A Hunt For Gold Colour Variant Animals To Hunt Or Not

[Zambezi]

I’m curious why you only want a color variant if no one else (or very few) has it? And why the fact that these animals are being bred cheapens the trophy?

Understand that while I’m not a big fan of game breeding (though I understand its value), I’m even less of a fan of breeding for colour variants (and for horn size for that matter). I have to wonder though if you’ve hunted hard for a golden wildebeest, is it a less impressive trophy than, say, someone who shot a sable after a 10 minute walk through the bush?

My best trophies aren’t necessarily the rarest ones I’ve taken, but rather the ones For which I’ve had to work the hardest. (But I admit that when the two combine, well, don’t get me started on my Mountain Nyala!)

No hard-won trophy is cheapened, in my view, by the fact that Tom, Dick or even Harry has one, or that the animal was bred. It’s only cheapened when it wasn’t taken ethically or, in certain circumstances, if it came too easily as a result of something I’ve done, like having the animal put there to be shot (Artemis looking favorably on me and putting a nice trophy in my sights never cheapens anything).

The reason I would want a colour trophy is it would have been a rare and a once in a lifetime NATURALLY occurring piece of luck. But now that they are not rare anymore, it is cheapens the rarity.

I have no desire to hunt a colour trophy purely for the colour sake, nor would I EVER lay out the money they command. To use an analogy, a truly collectable coin is one that is rare. But a "collectable coin" that is minted purely as a "collectable" has no thrill for me.

 

[Zambezi]

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As a meat / biltong hunter I have to agree with this!... never been a trophy hunter. In fact I think that of the kabillion times I have shot something I have maybe two photos. To me it has always been about the hunt and the pot. I have plenty of scenic pics and camp pics etc, just almost zero of the kills.
So in essence, the colour doesn't matter at all so I wouldn't pay mega bucks to eat something that tastes the same.

 

[Newboomer]

I have all four of the springbok colors and I took them fair chase out of herds. We chased some of them all day before I got a shot so they were naturally occuring.

I entertained the thought of taking a golden wildebeest until we went to a farm to get permission to hunt another species. In a pasture right next to the house was a herd of about a dozen goldens just lying there like so many cows. They totally ignored us. That told me it was a put and take operation and I want no part of it. It was a breeding herd and if a hunter wanted one it would be taken out into the bush and "hunted".

I am not opposed to taking a color variant if I happen upon one in the bush and it is a species I want as long as it is wild and free roaming.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I dont like the idea of colour variants, or any other variants at all. It smacks of bling and in my opinion cheapens the entire hunting sport of 'wild' animals. South Africa is doing itself a disservice, you are already seeing a resistance to fenced hunts, now you want to fill them with handbag animals? What would Ruark, Hemingway or Selby have said?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hii everyone, I'm Phillip from South Africa.

I am a M.Sc. Zoology student at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, and I am currently doing my project on Colour Variants of African Antelope, such as Golden Wildebeest and Golden Gemsbok. Currently a Golden wildebeest is can sell for as much as 900 times (no exaggeration) more than a normal coloured animal.

I came across discussions on other forums about colour variants and thought I would ask you all what your thoughts are on the topic. PHASA and WRSA snubbed me, I suppose they are afraid that I might not get the results they want. Although so far it is very 50/50.
I would really like to know how many people would pay to hunt such animal; in South African Rand terms they are not affordable at all so currently they are basically only being bred to sell to other breeders and it seems very few hunts take place, have you hunted one before?
Taking into account that most of the trophy record books have said they will not accept colour variants or won't treat them separate from the normal coloured animals? Would you pay a more to hunt such an animal? Would you hunt one even if prices drop?

The thing is game breeders have a right (and they should) to breed with animals that gives the best return on investment (it just makes business sense), but many people fear these animals are a risk for long term survival of species (since the genetic implications are completely uncertain) and may damage the image of South Africa as a hunting destination.

I am very interested to determine what the opinions of various stakeholders are on the subject. Therefore we created a survey to determine what these opinions are. I believe hunters provide a invaluable opinion since hunters are what drives the game ranching industry.
If you want to take part this is where you can find the survey:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5QevQwTUuhNRXE0X2tEOXlGems&usp=sharing

And don't worry about protecting my feelings or anything I want your candid opinions. But remember I am not pro or con colour variants I just want to see what the situation is.

Thanks all, looking forward to seeing your responses

@Flippie
I would hunt a colour variant only if it was a natural not bred and didn't cost any more.
There are naturally occurring colour variants without breeding them and upsetting the gene pool.
Just my thoughts
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

jaco when i was at the pilansberg auction in may my jaw was bouncing off the floor at the prices the zambian sable were going for, we get a tiny percentage of those prices in zambia.....and the golden wildebeest bull calf and its mother that went for over i think R14,000,000.00. but no chance as live export of sable is against the law in zambia these days , but the rumours abound of them being smuggled out............................

@spike.t
The property I hunted in Namibia had just bought a sable ram/buck to replace his aging one and improve his genetics in his herd. He paid 15,000 dollars US for it. It was tagged so it could be identified as a non shooter.
I don't know if sable are native to Namibia or not be he had a nice herd of them.
Bib

 

[mark-hunter]

I don't know if sable are native to Namibia or not be he had a nice herd of them.

In Namibia they are native in Caprivi strip, only.

They are high value premium species, and introduced to game farms in Namibia.

 

[Gemsbok45]

I don’t care if people want to do it but I’m an indigenous hunter for sure.

 

[CBH Australia]

I wonder if there is good numbers breed and hunters are not willing to pay a premium will the pricd drop? Will they be onsold to game ranch outfitters to run naturally with only some hunters willing to pay the premium price. What im saying is will we see a big drop in the value when yhe supply outweighs the demand.
They tried Ostrich farming in Australia. Now i dont know the detail but i think they crrated a supply but there was no demand
I think the people who got in early,done the marketing or created breeding stock for the early investors probably done on within a few years the second or third wave of investors probably produced Ostrich there was no market for. I think similar happened with Deer farming.