Most hunters are lucky to have one or two species as a minimum in their hunting areas, sometimes even more if you are lucky. Our CEO James for instance lives in the UK most of the time where he has 6 species of deer available to hunt!
Despite our locally found game though, there are always hunts that capture the imagination of hunters, whether they are in hard-to-reach exotic locations, pose a particular challenge or just offer a spectacular trophy or novel experience.
We spoke to several of our most well-travelled members about what is on their bucket lists and what they would recommend adding to yours…
1) Free Range Cape Buffalo - The number one on our list and the most popular recommendation was that of the “Black Death” so called because of his dangerous nature. They are common animals in the majority of African safari countries and not only does it offer the chance to explore this mighty continent but there is a certain thrill and challenge to hunting something that will quite happily turn and hunt you back. It is called dangerous game for a reason!
2) Red Stag in the Rut – Probably the ultimate hunt for those in pursuit of deer, the chance to watch these magnificent animals fight it out during the rut is incredible to behold. Whether you go for the romance and beauty of the highlands of Scotland, or chase after the biggest red stags in central Europe. One thing is for certain, you will come back with a new found awe for red deer.
3) Ibex – Several of the hunters we spoke to made the same point, that is to climb the mountains and put in the miles whilst you are still physically able. With that in mind, the first of two mountain living families appears on our list, that of the Ibex. There are several options here, if you are lucky enough to have a hunting area in Switzerland or nearby, you might be able to hunt the Alpine Ibex. For those who prefer a warmer climate,Spain has four different Ibex to hunt! Lastly, for those after a true adventure in some serious mountain ranges, there is Mid-Asian Ibex in the ‘Stans, the travel can be brutal and it helps to be able to ride as well as climb, but what an adventure it would be!
4) Wild Sheep – Sheep may not be the most obvious quarry to focus on (although there is the sought after Mouflon prevalent in Europe…), however if you expand your search to colder climes, you will quickly realise that wild sheep live in some of the most extreme and inhospitable places on earth. Not only that, but they dwarf our domestic sheep, both in body size and horn, providing a truly impressive trophy for those willing to get to them, often via a tough ascent through snow and ice.
5) Muskox – An outlier in our list of hunts is that for the Muskox. It is not so much the challenge of the animal itself in this hunt, but the location itself. The muskox lives in the harsh artic plains where winds can exceed 70mph and the temperature can reach below -40 degrees ce. Just taking off your outer glove to take a shot can risk frostbite and this is truly a land where it is trying to kill you constantly. If that doesn’t put you off, then the chance to hunt with the Inuit and learn about how they have survived in this inhospitable place through ice fishing, hunting and other unique skills is also a massive benefit to undertaking this challenge.
These are just the most popular of the suggestions from theexperienced traveling hunters we questioned, what would you have on yours?
Drop us a message on socials and you never know, we might run a giveaway in thefuture for your dream hunt! We’ve already done red stags sika stags inScotland, who knows what we will do next for a lucky PRO member…
