For those who went alone

[Pheroze]

If you went alone to hunt, did that add or subtract from your safari? My vision of another hunt was with my boys. Now I am looking at going alone, and the thought of not sharing the experience is a little disappointing. But, I am wondering if the solo trip turned out to be a blessing.

 

[Beretta391]

I’m extremely lucky!! My wife/best friend is my hunting, fishing and shooting partner. We’ve traveled the world the last 13 years and are having a blast. I have thought too about what it would be like to go alone. I don’t think I would like it!! I know lots of people go alone and I always think they are missing so much!! Our kids don’t hunt at all so like I said I’m a lucky man!

 

[chashardy]

I have travelled alone all over the world and have also travelled with several friends. There are pluses and minuses for each kind of travel. I hunted in Namibia solo in 1987 and enjoyed it very much. My PH's were also the land owners and I stayed in guest cabins near their homes and ate with their families, so it was quite nice. I went alone to Limpopo in 2018 and there was a husband and wife, both bow hunters, in camp at the same time. Fortunately we all got along great and made a point of scheduling return hunts at the same time in 2019 to the same place. I guess I was lucky that the other hunters in camp turned out to be nice people and we became friends.
I live alone and enjoy my alone time, so travelling alone doesn't bother me at all.

 

[leslie hetrick]

two of my six hunting trips were alone and I didn,t mind either way.

 

[YancyW]

I very rarely get to hunt with others, almost all my hunting is done alone. I don't mind it at all, especially with the amount of travel involved going to Africa, it's less stressful for me to not have to worry about others. You will have a great time either way.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Pheroze, my first trip I went with several other friends. Then, I went alone and met many new friends. My last adventure Toby458 met me in Atlanta and we hunted together for 7 days, then he had to leave. At that point, another young couple were in camp with their two sweet daughters. More new friends.
So, I pretty much go on my on and have a grand time!
This year will be my first for taking family, my granddaughter. Needless to say I may be more excited than her! I tried to get family, brother-in-law, son-in-laws, grandsons, nephew, wife, etc. but none are interested. I’ve tried to get friends to go, but they either aren’t interested in Africa, their health is bad, they still work and cannot get the time to go, or maybe I’m just a senile old fart that no one wants to go with.

Ill have to admit I tend to hunt alone at home as well. Always have. Schedules with others never seem to work out. Even in high school some of my buddies called me the “lone sportsman” because I mostly fished and hunted while they were drinking and partying. Guess I’m a bit boring. Still, I’ve enjoyed going alone.

Try it! You’ll meet new friends.

 

[Albert GRANT]

I went alone and never had an issue, it was a great time. I think the biggest thing is having an outfitter/ PH that you really get along with. By the end of the hunt it will be like spending time with an old friend. If you haven't been with the outfitter before I'd highly suggest having them call you and have a good chat, you should know pretty quick if it is someone you are likely to get along with or not

 

[sestoppelman]

The best time I have had was hunting with my boy. Most trips to Africa have been alone though and its easier in some ways.

 

[Red Leg]

If you went alone to hunt, did that add or subtract from your safari? My vision of another hunt was with my boys. Now I am looking at going alone, and the thought of not sharing the experience is a little disappointing. But, I am wondering if the solo trip turned out to be a blessing.

I almost always hunt alone. I take my son periodically as his work allows, but most of my international hunting is by myself. I enjoy it immensely. I like getting to know a PH and staff. I also do not care to share a PH or guide 2x1 which cuts out a lot of potential partners. It effectively cuts in half one's hunting time. I should add, between the military and later corporate travel, I have been abroad a lot. I real lot. If someone else comes along, I all too often seem to be the point person for organizing everything. That is fine for my spouse or son, but had I wanted to be a tour guide, I would have gone into another line of work.

 

[Ridgewalker]

had I wanted to be a tour guide, I would have gone into another line of work.

+1 I like it!

 

[cagkt3]

Agree with the others - don't hesitate to go solo. Getting ready for my second solo trip soon

 

[CAustin]

If you went alone to hunt, did that add or subtract from your safari? My vision of another hunt was with my boys. Now I am looking at going alone, and the thought of not sharing the experience is a little disappointing. But, I am wondering if the solo trip turned out to be a blessing.

Have done three of six alone and frankly had a blast. Now if my son could get off work as much as he wanted .....heck yes he would be right there with me. I’ve done two with groups and had a blast on those as well.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I take my son with rare exception. Also a couple hunts with 1 friend.
I've only gone out of the country once alone hunting and had a terrible time. Mostly due to car and weather problems.
I've avoided going totally alone since but suppose it'll happen again eventually.
My enjoyment is doubled when my son is with. Id rather wait and save the money until we can both go most times.

 

[Rick Cox]

My vote here and abroad is to hunt alone.

 

[Ragman]

I went to Namibia in 2014 for my first hunt and went as one in a group of eight people. I really appreciated this group during the travel from Canada to Africa, me being totally inexperienced in it and unsure how to go about it. Then there was another couple from Texas there as well. Made for some fun, sociable evenings around the fire and I enjoyed it. But for my 2018 South Africa hunt it was just my better half and myself. At the lodge it was just the two of us and for the first few days of the hunt there were three Danes who were enjoyable to visit with, then for the second half, one other fellow from Denmark and his PH. I think I did prefer the smaller crowd at the lodge, but I definitely like company during the travel portion. I don't think my partner will accompany me again if I am ever able to return...she has back issues and says she won't travel that long by plane again. Maybe we can go together!

 

[Matt_WY]

I almost always hunt alone. I take my son periodically as his work allows, but most of my international hunting is by myself. I enjoy it immensely. I like getting to know a PH and staff. I also do not care to share a PH or guide 2x1 which cuts out a lot of potential partners. It effectively cuts in half one's hunting time........ If someone else comes along, I all too often seem to be the point person for organizing everything. That is fine for my spouse or son, but had I wanted to be a tour guide, I would have gone into another line of work.

What Red Leg said! I did Namibia this year solo and had a great time. I've actually started doing most of my state-side hunts solo for similar reasons.

 

[leslie hetrick]

my good friend lu was the only one who showed up to go and he liked it so much we have made three trips together. we have know each other for over 20 years so their were no surprizes. here is his blue w. and a great kudu(he,s the good looking one holding the rifle)

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve done virtually all of my international hunting trips solo. Only doing a group hunt a couple times. I enjoy hunting by myself. I enjoy traveling by myself. I am there to challenge myself in many ways and see a new land. It gives me time to think. Time to mentally relax from my busy life. I can’t really do that with a group. Maybe I’m strange but it is what it is.
That said I organized a group hunt to Namibia last year. It was really funny when my good friend Gary, knowing I mostly hunt alone, posed the question in ATL as we were heading out: “so how is it?” He was meaning how is it for me to be organizing a group and seeing that everyone is taken care of along the way. I laughed so hard. He knows me too well! I said it’s great but no it’s not what I am used to.
It was a good time so I’ve decided to organize another group hunt for 2022. This time to RSA. I have many people who want to hunt with me and they know that I’m a safari veteran. They trust me to make all he arrangements.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Pheroze]

I'd highly suggest having them call you and have a good chat, you should know pretty quick if it is someone you are likely to get along with or not

That's is a great idea! I think my PH (an All Blacks fan) may still be miserable after the world cup....I should check

Seriously, good advice. I had a guide in Canada who I was not very compatible with....

but had I wanted to be a tour guide, I would have gone into another line of work.

Very true. My first trip I was so obsessed with making sure everyone else was having a good time, I am not sure I enjoyed it as much as I could have.

Maybe we can go together!

I enjoy hunting by myself. I enjoy traveling by myself. I am there to challenge myself in many ways and see a new land.

Hunting alone in my home turf seems fraught with risk for an impulsive klutz like me. But, pushing past one's comfort level seems like a great way to experience things with a PH. It would be exciting to step off a plane, alone, in a foreign land. And, hunters are the friendliest folks I have ever met.

 

[Royal27]

So I've:

1. Gone with another hunter, but always hunted 1x1
2. Gone alone
3. Taken the wife

The first two I will continue to do. The wife, well, that was tough. There wasn't enough for her to do and I worried too much about whether she was enjoying. Plus we split hunting and then activities for her back and forth and I never felt in a flow or routine with hunting. This was in SA and she didn't really want to go back.... took her back this year on just a vacation (cept one poor little puku) to Zambia and she had a BlAST! Point being, for us we need to separate the two kinds of trips.

I've had just as much fun hunting alone but it is nice to have someone to share the experiences with afterwards. Wont ever keep me from going if I can't find a buddy though!

The only time I've done a "group hunt" a fishing trip. There was the one obnoxious guy that we didn't know that made the evenings not as enjoyable as they could have been. I'm not a fan of those kind of trips unless there is no other option (that one had to be a group of eight and they filled in spots).