Warning for New Hunters

[Newboomer]

I have come to the conclusion that Madame Africa IS my mistress. She caught me three years ago and I can't get loose. So I am waiting anxiously with bated breath to once again embrace her in April.

 

[spike.t]

This string is hilarious! I had wanted to hunt Nyati since I was a kid. I finally made that ‘once in a lifetime’ trip to the Upper Luangwa valley in 2012. 2013 was our 30th anniversary. My wife was thinking Italy, we ended up in Botswana taking both buff and elephant on our anniversary. We leave on July 29th for our 7th safari and will be spending our anniversary in the bush again. My wife intends to take her first buffalo on this hunt with a brand new Rigby in 9.3x62. It is life’s most grand addiction!

Photos of the 9.3 please

 

[Scott CWO]

A similar story in our household. My wife and I were invited by a good client to join him in the Save in Zim for his leopard, buffalo, sable, PG safari. I told my wife that I would “only” hunt PG and she could be the photographer. She went for it.

The next year, I found “us” a cancellation leopard, buffalo, sable, and PG hunt in the Niassa Reserve in Mozambique. How can you turn down a cancellation hunt for leopard that has a 100% success track record? She went for it.

Then in 2014, another good client and his wife asked us to go to Moz with them for big croc, buffalo, sable and PG near Lake Cahorra Basa. How could we say no to them? It wouldn’t be polite! When they flew home after a couple weeks, I stayed on and transferred to Coutada 9 for a nyala, big kudu, etc... because I “needed” a nyala. She went for it.

At the January 2015 SCI Show, I “missed out”on a 2015 bongo cancellation in CAR by about 5 minutes. How depressing! The operator felt bad for me and made me the same offer for 2016. How could I turn that down? She was happy to stay home and out of the heat of the jungle but patience was beginning to fade but she went for it. The CAR trip turned into quite an ordeal and can be read about on AH.

In 2017, “we” found a discounted buffalo and PG trip to Massailand in TZ to make up for the debacle in CAR so as not to leave Africa with a bad taste in my mouth. Sounds logical right?? After the safari we visited Serenghetti NP and she really loved seeing the lions in Massailand and in SNP. She said it was her favorite trip so far. She went for it but said we had to do a non-hunting trip for our 25th anniversary in 2018 as a result. Okay, so we did that in April 2018 to China and Tibet for a reasonable price.

Now, she said she really likes lions and it would be cool to have one in the house so I reached out to my contacts in the Save in Zim to get all their well-documented lion population studies and lion conservation data for my USFWS import permit application. If the permit is ever issued, we figure it would be a shame not to go, right?? This all started with “only” a PG hunt in 2012!

 

[WAB]

Photos of the 9.3 please

Andrew Ambrose of Rigby sent this earlier today. More photos will be provided as the rifle progresses. Rigby is truly a pleasure to work with. This rifle will spend the entire month of August in Africa. It has agreed to let me accompany it for the coming out party!

 

[rinehart0050]

Love this site and love africa. My wife and I have two so feed aris under our belt, already planning three and four- a family hunt with both sets of inlaws in south africa and a leopard/ buff hunt in location to be determined.

This is an expensive addiction, but one I wouldn't trade for anything!

 

[bullseye-69]

My story started out the same but unfolded very differently.

Me: "Babe what do you think about going to Africa with me next year"?
Her: "Hmm. (Short thoughtful pause) How long is the flight"?
Me: "Sixteen hours or somewhere there abouts".
Her: " Oh hell no but you knock yourself out"!
Me: "OK great!! Of course this is a once in a lifetime, bucket list trip, so we'll go somewhere nice next year".

So now several years and several trips later I have yet to miss a year. I've read many many similar stories here and I think we can all agree that, yes it is very addictive.

And FWIW she held me to my word and I had to take her to Hawaii..................but I still managed to fit Africa in the same year!!

BD

I am 100% positive I will be going to Hawaii.

 

[WAB]

Photos of the 9.3 please

Will do. It is shipping from Rigby this week.

 

[BWH]

My wife caught me once late at night on the computer and was livid accusing me of being on gunbroker buying big bore rifles, I cleverly switched screens to Ashly Madison website before she cleared the distance to look at the computer!

Wife.... or ex-wife?!?!?

 

[spike.t]

Will do. It is shipping from Rigby this week.

Look forward to seeing them

 

[lwaters]

Funny as I had lunch with @ActionBob and @tarbe today we talked about how much money this forum has cost us, but also how it is better to live life to the fullest and Africa is doing just that!

Oh yeah and Bob joked about SELLING GUNS!

I doubt Bob sold many. He stopped by my house and gathered up a few like cord wood and threw them in his truck

 

[Mort Hill]

Never saw a hearse with a luggage rack.

Spend it like you earned it!

 

[brandondd24]

Addiction is real
First time I went told my sister I was going, she said I want to go too. Told dad ren and I were going to Africa, he said well I’m going too(he’s been before). I went again with a buddy 4 years later, now going back for round 3 with dad my sister and my buddy and 3 other friends!

 

[KyleS]

Funny thats sorta how my fiancé and I decided to go on Safari for our honeymoon. Hahahahaha there are a few of us who dont have to explain our obsessions to our wives

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Africa is a very addictive place along with AH. I had thought about hunting Africa before January of 2018 but didnt think it would happen for several years. Then the opportunity happened in late January of 2018 and I seized the moment to make it happen. I purchased my first big bore a 375 HH for this trip. Now a year later I am getting ready for my second trip and now own 2 375s , 416 rem mag, 458 win mag and just purchased 9.3x62. This site and Africa have become an addiction. But a good one!