Guys,

I'm putting a list together for future plans to visit Alaska, Montana & Africa for various species and am interested in doing the three locations all with a Revolver as my primary hunting-arm... this isn't at-all a caliber thread, but a thread to discuss Outfitters you-guys may have used in the past that cater-to or at least promote as Hand-gun friendly.

I've done some internet searches and haven't come up with a whole bunch that specify "Handguns" as firearm options, so am turning to the forum for some direction!

All comments appreciated. Species to range from Montana Elk & Cougar, to Alaska Moose & Caribou, and African Kudu, Gems buck & Warthog... I have to stretch the trips over many years (nobody's made of money!) but these are trips I do want to see through and I want to do them with a Revolver.. I look forward to seeing some recommendations!

In Africa, it's Andrew Renton of keiriverhuntingsafaris.co.za.
I've been to him 3 times and sent several handgunners to him. He is nothing short of exceptional. Loves handgunners. Has massive amounts of free ranging game. I've taken 5 or 6 top ten game with him and nothing has been worse than #35.
I'm going to Africa next year....with Andrew Renton. Look him up. He has a special for next year-$4450 for 6 animals!
As far as the US, it's a crap shoot. The way it's worked for me: I get in to camp. The guides huddle, whisper, and point to me. Apparently the guy with the short straw gets the old, chubby geezer with the little gun (that obviously can't shoot well). By the end of the hunt when I've made usually the longest shot and dropped the animal with one shot, their perspective has changed. But up front, very few US guides respect or think kindly of us handgunners.
AS far as revolver hunting. Be prepared for a hard road. I always carry a revolver and a long gun, and would prefer the revolver. Most of these animals are very wary and getting a close shot is frustrating, time consuming. Be prepared to get skunked. My way of thinking is that I've paid all that $, spent all that time off work, and all the time in preparation, that I'd prefer to come home with something. If I can't do the 50 yd. shot with a revolver, then I'm prepared to be happy with a 100-400 yd. shot with my XP, Encore, or Contender.
With this thinking , I've been skunked on only 1 big game hunt the last 40 years.
My revolver kills have been rhino, brown bear, black bear, lion, water buffalo, Cape buffalo, nilgai, aoudad. I'm just as happy with all the other game I've taken.

In 2014 I did a hunt with Andy Renton and would certainly second the comments about him. At the time he was talking about a career change. Glad to hear he's still offering hunts.

I will keep those recommendations in mind, thanks guys. I'm a little surprised there isn't more commenting for anywhere besides Africa though... figured for sure there'd be a bigger base of hunters here (than anywhere) for laying out a good list of outfitters for handgun trips.

I actually thought it be the Cat-hunts that would be a flood of recommendations sooner than anything! Maybe still discussion coming on that. Hope so.

Welcome to the site old colt! I'd like to help but I've never used an outfitter. Good luck on your hunts, I look forward to hearing about them!

old colt, for Africa you don't need any names other than Andrew Renton. He's that good.

For lion hunting in Arizona, Dieringer Outfitters, Sam and Scotty. Great outfitter who is handgun friendly. Also grills meals over mesquite in the evening for some absolutely fantastic dining.

PH

PH, that sounds pretty good.. here where I'm from Red Willow is about the nicest flavouring a guy can get, it's used for a hell of alott'a pig-roasts and smoke-pits.. mesquite's surely excellent too! I'll look that outfit up for sure. Cat is actually about the highest on my priority list right now, Africa down the road next after that, then Alaska once I can move enough calves to cover it! The whole bunch of this could take a little while..

The idea behind me planning these trips is partially for challenge vs what rifles has been to date; I've spent my life so-far with a Bolt-gun in hand (and have had plenty success) so I'd like to go the Revolver route as well. It's partially that, plus partially personal preference by my long-stemming interest to see Revolvers & their rightful capabilities to be applied someplace reasonable beyond just a Shooting range for paperwork... I believe that-part is the part that will interest you guys the most; my intention by it is to get this done as a compilation of what's possible by Handgunner's (Hunting) and use the results as a bid to open doors to handgun hunting locally... to hopefully one day see (Canada) open up the game we hold here to handgunning like you guys South are doing.

Where I'm from long-guns and Archery gear are the staples for every bit of hunting that's permitted. Sidearms for protection under permit do exist, but the permitting isn't easily attained; and they're not at all for actual hunting* Guides, Trappers, remote forestry workers etc etc... they hold the majority of these permits here. Anyway, I think I may have a decent enough set of connections to table a movement toward Handguns (now) if I can put together a good set of personal proof that such a method for harvesting game is viable, so I want to give it a whirl. I personally know handgun hunting is viable just like you fellas all do, [the proof is plastered all over the literature & stories (we) see all the time] but so far (that) obviously isn't convincing the right people in opening doors toward expanding it... (not here anyway)

So... my hopes in the end are to stick Handgunning Big game under the limelight and try open some doors; re-write the mentality around it if you will and maybe someday see permitting for [local] handgun-hunting just the same or some similar form to what we've got on Whitetails & Bears, Cats or what have you for rifles and Bows. It's not being done this-way at the moment that I'm aware of, so if I can help it I'm going to try. My part of this is in early stages but where there's a will there's a way I figure, we'll see if I can make anything of it!! I personally think all-hunters (and everything industry related) stands to gain by opening Canada up to such a thing. And I don't think it's impossible to see this materialize if put forward correctly.

Old Colt. Didn't know your from Canada. Understand exactly where you're coming from motivation wise. We have the same problem Down Under. Can have handguns as a target shooter but absolutely prohibited from using them for hunting. I can only handgun hunt by traveling overseas to Africa etc. I have relatives in Canada and have often thought how great it'd be if they allowed handgun hunting especially for some of your big game species.

MANY YEARS AGO HERB BOBCHIN (WHO STARTED THE YO HANDGUN HUNT AND AN SCI HANDGUN HUNTER CHAPTER) AND A BUNCH MORE OF US TRIED TO OPEN UP CANADA TO HANDGUN HUNTING. WROTE LETTERS TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE UP THERE, ALL TO NO AVAIL. TOO BAD. AND JUST WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO DO AUSTRALIA WITH HANDGUNS, THEY SHUT IT DOWN.

I agree with Rey. Several people have tried to promote handgun hunting over the years to no avail. It's not like Mark, Max ,and I haven't written enough articles to show it's practical to do.
With today's political climate and few young hunters doing handguns only I feel that Australia, Canada, and Mexico are lost causes.
Let's be thankful for what we have and try to save those places.

Well boys, there's been talk by Canadians amongst even ourselves on the topic for some time as well. I've learnt the route a guy stands the best chance to see anything tabled and am going to put together what I can from-here and over the next number of years see what can come of it... things won't (ever) go anywhere if all turns silent; tell ya that much

Like has been mentioned, the current political climate (here/there;US/etc etc) is all a hoopla-show regardless how we look at it, so no doubt stuff like this is only surviving by life support right now. By all means protect what avenues there-are for Handgun hunting and real-use, but should the call come for support to try sludge this idea forward if a window opens up, I'm asking you fellas stand-by.

Once I have some material of my-own & by a few others (as canadians) I'd like to reach out to guys like you guys who have successes behind you-too and use the whole shootin-match as a bid to convince the groups needing the convincing to sway in favour of it all. I do believe it can be done, to at least some-degree of success. So stay tuned. I've had a number of PM's along with the replies here and got a pretty decent direction to go on a few Outiftters, next up is to book something and go start skinning (lol) S

Lets see what we can do.

You mentioned Moose and Caribou for here in Alaska. No guide requirement for those two or even blackbear. If you want to go after Sheep, Goat or Griz you need one and there are guides that guide bowhunters for those species so I'd start there.

Dustin Linebaugh killed a griz with handgun, you could probably find out who he used for that hunt.

For moose or caribou a guy can do some research, decide what kind of a hunt he wants (Float hunt, atv, fly in drop off, etc.) and be successful on a DIY hunt. There are "outfitters" that will supply gear and transportation, logistical support but no "guiding" . Pristine Ventures here in Fairbanks is one such outfit that provides hunt planning for DIY hunts.
https://pristineventures.com
There are others as well, some internet searching will turn them up.

Appreciate that Snyd, I didn't realize DIY in Alaska was even an option. I'm a DIY guy all around, hunt off my own stock here in Alberta regularily, line up my own hunts when good draws are pulled, have taken friends out for their own hunts where they were short of experience & resources; A to Z really. I'm happy to hear DIY moose & Caribou is a possibilty!

I-will definitely look into that for Alaska

Montana Rivers and Ridges in Stevensville, Montana