I have been toying with the idea of creating my own bucket list for hunts and trips that I want to complete in the next 10 years. I have a wide selection of hunts that I would really like to do across the world and places that I would like to travel and see before I get to old to really enjoy them physically. I wish I had the foresight to have completed a list like this when I was 20 years old but you cant go back in life so now is as good of time as any to work on a bucket list.
I have had the opportunity to hunt a wide variety of locations across the country and I suspect that I will continue to be able to hunt the rest of my life but these trips are at the top of my list over the next 10 years.
- Moose – Moose have been at the top of my list for most of my life for as early as I can remember. My parents used to take me into a restaurant that had a good sized moose up on the wall over the fireplace and I used to look at the paddle antlers on that moose and dream of having my own moose. I am thinking Alaskan Yukon Moose but I might consider an Alberta moose because I want all of that meat and its darn hard to ship back a ton of meat from Alaska.
- Elk – I have had the opportunity to guide and hunt elk in Montana and Idaho and even taken a good 5 by 5 but my dream is a bull that breaks the 350 mark and I love to eat elk and hunting them in the rut is one of the most exciting hunts I have had the opportunity to experience.
- Turkey Slam – I have had the opportunity to take several great Eastern Turkey, a Hybrid Merriam’s and so I have the Rio and Osceola left to complete and I would like to get a pure bred Merriam’s which I have the opportunity to complete here in Nebraska.
- Whitetail – My quest for a great whitetail will probably never end but my goal is to hunt three great whitetails with archery, muzzleloader and the rifle. I am hopeful that I can take these great bucks over the 160 inch mark through fair chase hunting in the next several years. I have been big or empty on several occasions and while I do not like the taste of tag soup it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make. This year I am headed to Manitoba with my friend Harry Walker and a muzzleloader to see if we can knock one of these off the list.
- Africa – I have had the opportunity to travel to Africa filming hunts and I am headed back on a filming trip again this year but it is my goal to get to Africa on my own safari to take 5 to 10 species over two trips. I am not specific on the species that I am looking for because I really only have a couple of animals that are on my bucket list while in Africa. Impala, Western Cobb, Cape Buffalo and Zebra are at the top of my list.
- Mountain Lion – I have had a couple of experiences with Mountain Lions over the past 15 years and they are amazing beautiful animals. The hunts are incredibly strenuous and almost always in deep snow and difficult to hunt. I look forward to the challenge.
- Waterfowl – I have a couple of trips in my mind for waterfowl hunts that I would like to explore. Canada, Maryland and Arkansas all come to mind as potential waterfowl hunts that are important for me to accomplish. I am not a die hard waterfowler but I would like to experience some great days in the field covered up with Waterfowl and plenty of shot opportunities.
- Ibex – Something about Ibex has always had me interested in getting to see the lands and the mountains these great species call home and getting the chance to hunt them is a dream.
- Big Horn Sheep – I apply in several states each year for a tag and each year I open up the email, check the websites and open the letters to find that I did not get drawn. I may have to start to look for opportunities in Alberta or Mexico but both of these hunts are not currently in the budget so will continue to apply for tags and dream.
- Alaskan Brown Bear – I have had the opportunity to take 3 quality bears in Canada and I would like the opportunity to take a quality brown Bear in Alaska. I have had the opportunity to be close enough to a brown bear in Alaska and getting the opportunity to hunt one would be an experience of a lifetime.
We found this great E-book filled with bucket list adventures and it inspired my own hunting bucket list. What is on your bucket list?
