FOR LOVE OF THE HUNT
By: Mary K. Boyle

Renee Brost has been hunting for fifteen years.  Renee is one of the owners of Cast Performance Bullet Company (based in Riverton, Wyoming), and loves to hunt, though handguns are her first love.  “I consider myself to be a handgun enthusiast.  That is why I am a part of Cast Performance.”  The point to remember with Renee is this:  “There is a difference between hunting and killing.”  For Renee, hunting is truly a sport, a practice in patience and skill.  “I like to go into the field and watch the animals’ habits, see the country they live in, learn about their habitats.  I am patient enough to wait for the one I want, even if it means not filling a tag.”

Last year,  she was lucky enough to spend time along Muddy Creek, watching the animals and their patterns.  Renee saw her buck the first day of the season, though she couldn’t get a shot off.  He was hiding behind some pucker brush.  Her skill and patience came into play, then, as she hunted him for a week.  “He always seemed to stay out ahead of me,”  Renee recalls.  “I hunted him every morning and evening.”  The days and weeks went by until it was the day before the season ended.  Renee’s patience finally paid off; she was able to push the buck out in front of her, out into an open field where she was able to get a “good clear shot at him”  with her model 77 .270 caliber.  It was a 5x7 buck.

Renee’s son Dusty was with her that day, and he got even more excited than she did.  “I remember him saying, ‘Go MOM! Yahoo! You got him!” 

It must have been a particularly gratifying season for Renee, who doesn’t go hunting just to kill animals.  She loves “the preparation, the scouting, the opportunity to be outside enjoying the scenery and the fresh air.”  She did see several bucks during her time in the outdoors, but she held out for her perfect buck.  And, as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

Renee would like to thank the Sweat and Fagan families, who allowed her to hunt on their land, making her hunting season fun and successful.

Clark Jeffs figures he has just about the best job in the world.  He is the manager of the North American Division of the world’s oldest big game hunting consultants, Safari Outfitters.  Safari Outfitters began arranging international hunts in 1952, as one of three main international hunting consultant companies who were instrumental in opening up sport hunting opportunities in African and Asian nations.  The business was sold to the late Lloyd Zeman and Gretchen Stark in the early 1980s and relocated to Cody, Wyoming.  Safari Outfitters is directly responsible for opening up new hunting grounds in Mongolia, Russia, Africa, and--more recently--Tajikistan, for the incredible Marco Polo Sheep. 

In addition to their US offices, the agency has offices in Moscow, Russia, and Mexico to serve international clientele.  Safari Outfitters has also formed partnerships with the best professional outfitters on several continents to provide the finest hunting experiences across the globe.  The services of a good outfitter are priceless, especially when arranging international expeditions; yet, with Safari Outfitters, you  pay the same price booking through them as you would dealing directly with an outfitter, and you gain the service and integrity for which this company is known.

There aren’t too many places on the globe where Safari Outfitters couldn’t take you for that dream hunting or fishing escapade. Montana, Colorado, Utah, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, the Yukon, Alaska, and Newfoundland are some favorite destinations in North American.  Or, clients could trek south a bit, and hunt or fish in Argentina.  The new frontiers for hunting are in Asia, and Safari Outfitters offers the premier dream tours.  They work with foreign governments to promote hunting as part of ethical conservation.  The Wyoming outfitter is recognized as a world leader in once-in-a-lifetime trips into Asia and the Soviet Block nations, including Mongolia, China, and the South Pacific. Clark also says Safari offers several good “starter” hunts for those who are new to outfitted or international hunts.  China’s Black Sheep and Mongolia’s Ibex are both great places to start.  African trips offer the best “bang for the buck,” with a ten day trip costing $6,000-$8,000 (plus airfare), offering the opportunity to take several species home. Asia brings the intrigue of a very different culture, along with adventure not found by the average tourist.  Mongolia is another unique destination; an Ibex hunt there can be had for a package price of just $6,500 that includes everything.  In Africa, sportsmen can take aim at such unique targets as lion, sable, kudu, hippo, Red River Hog, duikers, and more.  If wing shooting is your sport, try Argentina, France, New Zealand, Scotland, or Mexico. Of course, there are no guarantees in the real world of hunting, but many of Safari Outfitters’ hunts have nearly 100% success rates.

Clark points out that there is no perfect hunt, as every hunter has his or her own ideals.  It may be a personal thing, but sheep remain a favorite, and Safari can help organize both the Grand Slam collection of North American four sheep, or the incredible World Slam, requiring twelve wild sheep varieties collected from every continent.  These outfitters make a point of knowing what hunters want now, and providing memorable trips to match that.

Many hunters would say nothing can beat a high mountain morning in Wyoming, and the haunting echo of a grand bull elk as his bugle captures a moment in time.  But, the adventure of foreign cultures and the majesty of exotic continents, along with the thrill of stalking unusual, new beasts, can only enhance the hunter’s pleasure.  Safari Outfitters will be there with professional, honest service when you are ready to experience new mountain ranges. And think of the hunting tales you’ll bring home!