Sage words Neo and I'll have to ponder on them a while, I don't like to think I've reached that stage yet but you may be entirely correct. Maybe the time has come for more reflection than fantasy. I have fulfilled the fantasy more than most men ever will or even hope for, so refelection may be the correct course. Mentoring is a great feeling and I take more joy in my son's successes now than my own conquests.
It's christmas........if money were no concern........
- Thread starter c-fbmi
- Start date
If money was no oject, I would buy a quarter section of land somewhere in the southwest corner of the province. Somehwere in that very short transition between mountains and prairie. I think between Pincher Creek and Waterton park would do nicely.
With that I'd have a prime hunting spot near the mountains, close to gophers and with many a fine stream and river to fish in.
With that I'd have a prime hunting spot near the mountains, close to gophers and with many a fine stream and river to fish in.
- Location
- AB foothills
That would be a good choice, we love the area and have some land there ourselves.
c-fbmi: Your last, more philosophical post on the previous page reminds me of the book of Ecclesiastes. I'm 58 years old and the older I get, the more important my family and friends are becoming to me. I spent a lot of time with my kids when they were growing up, yet my biggest regret is that I didn't spend even more time with them. I would love to go on a fly in fishing trip for Arctic Char, or a hunt for Grizzly, but it would be ten times better if my boys were along. With that in mind, one idea for a Christmas gift to yourself would be to take one or two close members of your family, or a real good friend, and take them on a special hunt or fishing trip.
If that doesn't do it for you, and it is more of a challenge that you want, then I think I have the ultimate hunt for you: There is a region in the Congo of thousands of square miles of swamp and jungle surrounding a remote lake called Lac Tele. Over the past 100 years or so, there have been numerous reports, especially by the pigmies in the area, of an animal they call Mokele Mbembe. The natives describe it as an animal with a body as big as an elephant, but with a long neck and a long tail, reptilian, plant eating, and it spends most of its time in the water. Here is a write up by BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16306902 So here's my suggestion for the ultimate hunt, not with guns, but with video and still cameras. Go into Lac Tele, probably during the rainy season when they are most likely on the move, and spend a month in there exploring streams and rivers that empty into the Lake, and get some footage of these animals. It is a brutally challenging project where the environment is your worst enemy. I've thought of how I would do it. There have been a couple expeditions by the University of Chicago, but they had so much equipment, they could do virtually no exploring and could spend almost no time in the area. I think they did it all wrong; a hunt planned by city folk with no clue how to survive, and cover ground in the wilderness. I've spend 20 years going on canoe/camping trips in the wilderness and the less gear one has the better. You should travel light. Hire a local pigmy or two to be responsible for providing food from the land for the two or three of you, and everything you needed would fit in just one or two canoes. You would spend at least a month in there and cover as much terrain and swamp rivers as you could during that time. The prime purpose would be to get first class footage that could be uploaded by satellite link in case you didn't make it back. At least we would have the footage.
Only a few expeditions have actually made it to the lake and of those that did, almost all their time was spent at the lake. A National Geographic expedition spent a laughable, mere five days at the lake and then returned. It is the jungle swamp rivers that need to be explored, as that is where the animals seem to spend most of their time according to the pigmies. I suspect that the animals nest during the dry season at some obscure, remote location that would not likely be found. So you would need to go in at the height of the rainy season, the absolutely worst time as far as any camera equipment is concerned, or comfort for that matter. I would take in a lot of trail cameras and set them up at suspected locations along different swamp rivers. You can't be in a rush. At least a month would be required. Maybe two months. Have fun.
If that doesn't do it for you, and it is more of a challenge that you want, then I think I have the ultimate hunt for you: There is a region in the Congo of thousands of square miles of swamp and jungle surrounding a remote lake called Lac Tele. Over the past 100 years or so, there have been numerous reports, especially by the pigmies in the area, of an animal they call Mokele Mbembe. The natives describe it as an animal with a body as big as an elephant, but with a long neck and a long tail, reptilian, plant eating, and it spends most of its time in the water. Here is a write up by BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16306902 So here's my suggestion for the ultimate hunt, not with guns, but with video and still cameras. Go into Lac Tele, probably during the rainy season when they are most likely on the move, and spend a month in there exploring streams and rivers that empty into the Lake, and get some footage of these animals. It is a brutally challenging project where the environment is your worst enemy. I've thought of how I would do it. There have been a couple expeditions by the University of Chicago, but they had so much equipment, they could do virtually no exploring and could spend almost no time in the area. I think they did it all wrong; a hunt planned by city folk with no clue how to survive, and cover ground in the wilderness. I've spend 20 years going on canoe/camping trips in the wilderness and the less gear one has the better. You should travel light. Hire a local pigmy or two to be responsible for providing food from the land for the two or three of you, and everything you needed would fit in just one or two canoes. You would spend at least a month in there and cover as much terrain and swamp rivers as you could during that time. The prime purpose would be to get first class footage that could be uploaded by satellite link in case you didn't make it back. At least we would have the footage.
Only a few expeditions have actually made it to the lake and of those that did, almost all their time was spent at the lake. A National Geographic expedition spent a laughable, mere five days at the lake and then returned. It is the jungle swamp rivers that need to be explored, as that is where the animals seem to spend most of their time according to the pigmies. I suspect that the animals nest during the dry season at some obscure, remote location that would not likely be found. So you would need to go in at the height of the rainy season, the absolutely worst time as far as any camera equipment is concerned, or comfort for that matter. I would take in a lot of trail cameras and set them up at suspected locations along different swamp rivers. You can't be in a rush. At least a month would be required. Maybe two months. Have fun.
Thank-you for the kind wishes Douglas, I do appreciate.
My hunting plans as of several months ago were to come up to the Yukon, having not hunted up there since the early 90s and try for another Caribou. Fate however intervened, My Dear Brother who lived in Faro came down with a mild cancer two years ago and up until last August seemed to have it under control, when suddenly it went wild and he lost his battle on Oct. 12.
I shall miss him forever, he was an incredible hunting companion, awesome gun builder and superb stockmaker, just a terrific fella to be with.
We were inseparable hunters, fishermen, just plain troublemakers when we were younger, life for me will never be the same as it seems as though the hunting spirit has gone. He liked Ted ( Why not ) and they did gun deals, as well he worked with Bevan King for many years in the mines as well as making barrels in Bevan's shop.
I'm sorry for rambling, hopefully after I have dealt with my health issues the hunting will once again become something to look forward to.
Merry Christmas Douglas and all my fellow CGNers, lets all have a Healthy, Happy, 2013 ...
Merry Christmas to me would involve a premium hunting adventure next year. Say an elk draw on Vancouver Island, moose hunt up north or even a bison draw... Another great adventure would be hog hunting on the big island of Hawaii, or one on Ni'Ihau. A fall trip would be best so that I had all winter, spring and summer to prepare and anticipate!
And the Christmas Cheers returned to you Kevan and to the rest of CGNutters too.
We shall meet at the Kamloops Gun Show not too far away.
All the best.
- Location
- Eastern Edge of the Foothills
If money were no concern, I'd have for christmas several sections of prime elk and deer habitat deeded to me. On that new land would be my new truck. Behind the new truck would be a nice travel trailer that is a toyhauler. In the Toyhauler cargo area would be a couple new atv's. On the back seat of the new truck would be a couple new rifles. In the glove compartment of the truck would be my plane tickets and all related paperwork for my month-long hunt in Africa. That would be a pretty sweet Christmas gift.
daddylonglegs
CGN Regular
- Location
- Big River, Saskatchewan
Douglas; For me it would be an african safari. The animals I would be after would be Sable, Oryx or Gemsbok, Kudu, Leopard & Croc. And of course a Cape Buff. Just a dream, but it never hurts to have dreams. Merry Christmas to you & yours.
-Len
-Len
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I'm just a simple boy, never strayed to far from the camp. Safaris I'll probably never make. A western elk hunt would be a total different experience from our eastern terrain.
There was a rifle one time that really made me yearn for it though. It was listed on GunsAmerica about 4 years ago.
An original circa 1907?? Winchester Model 1892 Trapper in 44-40 IIRC,.. in the rare 14" factory barrel, fully restored by an obvious Artisan. Asking a cool $6600. I've never really felt the same looking at lever-guns since that night............
There was a rifle one time that really made me yearn for it though. It was listed on GunsAmerica about 4 years ago.
An original circa 1907?? Winchester Model 1892 Trapper in 44-40 IIRC,.. in the rare 14" factory barrel, fully restored by an obvious Artisan. Asking a cool $6600. I've never really felt the same looking at lever-guns since that night............
