I’ve been a long time lurker but just started posting and participating here, so I thought it was time for a proper introduction. In my years of visiting the site I’ve noted this to be an especially supportive and intelligent place to discuss hunting, so thanks to all of you for making it that way!
I live in Idaho. I’m fortunate to be able to hunt mule deer, elk, and black bears as a matter of course each year. I’m hoping this year I’ll be lucky enough to go after pronghorn as well. My dad works for a large ranch in Utah and I’m very blessed to have access to landowner depredation elk tags through that ranch most years. My young kids have been raised on that venison. A big change for me last fall was becoming an upland bird hunter. With a Brittany pup and a new shotgun, that hunting for Chukar, Huns, and pheasants blew my expectations out of the water.
I’ve read a little Hemingway, but I really have to credit Sports Afield, Robert Ruark, and Peter Hathaway Capstick for inducing more personal interest in hunting Africa. However, my biggest motivator was a hunt I did in Scotland two years ago. My wife and I were taking a vacation with 8 days in-country in mid-August anyway. I learned that our schedule might allow for some red stag stalking, so I started emailing, and finally got an outfitter to take me on. It was a small operation with access to a couple estates. They gave me a very clear warning that it would be hard hunting up and down the hills, and we might be able to take something in the three days I had available. I liked those odds, and so it was arranged. The end result was taking a memorable, mature highland stag (after a 4 hour belly crawl through moss and heather and a long wait while being bombarded by midges) a mature hill roebuck (I was just fascinated by these spunky little guys for some reason), and a bonus small stag that a farmer was having trouble with and therefore had requested some help (the stag was accused of being a turnip thief-we may never know the truth).
What a great way to experience a new place and really learn to respect a new hunting culture!
If the same applies to the Eastern Cape in August of 2026, I’m in for a great time with KMG! Marius already tried to recruit me for some old man rugby (I played in college here in the states) but alas, I had to decline as that’s a little bit too much travel to just tear my rotator cuff within 15 minutes.
My questions for anyone interested in responding:
1) What species are kinda “your thing”? Either to just observe or because you enjoy the hunt. Why? Here in the states I get super excited to see a pronghorn, I think because they are both a little weird and highly adapted to our mutual stomping ground. As mentioned, I found a new affinity for the little roe deer in Scotland too for some reason.
2) Describe your rifle in which you have implicit trust. Mine would be a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 270 Win. It’s a “Grade III” walnut stock model I picked it up new old stock about 5 years ago. It was an online purchase and, through pure dumb luck, on arrival I found out it was probably one of the last USA-made Model 70s produced. I installed a Timney trigger. It just cycles oh so nice, fits me well, and bangs out consistent groups whether on the bench or in field positions.
-Coop
I live in Idaho. I’m fortunate to be able to hunt mule deer, elk, and black bears as a matter of course each year. I’m hoping this year I’ll be lucky enough to go after pronghorn as well. My dad works for a large ranch in Utah and I’m very blessed to have access to landowner depredation elk tags through that ranch most years. My young kids have been raised on that venison. A big change for me last fall was becoming an upland bird hunter. With a Brittany pup and a new shotgun, that hunting for Chukar, Huns, and pheasants blew my expectations out of the water.
I’ve read a little Hemingway, but I really have to credit Sports Afield, Robert Ruark, and Peter Hathaway Capstick for inducing more personal interest in hunting Africa. However, my biggest motivator was a hunt I did in Scotland two years ago. My wife and I were taking a vacation with 8 days in-country in mid-August anyway. I learned that our schedule might allow for some red stag stalking, so I started emailing, and finally got an outfitter to take me on. It was a small operation with access to a couple estates. They gave me a very clear warning that it would be hard hunting up and down the hills, and we might be able to take something in the three days I had available. I liked those odds, and so it was arranged. The end result was taking a memorable, mature highland stag (after a 4 hour belly crawl through moss and heather and a long wait while being bombarded by midges) a mature hill roebuck (I was just fascinated by these spunky little guys for some reason), and a bonus small stag that a farmer was having trouble with and therefore had requested some help (the stag was accused of being a turnip thief-we may never know the truth).
What a great way to experience a new place and really learn to respect a new hunting culture!
If the same applies to the Eastern Cape in August of 2026, I’m in for a great time with KMG! Marius already tried to recruit me for some old man rugby (I played in college here in the states) but alas, I had to decline as that’s a little bit too much travel to just tear my rotator cuff within 15 minutes.
My questions for anyone interested in responding:
1) What species are kinda “your thing”? Either to just observe or because you enjoy the hunt. Why? Here in the states I get super excited to see a pronghorn, I think because they are both a little weird and highly adapted to our mutual stomping ground. As mentioned, I found a new affinity for the little roe deer in Scotland too for some reason.
2) Describe your rifle in which you have implicit trust. Mine would be a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 270 Win. It’s a “Grade III” walnut stock model I picked it up new old stock about 5 years ago. It was an online purchase and, through pure dumb luck, on arrival I found out it was probably one of the last USA-made Model 70s produced. I installed a Timney trigger. It just cycles oh so nice, fits me well, and bangs out consistent groups whether on the bench or in field positions.
-Coop
