Africa was wonderful. Been there four times. However, for me it doesn't compare to solo upland hunting the open free country of Montana with my dogs. THAT is an addiction. Just me and them and all kinds of wildlife: moose to morning doves (even a grizzly track last year but I read that bear was liquidated this past summer). Shooting Cape buffalo was exciting but nothing like having a gawdy squawking rooster explode in front of me. I have shot hundreds of pheasants and the excitement never becomes diluted. Best part is no one telling me when to shoot or what to shoot or when to quit/start. No one to cook or clean up after me but that's the way I live anyway. Pheasants aren't dangerous game but Montana weather and terrain adds plenty of risk, especially for a solo hunter (note to self: don't forget to leave a note in the trailer detailing the day's objective). Getting stomped/gored wouldn't be much fun but I can affirm death from ambient hypothermia is plenty painful ... and frightening. You will shake till bouncing off the ground and every joint in your body from skull to heel in extreme pain. By then you'll be seeing things that are not real (e.g. frost men, hairy goblins, giant one-story owls, etc). Then nothing you see is real. Been there and lucky to survive. And close a couple of other times. Better prepared for it then. And yes, one close call was bird hunting with the dogs. Damn that storm came on us in a hurry! Had to put my little Brittany in the game bag for the last half mile to the truck. She was almost done for ... and me too! Not elephant charge scary but a different kind of scary. A "Well, this is it" kinda scary. Guess I prefer sudden death over struggling with the Grim Reaper. But winning the fight one-on-one was more significant than two guided buffalo hunts. Not that they don't rank as significant. And no, I don't hunt alone to boost the risk/thrill factor. I do it for a more wholesome undiluted natural experience ... that is addictive.
