Can I just say...

... that I'm happy to be on this forum? I've only been here for just a few months, I haven't really posted a whole lot, and I highly doubt I'm ever gonna get to go to Africa before I'm 40 (or after, for that matter), but I'm happy to be here.

I've joined a few forums in the past year, trying to branch out some of my interests. A couple have proven helpful and enjoyable, others not so much. I was fully prepared for this one to be like the latter, a place I'd regret visiting the moment I set "foot" in it and full of rude, unhelpful people baying at the door for a chance to mock, bully, and put down the new guy. Thankfully it wasn't like that at all and y'all have been highly encouraging to someone who's never hunted a minute of his life, doesn't shoot his guns nearly as much as he wants or needs to, and has this dream of visiting a continent and acquiring some handsome trophies (and building some handsome guns to do it with in the meantime).

Thank y'all,
~~W.G.455

It is among the rare still helpful and mostly drama free places left on the interwebs! Welcome, keep your dream alive no matter how long it takes and share the stories when you make your hunt a reality.

Hopefully you will be like me and find out Africa is much more affordable and attainable than you wouldve thought and you get there sooner than you imagined

mikecatt13 said:

It is among the rare still helpful and mostly drama free places left on the interwebs! Welcome, keep your dream alive no matter how long it takes and share the stories when you make your hunt a reality.

Hopefully you will be like me and find out Africa is much more affordable and attainable than you wouldve thought and you get there sooner than you imagined

Click to expand...

I certainly hope so!

A special place with special people.

You recognize this and appreciate it. Tells me you are one of us!

Take your shoes off and sit a while.

Everybody gets a welcome but we are inclined to recognise our own after a few posts.

The first big-game animal I ever hunted was a Zebra in South Africa, so don't let a lack of experience keep you from going. Just remember to aim further forward on the shoulder than you think you ought to. I spent a lot of time on my first day chasing a Zebra and a Gemsbok that I shot too far back.

I was going to say that it's a lot cheaper than you might think, but for the first time I've actually added up what I paid (approximately) for my safari last year, with 8 animals hunted in South Africa.

$2000 airfare from Idaho to Atlanta to Johannesburg and back
$2500 Rifle, Scope, Binos, Clothes, Gadgets, Ammo - this could be deducted from future trips as I've got all the gear now, except a Buffalo rifle, which will probably cost about this much anyhow
$6000 After tips this included my accommodations, trophy fees, and transport in-country for 13 days of hunting
$2350 Dip & Pack + tanning of Zebra flat skin and several backskins of animals - Without the tanning on those items this bill was ~ $1000 cheaper
$1000 Shipping from Africa to San Francisco
$ 700 Broker fees and transport to taxidermist
$6500 7 shoulder mounts (Kudu, Gemsbok, Black Wildebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok, Impala, Warthog)
$21050

The outfitter I hunted with currently has a show special that includes a similar range of species for about $2000 less than what I paid. I am not butthurt about that, because I still got a pretty good deal and had the time of my life. Shooting fewer animals would cut many of the other fees appreciably. I don't really like European mounts, but going that route would cut taxidermy costs by quite a bit. A ten-day hunt with 4 or 5 animals could be downright affordable. Of course, it also planted the seeds of future hunts with bigger trophies which will multiply the costs exponentially.

I’m glad you’ve come to the same conclusion many of us have and we’re glad to have you.
You’ll get to Africa. You just need to set a goal and make it a priority.
Also... shoot your guns!

@WebleyGreene455 , nice to hear you´re happy among us

Always good to hear someone actually sees what its all about.
Enjoy your time here.

@WebleyGreene455 I was in the same position as you thinking I would never get out to Africa but I did and will keep going out there. Dont forget a cull hunt is a very affordable way to hunt in Africa and its A LOT of trigger time too.

Welcome! You have a lot of living to do before you can say you've never hunted in Africa. Start a "Safari Account" and put a few bucks away every month. You might also want to consider hunting some of the African game that is available in Texas on any one of the dozens of exotic game ranches. The trophy fees are higher than the same animal in Africa, but you can go for a weekend, hunt just one animal and get the experience for a lot less than flying to African and hunting for a week.
However, I agree with the other posters that hunting in Africa is not as expensive as you might think. Most, if not all, of the outfitters in Africa will tailor your hunt to your budget and put together a plains game hunt for four or five animals and a week in camp for a reasonable price.

mikecatt13 said:

It is among the rare still helpful and mostly drama free places left on the interwebs! Welcome, keep your dream alive no matter how long it takes and share the stories when you make your hunt a reality.

Hopefully you will be like me and find out Africa is much more affordable and attainable than you wouldve thought and you get there sooner than you imagined

Click to expand...

we have a great group here sir with many people willing to share and help.
Glad you joined!

Glad you are here and joining in. Never say never when it comes to Africa, there are lots of people here that can help make that dream come true.

Most people overestimate what they can do in a year but vastly underestimate what they can do in 10. You’ll get to Africa if you make it a priority. As for this forum, you are correct. I’ve met some fantastic people through AH - virtually and in person. It’s the best place on the web.

Welcome!
Hunting is like any hobby. You aren’t very got at the beginning. It takes practice, but when it is something you love it is easy to keep at it and get over the mistakes that will happen. Definitely start hunting near your home. It doesn’t matter if you get anything, what matters is that you try. I’m certain every hunter on this forum has had multiple great errors in the learning curve, but we keep at it because we love it. Getting to Africa is just one of the steps in that learning curve. And oh it is worth it!

It really doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get to Africa. What matters is you have a goal and plan to get there. Start a savings account and do the critical research first. Try to find a hunt that fits your needs without cutting corners.

I'll second what you've said about this forum. A great place to be. I've only found one other similar but most of my time is spent here.
I didn't think I'd ever go either but am now counting the days for my 2021 safari.
Make a budget and watch the specials. Usually far less than booking the hunt outright for the same animals.

WebleyGreene455, everything starts with a dream, on AH yours will be nourished to the point where you will find out that you NEED to go. After all is said and done AH is the biggest "support group" for hunters and shooters that I know of.

@WebleyGreene455 Welcome aboard! Never say never. Took some of us six decades or longer before a hunt in Africa. As others have posted, save your pennies. A lot of hunts in South Africa are less than here in the states and careful shopping can get the other costs down.

Until you can go this place is by far the nwxt best thing to being there,best people on earth visit here a lot welcome