Ep.126 The Big Game Hunting Adventures Of Mark Carter.

One hunter. Twenty-one years. Twenty-nine North American big game species. That’s the North American Super Slam, and our guest Mark Carter is the first person to ever join this show that has finished it. We talk through how a goal that sounds like a bragging-rights checklist becomes a long, gritty project built on missed chances, repeat trips, and the kind of discipline most people never see from the outside.

We also go straight at the conversation that always shows up around hunting online: conservation, anti-poaching, and the real-world impact of regulated trophy hunting. Mark shares firsthand examples from places like Mozambique where legal hunting permits fund boots-on-the-ground anti-poaching units, protect massive wildland areas, and provide meat to local communities. We dig into why “taking away value” can backfire in countries where wildlife needs a financial reason to be protected, and what hunters often misunderstand about how tightly controlled some African hunts really are.

From there, Mark takes us into the travel side: how he uses Safari Club International and Dallas Safari Club connections to vet outfitters, why “cheapest” can ruin the trip you saved for, and what it’s like hunting Marco Polo sheep in Tajikistan near the Afghanistan border. We cover his physically toughest hunt (Stone sheep), his most mentally demanding hunt (polar bear on the ice), dangerous game realities up close, and a few stories that will make your heart rate climb, including a Cape buffalo encounter and a black mamba striking the vehicle.

If you care about big game hunting, hunting travel, wildlife conservation, or you’re just curious what it takes to chase a lifetime milestone the right way, this one is packed. Subscribe, share it with a hunting buddy, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

Transcript

Welcome And Super Slam Tease

SPEAKER_01 0:28

I'm so on. Rookie guide, Ken Merrill. I love everything hunting. We have doors and all things toast does. With the stories to have to find it here. Welcome to the podcast. All right, guys, gals, thanks so much for tuning into this week's podcast. It's appreciated. As always, and I'm really excited and fired up to be telling you about this week's guest. And I'm not going to give a whole lot away because we're going to talk about everything. But Mark Carter, Mark is the first person ever to be on this podcast that has completed the North American super slam. What is it? Well, it's an elite hunting milestone that requires the harvesting of all 29 recognized species of big game native to North America. He talks to us about its humble roots as a kid growing up, as a coon hunter, to be able to do something like that on a 21-year journey. It is so interesting to hear him talk about this. He tells us about its most physically demanding hunt, its most mentally challenging hunt, so much more. We also get into some other things about the importance of trophy hunting in places like Africa and how it helps employ people who most likely would probably end up with poachers, and about how it protects wildland and provides meals, meat for communities and desperate need of it. We're it's going to tell us about some close hunting calls with animals where you know he's look deaf in the eye. Also, it's been to places like near on the border of Afghanistan hunting Marco Policy, and it's going to tell us about the huge culture shock there and what it's like and just some things that he's learned from traveling around. And you know, it's helped him be appreciative of what we have here almost in some of these other poor countries. But we talk about how hunting there brings so much needed funds to that area, to that country, that it keeps these wildlands wild, and it's such an important part in conservation. He gets us some traveling tips, and uh we talk about just all kinds of things. Mark's got a vast amount of stories, and I wish I could have talked to them for 10 hours because I don't think I'd get all of them out of them then. It was really interesting. He's a knowledgeable guy, he's a great storyteller, and I think you're gonna enjoy this one a lot.

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SPEAKER_01 3:08

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Ohio Roots And Early Hunting

SPEAKER_00 5:00

My name is Mark Carter. Um, grew up in Ohio, a little town called Northampton. Um, I actually uh started hunting when I was the first time I took a shotgun out, I was seven years old. Um my parents grew up in West Virginia, and I went down there with a single shot 410 and my dad, and we squirrel hunted. And um back then, um, you know, as I got older, I got into coon hunting a lot, had coon hounds. That's when um raccoons were you know $40 for a prime pelt. And so my my high school years were were were running coon hounds. Um then I actually did take a break. I met my wife and uh worked on my education and started a family, and frankly, the the time was devoted around the family a lot. Uh still went on annual deer hunting trips and and uh you know fishing when I could and those type of things. But uh, you know, when you got three young kids and you're starting a business, it's uh you know, things are a lot tighter and different. Um but I I really started when my when my kids started hitting the college age, I was in my 40s, we had kids young, and uh started uh doing more uh bigger trips, I guess. Uh the first big trip I can think of was right around 1998, um where six of us uh went to Quebec and uh then they had a Leaf River uh caribou bird. It was kind of a do-it-yourself. Um we went up and and each shot two caribou and did a 36-hour drive, you know, one way to do that. Um and um I've just really

Why Hunting Funds Conservation

SPEAKER_00 6:50

been hooked since then. Um the you know, some of this is a little bit uh the hunting industry itself is uh and and many of us know this, is is is frankly keeps getting under uh attack, so to speak. Um, people, hunters, sportsmen, truly understand the value of hunting and conservation. Um, and you see that when you travel throughout the world. It's not just in the United States, but Mexico and Africa and Europe, um, where for some reason there's there has been a um you know kind of an anti-hunting movement kind of thing. They don't understand how that contributes to um cutting down on poaching, which I think is the number one uh uh detriment to animals. And number two, I think, is politicians that don't understand it. And then unfortunately, the uh uh anti-hunting uneducated community. Um, I've been hunting in the areas where uh there was uh heavy poaching in the past, and you can certainly see the difference. Um, you know, there's just so many experiences, and the beauty about traveling and hunting is when you get to different countries, you realize whether you speak the same language or you don't, that they're just hunters. They're just people. Uh there's no politics, there's no uh, you know, it's just just like you would on a a whitetail camp uh here in Canada or United States, it's just hunters getting along, want to have a good time, um, spend time in the field and um sit around a fire at night. And it doesn't matter where you go, whether that's in Asia or Europe or you know, South Pacific or South America. It's it's you see that when you're in that culture and in that environment, they're all the same.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, that that's one of my favorite things about this podcast is the people that I talk to from all over, and it doesn't matter where they're from, is like you said, we if we're hunters, uh, we're all similar, you know. We're big into want conservation, we want to protect the animals as much as we want to hunt them and have that ecosystem and everything for future generations.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, um, to be able to have my uh grandkids and great-grandkids to be able to to to do some of these things that we're doing right now is just so important for for all of us.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Yeah, yeah. And then too, I mean, you'd know this better than a lot of people where you've been fortunate to travel around the world hunting, is the fact that, you know, these anti-hunting groups, they don't realize that if you a lot of these countries, if you don't have a monetary value on the animal, no one cares and they're not protected. I think Africa is probably the best example of that, is if they didn't have people aren't going to pay as much money to take pictures of an elephant as they would to hunt it, you know, and then that's what that's that's the conservation right there.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

I mean, it I think Yeah, I mean there's a couple of couple of stories on just the elephant side. I hunted in um Mozambique one time with a gentleman named Simon, and Mosinbeek had stopped their trophy hunting over elephants. He got two permits a year, which he was able to hire out of those two permits, 20 full-time anti-poaching units. Wow. That dragged this whole territory. I mean, it was I I can't recall exactly how many hectares it was, like you know, 45,000 hectares, just a huge area. Yeah. And they would drag the roads. That's what they would do and look for footprints. And um within three years, they had estimated that 85 elephants had been poached off as property because without those permits, he couldn't pay for the anti-poaching units. So literally, instead of six elephants being harvested, the community using the food, 80 had been poached and just the ivory cut off. And and it's that value. And and the other thing is, you know, whether you're in uh you know uh Alaska moose hunting and you can't bring the meat home, but you're you're donating it to the community or you know, uh Canada or Africa, those communities love hunters, they realize the value when you can pull into a small village in Africa and just donate meat. Uh you I mean, you have to they treat you like a king.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

That's not why we do it, but they're just so grateful. And they look at it like, you know, why wouldn't we want hunters to come here? Yeah, protect the animals, take home um, you know, the the parts that they want, use all the food for the local communities, and uh it it's just a whole beautiful circle when people understand it.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I mean, it's uh yeah, I don't think people realize we hunters are the backbone of conservation and you know, just being able to protect these wild areas is because of what we do. Right. Absolutely. Absolutely. That's interesting too, how you got started in uh coon hunting. I'm an avid coon hunter myself, and uh, yeah, that's uh that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

Yeah, you know, it's just uh it's it's interesting. I think if you grow up in a hunting family, you're more likely to be a hunter. I I think as hunters, when you see young people that maybe didn't grow up in a family that want to uh experience that, it's it's part of our obligation, whether it are nieces or nephews or or neighbors or whatever, to take the time to take them out and let them turkey hunt or small game hunt or something so they've got that exposure too. Because unless they come from a background, an uncle, a father, or you know, um grandparent that that does it, they it's hard for them to really get a taste of what that world is like. And I think there's a lot of kids, boys and girls, that would love that experience.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely. And and uh I find the coon hunting's a great way to get new people into it because you know it's it's pretty action-packed usually. It's it's it's a lot of fun. You don't have to be too quiet or still or or anything like that. I wish the raccoon pelts were still worth uh what they were worth when you were a kid, but yeah, yeah. But uh absolutely love it. Um so Mark, I mean, so your your so your first big game hunt that was that you went on a trip for was the caribou?

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Yeah, wow. That's pretty cool. Yeah. Um, so I mean, how did it snowball

Picking Outfitters Without Regret

SPEAKER_01 13:50

from there? I mean, what uh what was probably the farthest you've traveled so far for a hunt?

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Well, I mean, play-wise, uh, I would guess New Zealand. Yep. Uh I am leaving uh next week for Australia. Wow. Um, I'm I'm trying to I'm I'm very big into Safari Club International and Dallas Safari Club. Yep. Um people get a little bit confused because they hear the word safari and think they're only um, you know, it's only gonna deal with Africa when they do a lot of conservation work for, you know, not only mule deer, whitetail, and and and things, it's also a good way just to join your local chapter. It's not very expensive, and you get to know people, and that's a good way to get references to where to where to go hunt and hunt.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

And so, um, you know, because I will tell you, I most outfitters are good people, but you're always gonna get a few wild cards out there that you don't have the experience that that you you want to have. And there's nothing gonna be more of a sour taste in your mouth where you save and save and save and and plan this big trip and it not be the right experience. So knowing people that have been to certain camps and certain places where that you know you're gonna be taken care of is is crucial to make sure that experience is good. And and you know, obviously, like anything else, cheapest is not always the best. Um it is one of the things that is is um uh it's it's really kind of sad. I I feel very, very blessed that I've been able to do these hunts and travel, but some are just getting very, very expensive. Yeah. Um, you know, uh North America sheep, especially, it just it gets a little bit crazy. Um New Zealand's not a very costly place to go, long flight. Um it's just an absolute beautiful country to go to. Um, you know, if you were gonna go to Africa, South Africa is a good place to start. Um, you know, it's not quite the same as going to uh a Tanzania or Zambia where it is uh just your true grass hut kind of things. It's a little more uh uh luxury, but you could also take family there. A lot of times they have pools and different things. Um,

Marco Polo Sheep Near Afghanistan

SPEAKER_00 16:20

you know, but uh last year I went to Katikistan and did Marco Polo Sheep. Yeah, that's an IVEX.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

That's pretty that's amazing. So um Amit, how how did you come about booking that? I mean, that is very unique and and very cool.

SPEAKER_00 16:38

Well, actually, you know, we talked a little bit about SCI. So what ended up happening was uh a friend of ours that hunted with uh um this organization and uh brought them in where they they donated a hunt to our chapter. And so what we did was uh me and my buddy uh bid it on a hunt. We we kind of knew where we wanted to be, and then the the uh loser went over and bought a hunt from the outfitter, which is you know the way I like to do it. If you're gonna buy, you know, they're they're donating hunts, yeah. Maybe not all 100%, but you've got to take care of them. So then we added Ibex, uh, Asian wolf, and wild yak. So we got both of us got all four animals. Um very interesting, you know, different cultures were totally different. Yeah, yeah. Um long flight, we did Detroit um to uh Turkey, and then Turkey right to Katikistan. And uh you paid you paid $65 to get the VIP treatment when you landed in Kotiquistan, which basically means you handed them your luggage tags. They went and got your guns and your luggage and brought it out to the truck.

SPEAKER_03 17:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

So nobody even looked at the guns, it's just the way that it goes. Um, and uh we traveled with locals, it was a long drive right next to the Afghan border, uh and uh beautiful camp, but it was at 17,000 feet.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

So uh breathing was uh certainly an issue. Yes, yeah. Um but you know it's it's something obviously you don't want to start and do your first international hunt there, but um, I look forward to do more uh to be doing more uh Asian hunts.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Yeah, yeah, that that's uh that's that's very interesting. So the yak, I mean, are the yak would they be similar to a musk ox? Would that be like the North American version?

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Yeah, a lot more hairier. Okay, uh as far as like a face and that type of thing. So what happens is there is domestic yak there they use for for uh meat and uh also milk. It's very rich for milk. Yep. So during the breeding season, these wild yak that you know who knows how many years they could have been born in the wild or those particular herds, they come down and disrupt the local domestic herd and and actually sometimes kill some of the farm animals. Um they get very, very aggressive. Um, you know which ones are wild, you can tell. There's no ear tags, they they basically bust the fence and do whatever they need to do to get in there and to breed. And so the farmers want to you know get them out of there. It's not a difficult hunt. It's uh it the interesting part that I never knew is once you shoot your yak and there's blood drawn, every yak in the area attacks the yak that's bleeding.

SPEAKER_01 19:41

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

It's like uh they take the horns and they it just like it is absolutely it makes them go wild. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

There's another bovine species, and I cannot remember which, but that reacts similarly. I I've heard of that before. That's uh yeah, just the blood, just it just kind of gets them a little wacky, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

Yeah, it's it to witness it is is again, it's just one of those things that you know you uh when you witness it is just uh crazy. And uh the Marco Polo population was huge. We probably saw a hundred a day. Really? It's just uh uh you know, obviously not all, you know, shooters is trying to find the right one. Yeah. Uh but just uh beautiful herds. Um great experience. Look forward to doing more Asia, uh a little bit more um in some of the remote um African countries. Um want to do Ethiopia and uh uh go back to the Messyland and and um Tanzania. Um so there's you know, it's always there's you know, I you cross something off your list and and if you're if you're able to, there's two more things that get added because nobody tells you about a period that you want to go to. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. But you know, and if some of the questions I get, you know, people always you know ask me, well, what was your favorite honor?

Stone Sheep And Polar Bear Tests

SPEAKER_00 21:13

What was your toughest hunt?

SPEAKER_02 21:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

You know, what for the things are some of the things you want to do? And so when it comes to the toughest hunt, I will tell you physically, it was my doll sheep hunt. Uh not my doll, my stone. I'm sorry. My stone was a seventeen ended up being 17 days. Really? Horseback. Uh you know, hit with weather and snow and uh just brutal. It's one of the the the times that uh you know, when you finally get your legal ram, you you just you choke up and yeah uh you know, look up the guide and say thank you, right? It's it's it's a with a long heart hunts. Uh mentally, um by far I think the polar bear hunt was the toughest. Okay. Just being a hundred miles out on the ice and 30 some below, and and just in you know, tent type covers on a dog's, you know, dog sled.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Uh you know, can't can't ride on a snowmobile, you have to be on a dog sled, and that was nine days, but penalty it gets a little bit uh you know just pestellant land kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

Um and then favorite is is kind of changed for me. I always thought the first time I went to Alaska, I I did a combo for Moose, Caribou, and and uh Grizzly, and was blessed to get all three, and I thought that that was the pinnacle. Yeah. And it is. Yeah. But um Dangerous Game in Africa is uh there's just something absolutely special about it. Um, leopard, lion, buffalo, you know, darting line, all those kind of things is just uh it's just something special about it.

Africa Dangerous Game Up Close

SPEAKER_01 23:06

Compare, I mean, I've heard stories about guys hunting grizzly, and then them saying like it's I mean, uh part of the hunt you hunted yourself and stuff, but what did the grizzly compare to any of the dangerous game that you hunted in Africa? Or just uh so uncomparable?

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Well, you know, it's like I think you do with anything in life, you take steps. Yeah, right? And so, you know, I did grizzly and brown, and the polar bear was extremely exciting with the dogs and stuff when it got Buena Beta. And so they're all unique experiences in themselves. But you know, I know I shot my grizzly, it was about 200 yards, uh, was feeding on some berries, that's as close as we can get. Where uh when you gotta be 30 yards away from a rhino to dart it, yeah, is it's a it's a stalk, you know, it's a conservation hunt, you've got a veterinarian and stuff with you. Um and and so that size of animal being that close is is unique. The leopard, two leopards that I've I've taken, one in uh Zambia, one in um Tanzania, both of we ended up tracking. And um it's a little interesting because the guide, the outfitter, and me all have guns. I know in Zambia what what he told me is keep your gun pointed in the air and keep your safety off.

SPEAKER_01 24:44

Really?

SPEAKER_00 24:46

So you will not hear that in the United States. They certain can. But he says they're so they're so quick, you you're not gonna have time. Wow. And then the frackers have machetes. Yeah. And that's what they defend themselves. Now, luckily, both of them we found those leopards dead, but it's it's just uh it's totally different. Um, my lion that I had shot ran in the high grass. I really felt like I had a good shot on him, uh, but he ran in the high grass. Yeah. And so they're always worried about lionesses and stuff like that. And uh, you have to be what a government official. It's interesting. He stays right with you until you wound a lion or a leopard, and then he's 300 yards back with binoculars.

SPEAKER_01 25:34

Yes, so can you talk about that? Can you talk about that a little too, Mark? Because I've heard that before that that that some of these cat hunts involve that that an official, I mean, these aren't these aren't rinky dink, everyone's just going out and shooting stuff, right? Like it's very sanctioned.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

Well, in in the two countries I've hunted uh uh the leopards and the lions at every animal you have a government official with you.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

Okay, wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

That area, that area we hunted a million acres.

unknown 26:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Okay. He had so many permits, and uh the government official is with you the whole time. So in in Tanzania and Zambia, you can't go hunting yourself. You know, you have to have a government-paid official.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

And that's just to ensure that the proper animal is taken.

SPEAKER_00 26:31

Well, part of it is jobs, right? Uh I mean I mean, obviously they got government, they've got government positions. Um but uh you know, you take like the Nibia, Nibia has 36% unemployment. Okay. Last I know. 36%, you think about that. Uh when you know, we're at 4.2 in the United States. Imagine 36. So it gets part of the local community involved, right? But um, you know, the if you draw blood, you pay for that animal.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

You know, so that tag gets punched if you draw blood. It's not if you find them, it's you draw blood, it's done. So you find them. So it is very regulated.

unknown 27:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

You know, um, I estimate uh they told me in uh Tanzania that they estimated the the nation had uh 15,000 elements are not elephants, uh lions approximately less than 50 or shot a year.

SPEAKER_01 27:34

Wow. So it's very, very healthy.

SPEAKER_00 27:37

More die of old age than anything. And they have to be they have to be six and a half years old.

SPEAKER_03 27:48

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

So it's up to the guide to uh assure that mainly by the mane on that uh particular animal. Um and then before it gets shipped to you, the government uh may uh uh uh checks the teeth and verifies. So if you get a five and a half year old, it doesn't come home like you.

SPEAKER_01 28:09

Okay. Yep. Yeah, that's uh no, that that's that's probably it's something that a lot of people don't know. So yeah, he said the government official uh they're a little more keen to back off if there is blood drawn and the cat's not laying at their feet.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

Yeah, if they know you can they they're basically they they have learned that whether it's buffalo or whatever, that they they're they don't want to be part of the action. Yeah, even though they always carry an automatic weapon. Always carry an automatic weapon. Yep. And that's really in case you run across poachers. Yes. More than anything. Yeah. But they're always friendly. I mean, people get uh start thinking about the travel and get nervous. I mean, every African country I've ever hunted, I took guns with. Uh Tatikistan, I took guns. Okay. Um the outfitters know exactly what paperwork you need. Um and if there's certain um uh travel agents that will specialize in hunters so they know exactly what the airlines need. Right. And um, you know, when you're gonna go on a really pricey hunt like that, if you can take your own weapon that you're familiar with, your own ammo, um you know, it's all it's it's always better.

SPEAKER_01 29:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Just so what when you do go on these hunts, do you have particular rifles that are kind of your go-to for the vast majority of your hunts? I I know the caliber obviously would change depending on the species, but in general, do you have like your certain ones that like this is you know, for game this size and up, this is what I'm using.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

Yeah, yeah. So anytime I'm doing dangerous game, my go-to is a 378 weather base. Okay, yeah. I got a trigger kind on top uh with that. Um it's just uh depending on so, like if you're hunting Cape Buffalo, you you'll put like an A-frame, a partition in up top, and then everything underneath the solid. Um that's really because you got one shot, yeah. You know, to try to take the heart and the lungs out. And then after that, you're gonna be trying to bust shoulders, or you know, if he does turn, you're gonna, you know, bust the hip when you hit him and that kind of stuff. Or a charging situation, you've got that. Um the leopards are you can you go down to like a three high, use a 300 weatherby off of that. And um uh have did in South Africa some with a uh pistol. It's one of the few countries you can take a pistol.

SPEAKER_03 30:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Um and and that that it adds some adventure. Yeah, it would. You know, you just gotta get closer. Yeah. I mean, I I wouldn't recommend that your first trip, but you know, um this is added challenges, right? Yeah, yeah.

Culture Shock Roadblocks And Bribes

SPEAKER_01 31:15

And then um too, like wondering of all the places that you traveled, what was probably one of the bigger uh culture shocks? Just something completely different that you were like, wow, this is uh this is definitely not even somewhat remotely close to home uh focus eaters there. Okay, yeah, I've kind of figured that out. But uh so what what was it like there? I mean, do they view hunting any differently than here? I'm guessing, is there a lot more tradition there? Uh any rituals or anything that they do? Are they superstitious with it?

SPEAKER_00 31:50

Not really rituals, mainly uh mainly it's a Muslim country, uh, which is uh very, very nice people. Yep. Uh um and and and so um you know, I not to get into the religious subject, but you know, people sometimes think that's all everybody's radical as Muslim. That is simply not true. Same with uh uh Kateistan is mainly Muslim, but just just down the earth, nice people. The the culture is the the there's no money. Okay. Those countries are dirt, dirt poor. Uh when we were going to from the airport to camp, it was a 15-hour drive. So it's a long drive. Yeah, yeah, lot of uh uh roadblocks. And that's because you're bordering Afghanistan. And I noticed the driver would take our passports every time, go in, come back out a few minutes later. And uh the outfitter I booked with was English speaking, uh, but from Moscow. And I said, What is he? What is he doing? And I said, Well, he's got to go in and show your passports and buy them. Okay, yeah. And he says, No, it's two bucks.

SPEAKER_01 33:13

Really?

SPEAKER_00 33:15

So we probably stopped, I don't know, ten times on the way in and ten times on the way out.

SPEAKER_03 33:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:26

I mean, they just that's how they make their living.

SPEAKER_03 33:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:29

And it's it's normal. You know, we would look at that as you know, bribing the police, and they just look at it as that's how they make their living. That's business. Yeah. That's business.

SPEAKER_01 33:40

Oh, okay. So that yeah, yeah, that's interesting. I kind of figured that when you said they were going in. I was starting to think that in my head, like probably paying broads, because that's huge in most a lot of a lot of countries, I think, really.

SPEAKER_00 33:54

Yeah, I was uh I flew to Zambia uh was running really tight just from the hunt and got hung up a little bit. The outfitter's wife had called the airport, told me we're coming, and uh got to the airport, two officers waiting there for me, uh rushed me downstairs to get my gun checked in. And uh he's basically after all that was done, he said, Do you want to make this flight? And I said, Yes. And he rubs his two fingers together. So I gave the two cops 20 bucks each. And they were happy as could be.

SPEAKER_02 34:31

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:31

You know, and and again, that's just we look at it like that's a dirty pop, and in those countries that's not the case. That's how they feed their families. Yeah, yeah, it's different.

SPEAKER_01 34:40

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, no, I I've I've heard of that. Yeah, that's uh that's interesting. Oh well, I mean, speaking about this, uh, you know, you you were hunting in a country that's bordered Afghanistan and stuff. Have you ever been hunting somewhere where it got maybe a little sketchy, like were you ever kind of like uh I don't know, that feels a little off, like just were you ever worried for your safety or anything, uh regard not concerning the animals itself, but just the area you were in?

SPEAKER_00 35:12

Well, well, uh Mosenbeek when I had went there uh the first time just finished the Civil War. Okay. And uh and so they indicated it was pretty it was safe, you know, that the war was over, but there were still pretty high tensions.

SPEAKER_02 35:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:33

And um I was supposed to get my visa when I landed in this little airport in Mozambique. Well, Mozambique speaks Portugal, and I don't speak uh Portuguese. And uh my uh guide was late getting me, getting me. And so I got off the airport, go to the customs area, hand in my passport, and they start speaking in Portuguese, and uh and the tone kept getting higher and higher and higher, and I'm trying to explain I'm supposed to get my visa here. Well, the next thing I know, I'm in this little 10 by 10 room with no windows. And about 10 minutes later, my my guide showed up who spoke Portuguese, and they took my picture and I got the visa. And then he said, Whatever you do, do not take pictures of any police, any military whatsoever. And um that was uh, you know, I I don't really think there was any point that I ever felt like I was in you know high danger kind of thing. Yeah. Um I think most of those scenarios run when people run across poachers. Okay. Um because you know, it used to be, and I don't know if the laws change or not in in Botswana, that that the reason there's so many elephants in Botswana is 145,000, and the country can only support about 50,000 is because poachers can be shot on site. So there's hardly any poaching in Botswana. Yeah, it's a good determination. Where you go to yeah, where where you go to some of the other countries where poaching is more uh you know, kind of acceptable. Not acceptable, but um they're they're much more lenient.

SPEAKER_01 37:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:25

But the lenient part is, you know, three years in jail. Well, if you if if hunting parties run across them, that's when you know bad stuff happens. Yeah. Right? Because they just don't want to be caught.

SPEAKER_01 37:39

Yeah, yeah. That um huh. So you had you ever had hunting there, had you guys have you ever been near poachers? Had you guys like uh came across a fresh kill or anything like that, or or is most theory theory?

SPEAKER_00 37:54

Well, in in Tanzania we did run across an elephant, uh, but we don't think it was poached. Uh we think it just died of of age. It was tussless.

SPEAKER_02 38:03

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

Um they did catch uh uh they did catch a a honey poacher. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:11

It seems really weird. Yeah. But apparently Tanzania honey is very valuable to sell. So, I mean, literally, they hike in from a long ways, and when they do that, they gotta have stuff to eat, so they're killing animals, and and they did catch uh a honey poacher, and um uh I I think the guides gave him uh a stern talking to. I probably shouldn't. And then it was he was he was a young enough kid, but it was like they put the the fear of death out and took him and took him back to town, and uh, but you know, if they would have been caught, you know, with an elephant or something like that, then that wouldn't have happened. Right. Yeah, they would have been they would have been calling the authorities and that type of thing.

SPEAKER_01 38:59

Yeah.

Snakes Trackers And Camp Life

SPEAKER_01 39:00

How um have you ever run across, speaking about dangerous things, have you ever had any close calls with with uh snakes?

SPEAKER_00 39:10

Um I we this was also in Tanzania. We had a black mamba that we were driving the Jeep, and literally they stand up and he was striking the vehicle. Oh that's we were rolling the windows, the guys in back, the tractors and stuff in back were just um you know, kind of screaming like teenage girls, yeah, and uh get out of the way. Uh I did see a green mamba one time, but it was in a tree. Uh, but besides that, really, um, those are my only two uh encounters.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

Well, the the black mamba, so those listening that don't know, the black mamba is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. And um so it it was strike, it was up, it reared up and was striking the vehicle.

SPEAKER_00 40:04

Yeah, he was hitting the vehicle.

SPEAKER_01 40:06

That's I'd be scared.

SPEAKER_00 40:07

I hit him like three or four times, very, very aggressive. Yeah, and I I think he was just right on that road edge and the vehicle bothered him, and he just went crazy.

SPEAKER_01 40:16

Jeez. Yeah. Wow. And if you guys were walking, I mean, how they're they're quick too, aren't they? Like really fast.

SPEAKER_00 40:25

They are, they are. Um the but mainly you are maybe not the last person, but there's tractors in front of you, then your then your guide, and then you, and then maybe a guy behind you. So um I don't know if that's good for the tractors or not, but they're gonna run across that if I follow them well before I do. But they are such a tough. I mean, um, again, this was Mozambique. They didn't wear shoes.

unknown 41:04

Really?

SPEAKER_00 41:04

Literally, I had to stop, I had to stop multiple times to pull thorns out of my boots. Yep. And they didn't wear shoes. And I was asking a guide about it, and you know, he was just saying, I I buy them pairs, they just won't wear it. That's just their nature.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

Boy, their feet just be tough as rawhide.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

It would be. And then again, the way that they the what they eat and their their culture, um so I remember we shot a couple baboons, we were using them as bait for some small cats, and um one of the trackers came over and asked for one of them. And literally what they did is they made this fire pit, made a little spit with a stick. They put the baboon through the mouth and out the other end, as you know, kept the guts in it, the fur on it, and just cooked it.

SPEAKER_01 42:02

Really? That had quite a smell.

SPEAKER_00 42:06

Well, they that was what they did. And you know what? Happy.

SPEAKER_02 42:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

Yeah. Even when you cook a um the poor areas, it it you see that, and sometimes you're you see kids running around, your heart breaks. But sometimes it's just they're the happiest people you ever want to see. The people are yeah, I mean, you know, it's part of maybe modern society where we get spoiled, you know.

SPEAKER_01 42:32

And um, so yeah, you like yeah, that's the thing. Some people that have you hear about that in those countries, the people that have the least are sometimes the happiest. They don't know what they don't have.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

That's true. I mean, no electricity, uh, you know, and um they don't know about today's news. They're not concerned about politics. They're concerned about, you know, eating putting food on their table and taking care of their family, and that's it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:02

Yeah, yeah. It'd be uh it'd be humbling, I guess, to to see things like that and then you know, realize what we take for for granted. But uh also as far as have what's the cloth have you had I'm sure you've had a few, what's the closest call you've had with with animals this time, with hunting hunting them, where it's like, boy, that was that was close.

SPEAKER_00 43:25

Uh K Buffalo.

SPEAKER_01 43:26

Okay. Yeah. I've heard I've heard the pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 43:29

K Buffalo and a believe it or not, a bush pig.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:32

So a K Buffalo got a good shot on him, but you know, they sometimes they'll just take a lot of lads. Um he went about 75 yards and got into some really thick brush on like a big anthill. And I could just see, we could just see part of his body. And uh the outfitter says, Well, whatever part you see, we need we need him out of that bush. So, you know, try to squeeze him. One off him to see if we can't get him to stand up. I did, and he basically, I I don't know if it was a bluff charger, he just happened to not know where he was at, but he ran within 15 yards of us and before both me and the outfitter unloaded on him. Wow. And so that was one. Um had another situation where uh Bushpig and you know they have they have uh truss where we had tracked him and the tracker came up at point and said he was right there. So we just kind of moved in and just made a uh bad mistake when it in thinking he was dead. And then the the outfitter said he's breathing, get another shot at him. About that time, I was getting ready to pull my gun up, and he he actually hit the barrel of my gun as he went past me.

unknown 44:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 45:02

Uh and so uh, you know, you get things like that, but that's just it, it it was uh, you know, it just gets the adrenaline going so much. Yeah, and like I said, tracking the cats, you know, you don't know if that's gonna be a close call or not. I mean, you you think you made a good shot, but when you're following blood trails and and with the leopards, they like tracking them at night, which I know seems a little bizarre, a little bit, but it's because they can see the eyes. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, if they can't see the eyes, they can blend in so well in the grass that they they could just you know be right on them. And so, um, you know, and I told you the story about the outfitter just saying, you know, safety's have got to be off and just keep it pointed straight in the air. Yeah, and that's just kind of how quick those things happen.

SPEAKER_01 45:56

Wow. Yeah, I mean so cool. Um out of all the like of all the places that you've hunted stuff, what besides the Marco Polo sheep and you know, the animals on that hunt, what's a really unique animal that you've hunted that a lot of people might not have heard much about?

Chasing The Elusive Red Brocket

SPEAKER_00 46:15

Well, I just got back from my fifth trip trying to get a red rocket in Mexico in the Yucatan. A what? It's called Red Brocket.

SPEAKER_01 46:25

Red Brocket. I've I have not heard of that. That is unique.

SPEAKER_00 46:29

So uh I'm trying to get the Rex Baker 40. So I've you know got the North America Big 29 that everybody hears about.

SPEAKER_01 46:36

Oh, you do, okay.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

Wow. Rex Baker has got the Rex Baker 40, and it just came out with the Rex Baker Super 50. But one of the animals, so I'm at 39, I got one left, and I've been trying to get the red brock. So this is the I've shot the gray. I actually got two grays. The red, in my opinion, is the toughest animal, if not in the world, the toughest animal uh in definitely North America.

SPEAKER_03 47:08

Really?

SPEAKER_00 47:09

Uh it is very elusive. Yep. They're in the jungle. Um, you basically hunt out a hammock in the tree where they build a platform. Yep. Um, and so you're looking a certain type of year a year, usually about April, white flower blooms. And they love that as like a delicacy for them. So you're trying to find those fresh blooms, you know, and set up there. And so uh seven-day hunts. Uh sometimes you're sitting out all day, 90 degree weather. Um I just got back from my fifth trip and ended up with tick fever, and it was down for three weeks. And uh they have this little tick that's the size of like a needlehead, that's small.

SPEAKER_03 48:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:03

So it looks like a freckle when you don't even realize you were missed. Yeah. You come back home, and about a week later, all these red stocks started showing up on my body. About 50, about 50 of them. Yeah. And uh my buddy who I went with ended up in a hospital with unantibiotics. I mean, it's uh it it sounds horrible, but but in reality, when you're in a jungle like that setting, and you see the toucan birds, and you see the jungle birds, and you know, which I've harvested the legal jungle birds, um and and you got monkeys swinging above you, and it it's a very, very unique setting.

SPEAKER_03 48:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:44

And um then um I know Craig Bonnington went eight times to get his. Yeah, they're small jungle deer. Yep. Um, so you know, they're only I'm gonna say 30 inches tall and single-horned on both sides. Yep. Um and uh, you know, any there's a there's a saying there, any brocket's a good brocket.

SPEAKER_02 49:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:20

But you're not you're not trying to shoot the biggest brocket in the world. If you see a male brocket, you shoot it. That's how tough they are. Um and um and so that's uh I will end up uh doing a six trip to try to get that one um next April. So you you know, anybody that wants to look that up, there's a gray brocket, yeah, which is in the jungle as well, but more in the firmlands towards the north. But the red is the only one that's down in the thicker part of the jungle.

SPEAKER_01 49:56

And that's they're all in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico?

SPEAKER_00 50:00

Yeah, in that area, yeah, towards Belize. Okay. Um in that area. There they do have a population in Argentina, uh, but you cannot import them from Argentina.

SPEAKER_01 50:13

Oh, okay. Um, yeah, you you nailed that, you nailed the answer to that question because that's that is unique and very cool. So, Craig Boddington, he was eight times to successfully get those.

SPEAKER_00 50:27

That's that's my understanding.

SPEAKER_01 50:29

Yeah, yeah, that that is tough. No, I've I've I've not heard of that. I've I've got an idea of what they look like. Um because I think it's now some of them in that family have little teeth that you can see, don't they?

SPEAKER_00 50:41

No, you're thinking of like the Chinese water buck in England or the Hangzhou.

unknown 50:48

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:50

Okay. So these ones, yeah, I'll have to look that up after. That's uh that's that's pretty

Finishing The North American Super Slam

SPEAKER_01 50:55

neat. Uh so you have completed the the North American super slam?

SPEAKER_00 51:00

I have. Got the sheep slam as well. Um, like I said, I'm one away from the Rex Baker 40, and then I've got five of the animals to make it to the 50. So they added some animals. They don't count for the 40, but they'll add for the 50.

SPEAKER_01 51:15

Wow. So I mean, what was it like completing that uh milestone? I mean, when you got what was the last animal, I guess, and then what was the feeling like when you're like, you know, because that's that's that's a massive accomplishment.

SPEAKER_00 51:30

It is, it is, and it was just uh, you know, my first animal we talked about in 1998, yeah, was you know, it now you cannot uh hunt that leaf river herd, right? Um but uh was that animal, and I completed it in I believe 2019.

SPEAKER_01 51:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 51:51

So 21 years. Yep. You know, but all the animals you don't get on the first shot. No, right? And you you it's not like you you can do that. Now the the Roosevelt Elf on Vancouver Island was my last animal.

unknown 52:04

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 52:05

And um I did have too much bourbon that night.

SPEAKER_01 52:08

Yeah, well, you you earned it. You know, that's uh that is that is an amazing I I'd say, you know, that's the pinnacle of big game hunting accomplishments is the North American 29.

SPEAKER_00 52:22

I I think it is. I think it totally is. And I think when they've added um, you know, like like I mentioned, the Rex Baker 40, it was to take the guys that had got the 29, it's a smaller group, and give them something else to shoot for.

SPEAKER_02 52:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:36

You know, um, and uh that was I don't know. Every time they come up with a word, it cost me a lot of money because I kind of like to do that, right?

SPEAKER_01 52:49

Yeah, but I mean I I I ful I have a little better understanding too of how much work was involved in that because I'm currently uh in the middle of reading Tom Miranda's adventure bow hunter book on his completion of the North American Super Slam. And you know, he he goes on to tell about it's it's it's a big deal. It's a big deal. It's very difficult uh to get that many animals and just a lot of traveling and a lot of time, and like you said too, you you're not getting them the first trip you go on.

SPEAKER_00 53:20

No, and it it's not just the cost of the hunt, it's it's the of course tips, it's airfare, it's time off work, it's uh you know, to get the animal shipped back, the trophy, uh, the gear, the trophy, um, you know, taxidermy work and all that on that. And you know, the guys that have did it with a bow, especially Tom Miranda, who had a film crew with him, yeah, is is just above and beyond. I I did uh have a film crew on one of my hunts, which was my Thule Elf in California.

SPEAKER_02 53:55

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_00 53:55

And just that hunt itself is uh that was filmed was um it's all it's interesting because you got so many people around. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 54:07

That that many more people to uh conceal and keep quiet and you know, more swinded, every everything.

SPEAKER_00 54:14

Yeah. And then and then get into bowl range with that, it is uh astronomical feat.

SPEAKER_01 54:21

Yeah. So um when you did the North American Super Slam, did you did you intend on doing that or were did you go on so many hunts and realize, well, I've halfway there, I might as well shoot for it.

SPEAKER_00 54:35

I mean, yeah, I mean I probably was at 12 or 13 and said, you know what, this is doable now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh I when you first start doing them, you uh I never you know never dreamed that that that that was that was ever gonna, you know come to come around. Um and I and I mentioned this earlier. It it is the the saddest thing about this right now is the the amount of money it takes. Yeah. So people that that um you know it would cost me twice as much to do it now compared to what I probably three times as much compared to what it did when I started. Yeah, that it just takes, you know, um hunters that that don't have that financial capability. So I mean I feel blessed, but I do feel bad that the average person is gonna have difficulty ever achieving it. And it and it has nothing to do with the work ethic, it has never nothing to do with uh you know the love of the sport, the love of the animals. It just has to do with the pocketbook.

SPEAKER_02 55:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 55:48

And that's a shame. And that's a shame.

SPEAKER_01 55:51

Yeah, but I mean, yeah, that's the way it is. But um I mean, yeah, think about how much you know, you you talk about the cost, but I mean, and it it does you know separate who can do it and who can't a lot of times, but also just the mental and physical toughness that you have to possess to be able to do that. And I mean, the amount of conservation that you've contributed to in the hunting of that many species in North America uh would be would be huge. All the guides that you paid in, you know, the outfitting business and uh just the money that's gone.

SPEAKER_00 56:23

Donated food and stuff. You know, I mentioned Oost in Alaska. I mean, really economically, it just did not make sense to to shift that back. I mean, we packed the whole thing out and uh uh gave it to um the the local village.

Gear Systems And Travel Strategy

SPEAKER_00 56:40

And they were just as happy as could be. Yeah. And so you're absolutely right. Absolutely right.

SPEAKER_01 56:47

Uh when when you go on these big hunts, I'm curious about how you get your gear ready. I mean, obviously it depends on the hunt, hot weather, cold weather, etc. But what's kind of your process for getting the gear ready?

SPEAKER_00 57:00

Do are you in a lot of contact with the outfitter, and I'm telling you, or well, obviously, as you mentioned, it depends whether you're going, you know, I'm gonna go to Australia. It's of course they're summer because they're south of the equator, right? So it's it's gonna be in the 80s, low 90s. So uh, you know, I've got a sets of gear for for all the warm weather type stuff um to be um, you know, so it it part of this is you don't go buy it all at once, right? You're just I'm going on a warm weather hunt. Yeah, this gear and this gear. Next time you go on a warm weather hunt, you realize you want a couple more things. Same thing when we go to a mid-weather work. I always try to pack several weeks at a time because um undoubtedly you'll get to something and you'll realize, well, you know, I should like this trip is 15 days, and I'm not gonna have laundry service. Where you go to Africa, you have laundry service. I mean, those the the locals do your laundry every three days, you know, three days. You only need three or four pairs of clothes. Yeah. Well, you go 15 days somewhere and there's no laundry service, well, and it's 90 degrees, you're gonna be wanting to change all the time. So you got to back extra gear and those type of things. And then, you know, depending whether I'm gonna be shooting prone on a mountain or I'm gonna be shooting in grass areas, what type of sticks I take. Yeah. Uh you you know, in this particular Australia, I'm not gonna use a spotting scope. It'll be more thicker cover, so just good binoculars. Um, you know, so and then you you you kind of prep on what you're gonna wear to the airport and what you're not. I try not to wear hunting clothes when I check in or or leaving the airport. I just think sometimes you I really have never had that problem. I just think that sometimes when you it it kind of stands out to customs when you say, you know, you're dressed in all camo type things, right? Um that it it's just something to potentially avoid. So typically just wear you know casual, regular clothes. And a lot of times when I'm asked at customs and different things, you know, what were you here for? Vacation, which is true. Yep. Uh, you know, it's just and you you do things like global entry in the United States, um, so you get easy in, you know, clear and pre-s TSA pre-check and all those things just to make your travel experience as easy as you possibly can. Um, you know, um but you you do have a routine, you know, you got a bunch of different backpacks according to what you're doing, and uh a bunch of different boots, and you just add to it every hunt you go, it seems like.

SPEAKER_01 59:46

Yeah. Uh well, talking about the travel too, uh do you have any advice for people that are looking to uh get in, you know, on some outfitted hunts and do a little traveling? Because to it seems intimidating depending on where you're going and things like that. And if somebody that's not used to a lot of travel, do you have any little advice for those people just to make it a little smoother?

First International Trips Made Easier

SPEAKER_00 1:00:09

It seems, you know, the first couple times you do it, it seems intimidating and it seems nervous. But you have to remember those people at the airport are used to seeing people with guns. Uh, or if you if your first experience can be, you know, I didn't, I didn't I'm not traveling to Australia with my guns. I didn't travel to New Zealand with my guns. Those are two countries that are are pretty strict, and it's just easier to use the outfitter's guns. So if you're using somebody else's guns, that obviously makes it a little bit easier. Every time I go to Africa, I do take my own guns. Um, those are just high-end hunts, and I want my own equipment. Yeah. Um, never a problem. That's you know, that's a big source of their revenue, and it is not a problem. They're happy to see us. Um yeah, they're happy to see us. Um, you know, the biggest thing is if you have guns when you come back to the U.S., your first stop is where you're gonna cure customs. Um, besides Canada, you clear customs in Toronto or Edmonton or wherever. But uh your first stop, you gotta make sure you got about three hours between your flights in case there's a long line. You know, like a lot of the African flights for Delta land into Atlanta, and there's a wait there for customs to get the guns and stuff out. So that's where you want to make your connections um uh farther apart. Uh, but your outfitter will have connections uh as far as everything you need for paperwork and stuff to do. Once you it's like anything else in life, once you do it a couple times, you know, it it feels like public speaking the first couple times and then it's natural.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:50

Okay, yeah. Yeah, so just uh go on lots, go on as many trips as you can and you'll feel right at home in the airport. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:00

Yeah, and a good way to do it if you haven't ever hunted internationally, is you know, start small. Yeah. You know, go do planes game in South Africa or go shoot a red stag in a uh in a tar and chamois in New Zealand. Um it it's those aren't, I mean, they're expensive, but they're not huge dollars, right? So you you know, get a get a feel for it. Um that that'll that'll help a lot. Um most people don't take their first international hunt to go do liner album. Right. You know, that's that's after you traveled and got the experience. You know, uh, I probably wouldn't do Asia the first time because the culture is so much it'll be a little bit um it'll be a lot different.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:51

Where if you go to New Zealand and South Africa, your outfit is gonna talk perfect English.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:58

Yeah, yeah. I mean, all that stuff, yeah, huge, huge difference there too. And I imagine Mexico is probably uh besides being in a jungle, uh, pretty straightforward though, as far as the language and stuff, was it?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:12

Well, I don't speak Spanish or very, very little. But did they speak Spanish English? Yeah, the outfitter almost always speaks English. The guides typically don't.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:22

Oh, okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:23

So you have to get your the because they're local guides, you just have to get your lingo down before you go out.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:32

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:33

And this is what I this is what I want them to say is yes and no. Yeah. You know, uh I don't want no shoot, yes, shoot, because we hear that word shoot, you know, I want them to say yes, and I want them to say no.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:50

Okay. Yeah, well that's that's good. Yeah, that's fair.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:54

Uh you know, keep it as simple as you possibly can.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:59

Um but you know, it's um I I I I hope um, you know, some of your guests that are listening to this, you know, learn something about it and were able to take that knowledge and expand their hunting world. It also expands your culture. Um you realize how blessed we are in North America, uh, not only United States and Canada that have the freedom that we have, uh, the things that we have, and it really makes you appreciate uh uh life and to see how other people live and eat something of everything you shoot.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:54

It will seem strange. You know, when I shot my hippo, we had hippo tail soup. Yeah, it was darn good. Really, you know. Um, you know, they did the testicles as an appetizer and they did tried it in something and then a dipping sauce, and you never would have known. I mean, it they are it's just you you gotta try stuff that you never thought you would try before because you you would be amazed the things that um uh are are are good, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:28

Yeah, no, that's that's great

Australia Plans And Final Advice

SPEAKER_01 1:05:30

advice. Um so uh your Australia hunt, before we wrap this up, because I know you're a busy guy. Uh what what are you uh what are you hunting there? Because I'm currently working on we've got another trivia night for the podcast coming up, and it's gonna be Australia hunting trivia. Um I'm learning a lot about it. It's a very cool and unique uh place as well to hunt. A lot of deer species there, I was surprised about.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:56

Yeah, so I'm actually going to go to Mackay first and do the deer some of the deer species. Um so I'm gonna do the hog deer. Yep. Um, I'm also gonna do a Rusa there, and um we'll see if I'm gonna have time to do the sandbar or not. Um, but because I'm only there about three days.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:22

And then I go back to Bismond and I fly to uh Darwin, where I'm going to do Buffalo, I'm going to do Bang Tang, I'm going to do uh Ferrox. I don't know if anybody um knows about those, but uh you know they've just been wild for their whole life and and they like uh uh taking them out because it just disrupt everything. Yep. And hoping for some a really, really big pig. Because supposedly that area has really big pigs. So those are four animals on one who's there, yeah, and then Macai, two or three of the deer species. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:57

That'll be uh that'll be an adventure. That uh yeah, that'll be super cool uh and busy.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:05

Yeah, it is. Uh I guess that's the other thing I would tell people is as much as you can, try not to rush your schedule when you travel. It's just like uh I know guys that have gone to Spain and there's four Ibex period uh speech subspecies there, and they try to do all four, and it was just too much, you know. So you gotta make two trips. Do two, one trip, and then go back and do another two. Yeah. Because if you make it like, you know, to me a hunting, it should be all uh enjoyable, it should be more like a vacation outdoors. And if you feel like you gotta jump in a car and drive and do this, this needs to be done this day, and we've got to be here this day, and that kind of thing, it gets to be it gets to be too much.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:44

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, gotta, you know, realize why you're there. You're there to enjoy enjoy the outdoors and nature and good company and have some beautiful scenery. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Um, well, Mark, I I really do appreciate you taking the time to uh to talk with me about this. This was incredibly interesting, and uh I wish you all the best luck on your uh your Australian adventure. It sounds like it's gonna be uh an amazing experience.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:14

Well, thanks so much, Ken. I was enjoyed chatting with you and and uh I'll be listening to you.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:20

All right, perfect.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:21

Appreciate it. Thanks. Thank you. Bye bye.