Best bang for the buck

[TroyF]

Since I'll probably never really have money for a African hunt, and flying is a bit of a pain since I'm a big guy. So this leaves me with hunts say in Texas, I'd like to shoot some plans game type animals someday or hunt elk or bison.

My question what animal give you the most tasty meat for its price to hunt, I know you can get tags for elk on state land/federal land ect but I'm a big boy and can't do 10 mile hikes in and out like it seems for the those type hunts. Hogs are probably the cheapest I can think of and would like to find a nice place to do a week trip some year.

Interested in what you all think.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello TroyF,

Almost all African game is not “gamey” of flavor.
Neither is it particularly chewy.
Well, except maybe Hartebeest.
They are delicious but old bulls can be tough if not cooked properly.

Bull giraffe is one possible “flavor exception”.
Also waterbuck, IF NOT PROPERLY FIELD DRESSED, can be disappointing of flavor for sure.
That said, most game world wide, not properly field dressed, can be disappointing.

Anywhooo, I know you are asking about North American game.
So, for N. America ….. my vote is a 4 way tie = Sitka Blacktail Deer, Elk, Black Bear, N. American Bison.

Oh ya, at the risk of being thrown out of Alaska ….. #5 = ptarmigan (aka: “snow grouse”) are also incredible on the plate.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

PS:
What is your Avitar ?
I cannot figure it out (I’m a senile old geezer).‍

 

[CJW]

Elk is just venison of course but yield a good bit of meat IF you shoot one. Traveling for even over the counter tags will still cost a good bit. OTC bull tags in CO were $750ish the last time I looked. Pay for gas, hotels, restaurant food, misc other gear and you're into a good chunk of change. By the time you do almost any guided hunt in America you're looking at the price of a plains game hunt or close to it. A couple African PG in TX will probably cost as much as an entire 10 day hunt. Wild oryx in AZ or wherever they are would maybe be an option. Or just stay in TX and shoot a bunch of deer.

I'm sure finding a place to hunt hogs in TX wouldn't be difficult but it's a poor substitute for international travel and hunting. Sell some guns, stop buying more, work more overtime, sell some misc. toys you have accumulated and try to get to Africa. A five or six day management hunt really isn't that expensive. Plane tickets, agent fees, etc. can be put on a credit card and paid off after the hunt.

To answer your question. Moose and bison will yield the most meat and I'm sure they taste just fine.

Sorry to sound preachy.

 

[TroyF]

Hello TroyF,

Almost all African game is not “gamey” of flavor.
Neither is it particularly chewy.
Well, except maybe Hartebeest.
They are delicious but old bulls can be tough if not cooked properly.

Bull giraffe is one possible “flavor exception”.
Also waterbuck, IF NOT PROPERLY FIELD DRESSED, can be disappointing of flavor for sure.
That said, most game world wide, not properly field dressed, can be disappointing.

Anywhooo, I know you are asking about North American game.
So, for N. America ….. my vote is a 4 way tie = Sitka Blacktail Deer, Elk, Black Bear, N. American Bison.

Oh ya, at the risk of being thrown out of Alaska ….. #5 = ptarmigan (aka: “snow grouse”) are also incredible on the plate.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

PS:
What is your Avitar ?
I cannot figure it out (I’m a senile old geezer).‍

Thanks for the reply, I have a buddy in Hawaii that said he will hook me up getting a axis of I ever make it out there, and a pig maybe shoot one of those rams out there to. But be pricy to bring much meat home.

My avidtar is just my house cat getting in the photo I was taking of my Siamese mauser in 45-70, added the red and black and white, thought it be funny for the forum,

 

[JimP]

By the time that you pay for a couple or even a single hunt out west you can do a African hunt.

That African hunt doesn't get expensive until you decided to bring home the trophies

A bison hunt will run you at the minimum $4,000 I believe. The African plains game in Texas will run you even more. Most DIY hunts out west here for elk are not bad but if you have never hunted out west you will find out that there is a learning curve and it gets expensive. A guided elk hunt will be $5000+ but that still doesn't mean that you will shoot a elk.

 

[Doug3006]

In Texas, I’ve hunted Axis Deer and Scimitar Oryx. Both were exceptional on the plate. I understand that Nilgai are good too.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

High end exotics in Texas are not cheap. I have seen Zebra at $4k and Eland at $6500 so there is a African trip. Axis deer best tasting meat I can get locally but those prices are way up as well pushing $2500+ for nice bucks.

 

[GorgonStare]

Take a good look at prices domestically in Texas. Start a spreadsheet to break out the costs and I think you’ll find a 7 animal plains game hunt just as affordable as one gemsbok in Texas. It’s incredibly expensive since the exotics aren’t native state side as they are in Africa. I’ve read comments ad infinitim of PHs more than willing to accommodate your physical abilities. Don’t let that be a deterrence. That being said, my first hunt was in Texas at the ripe old age of 15 where I took an axis buck.

 

[Ryan]

Best bang for the buck in Texas would be pigs. IMO 100-125 lbs is about perfect. Smaller ones starts to turn into a lot of work for not so much meat and bigger starts to get into a gamble for whether it will be a strong tasting boar. I've killed larger that were very good but you are rolling the dice. Find some place trying to thin them out and I'm sure the cost is quite reasonable.

 

[wesheltonj]

The best tasting are Elk, Red, Fallow and Axis in that order, to me. Axis will be the cheapest. If it’s a meat hunt, Axis females are what I would hunt. And Axis females are super cheap. A big Axis male makes a good trophy for the wall, but of course an big elk even better trophy.

 

[Tanks]

Most US guided hunts cost more than el cheapo RSA introduction to Africa type hunts even including international airfare. One can't bring the meat back though.

 

[TroyF]

I'm .mostly looking to fill the freezer and I don't have that big of one either, figure after giving dad and some of my buddies some I'll find a place to keep it. A U.S. Hunt it just seems easier to take meat home and the head/hind if it's anything worth doing a euro mount on.

What does a 2 way plane ticket cost these days, I'm in N.Y. So at least I don't have to fly across the U.S. To. My problem is I'm big, so if in coach I may have to buy a extra set so that can get pricy.

Anyone do a trip to Africa and have the full price they paid for everything, I mean everything. 4-5 animals would be nice maybe a weeks stay. I'd guess you can't keep the meat either or I if so if would be pricy even getting some home. He cool if they can cook what you shoot for a couple meals and the rest I guess goes to the natives.

 

[TroyF]

In 2003 me and my dad went on a small hunt in pa,it was at tigoa. Had a good time and was what we could afford then. Money is very tight now tho, been having some problems with work, mostly my body can't take the heavy work I normally do.

I shot on that hunt a European boar and dad got a deal on a cow bison they needed to cull. Think all in was about $2600 for everything back then. Had one heck of a cook out when we got home and after giving away a lot of meat had a good years worth.

It was fun and just really a meat hunt tho the boar I shot was a very nice animal. I don't mind fenced hunts for meat, tho never saw a fence the hole hunt.

 

[BryceM]

I just flew back and forth to Africa in Premium economy. The seats are a bit wider and lean back a bit more. It’s not all that much more, either.

My last elk hunt in Colorado was $11k. $3-$4k would get you a decent short hunt and a few PG animals in Namibia or RSA. The flight from JFK would probably run about the same. Skip the taxidermy, sign up for a management hunt (culls, females, etc) and you’ll come home with LOADS of great memories. Many short stalks are possible on animals like springbok & impala. Unless you actually shoot from the vehicle (people do it), gemsbok, kudu, and zebra will be harder.

Beware though. If you do it, it will be your first trip to Africa.

 

[Tgood1]

Check out a December cow elk hunt in NM. Fun hunt, relatively cheap. Keep all meat. If u drive try to add some hog hunting in Texas on way back

 

[TroyF]

I just flew back and forth to Africa in Premium economy. The seats are a bit wider and lean back a bit more. It’s not all that much more, either.

My last elk hunt in Colorado was $11k. $3-$4k would get you a decent short hunt and a few PG animals in Namibia or RSA. The flight from JFK would probably run about the same. Skip the taxidermy, sign up for a management hunt (culls, females, etc) and you’ll come home with LOADS of great memories. Many short stalks are possible on animals like springbok & impala. Unless you actually shoot from the vehicle (people do it), gemsbok, kudu, and zebra will be harder.

Beware though. If you do it, it will be your first trip to Africa.

no shooting from a vehicle for me I'm not that fat lol. A stalking type hunt I'm fine I could go a few miles a day of needed. Even if the animal is not a trophy even a small set of horns or even the hide would be cool to bring back, a European mount would be nice. No idea the cost of bringing some of that sit back tho.

 

[TroyF]

Check out a December cow elk hunt in NM. Fun hunt, relatively cheap. Keep all meat. If u drive try to add some hog hunting in Texas on way back

Cow elk would be cool,

 

[crs]

Since I live in Texas, I have been able to find many bargains not obvious to out of state trophy hunters.
I hunt mostly for the sport and meat, meaning NOT for trophies! I shot all my Pronghorn and white tailed deer trophies many years ago and prefer doe now. For instance a 300 pound red deer cow tastes much like elk cow and costs much less than a red deer stag.
The prices quoted above are WAY above what I have ever paid for Nilgai, elk (considered an exotic in Texas, so open season year round) fallow, Blackbuck, Axis, etc.

However, for the best trophy animals, the price rises. For instance on a ranch where you can actually hunt Cape Buffalo and Warthog, those hunts will not be cheap. There are now free range Warthog in several areas in Texas and they appear to be here to stay. I took a Wartie in RSA, but it would still be fun

I have also hunted Africa and killed game from Impala to Cape buff. No longer need to do that as the meat in not easily brought back home and I see no need for another African trophy.

 

[BryceM]

A few miles a day will be all that is needed for 90% of typical PG hunting in Africa. Unless you’re hunting elephant or chasing eland on foot it really isn’t that bad. I’ve done some death-marches across the Kalahari dunes chasing wounded critters in 100 degree heat, but that’s not really that common.

 

[Inline6]

Like others have said if you are going to shoot an African animal in Texas you might as well go to Africa. Gemsbok are going for 6500 give or take. My son shot a stud of a Gemsbok for about a 3rd of the price in RSA.

You can also hunt some nice animals in Texas, we have taken Watsui, Bison, Nalgai, Axis, Aoudad, Catalina goats, Blackbuck, Red deer, Pig. (Best deal per pound was the Bison, followed by the Watsui)

If you are flying it will not be easy getting meat back. You can ship it, either way not going easy if you kill anything over the size of an Axis.

Nalgai,Bison, Axis, Red deer, Blackbuck, is very good, as soon as the Watsui is done I'll let you know how it tastes.