The recent run of cold days kept me in the shop mostly and my mind got to wondering.....if you only had one more BG hunt to do before you pass on and it had to be a DIY dealo what hunt would that be and what rifle would you use?

For me as much as I love hunting deer at home here in Mn. I'd pick a trip to our cabin in Montana to hunt deer/elk with my 3 kids and a bunch of friends, and the rifle would be a pre 64 M70 of some sort....
and you?

Do turkeys count??? Get my Osceola and complete my Grand Slam.

Kill that booger with my BPS 10 and 2 1/4 oz. #4s, heap turkey medicine.

If it has to be big game send me to Alaska for a Yukon moose and give me a 338 Winny in a Ruger 77 Mark II SS, boat paddle.

I'd burn my 12 Colorado deer points in the best unit they will permit. The rifle would be my McMillan stocked m700 in 270. Provided it happened this year.

Bighorn. Been applying in Oregon since 1975. Once in a lifetime here.

Brown bear with a bow. Tried once and didn't get it done.

I'd take my son to Wyoming with me, for pronghorn and mule deer. It's a great hunt that I intend to share with him someday.

I'd be happy if that was my last hunt.

Regards, Guy

It would be pheasant hunting wild birds with my son in the plains states. I want him to experience bird hunting the way it used to be to many years ago.

Doc

I've done all DIY hunts here Colorado---elk, bighorn sheep, mtn goat, antelope, black bear.

I've got enough points to draw a high country buck but I don't know if I want to do another backpack hunt.

There is a grizzly hunt scheduled for this June in AK. It's an outfitted hunt no DIY for non-res grizzly in AK.

Desert bighorn for me. Keep hoping that I will draw before I get too old. However, I have friends who hunt lions on mules and they have assured me that they can get me within rifle range of a ram if I ever luck out in the draw.

Big Horn sheep hunt near the Judith River in the Missouri breaks of Montana. Saw some dandies there while Mule deer hunting just about every year.

Rifle would be my Ruger 77 7x57 and Hornady 154 gr InterLocks.

Float hunt the Charley River in AK.

i would take my dad, who will never hunt again on whatever trip he wants...

One more whitetail hunt on our property with my Dad and brother.

I'd go hunting mule deer in Wyoming, with my Wife. I think I would use my 350 rem mag, I have,t shot a mule deer with that yet.

Roe Bucks in Europe with my .223 or .22-250 NULA's

Something in AK with my Dad, probably caribou. If he wasn't able, dall sheep. Take my trusty Kimber MT prolly the 270 flinging150 Partitions.

Mule deer hunting in CO or WY. I'd use a .308 Win.

Another November hunt for deer (mule or whitetail) with my son and my brother. Camp in a wall tent and pray for some good tracking snow!
Rifle would be my yet to find/buy pre 64 270, either a factory fwt or a bit of a custom that about replicates one. I have the specs in my head, just need to find the rifle (and funds) to get it started.

Somewhere many, many years from now with my kids and hopefully grandkids chasing whatever they wanted to hunt.

Free range buffalo with my shiloh sharps 45-70. Old school all the way.

Nowadays, I treat every hunt as if it might be my last! Two days ago, it was with my youngest son, who had a cow elk permit. He was successful, with a little (maybe a lot) of help from ol' Dad.

If my next DIY big game hunt turns out to be my last, it will probably be a pronghorn hunt in Eastern Colorado, with my .257 Wby Mk. V.

At my age, maybe I've had my last but I'm hoping to be on Geezer Ridge again this fall. Hopefully I can call a 70" bull in close. Might even shoot him!

Having some desire to go back to a receiver sight for moose hunting.

Not sure, but the rifle would be either my .25-06 or most likely my old custom .300.

If I didn't "get to" die before I succeed, I'd pick t-rex with a BB gun.

I think, more seriously, I'd try one of my bucket list items: Oregon Cascade Range bull elk. It'd be with a handgun, not a rifle. Ruger Bisley .454, probably Speer 300 grain soft points downloaded to about 1450 fps.

Big buck with a bow, I have killed quite a few small bucks and does. I would like to get a bigun with a compound.

If it was just me, I'd do my best to talk Pat into guiding one last time and have him take me on a combo muley/elk hunt in MT.

If it were me and my boys, I'd ask Pat to take the three of us and I'd watch my boys!

It would have to be guided as per the laws, but if I was told there was only time enough for one more hunt for me.....

The Eastern Cape of South Africa would see me one last time

I don't hunt big game any longer, just chase upland birds. But, if it were to happen, I'd take my Sako Finnbear in 270 and head for the Flat Tops. Yep, that is where I'd go.

I don't have as much work wide hunting experience as some.
But I would want to be with my kids in a drop camp somewhere in hells canyon area. Up close and personal with elk buggling and fighting waiting for the one.
That would be

Of course I would be really old if it was my last hunt.

So, if I had some young relatives willing and enthusiastic enough to go with me, (probably two nephews) it would be the Gila Wilderness area in southwestern New Mexico for elk. Maybe rent some riding horses and pack mules to take the camping equipment and supplies in and out.

I think this could be a realistic goal for an aging hunter. It is far enough south to not be real cold at 6,000 feet in October.

I would use my Tikka 30-06 with 165 TTSX.

Something with my grandkids if I'm lucky.

For me it's more about who I'm with than what happens on the hunt. I got my first deer when I was 21. It ended up being the last time I hunted with my dad. He died the following spring.

My bucket list last hunt would be at our camp in Pennsylvania with my son Eric. Some folks dream big. Some of us just dream. Eric's my only son, and the only one I care to hunt with much these days. He hasn't notched a tag yet, and I'd sure like to be there when he does. If he could do it from Dad's spot high on the mountain above camp, that would make my hunting days complete and successful. Hallowed ground up there. I can see why Dad liked this spot so much. Now it's time to pass that experience off to my son.

I hope I can amass enough points to draw a Wyoming moose tag. It would be DIY and I would use a bow. I would use my 700 Ti .308 if I went through bow season without success.

If it were my last, then it wouldn't be much of a hunt, just get out and see nature. No need in killing at that point.

Not sure where, would love it to be an outdoors event with my wife though.

Sure seems like winter doldrums have set in.

Headwaters of the Omar River for caribou and cinnamon phase black bear. My Remington Mountain Rifle in .30-06.

Ed

My last hunt will be here on the ranch in S.Texas, I am sure of that, don't know what I will be hunting ?

Maybe coyotes, bobcat, maybe pigs, I have killed all the big game I ever want kill, and all the plains game,I wanted to hunt, don't care if I ever kill another deer or elk or bear.

But on the other hand I would really like to go cottontail, hunting again up where I was raised in N.W. Colorado.

I Quail hunted all week last week,wore my old ass plum out at 80 yrs old I can't walk as good as could 50 years ago, but I really enjoy watching my dogs work, and Quail, are about the only bird I can carry a pocket full of all morning, and still hunt.


I was born a hunter and will die a hunter. Rio7

A pheasant hunt in the Dakota's with my 1961 Browning Auto 5, 12Ga. If only I could resurrect my German Shorthair to go with me.

My last big game hunt would be to the extreme NE part of Saskatchewan. After a long drive to Points North landing, we'd take a single otter float plane to a river system that I know of, with my two sons and maybe another like minded person. A couple canoes and a wall tent, and wood heater, Last week of September.
I'd take my Krieghoff drilling, 16x16/7x57R and an ugly but reliable Ruger canoe paddle stainless M77 in 30-06. We'd hunt moose by calling, black bear by glassing & stalking the berry patches, and cast for lake trout and huge pike and flyfish for grayling in the mid - day periods. For variety we'd take the drilling and hunt spruce grouse and ptarmigan, and maybe pot a few ducks.
I figure a week of that would be a good way to put a grand finale on a hunting career. But I actually plan to do it a couple of times before the end.

Mine would be a return to just outside Toad River BC for goat and elk, maybe mountain caribou if the stars align, which were close in 2008.

Damn. You really gave that some thought. I want to come with. 😀

Won't be long until turkey season. I like shooting them with a bow, pigs are fair game too. I like the way they squeal when stuck.

I have 19 points for elk in Colorado. It takes 23 points to draw a tag in unit 201. I'm 69 now, so I'll be 73 if/when I draw that tag. That assumes that point creep won't make it worse. I hope I still have enough vitality to do the hunt.

KC

I'd slip out to my son's property, and sit in a ground blind with a cup of coffee and my custom Mauser 98 in 7x57 Ackley.

Mustang Ranch.

Same place I hunt every year, about 1600 acre patch in NW Pa. Been planning that as the location of my last hunt for years. Only God knows when that will be, could have already had it no hard feelings either. And definitely with the boys. But my dream hunt would be all the same but with the old man sitting just up over the hill. Thanks, now I'm all weepy 😉.

Would that be a guided hunt KC. I think i have 24 pp. I wish they were for deer, or better yet, bighorn.

My last hunt? Id like to take Zero, Hill and Bill on a nice fly in drop camp hunt in the Brooks Range. 2 week hunt with 1 week of food. They'd have knives and a cookstove of course.

Id have a backpack with one man tent and lots of mountain house. We'd only need one gun. It would be a first for them-and last, most likely.

jaguartx:

I've never been on a guided hunt. But I might consider a guide when I'm 73.

It takes more points for nonresidents but 24 might do it.

KC

Thanks KC. I had in mind a hunt for a monster with my Hawken many years ago but i have a big one and cant tell the difference between a big one and a monster now. I can though on a muley. I hate to pay several grand for a big bull hunt and im too old for that miserable backpacking crap i used to do.

Plus, i hear getting a really big bull can be a hell of a chore even in the best units.

PS. Good fortune on your quest KC. Get a monster and give us pics.

this is an interesting thread, and makes for good contemplation/reflection.

I'm in my 40's. My dad taught me most of what I've learned about Gods creation.

best part of our elk hunts (thus far) is just having my dad there. He's 63 and still able to get around pretty good. Hope that holds out for many more trips to the mountains.

in 2018 I plan to have my dad, and my son (will be 14) in elk camp.

if it gets better than that (3 generations), dont tell me about it!

I'm 68 and in pretty good shape. My 2 long time partners are 3 and 4 years older than me and both are having leg problems. Both might have seen their last season of elk hunting, possibly deer hunting, too. I might be fresh out of partners. That'll definitely be a life change for me.

For me it would have to be a mule deer hunt someplace good, don't much care if it was desert sage country or high alpine as long it was in a good area with big bucks!! And I'd likely be carrying my Remington KS .280, so far I've taken my best buck with it, like to find another bigger:)

I sure hope its not my last hunt but will be doing a solo DIY in Wyoming this year, I've got the points to draw unit 34 so will be looking for a big gnarly 4x4 muley!!

Im praying you get a gnarly 12 or 14 pointer, OM and show us the pics.

For me it would be moose / sheep / black bear in Alaska with my kids.

+1
Any trip I dream about involves my family.

I am 65 and have always been in good shape but, recently have had back issues that will permanently affect my ability to climb and walk great distances. My "last hunt" would be one more elk hunt in CO. It would be from our SO Tipi in a basecamp somewhere far off the beaten path.

I will continue hunting as long as I can, and I'm currently considering a guided NM antelope hunt from 4x4 vehicles with minimal walking involved. However, they don't say how far we might have to crawl.

Watching one of my kids shoot a moose or bison would work.

You win!

As long as it was with a bunch of my family (mostly my kids), I wouldn't care much what the hunt was.

But if it had to be DIY and enjoyable, Wyoming antelope and deer sounds pretty good.

If I can still walk and remember where I am at,I'll be your guide KC.I will only be 77 then.

I can't say much about my last hunt.Every year for the last 3-4 years,I swear I did my last hunt.