What Not To Wear

By Lora Gene Young
Huntress View Team Member

As hunters we know the contents of our pack can be crucial to our hunt or our survival. What you pack on your international hunting experience is no different. This not only applies to your equipment, but also applies to your clothing.

I am not going to lecture (in this blog) about knowing your weather conditions, terrain, etc. The focus here is being culturally appropriate for the country you are visiting. There is an emphasis on visiting. Though you are a hunter, you are also a visitor to the country where you are hunting. It is only proper to show some respect to their cultural norms, especially if you plan to vacation outside of your hunting experience.

Cultural respect is not limited to those countries with widely known extreme cultural differences. For example, in New Zealand camo is not the black. You will see few people wearing camouflage to hunt and even fewer wearing it in public. If you plan on touring after your hunt, or simply visiting a nice restaurant of a nearby town during your hunt, bring clothing. If you are concerned with baggage size and weight, there are some great options in hunting clothes that are not camouflage.

KUIU offers some great hunting pants in both gray and tan. These are listed as men’s pants, but are flattering and comfortable for females as well.

KUIU Attack pants – Great on the mountain, tan color blends in in an urban setting as well. 

Girls with Guns clothing offers a great down jacket that is reversible. You can quickly go from hunting in the field with Mossy Oak to a gray suitable for coffee with the girls and guides.

GWG Reversible Puffy Jacket – Great for those cold mornings in the field – Mossy Oak

GWG Reversible Puffy Jacket – Perfect for site seeing – Gray and Pink

Having appropriate clothing is definitely important if you are travelling after your trip. Wearing clothing that signals you are a tourist can open you up to scammers and other criminals. You want clothing that not only keeps you safe in the field, but also in town. The key to packing well and being culturally responsible is good communication with your outfitter. Talk to them, and to past clients, about what is best for your hunting/vacation trip. This is your hunt of a lifetime, every minute should be safe, fun and create wonderful memories. 

KUIU Attack Pants - Product Review

By Lora Gene Young

I finally decided to invest in some good hunting pants. After talking to hunters and outfitters, especially in New Zealand, I decided to purchase the KUIU Attack Pants and put them to the test. For the past three months I have worn the pants through gorse and matagouri, up and down mountains, and in pursuit of red stag, tahr and chamois. In review, I am impressed with many points of these pants.

           -First, as a hunter in New Zealand, I appreciate the line of color options KUIU offers. Camo is not a fad in New Zealand as it is in the US and people do not wear much camo, definitely not in public. It is great to have color options that can be worn straight from the field into a café or restaurant.

-Comfortable, flexible material makes it easy stretch and reach for complicated shooting positions or climbing and rock scaling while stalking.

           -Even though made for a man, the pants fit very well and keep their shape reasonably well, even after days of hunting.

           -The lightweight material not only aids in ease of movement, but also helps keep you cool on warmer days. If the temperature, or the stalking, heat up there are zip sides for extra breathing.

           -Most impressive, the durability of the pants. After sliding down a mountain side in the dark of night without a light and with a meat filled pack, the pants had no holes and showed little dirt.

Of course, as with everything, there are draw backs to the KUIU Attack Pants. First and foremost, they are designed for men, this means the smallest size is a 30 inch waist. I am not the smallest of females and this is the size I wear, so size is a limiting factor with females wearing these pants. Secondly, also, being designed for men, they are a bit long in length. This can be easily remedied with a few hem stitches, or you can fold them up under your gaiters like I do. Finally, in dense, prickly brush, the material picks quite badly. One time through thick gorse and they aren’t suitable for church anymore, but hey, they are hunting pants.

Overall, I highly recommend KUIU Attack Pants to both male and female hunters in multiple environments and weather conditions. For more information, visit www.kuiu.com. 

Tips for Air Travel (Part 1) – Finding Flight Pitfalls – The Layover

By Lora Gene Young

A goodbye photo before leaving for New Zealand

Seasoned travelers and rookies alike, traveling to and from your destination dream hunt could be the most stressful part of your hunt. You do not want to start your trip with a missed flight or end your trip stuck in an airport on standby because the plane left without you.

There are so many things to consider I am going to break these tips up into parts. 

Part 1, the LAYOVER…

1 Layovers – No one likes a long layover, but too short is more detrimental to your travel than long.

a.  Remember, when you change from a domestic flight to an international flight, even though you are still in the US, you will have to change from domestic to international terminal. This takes longer than your usual flight change. Also, you will possibly be changing airlines; this could add time needed to find your correct terminal and gate. I always go for a minimum of two hours for a layover if I am changing between terminals, especially if I do not know the airport.

b.  Next, when you enter your destination country, you might have to make a connecting flight to another part of the country. You will go through customs at your first airport of call. Customs always takes time, especially when you are the foreigner. Make sure your layover in this airport takes that into account. Once again, allow at least two hours. This also applies when returning home. You will have to go through customs. If your port of entry is a large airport, such as LAX, there could be three or four additional planes landing at the same time. This means a VERY long line to go through customs. Then the terminal change. Possibly re-checking baggage. Make sure you know what you will need to do. Once again, I suggest a minimum of two hours, more if you are in LAX or re-checking luggage.

c.  One time when too long is really too long. With a layover over 12 hours your luggage will not be checked through to your final destination. You must retrieve your luggage, and then re-check it. Many times you cannot check-in until two to three hours before your flight. This means you are stuck with your luggage, limiting your site-seeing ability during this long flight. You also cannot proceed through security to your gate; you are stuck in the check-in area with very few amenities.

Bring some reading to keep you occupied in-flight or when waiting during long layovers!

d.  When it comes to layovers on a hunting trip, the last thing, and possibly the most important, your guns. If you are bringing guns into the destination country this will make your layover longer. Some countries require police to review your guns in person in order to approve your importation paperwork. Many times these officials have specific office hours. If your flight arrives at 6 am and the customs officials or police are not there to examine your guns until 8 am and you only have a two hour layover, you will miss your connecting flight. This is no way to start your hunting trip. Make sure this does not happen to you. Ask your outfitter about this or research the airport of entry.

Flying does not have to be stressful. You do not have to arrive for your dream hunting experience frazzled and on edge. Plan ahead, check the little things, ask questions, and most of all, just relax, you will get there, even with a few bumps in the road. Even if there are hiccups, one day, you will laugh about the whole experience.

High On A Mountain

By Lora Gene Young of GypsyNomadHunting

I stand on the steep slope of the mountain taking in the scene below. Lake Ohau looms a brilliant blue in the distance welcoming the glacier waters from the rivers that meander through the valley. I take a deep breath and inhale the cool, crisp mountain air. My heart is thumping in my chest, my mind is racing and I am giddy with excitement as we cross the thick scrub to my animal. 

This morning started the same as most mornings working for Southern Mountain Adventures in New Zealand. The kettle was on for coffee and tea, bacon and eggs in the fry pan, a hungry group at the breakfast table. I never dreamed that would be the day I would be standing next to my first tahr!

It all happened so fast. We had a few extra minutes, we had a helicopter, my boss, Croc Adams, asked if I wanted to give it a go on the top of the facing mountain, and we jumped in and away we went.

We spotted a group of bulls at the top of the mountain across from the cabin. We got in position on a flat spot looking up across a shingle slide. The plan was to get the group to run down the slide towards us. As goes with most plans, the animals did not cooperate. They ran across the ridge and behind us. I got one shot off at a big bull, but it went right over his head and he disappeared across the ridge.

One lone bull had run the opposite direction and was on the next ridge over. We radioed the helicopter pilot our plan and went to find this one. As we swung around the ridge, there he was, silhouetted on a rocky out crop. He was even bigger than the first one! He jumped over the bluff and disappeared into the tall scrub. 

We found a place to set up for a shot. We slip and slide across the shingle face and wade through the heavy vegetation to get to a good shooting spot. Many times I find myself sliding on my bum down the slope or grasping for bush branches as I step down into holes. But we have to move quickly into position.

My bull is in the brush below us. As he makes his way across the mountain face I try and get a shot, but he is moving fast and keeps disappearing in the thick brush. Finally, he turns and moves up the slope. He is within range, but he is moving away from us. 

All I see is his rear. I whisper to Croc, "Can I shoot him in the ass?"

The response, "Yes, shoot him in the arse."

So I squeeze the trigger.

We hear the thump of bullet connecting with flesh. I have hit him. But he is still running, tahr are such tough creatures. Another round is chambered. I fire again. Another hit and he slows. He is down, but still alive. One more shot and it is over. My heart is pounding in my ears. We scramble through the thick vegetation to his location. There is my bull. Full, thick mane and massive body, some of the biggest based horns I have seen.

Never did I imagine my fist bull tahr would be a seven-year-old, 12 1/2 inch with ten-inch bases! An hour later, after photos and skinning and packing the car, when we are on our way to leave camp, I realize, my legs are shaking and I am still grinning from ear -to-ear with excitement.

Croc still teases me about shooting my tahr in the the butt. I tease him about telling me to do it! He says, “Well, I didn’t expect you to actually hit him!” Guess he learned, do not tell this girl with a gun to shoot and expect a miss!

Affordable Hunting: Making Your Dream Hunt a Reality

Guest blog by Lora Gene Young of GypsyNomad Hunting

Banteng, Australian Outfitters, Northern Territory, Australia

Plane tickets, trophy fees, daily rates, taxidermy, gun permits...The thought of hunting internationally can be daunting to the hunter on a limited budget. Do not let all the details bog you down. You do not have to be rich and famous to hunt internationally. Just a few simple tips and the process becomes an achievable goal rather than a bucket list dream.

First, determine your priority. What is most important on your list? Sure you want to hunt a red stag in New Zealand and a water buffalo in Australia and a lion in Africa and… the list keeps going. Focus, which is your priority, which location or species do you want to accomplish first. Determining your priority will make it easier to set your goals and do your research.

Father/son chamois hunt, Southern Mountain Adventures, New Zealand

Once you have set your goal animal or location, research is paramount. Know what to expect. There is great power in online investigating. Look up several outfitters to get baseline prices. Talk to others who have hunted and get their opinions on quality and incidental costs. This research will give you a starting place for your budget.

Now it is time to use your resources. If you are a member of a hunting organization, go to the banquets or conventions and find out about auction hunts. Friends of the NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wild Sheep Foundation, Safari Club International, all these organizations have hunts up for auction at both the local and national levels. Get involved. Many times these hunts go for a fraction of the listed cost.

Finally, go as a group. As the old adage states, the more the merrier, but it can also mean the more the cheaper. Bring a friend or two with you. Most outfitters give group discounts on either trophy fees, daily rates or both. Plus, it is always good to have someone else involved to motivate your savings plans and celebrate in your accomplishments.

Two friends from Hawaii at the tahr cabin, Central South Island Hunting, New Zealand

Hunting internationally might seem financially impossible, but there are many ways to achieve your goal. At the end of the day, after you have climbed the snowcapped mountain, or watched your best friend stalk their dream animal or braved the outback wilderness and you look up into the heavens to see billions of stars winking at you through the blackest of night skies and you think to yourself, “Man, I can’t believe I made this happen,” it is worth every penny.

Why Hunt Internationally?

Guest blog by Lora Gene Young of Gypsy Nomad Hunting

Why Hunt Internationally?

You live in an area with abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery. You know the seasons and the terrain. You feel at home in the environment. Why should you hunt anywhere else? If you are asking yourself this question, examine why you hunt.

Do you hunt because you enjoy the thrill that comes from spotting animals in the distance? Covertly watching their movements? Imagine the feeling of spotting an animal you have never seen in the wild before. Watching tahr on the hillside, leaping and bounding over the rocky precipices they call home; red stag chasing hinds across an open field, hot in pursuit during the roar; water buffalo drinking from a billabong on a dry hot day. Hunting in new surroundings can give you that thrill you crave. 

 Maybe your favorite part of hunting is the solitude of the morning, the peacefulness of witnessing the inky dark of night release to the pink and yellow hues of dawn. There is comfort in the familiarity of the constellations that slowly fade out as the sun comes up. In another country, especially in the southern hemisphere, the constellations are different, but the feeling is the same, the stillness of dark awakening to the rhythms of the day.

Or is it the adventure? The challenge to climb the highest peak, pack out the biggest load? What better way to find adventure than in completely new surroundings? It is a whole new challenge you can never imagine. Terrain you have never experienced. Stalks in territory unknown. Scenic views that make you stop and ask yourself, “Am I really here?” 

Why should you hunt internationally? If you hunt for the experience, it is an experience like none other.  “The journey is the destination” –Dan Eldon