I’ve been having the same thoughts lately too as I look to getting to Africa sometime in the next couple of years. Looking at some of the videos around, but not in anyway passing criticism on those enjoying their type of hunt, I just find some of it is not my scene.
I don’t need to be waitered on for drinks on arrival at camp or have my rifle packed and unpacked and handed to me on alighting from a vehicle and then cleaned at the end of the day. I don’t need a crowd around the animal when down, with hugs and back slaps. I don’t need the PH to point out the 1st the 2nd the ……. however many bullet entries.
All my hunting life, these are the things which I’ve been quite capable of doing and all part of the hunt for me personally. I suppose as the saying goes “when in Rome do as the Romans do” might well apply when in Africa and I guess there are those employed to do these sorts of things for the paying hunters.
Although I would dearly love to realise my lifetime dream of getting to Africa, I’m just not so sure that the Africa of today is what I have dreamed of.
More and more my thoughts are turning towards a return trip to the top end of Australia for another bit of good old Aussie hospitality and the sort of hunting I know. Maybe that’s changed too?