Greetings to everyone on the forums!
Extreme newbie hunter here, and happily / accidentally found these forums while searching out Buffalo/Bison hunts in the US. I had absolutely NO IDEA that hunting in Africa was so huge and accessible!!!! Someone had posted on a California forum that he was taking his first trip to Africa to hunt and that really started to open up my eyes and curiosity.
Shot my 1st hog and was hooked. Went out for deer and needed more. Got my first Elk this year (425") and had the time of my life!! I wish I knew how to skin, quarter, and process out the meat (I will learn).
Again being in San Diego there are no classes to take, places to go here, or shops that you can stop by and talk shop about "hunting" - which is a real bummer.
The spies have me on the algorithm now and my youtube is full of hunting related videos, which is where the SCI Convention popped up for 2025. After watching a few videos, I booked for 2026. Only going to attend 2 days but I am really excited. I cant wait to walk to convention and take it all in. I want to talk to the outfitters/guides in person and see what they offer and are all about. My internet tabs are full of many of the outfitters/guides from these forums, and others I have come across. Its overwhelming.
I doubt ill book any hunt for 2026 (it would be nice but I am not ready), but 2027 I will have to make something happen. Already have an M70 in 416 rem mag AND 458 win mag. No scopes...no ammo yet...just new production rifles sitting in the safe waiting. Going to use factory ammo until I learn how to reload, which is another item on the need to learn list.
Either way, happy to have found these forums and am looking forward to what becomes of this adventure. I turned 46 this year so hunting came to me later on in life.... but better late than never
Edit: I told the old lady I wanted to hunt Africa (she is also into firearms, just not hunting), she immediately said she wanted to go.... not to hunt... just for the experience lol.
