doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com If money were no object, where would you hunt?

The title of this Thread clearly asks us where we would hunt "if money was no object". But virtually all of the responses have been relatively mundane hunting or fishing trips that would be affordable to most any middle class hunter who didn't live paycheck to paycheck.

If money truly was no object, I'd be thinking big...
something lavish and special like some of the months long expeditions into darkest Africa done by the famous ivory hunters like Karamojo Bell or Sir Samuel Baker. Teddy Roosevelt's long African hunt also comes to mind.

I think some of the better ones I read of were in the book, "Thirty-seven Years of Big Game Shooting in the Cooch Behar, the Duars, and Assam" by the Maharajah of Cooch Behar.

This guy was obviously passionate about hunting, and spared no expense. Many of his hunts were several months in duration. He would plan and organize and they would pack-up the elephants and howdah's, trackers, porters, servants, cooks, tents, fine China, linen tablecloths, silverware, fine wines, and every conceivable amenity. They were often accompanied by their women who remained in large encampments while the Maharaja and company went into the jungle after Bengal tigers, buffalo, bears, rhinos, etc. with very expensive British double rifles and shotguns. One hunting tactic I found particularly amusing was the way they would drive game out of the underbrush and jungle by simply starting wildfires to large tracts of land.

Talk about a hunt with a large carbon footprint. You just can't do stuff like that anymore. Well, most of us anyway. Perhaps Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, or ClapperZapper could still do it.

Ever look at Himilayian Snow Cock in Northern Nevada? Beautiful bird with a powerful call. They were certainly something to have seen. Not a typical double gun adventure for sure.

I’ve read about the snow cock hunt.
From what I read it’s done above timberline, often well above. It seems to be more of a “trophy hunt” than a wing shooting adventure.

Difficult terrain and weather, no dogs, low success rate etc. Not too appealing to me at this point in my life. I spent months of my life under miserable conditions sheep hunting, no need for more.
Probably would have loved it 30 years ago.

One has to ask themself “Why do I want to do this?”

That’s why I offer/use the picture question.
I’ve never seen a photo essay, write-up, or magazine article that met my “Why?” hurdle for Snowcock.

It starts to look like the “trout-bro” videos on YouTube for Bull trout. With a side order of 870 ground swatting.

CZ: Those Orvis Lodges in Idaho and Utah sound fairly practical, can you shoot me the contacts?

I don’t disagree on thinking big.
But you would need a Time Machine.
That world has been gone for half a century.

I have some lamp shades that have the teeth and claws of some Bengal tigers shot during WWll in my parlor.

An acquaintance that shoots regularly in Africa says he has never seen a 100lb tusker in the wild.

Lloyd, I’ll call my agent at Frontier’s in the AM.

From this side of the pond, I would recommend you head for the small town of Helmsley in northern Yorkshire. It is surrounded by grouse moors and decent pheasant shoots.

Another option is to head for Dartmoor on the Devon/ Somerset border. Several good pheasant shoots there.

Try the Roxtons agency for finding the right place.

HB

Helmsley is great.
It ticks a lot of boxes.
Hit the pub right up to headache level with the lads from Rievaulx.
We shot Snilesworth and Bransdale moors, stayed in a great old shoot hotel,
Dinner at the Black Swan, definitely a top 5 week for me.

Helmsley is like “wing shooting central” for North Yorkshire.
Edited to add video clip

If money were no object, I'd hunt wherever my private jet would fly me, and there was game to take and a season on it open, and if that wasn't available, I'd look at fishing. For me, however, money is an issue, and the jet's tires are bald.