Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Next safari and the economy...

Perks of a government job - no ill-effects thanks to the economy for me. I feel bad for those that are struggling of late. Hope things pick back up soon.

110 days til Zim.

I'm really glad to hear that a lot of folk here are able to get or get back to Africa in these troubled times!

I didn't know what to expect when I posted this...But from what I hear of late...folks here are doing rather good!

This is good!

Congrats!

I'll keep dreaming and just maybe it'll become a reality for me again!!!

I appreciate you folks sharing your status...Thanks!

Funny how conservative minded folks with a core belief in Personal responsibility and self reliance tend to weather these things better then average.

Not to say that all have good luck, but as my dad and my grandfather said to me many times, Hard work seems to create good luck.

Something the "government handout" crowd seems to miss completely!

Oh,
I forgot to add: that you JJ and Ray are class acts to the max in my book!
Thanks,
Charlie

Thirteen years ago I ordered Ray's book, "Hunting Adventures Worldwide," and he inscribed it "Go Now." I didn't. It seems like every time I got close to tripping the trigger something interfered:
- Reduction In Force (military personnel cuts)...gotta save up
- Daughter's college tuition
- Daughter's wedding
- Vehicles crapping the bed
- Son's college tuition - no worries thanks to transferable Post-911 GI Bill
Well, I'll attend the SCI show in 2011 and hunt in Summer 2011. Just trying to calculate how much wrath I can absorb from the missus when she sees the MasterCard bill. I can pay cash for plains game, but DG seems worth the extra $$$.

Very well said Ray!

Dober

Well I was planning to go this year, got laid off last year and was forced to cancel. 14 months without a job and no prospects on the horizon so who knows when I'll be in the position agan to plan for a hunt.

Well I am a professional Pilot and its as bad as anything I have seen since the mid 1970's. As for what happened with housing, well that is the direct result of Congress, notice that there were no hearings or FBI investagations? Wonder Why, his Name is Chris Dodd. My work depends on a economic activity, one of the first things to feel the pinch of a down turn is aviation and the last to return in an recovery is aviation. My guess the hunting business is pretty much the same. I had noticed things getting a little slow in late 2006 and when the New Congress took its seat it when down faster and well with the election of the current guy, its been in free fall. Nobody knows where taxes and what have you is going to go, so nobody is spending and every one I know is making due with what they have. My hunting of big game is pretty much at an end, other that Deer and maybe elk. Unless my fortunes change, its going to be little or no retirement for me. I pretty much lost my shirt, it started with the 9/11 attacks, it hurt me in ways you would not belief. But I managed to pay off all of my debt, what I ended up owing then and what I am in the red right now, two months of good steady work will have me back in the black and above water. And I am not talking about 8 to 10 thousand a month. More like 1500 to 2000 a month take home would do it. I have not made that little since the early 80's its that bad for pilots and the pay rates were never much to write home about. Over all we will sort this out since we are Americans and that is what we do. A huge mistake was made and you are seeing the correction of that mistake taking place. All congress has to do is roll back federal spending to the 2006 2007 level and that would do more to fix things than anything else. But till Congress Changes that will not happen. I could never run my business the way Government Runs theirs. I would be in Jail years ago.

I do believe we've seen the best that America will experience and it pains me to say it. I believe that our society has changed generally with each generation since The Greatest generation slipping further away from the core values that made this country the greatest and the most unique on earth and in history, and they were personal accountability, honesty, hard work, and personal freedom. It can happen that fast though the seeds for what we see now have been planted long, long ago.

I believe what we are seeing in a very general way in this country and of course elsewhere is man's propensity to abuse, destroy, and pervert anything that was good; it is plain to see throughout history.

While that's not a positive outlook, I personally have a bright outlook for other reasons.

Glad I went when I could. Nothing in sight (except for kudu, waterbuck, warthog and soon mountain reedbuck shoulder mounts.)

A good start would be open a big soap factory in Hollywood...

Your welcome Luv2Safari, I am glad we got you there while we could..You are certainly one of the good guys in a Safari camp.

I was very lucky during the current downturn . I worked for the
state of Co. for 33 years, My 401'S took a hit but since have
turned around nicely. My retirement plan is paying me about
7% more then my last paycheck. That and I don't owe on anything
house, truck, car ,toys are all paid for . Plus now I don't pay
state taxes or into my retirement fund, so my retirement check
is actually about 30% more then my last paycheck.
I plan on selling my current house and moving and moving in to
a more rural situation, no neighbors. Get that done and my 401
will allow me to go to Africa, finally!
Charlie

I have taken such a beating, I very likely may never go again. It is just very hard to make real money in a semi-communist society! I am 53 (next month) so have very few years left to build up any reserve, basically will probably have to work until death takes me. I am certainly glad I'm sitting in my living room surrounded by trophies, when I was making money, I lived a little, so I went when I could. Unfortunately I am not expecting to see the economy get better in the short term. The USA will pop back, but if the idiots we have in charge pass cap and trade, then allow 20 million illegals to become citizens, then try to figure out some way to pay back insane debt,, it will not be a quick fix, very likely decades.

jstevens,
I just wish there was some place , another country , that
we could go that we would have the freedom we now enjoy.
Because I think ours is going away at a pretty fast rate.
If something don,t change pretty soon we will be addressing
each other comrade.
Charlie

Ray,

You went above and beyond for me on my first safari. You also stuck the needle in my arm and hooked me forever.

After reading more of this thread I can see you guys have really taken a pounding.........my superannuation (401) took a bit of a hit, but not like some of yours did.

I'm just glad our bankers are not as "risk addicted" as a lot of yours on Wall St.

I sincerely hope this turns around for you guys ASAP..........

maddog,

where in IN do you live and what do you do?

The economy is going to be front and center for quite a few years. Some economists are predicting another "dip" or worse. With Obamacare and its tremendous expense looming, it will be a significant burden to an already $8 trillion debt. Look at the numbers corporations are posting that Obamacare will cost. $1 billion for AT&T, $100 million for Catepillar, $150 million for John Deere on and on. The fifth home mortgage bailout pending, 99 weeks of paid unemployment. I am afraid that Obamas' tax team will come back next late November with the VAT tax recommendation.
That "value added tax" runs up the cost of goods at every step in its production. Obama will need this huge inflow of money to pay for his health care plan. Due you think America will ever be the same? Don't count on it.

bigwhoop...I hear ya brother

Nicely said!