Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Choice between Africa and Alaska?

If you had an all expenses hunting safari paid by a European manufacturing firm to your choice of either Africa or Alaska what would it be? You also have the choice of a European metric caliber rifle that must be used on the trip. Along with
European scope and ammo. What would your choices be?

Alaska or Africa? (In Africa you are allowed one of the big five.) In Alaska you can take a Brown Bear, along with all the usual plains and mountain game in both countries/states.

European Rifle?
Metric European cartridge?
(You are allowed two bullet weights).
European scope, rings and mounts?

SU35:

That is easy, I am a meat hunter--Alaska for Moose, Deer, and Caribou.

Caliber: 8x57 Mauser, w/ 150 and 200 grainers.

Rifle: Sako.

Scope: Kahles 4x.

BMT

Is this rhetorical, or did you win something? I hope. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />



Africa- lots more species to shoot. (Besides, I live in Alaska).

Cape Buffalo for the big 5 species, Leopard for second choice if I couldn't get the buff.



Swarovski scope, hands down.



I'm not familiar enough with European metric designations (other than 7 X 57 Mauser) to comment. Some thing big. Probably in a Mauser action.

Africa hands down! No place has as much game or is even close to the trip you'll have in Africa. Only thing in Alaska I'm real interested in is a Brown bear and maybe a big Black bear.

Rifle would be an H&H Double rifle in 9.3 x 74 or a .400 H&H, 350 grain softs and solids, regulated to hit the same POI at 50 yards.

Game would be Cape Buffalo in the tall grass in Zambia or Zimbabwe (one of the Z countries). Leopard or Lion second on the list. And all the plains game I had ammo for. Especially a nice Sable, another Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, and whatever happened to wander by close enough to shoot.

Alaska, hands down. Only one species would interest me, a Dall Sheep. I would take a 7x57 chambered in an older Tikka M65 (or a T3 if I had to have a new rifle). Norma would be my ammo of choice, and a good light scope (Zeiss Conquest?) would be in order with some light rings (Tikka Optilok). I would also insist they throw in a pair of Swarovski 10x42 EL's and a STS 65 HD 20-60 spotting scope.

280_ACKLEY

It seems to me that you'd spend more of their money hunting Brown bear in Alaska, especially since you mention 'mountain game' which includes Mt Goat and Dall Sheep. ($$$)

But I would chose Africa personally. Make mine a Cape Buffalo and I'd chose a 9.3x62mm chambered in a classic old Mauser of some sort.

I'd have to go to South Africa, as that's where Jim hunts, and I wouldn't seem right to hunt there with anyone else.

Alaska, because we should all buy American whenever we can. A Krieghoff Herbutis in 7X65R topped with Swarovski glass, Norma ammo.



Hope I get to keep the gun afterwards. Better yet, let me have the gun and you can keep the trip....



Combo

Having worked in both places and currently as a PH in South Africa there are a few things to consider. First Africa is a Continent not a country. So you would have to see what the politics are in the country offered before you could choose.



If the hunt were offered in Botswana there should be no debate, as that is about the most game rich and expensive country to hunt remaining on our planet. I would choose Botswana first over any hunting anyplace period. A 21 day day Safari with one of the big five and "ALL" the typical plains game would cost in the 50-60K range plus. These are luxury hunts with the best outfitters on earth. This would be like going back in time to the 1800's for a Safari. Take the lion as the big five animal offered and then pay the trophy fee for Elephant, leopard, and buffalo. The Trophy fee's are cheap it's the 1300.00 bucks plus per day daily fee that kills you.



If it was Zimbabwe, Tanzania, or CAR. I would choose Alaska. This is because of the political unrest in those countries. OR the lack of a full range of species. Zim's government is unstable but they have a full range of game. Tanzania has a trustworthy government but lacks the full range of plains game. CAR has a poor range of game and a questionable government at this point.



The full range of Alaskan game is not for old fat men. If you have any physical limitations choose Africa, or if you are fit enough to make the trip now then do Alaska. while you can manage the effort. Maybe not every single hunt is physically demanding but they will very likely be if you expect great trophies.



With somebody else paying the bill the African Safari will be much more expensive when you consider all the game you can harvest during the same trip. In Alaska you have a lot of seasonal issues which will limit the amount of game you can take during open seasons on a typical 10-14 day hunt. If Brown bear is on the menu you're a long way from Dall sheep and cannot hunt and fly the same day. You will burn up lots of travel between the two. Moose, Goat, and Deer will also have different hunting dates in most units. This eliminates a full range of animals hunted in a single " typical time frame" trip.



As far as guns go, I suppose I would choose a Sako in 375HH and a Swarovski scope as the most practical hunting rifle. However using a double and then selling it off when you get home could pay for much of the taxidermy work! A double is not always a practical hunting rifle, it's more functional a backup tool. It has a massive value in the states though, plenty to cover your Taxidermy work for a full plains game safari.



(thanks Brian, that was a nice comment!)

Since I'll be hunting both in the next two years, I'll let you know.

I'll be toting my 358 Norma for Africa (no DG is on the menu)and the Alaska rifle is still open to debate.

How can you compare Africa to Alaska? On a 21 day hunt you would be lucky to take 4 amimals in Alaska. Probaly only two of those at best will be real tropies. A hunt for bronies, sheep, bou, and moose would run you upwards of $30,000 if not more... all that for 4 animals?

For 21 days in Africa you could easily take 3 to 4 times as many animals with about half of them being "true trophies"... for just a little more. It would be basically the same "wilderness" experience as alaska if not more so. At least in alaska you have a chance to make it to a good hospital...

That being said I would take a 9.3x74 with 320gr solids and 286gr softs in woodleys, shot out of a double Kriegorhoff with irons (scopes are for pusses), after Rino, then throw in as many plains game as you can kill.

Now you tell me how a rino hunt would compare to a sheep hunt? Anyone can hunt sheep and thousands do every year. Now how many people do you know that have shot rino? A sheep isn't going to kill you either!

I'd choose a custom rifle from Hartmann & Weiss (they make their own Mauser 98-pattern action) in 9.3X62, complete with a Schmidt & Bender scope.

As to the hunt, I'd choose Africa without a second thought.....

AD

I'd have to follow JJ's line of thought. If I was able to climb the mtns still, AK it would be. If the hills are too daunting I'd head to Africa. This is how I'm hoping my life pans out. I want to do the physically tough stuff while I'm still young and dumb, then take more posh hunts when I'm a bit 'smarter'! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If the Africa trip included a shot at a really nice lion, then that'd be my choice. Otherwise, it'd HAVE to be Alaska. To me right now, it's more about the hunt than the kill and because of that, I have never been all that excited about hunting Africa. I know you can make it what you want, but I have a mental hang up regarding Africa. That said, it's on my list to do before my days are done.

Now if you just want to go somewhere for the carnage, I'd LOVE to go to Australia for some of their "varmint" hunting. I was talking to Spike about this the other day. There is something about camels and kangaroos as varmints that make the sick part of me get all giddy! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

It's strange that I can read such a 100% contridiction in your post yet I fully understand and can agree with it!

"it's more about the hunt than the kill"

"I'd LOVE to go to Australia for some of their "varmint" hunting"

"There is something about camels and kangaroos as varmints that make the sick part of me get all giddy!"

These contridicting sentences above would normally not be used on the same topic, but for some twisted reason I agree with this!

Spot
Are there any parts of you that are not sick? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think I would pass on both and just sit in front of the campfire and pretend I am somewhere else <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

JJ
Along the Alaska range a number of good guides do hunts for brown bear with moderate success rates and sheep, moose and caribou from the same camps.

By moderate success on the brown bear I mean pushing 50% or a little less (WAG) in the camps I am familiar with.
art

CC, I'm trying to think of a part of me that isn't sick, but can't come up with one <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. Give me a while, I'm sure I'll come up with something <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

JJ, I agree those are 100% contradictory statements and glad that you understand and agree (grin). That'd be a fun trip, wouldn't it (insert evil laugh here).

Africa - greater variety of game, and the weather is a HELL of a lot better!

Cartridge - in a controlled-round feed bolt-action, 9.3x64 Brenneke with RWS or Wolfgang Romey ammunition. In a double, .500/.416 Krieghoff w/WR ammo.

Scope - S&B 1.5x-6x42mm, EAW rings & bases.

George

DItto what George said. No question that Africa offers more "bang for the buck" than any other place. Anybody price Brown Bear hunts lately? jorge

Africa, no doubt about it!!!
If you don't want to shoot a pile of animals, no problem be selective and search for true trophies (if you DO want a bunch of trophy room fillers, knock yourself out, you're still helping the wildlife)
Africa's wildlife is on a slippery slope and with a couple exceptions (you don't even need the fingers of one hand) all true wilderness areas which allow game hunting may become distant memories during my lifetime. Of course this is just a prediction, but based on fact NOT fiction.
The climate, and the vast protected areas + inaccessible areas make it likely that you can always save up your pennies for a once in a lifetime brown bear hunt.....
So send me to Botswana for a 90lb+ elephante (the last country where you can actually hope get one this big in less than a month) and gimme a double barrelled 9.3x74 made by a Belgian artisan and keep the scope for yourself. A kudu/sable/sitatunga would round out the trip nicely and the words 'bloodbath' or 'trophy collection' won't even arise....

Although the African plains game would be tempting, I'd have to choose Alaska, and would shoot a dall exactly 1/2" larger than 280_Ackley's just for bragging rights!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

For a rifle I would want Ross Seyfried's Blaser falling block in 7X65 with his Zeiss 3-9 on board.