Your 2025 Hunt Plans?

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Greenland muskox the end of February
A day salmon fishing in Alaska the end of July. Daughter planning to get married there.
Likely Minnesota bear if drawn in September. We have 6 points.
Should draw 4th season buck here at home for November.
Although I shouldn't I've sent @HUNTROMANIA a message about his roe hunts also in May or June. Still waiting for a reply to see if it's something I can do
I get 5 weeks vacation a year now and just sold my boat so a little extra cash that I hadn't planned on. Lol

 

[ftrovato]

Not yet set in stone but probably Scotland late summer/early fall.

DieJager,
Do you have hunting experience in Scotland? I too want to hunt Stag this coming Sept/Oct. Can you provide I recommendation based on your or others past good experiences?
Kindly,
Frank.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Although not strictly 2025 I am off to Scotland on the 20th December and whilst there will try for a sika, roe deer and a pheasant shoot.
In April/May my son in law comes out from Scotland to Zim and we will be after a buffalo and a tiger fish for him. If I see a scrum cap I will take him.
In June/July Eastern Cape for fallow deer and mountain reedbuck with my other son in law.
In October we all participate in the Kariba tiger fish tournament.

 

[DieJager]

DieJager,
Do you have hunting experience in Scotland? I too want to hunt Stag this coming Sept/Oct. Can you provide I recommendation based on your or others past good experiences?
Kindly,
Frank.

Hi Frank, it will be my first trip to Scotland if things work out and no other plans will be made in the meantime. So no recommendations yet. I was talking to @VertigoBE yesterday and he went a couple of times. Maybe he can chime in.

 

[Throwback]

I see you boys have full schedule for next year. Many of you multiple safaris in next year, or other international hunts!

I have to ask question: how do you manage available spare time to get two times or more to Africa in a year!?

My work schedule which is hard to predict is biggest limiting factor!

As for my plans, buffalo done this year and removed from bucket list.
So if my fluid work schedule permits, maybe non export, non trophy, own use or tuskless elephant. Thats my rough plan!

How do I do it? I kind of cheat. My work takes me to Europe, Africa and S. America (among other places) so when Im already there I take time off and line up a hunt. It is stressful since work plans can always change / fall through but it sure saves on airfare and vacation days. I go super light on gear and have to rent rifles but that is one way to do it. Also helps my boss goes with me on some of these. We just lined up another trip to Namibia in April, as an add for work we have in a neighboring country. The world is a small place if you want it to be.

Also, once I started doing this I learned most all outfitters are very flexible to this. My conversations start with "Im going to be in X (usually a capital city) for a week or so, do you think I could contact you a few months or even weeks out and just spend a few days to hunt whatever you have?" - Every time, they tell me to call em. No deposit, no guns, "just cmon whenever you are ready" kind of thing. They will pick you up at your hotel and drop you off back there, or at the airport to fly home. Door to door.

I do also go on international hunts on my own as well. I try to work them in to family vacations, like we did with Spain last year.

 

[Throwback]

Greenland muskox the end of February
A day salmon fishing in Alaska the end of July. Daughter planning to get married there.
Likely Minnesota bear if drawn in September. We have 6 points.
Should draw 4th season buck here at home for November.
Although I shouldn't I've sent @HUNTROMANIA a message about his roe hunts also in May or June. Still waiting for a reply to see if it's something I can do
I get 5 weeks vacation a year now and just sold my boat so a little extra cash that I hadn't planned on. Lol

Unless Marius is already fully booked, Roe deer in Romania in May is possible. I hunted with him in May 2022 for Roe deer. Absolutely recommend him and that hunt. A lot of fun. Cheers

 

[Throwback]

Early May: Botswana Kudu with NKWE

Late April/Mid May: Still looking for something interesting to hunt in either Namibia or Zimbabwe the week before or after Botswana. I reached out to one site sponsor a couple months ago and have yet to receive a response.

November: Iowa Whitetail bowhunt with my son

December: Mexico Sonora Desert Mule Deer

Please let us know how that NKWE hunt goes. I have had that one on my radar, specifically that outfitter and for Kudu. I am sure you will have a great time. Cheers

 

[375Fox]

Late April/Mid May: Still looking for something interesting to hunt in either Namibia or Zimbabwe the week before or after Botswana. I reached out to one site sponsor a couple months ago and have yet to receive a response.

November: Iowa Whitetail bowhunt with my son

December: Mexico Sonora Desert Mule Deer

I’m not sure what something interesting means for you, but if you are looking for somewhere interesting I’d look into hunting some plains game in the communal conservancies in NW Namibia. It’s the most unique area I think I’ve ever hunted, just incredibly vast and wild.

 

[gcbailey]

I just finished a pretty good year, hunting Roebuck, Red Stag, and Chamois all for the first time. I plan to hunt quail with my dad after Christmas and hope to hunt Brown Bear in Romania in February. Good luck on your Brooks Range hunt! That sounds like an amazing trip.

 

[Cleathorn]

Although not strictly 2025 I am off to Scotland on the 20th December and whilst there will try for a sika, roe deer and a pheasant shoot.
In April/May my son in law comes out from Scotland to Zim and we will be after a buffalo and a tiger fish for him. If I see a scrum cap I will take him.
In June/July Eastern Cape for fallow deer and mountain reedbuck with my other son in law.
In October we all participate in the Kariba tiger fish tournament.

I really need to make time to get to that Kariba tournament. It seems like so much fun.

 

[Cleathorn]

Well, for the first time in a long time that I do not have any African or European hunts planned. Going to do some fishing this year.

Christmas Island in Kiribati in April from some bonefish and maybe (we'll try) for GTs on the fly.

Iceland in late June for the char and brown trout fishing.

Just booked a week in Alaska in early August for some Salmon and big bows on the Kenai. Will probably do another week somewhere in the Bristol Bay region for Silvers, or I have been looking at doing a 12/14 day DIY float on one of the interior rivers for Salmon and the big bows on the the Mouse patterns.

Also plan to get in a few days of fishing in central Europe in the Spring with my daughters who now live in England.

Will do some local hunting for for quail in south Georgia in January, Osceola and Gators in Florida in the Spring, Elk in Colorado in September with my bow, and maybe some deer in NY and PA next fall. I will probably try and pick up a day or 2 of stalking for Muntjac and CWD in England in the fall, but that will just be an add-on if I can get over to see my girls again.

Maybe the shows will inspire me look at some other hunting, but the list of hunts I'm interested in is getting shorter and require some additional planning. But who knows...

 

[Nevada Wapati]

Only one hunt booked. I have to work January - May. South Africa lion and plains game with Umlilo in June. Then ankle replacement surgery in July. That's going to keep me out of the field for 9-12 months.

 

[Rare Breed]

I see you boys have full schedule for next year. Many of you multiple safaris in next year, or other international hunts!

I have to ask question: how do you manage available spare time to get two times or more to Africa in a year!?

My work schedule which is hard to predict is biggest limiting factor!

As for my plans, buffalo done this year and removed from bucket list.
So if my fluid work schedule permits, maybe non export, non trophy, own use or tuskless elephant. Thats my rough plan!

Mark you will find you can hunt an importable bull elephant for just about the same cost with @Tokoloshe Safaris just a little more and an awesome experience!!!!

 

[Rare Breed]

DieJager,
Do you have hunting experience in Scotland? I too want to hunt Stag this coming Sept/Oct. Can you provide I recommendation based on your or others past good experiences?
Kindly,
Frank.

I would love to take a red stag in Scotland if available

 

[Mark R]

In 2024 I had a lean year hunting wise but my wife and I did a 7 1/2 week trip to the northern most tip of Oz where we did a lot of fishing.
Still getting over knee surgery from 12 months ago but looking forward to hunting a big fallow buck next March/April, spend some time in the N.T. In buffalo/banteng camps and chasing pigs and deer much closer to home. Nothing international but I will have fun here in Oz.

Enjoy everyone.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Throwback
Good travelling strategy. I like your style! My regards to your boss, as well!

@Rare Breed
Thanks for advice on ele!

 

[skydiver386]

September I'll be hunting with Marius @HUNTROMANIA for Chamois and Red Stags. Tina wants to hunt in Croatia and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, so taking her to Nashville for the SCI might be a dangerous thing.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I really need to make time to get to that Kariba tournament. It seems like so much fun.

Yes you must come. It is a tough tournament though.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

I just finished a pretty good year, hunting Roebuck, Red Stag, and Chamois all for the first time. I plan to hunt quail with my dad after Christmas and hope to hunt Brown Bear in Romania in February. Good luck on your Brooks Range hunt! That sounds like an amazing trip.

February can be to early for brown bear hunting. Until 2016 the hunting season started from 15 of March. In some part of Romania bears are active after that…

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I would love to take a red stag in Scotland if available

And you need that for your tie!