How well seasoned are you?

[Northern Shooter]

My goal is to make it to South Africa by 40, hoping to take both plains and dangerous game in one go.

 

[chuckwellington]

My one and only trip was to South Africa in 2021 at age 29. Buffalo and PG. It was also my dad’s first and he was in his 60s. Took a while to plan and save. I’d love to go back but life has gotten more complicated and I’d like to focus on more physically demanding hunts while I still can.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

my family was not in a financial position to take me to disney world as a teenager. no, i did not go to africa as a teen either.

that said,

my first trip to africa was at age 55. second at 58, last time at 63. each time was great, wish i could have funded it sooner...oh well.

Same and I still haven’t been to Disney but that’s alright because the bush is my Disney

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

My goal is to make it to South Africa by 40, hoping to take both plains and dangerous game in one go.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed, take a short PG hunt before then. Dont wait another 3 years to make your African dream a reality. You’re retired now, find a week and go.

 

[BnC 04]

Reading over the various responses a certain saying comes to mind.
"Time is the only currency you spend without ever knowing your balance. Use it wisely!"
C.B.

 

[fourfive8]

Well seasoned enough at 74 creeping up on 75 shortly. Grew up hunting big game with my dad- with my first as a tag along carrying a BB gun at age 9. He passed at fairly young age so have hunted mostly on my own DIY since age 19. 7 trips to Africa after retirement and after being able to afford it. All other big game nearer home in NM and CO. Many DIY trips WYO and AK. Bear and sheep guided in AK as required and back when it was reasonable. Currently no “exotic” hunting destination plans because of family obligations in SE Asia.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Will be 60 in February. Hunted PG in SA in May 2018 with my daughter. Also swung by Victoria Fall for a couple days. Rifle season for deer starts here tomorrow, but I would still rather be in Africa. Lord willing I will be back one day!

 

[cpr0312]

45 for a few more months. Been fortunate having hunted Africa 10 times! Hoping to get back in the next 2 years

 

[Throwback]

First hunting trip to Africa was at 49 in 2023. I took my 14 year old son (who hunted too) and my wife. Ive been twice now and headed back in 2025. How well seasoned? Well, not enough will always be my answer. I can hold my own but there are tons of guys with more experience and God bless em for it. I did grow up with my grandfather's stories of going on safari with Ker, Downey and Selby in the 1960's in Tanzania, his Kodiak bear hunt, etc... so I think that always motivated me in the back of my mind to someday get our there hunting internationally. I do enjoy the "overall" experience of different culture, cool people, food, etc...

I am fortunate to have a job that involves quite a bit of international travel so what I have been doing lately is I will take vacation days to go off and hunt while on a business trip in Africa, or Europe, or wherever. That means I dont have to pay the airfare and its a big help budget wise. I cant bring my own weapons on these trips due to being a work trip but its a learned skill in itself to use the outfitters weapons and travel really light gear wise. On top of that I also work hunting trips in to family vacations if possible. Cheers

 

[PARA45]

Made my first trip to SA when I turned 50, I was my 50th B-day gift to me. I made my second trip 10 years later, and this was my 60th B-day gift to me and hunted two different places in SA. Next year I'm heading back, and this is my retirement gift to me. My plan now that I'm retired, is to make it back every other year before I get too old. LOL!

 

[Pirkan]

I am surprised that I am the only one who had their first Africa hunt as a teenager. No one else had parents take you on hunts?

I'm 20 and forced my dad to join me in South Africa last year when I was 19. I was very fortunate to get a very well paid job for a while directly after highschool while also being in a position where I didn't need to save all the money so I decided to hunt in Africa since I'm far from certain it'll be as easy when I'm approaching 60 like most guys here. My dad didn't shoot anything but really enjoyed it so we're going to Namibia and Zimbabwe in the summer.

Thankfully hunting is still very popular with the youth here and my university even has a student run hunting club that hunts on land owned by the city as well as some private owners.

 

[mark-hunter]

'm 20 and forced my dad to join me in South Africa last year when I was 19.

You forced your dad when you were 19!
Thats funny!

 

[spike.t]

Seasoned....mmm does lying in salty seawater count.....

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I have hunted for as long as I can remember. Started out hunting squirrels, rabbits and coons. Killed my first whitetail by myself when I was 9. Growing up on a farm in rural East Texas I hunted everything that moved. We kept squirrel dogs, bird dogs, beagles and coon dogs. My Dad believed if you are hunting with a dog you are not alone, so I was quite the feral child. I also ran multiple trap lines. I went on my first African safari to Namibia at 52 and have been 3 more times since. Prior to Africa, I had hunted most game in Latin America with bow, shotgun, rifle and/or handgun, birds and stag in the UK and all over the US.

Deer season opened in my part of Texas yesterday!

Safe hunting

 

[spike.t]

I have hunted for as long as I can remember. Started out hunting squirrels, rabbits and coons. Killed my first whitetail by myself when I was 9. Growing up on a farm in rural East Texas I hunted everything that moved. We kept squirrel dogs, bird dogs, beagles and coon dogs. My Dad believed if you are hunting with a dog you are not alone, so I was quite the feral child. I also ran multiple trap lines. I went on my first African safari to Namibia at 52 and have been 3 more times since. Prior to Africa, I had hunted most game in Latin America with bow, shotgun, rifle and/or handgun, birds and stag in the UK and all over the US.

Deer season opened in my part of Texas yesterday!

Safe hunting

What no blow pipe in South America?....was expecting it in the list of used hunting implements

 

[SFRanger7GP]

What no blow pipe in South America?....was expecting it in the list of used hunting implements

That's funny! After seeing the indios pulling out darts dipped with God knows what (they all claimed frog venom), I didn't want anything to do with those implements. They were always fascinated by my longbow.

Safe hunting

 

[mdwest]

I’m 55… started hunting as a small child.. I’d guess maybe 8 years old… I started doing quite a bit of international traveling by my young 20’s, and first started traveling to Africa with some frequency by my young 30’s… I didn’t start hunting Africa until my mid 40’s though..

 

[wesheltonj]

I started hunting white-tail around 4 or 5, Elk 50, Africa 55. I don’t have the Africa hunting sickness. Although I have another Africa hunting trip next year. I do think that I am coming down with the European hunting sickness, not quite as budget friendly Africa but sitting outside at a cafe enjoying food and drink while watching the people go by is certainly more enjoyable then a tent or lodge.

 

[VertigoBE]

37 now, and one week away from my third trip.
I don't come from a hunting family, but hunting is all I want to do.
Luckily, I found an industry and niche that pays sufficiently okay that I can permit myself a hunt or a fine rifle from time to time. Otherwise priorities are wife and kids, renovations, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Rafiki]

I was 75 on my first Cape Buffalo hunt. 2 days ago I returned from my second buffalo hunt; I'm 77 and starting to plan my next.