How well seasoned are you?

[Bandera]

Hunted South Africa last at 58. We are turning next year and then again in 2027. 2027 trip will be to Namibia. The 2025 trip I am taking two young men I have mentored since they where 4 and 6 years old. They will be 34 and 36 next year. I taught them to shoot, to hunt and many other life lessons and now it is passing the passion along.

 

[Cheesehead]

I’m the same age and hunters in my circle can’t seem to separate the idea of trophy hunting from poaching.

“Why would you want to shoot a Buffalo/Lion/Elephant?” Etc. and “that’s not hunting..”

It’s frustrating that not many I know share my same interest.

I'm 36, haven't been yet, but my goal is to get there by 40. Of course with a wife and 3 kids, it's going take some serious planning and saving.

I have found the same things from people I know who hunt. They'll willing spend $1-2k a year accumulating preference points and upwards of $10k for guided hunting in the western US, but think Africa is only for rich people.

 

[CBH Australia]

I started shooting rabbits at a young age then hunted goats from 18 when I became licensed. Had family and just did what I could and was hunting pigs and shooting other pests where I could before I found this site and started planning.
I had always dreamed of hunting the world over but the budget doesn’t allow all I would like to do so any free hunting opportunity in Australia is jumped at.
I was 48 when I did a cull hunt in South Africa with my wife along as an observer.

 

[UKHunter]

2013 aged 21 - spent the summer working harvest on a friends farm to pay for a Sept hunt in SA

 

[Ryan]

I booked my first At 40, went on the first one at 42 and the last of four at 49. It helped I am single. The next will be a few years down the line. I have other ideas for hunts and some life goals needing that kinda money.

 

[uplander01]

I’m turning 56 shortly, Started pursuing big game in a traveling sense all over North America in late 90’s in my late 20’s/early 30’s, didn’t make it to Africa until my 40’s. I anticipate about 2-3 more trips to Africa spread out every other year or so into my early 60’s. At that point I’m hoping to retire in my early to early-mid 60’s and be done traveling to do anything for the most part. I don’t enjoy the traveling part anymore. Ive been traveling for work my entire life since my mid 20’s, pile on traveling for leisure to that and at some point it all starts to feel like to much moving around. If money were no object, I would spend 30-45 days a year at a time in Africa and really enjoy it, but reason for not doing that is obvious. To me the key has always been balance and reason…never had any kids so haven’t been racked with lots of family responsibilities, if I had I wouldn’t have done half the things I have, simply from a financial standpoint.

Good luck with your information gathering,…interesting thought and topic….i have often wondered about the same info.

 

[Hunt anything]

I’m only 60 for another month from today. I hunted Mozambique in 2014 at 50, made it to South Africa in 2018 and twice in 2021. Planning on another RSA trip in 25, after that no more RSA but hopefully will do a Zambia or another Mozambique hunt to finish up my Africa “career” by the time I turn 65 in 2028.