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I have a close friend who started going to Africa six years ago. He went about every second year. All he could talk about was how cheap it was considering the number of animals he could kill. Way cheaper than an elk hunt, he allowed. After the second trip, he ran out of room to hang the mounts. At his retirement as a criminal judge, he decided to build an addition on his house. The price tag for the addition was just about $100K. I told him at the time, he was not building it nearly large enough He did not agree, said it was more than enough more room.

Last week, he returned from his fourth trip. He has no place to hang the animals he killed on that trip. I asked him to add up the real cost of his African hunts, including taxidermy charges and the cost of the addition to his house both current and future. He just grimaced.

I said, "Tell me again just how cheap an African hunt is compared to an elk hunt." Fortunately, he can afford it. I mentioned it was pretty expensive just to be able to shoot spikes. Not sure he caught that.

I fact I'm starting to get a headache now;>)

That must be that "mindset" you were telling me about.

I understand that about as much as posting an "I told you so" thread about a "close friend" on a message board of strangers.

I see what you are saying John, but anything can be what we make it. Meaning, if your friend went, and did all skull mounts, or simply took great pictures and left the trophies - which I have heard of several who have - it is cheaper than even some high end whitetail hunts. I will agree, and it is a bit frustrating for me, that depending on the taxidermist and the choice of display, the shipping of the trophies and the taxidermy can cost almost as much as the hunt itself.

But for me, I would rather go to Africa twice and make a lifetime of memories, and return with only pictures, than to pay the same amount for a high end, one animal hunt in the US. It all just depends on perspective.

Also, I get it, but you guys are being a bit tough on John, he is simply sharing his thoughts, which is what we all do on this and other websites.

As the old saying goes- "I will buy everyone a cone if they all agree on just one flavor."

Hunters hunt different animals for different reasons. I respect the other hunter's reason.

I hope to do it next year, but only European mounts to save space and money.

I can top it, John.

A buddy had a 4,000 square foot "office" built on his farm so he'd have a place for all of his African mounts - shoulder mount giraffe, life-size lion, four or five buff's, a couple of leopards, several life-size antelope, plus all the stuff from five trips to Alaska, and all over. You get the idea, close to $200,000 in mounts.

At the time, he, his wife, and three daughters were living in a trailer house in the morning shadow of the trophy room.

Gotta love priorities!

However, I do see quite a bit of humor in those who became so defensive. Your wives must follow this forum. :)

I thought it was pretty funny, too. :-)

Way to man up, Gazi.

Who is that hunter- Jeff Foxworthy or Larry the Cable Guy?

Welcome to BS. Thats one reason I dont post much anymore. Oh well, this hunting stuff gets more expensive every year. I just hope the masses figure it out before our hunting is like Europes. Mike

He eventually traded houses with his mother, who was in the traditional farm house.

It was a helluva a trophy room the last time I saw it, maybe eight years ago...and he's since added a rhino and a few other goodies.

Everything is in how we want to prioritize our lives.

Is the trophy room the shed out back with taxidermy trophies or the mother's former house with three trophy girl's in it?

I'm confused !!

Now he lives in a double-wide trailer. 3 lifesized Goat mounts, a lifesized Moose, dozens of shoulder mounts all crammed into his "home"...

Moral to the story is don't lay down ultimatum's or take them lightly if placed upon you!

Everyone I know who has been, seems to become addicted to it. I know of noone who only went one time. I love to hunt, did for a living for years. I just have never had the desire to hunt Africa. I have hunted Mexico and Canada so that is about my limit of foreign expeditions.

But right here in little Lebanon, I have three good friends who go. Two have had to buy larger houses and one, as I mentioned, had an expensive addition built, just for the trophies. I have a wonderfull wife of 40-years. I think I would rather keep her than hunt the Dark Continent. (Too many of the animals look like Tink)

On the other hand, she does not allow any mounts anywhere in the house except my two-room office. And I am fine with that. I never go in the rest of the house anyway. In fact, I think there are a couple rooms I have never been in.

Heck, anybody can marry a lazy, dumb ugly one!

...just ask my wife!!!!!!

Wouldn't trade her for the world.

Wouldn't trade her for the world.

I have been married almost 40-years. When Jeanne and I got married, we agreed we would not try to change each other. We have stuck with that agreement. I am what I am and she what she is. She neither hunts nor fishes and is perfectly happy being indoors. I am the exact opposite.

Between us, we raised two kids, relatively trouble free and both are married and raising their own families with little input from us. In addition to helping them through college, we have been able to put a little money back. We are far from rich but okay. Enough that I guess, if we wanted to go somewhere, anywhere, we probably could afford it.

Not long ago, we discussed just that. Could not think of a single dang place we wanted to go bad enough to go through all the trouble. Most of our bucket lists are in fact, just about complete. We still eat together, spend quite a bit of time reading together and then each day, do whatever each of us wants to do.

I call that pretty dadgum successfull. In a few days, I will be 71, exactly 50-years older then anyone thought I would live and I have been pronounced dead twice. I am one super-lucky dude. God has truly blessed me.