to discount you based on military service in another country.

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Yes, 100%.

But, in the case of Kaiwhai Safaris, they offer Veteran Hunts with Kaiwhai Safaris, and if that applies to a person, why not inquire about it?!

Also, some outfitters are under American leadership, like the Buffalo Bore Game Preserve.
Tim is a great guy to talk to and it wouldn't be weird to ask. Worst thing he can say is no.

Best advice is to use online search engines and see what comes up.

Also, here's a big one I just remembered. There are Outfitters on GunBroker selling rifles that include five or seven days of "free" Safari, incl. game. Some rifles are ~$1,200!!! Of course, it's just smaller game and they bank on you extending the time, but it could get you a few days of Safari with a simple purchase of a rifle. Rest of the cost is still on you, of course.

The one thing I'd say is do your research before making a purchase. One particular one I was looking at is based in Oklahoma. We've lived in OK for eight years and I've never heard of them. Okay, no big deal, I'm not on top of everything. But I asked Conrad over at Boddington's, and he also said he's never heard of them. So be careful and take your time learning about businesses and talking to people.

So, good morning from Texas and I hope this helps.

IF this is an honest inquiry, you need to match your finances with your reality. Everyone who's retired is is on a fixed income.

GoFundMe? how about GoFundYourself ?

I was pretty sure he was trolling, but he says nope. So ...

I'll add, if one of my kids posted that, I'd be extremely disappointed.
If that's how your parents raised you, I feel a little sorry for you. If not, I feel sorry for them.

Its been suggested earlier in the thread but why not look into a cull hunt, they are cheaper than trophy/regular hunts and can be just as fun.
I added onto my hunting package a few cull animals on my hunting safari in South Africa last month and it was just as fun.

Also you got to save even if takes you a year, I hunted this year and wont be able to afford to go to Africa next year so I worked it out to save a little all next year and ill be good to go in 2028.

Ragnar8 said:

Its been suggested earlier in the thread but why not look into a cull hunt, they are cheaper than trophy/regular hunts and can be just as fun.
I added onto my hunting package a few cull animals on my hunting safari in South Africa last month and it was just as fun.

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Very true. I've hunted a trophy gemsbok + 5 animal cull hunt + jackals + dove hunting + gun rental + an observer for $2750 very recently… and it was an excellent outfitter.