Once in a lifetime hunt ......Pftt

[dobber]

I think this thread is more for those who are tire kicking at the idea of the once in a lifetime hunt in Africa as most of the regulars here fell for that complete full BS line.
I decided a few years ago that i would do this trip, once in a lifetime for my 50th, how amazing will this be to scratch it off the bucket list.
So my second hunt was last year with my son for his hunt of a lifetime, and an amazing time
Brings me to my third hunt happening in 21 days, not sure exactly how i got the wife convinced she needed to take me back there for her 50th, but apparently i have some skills. She doesn't hunt, has no desire to hunt but enjoys everything SA has to offer

So for everyone who thinks this might be their one and only trip, be warned, its addicting and i can only hope you have as much fun on your hunt as most of us have on ours. The one thing i think most everyone can agree on here is that the outfitters and PH's really take care of you.
I will be walking them valleys at the Kudu Camp with someone i now consider a friend and might even get to climb that mountain that sits off in the distance

Now i just need to think of what to do during our 12hr layover in Paris hmmm

 

[Shootist43]

Dobber, has your wife ever referred to you as a "silver tongued devil?" I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of guys that would like to know what line of reasoning and smooth talking was used to convince the wife to take you to Africa for her 50th.

 

[Adrian]

I went in 2015 for my trip of a lifetime.

It was on my list of things to do before I was 50 and something I had dreamt of since school.

I'm heading back this year for my fourth trip in as many years and other things on the list have been delayed.....

I've had to work damn hard for all of my trips but fortunately there has been plenty of overtime available in my line of work.
I'm on a run of being at work for 29 consecutive days. My next day off is on 14th of May but what keeps getting me out of bed at 04:30 with a two hour drive ahead of me is the knowledge that when I feel the African sun on my back it will all be worth it.

I doubt there are many hunters that have hunted in Africa and don't have the urge to return or make sacrifices to do so.
Has anyone encountered such a person?

 

[Beretta391]

My wife and I went on our once in a lifetime hunt for our 25 anniversary!! Before we left She had booked another trip!!! Then there was a 3rd!!! Now we have our 4th hunt booked!!! When will this madness stop!!! Already having discussions on a 5th!!! I think we’re both hooked!!

 

[Hmaxwell]

Once Africa gets in your blood I don’t believe there is a cure. Therapy helps but never quite cured. I am glad the PHs are all licensed therapists!

 

[billc]

I hear you my friend. I am heading back for my 5th once in a lifetime trip to Africa. It is just to dam fun to not go back and enjoy all you get from going there.

 

[mark-hunter]

Addiction is fact, known as "African fever"!

The only question remaining is how long will I (we) be able to support this addiction? Hmmm....

 

[Hunting Sailor]

In Africa everything bites, but the Safari bug bites the hardest...

//Gus

 

[cls]

Welcome to A/A (African Addiction) Hi I'm Chuck and I have a problem....... AH is an enabler. I thought that joining here after my first safari in 2012 that I would be happy just reading other reports and looking at the pictures and that would be enough... not. I am now trying to decide on where to go and what to hunt for trip #4. I've also purchase a number of rifles just for hunting in Africa and looking at purchasing a rifle in .416 Rigby. Man I have a problem.

 

[Holly Brewer]

Hi ... I’m Holly and I have an AA problem too. I’m married to Beretta391 and keep booking hunts ... ‍

 

[Holly Brewer]

Hi ... I’m Holly and I have an AA problem too. I’m married to Beretta391 and keep booking hunts ... The 3 adventures we’ve had were each different and exciting!! Can’t get enough ... What’s a girl to do

 

[Heeler75]

My addiction started in 2009 and have made 2 other trips since then. Number 4 would be in the works soon except I just bought some property last week.

 

[ActionBob]

Now i just need to think of what to do during our 12hr layover in Paris hmmm

Two good choices of things to do with your wife on a 12 hour layover in Paris... 1. Hire a private tour guide with a mini van and go on a day trip to Versailles.
2. Get a room

 

[jeff]

Went on our first trip in 2009 and booked our 17th hunt for July of this year and am already planing a hunt in 2019.

 

[dobber]

ActionBob, i did check out the price for a day trip and its about $500 or half a Kudu and i looked at getting a room as well, have plenty of points for a freebie, now just need to see if i can convince the wife - might need my A game for that chat lol

 

[Divernhunter]

I just wanted to hunt Africa once and for just a small list of animals. My daughter went with me in 2013 for a 13 day hunt and a week of sightseeing. She wanted one animal. We came home with 19 animals and shot a few just for fun at no cost. She had 5 animals she brought home and some she did not. That was about all the money I or she had.

Fast forward to 2017. She wanted to come again but 2 small children and a husband(she says another child) so I took the last of my 401 and spent a month there with a fairly long list of animals. However once I got there I ended up with even more animals---surprise, surprise,---including a complete spiral slam and white springbok among others. Even a yellow mongoose.

Now with no money I have a new hit list started! Where there is a will there is a way they say

 

[CAustin]

Yep it’s an addiction sir! I suffer as well. While my wife doesn’t go with me since the first trip she absolutely wants me to enjoy Africa. She says retire and go stay with Pieter for two months. She doesn’t know I recorded that.

 

[ActionBob]

ActionBob, i did check out the price for a day trip and its about $500 or half a Kudu and i looked at getting a room as well, have plenty of points for a freebie, now just need to see if i can convince the wife - might need my A game for that chat lol

Hey your already there so you have the major overhead cost covered and now only have the variable cost of the day trip. Look at it this way, for only $500 you can say you took your wife to Paris and toured Versailles!

Tour = $500. Lifetime Brownie points with the wife = priceless

And if you get the room, remember you have your wife in Paris and just endured a long flight.... So you had better bring your A game

Seriously... well actually I'm serious about both points above...

So practically speaking, if you can get some sleep over the Atlantic, then stay awake in Paris, you should be exhausted enough to sleep on the flight South... And when you get there, you're on schedule! Not really rested but not suffering the real 7 or 8 hour jet lag either. I felt my hunt went better just because of this.

And to me it was a great deal to say we had been to Paris and not having to spend more than a day there...... but I'm not a big city guy.

 

[Nyati]

Made my 6th trip last year, nothing is planned for this year as my wife is still undergoing treatment for a serious health issue. However, she is the one encouraging me to take a safari at the end of the season.

A good friend is working on a hippo hunt, one week in late September, Mpumalanga or KwaZulu/Natal maybe a hyena if time allows....we´ll see how everything develops.

 

[dobber]

Well as much credit s i thought i might have had with my smooth talking powers of persuasion it has now cost me a fancy new bed and basement renovation
So this morning i started doing some demo work, just need to make sure i don't do too much at a time or she may think i am good at this stuff. I have the doing nothing on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon down pat and still make it look like i accomplished a lot. Take the belt off the vacuum while the wife is out and about after letting her know you will look after all the cleaning. Watch sports or hunting shows till you see the car pull into the driveway. With wrench in hand bending over the vacuum cleaner magically put the belt back on as she enters the house and exclaim loudly "TaDaa i fixed it" and put it back together as she proudly watches her man look after things

If she sneaks in while getting snacks the vacuum is already taken apart and not working "been working on it for over an hour"