Big 5 question

[PARA45]

Not sure if I'll ever be able to complete a Big 5 hunt or not, but a man can have dreams and goals. LOL.

Does the Big 5 have to be all males, or do females count? I've seen elephant cows deals on here, and was wondering. For the record, I hunt because I love to hunt, and I don't care about measuring anything. My hunts, my experience, my memories, and my trophies. Simple.

Thank you!

 

[Fatback]

Interesting question. I am by no means an expert but I would not see why not. The females of all of the Big 5 can end you just as easily as the males. I’m interested in hearing what those with more experience have to say in this topic.

 

[ActionBob]

In my opinion, that is up to you. Officially I have no idea, I've never hunted for a record book so never bothered to check. Back before the ban on importing CBL lions, i.e. males were much more expensive... people were shooting cull females so they had a lion but at lower cost.

I know some even big name hunters have taken smallest lower cost males just to complete their Big 5 so I don't see the difference if you take a female. I would count a tuskless cow in the Big 5 if I had chosen to hunt one.

 

[grand veneur]

In my opinion, this primarily refers to males, which also traditionally appear in pictures of the Big Five. Strictly speaking, the Rhino also should be a Black Rhino. The term Big Five seems to me but somewhat outdated and is now above all used for photo tourism in the NP.

 

[ActionBob]

One could do a Buffalo cull cow, female cull CBL lion, tuskless elephant, dart a rhino male or female and only really have to spend big money on a Leopard. You'd have the experience of a Big 5 hunt

 

[Firebird]

-and female leopards are a firm NO almost everywhere. But I do understand your question was aimed elsewhere

 

[Frederik]

What about a own use bull elephant in Caprivi also not too expensive and you have a chance to hunt an old bull with broken or bad tusks and even get replica ivory made.

 

[Rare Breed]

Not sure if I'll ever be able to complete a Big 5 hunt or not, but a man can have dreams and goals. LOL.

Does the Big 5 have to be all males, or do females count? I've seen elephant cows deals on here, and was wondering. For the record, I hunt because I love to hunt, and I don't care about measuring anything. My hunts, my experience, my memories, and my trophies. Simple.

Thank you!

They do not have to be all male animals. Having said that my big 4 have all been males as will my final leopard i will hunt july 25

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Not sure about officially, but if you’re not entering it in the records or documenting it for an award I say what difference does it make?

Is shooting a whitetail doe not deer hunting?

There have been some great deals on Cape Buffalo Cows, Tuskless Elephants (normally cows), Lionesses (CBL and Wild), and older Rhino Cows (including green hunts for them). Never seen a female Leopard offered and it’s the opposite from my experience. If you want to hunt a Big 5 animal and can only afford a cow or female of a species I say book it, go, and tell us all about it. Just be careful, you’re going to want to go back for another.

 

[ActionBob]

I'm quite sure that female leopard are off limits everywhere. Unless there are confinement bred ones I don't know about.

I may or may not hunt a tuskless elephant some day... but I've got the Big 5, all good males, all kill hunts. Buffalo x3 and lion x2.... So far But I sure wouldn't begrudge anyone for claiming the Big 5 experience if they take females! In fact everything I've seen and heard about tuskless cow elephant hunts, sounds like that is about as dangerous as you can get! I got into a herd hunting for a bull and that was hair raising! Shot my bull out of a group of 3 males later in the hunt and although very exciting, I don't think it was as dangerous as when we got in close to the herds.

Lions, aren't the females the primary hunters?

 

[PARA45]

Thank you all for your inputs, keep them coming. Not going for the record books, or officially documenting them. It’s all about my own experience and enjoyment, and being realistic on what I can afford.

 

[grand veneur]

The term Big Five appeared initially only in English and seems to be an invention of Hemingway in his novels Green Hills of Africa / 1935 and The Snows of Kilimanjaro / 1936. Sounds good and certainly played a role commercially when hunting tourism began, especially in the areas of East and South Africa where hunting for the Big Five was possible. In other areas of West and Central Africa, hunting all fives were more difficult.

 

[PARA45]

One could do a Buffalo cull cow, female cull CBL lion, tuskless elephant, dart a rhino male or female and only really have to spend big money on a Leopard. You'd have the experience of a Big 5 hunt

@ActionBob, basically that is exactly my thinking, and I guess why I asked the question. Thank you!!

 

[PARA45]

Reading @Altitude sickness hunt report, is what prompt me to ask the question. Hunt a Leopard and a tuskless/cow ele would be how I would approach trying to complete this quest. Thoughts?

 

[DieJager]

Reading @Altitude sickness hunt report, is what prompt me to ask the question. Hunt a Leopard and a tuskless/cow ele would be how I would approach trying to complete this quest. Thoughts?

Some Ele bulls deals are almost the same money as a tuskless hunt if you watch out for good deals.

 

[ActionBob]

Reading @Altitude sickness hunt report, is what prompt me to ask the question. Hunt a Leopard and a tuskless/cow ele would be how I would approach trying to complete this quest. Thoughts?

Leopard requires bait so it makes a lot of sense to hunt together with other things you want.

And is dependent upon what is available for bait.

Regarding elephant especially, check with your Outfitter because in some areas the Community may expect the meat from any elephant taken.

 

[Nyati]

Big 5, Dangerous 7, Spiral horns, Tiny 10.......

I could not care less about filling a list of animals to hunt, I just go after those I like and can afford, if they have to be females, so be it !

But then whatever floats your boat

 

[Tanks]

Reading @Altitude sickness hunt report, is what prompt me to ask the question. Hunt a Leopard and a tuskless/cow ele would be how I would approach trying to complete this quest. Thoughts?

Read the hunt report in my profile. That's what I did on that hunt plus a buffalo. The cow hunt is considered more challenging as while the other males in a group usually bolt other females will start looking around. I know a couple of PHs that have quit doing tuskless cow hunts after a number of close calls while being charged.

 

[grand veneur]

I can confirm that. I once shot a cow in the middle of a herd. We were charged and almost had to shoot a second cow. The stress caused in the herd is not a nice spectacle either.

 

[mark-hunter]

If i am to hunt big 5, for my motives in my trophy room, i would consider even a good photo as a trophy.

That being said, if big 5 is my target, i would hunt buffalo cow, cbl lioness in south aftica, dehorned white rhino, tuskless elephant, and leopard for most economic offer.

But if someone goes for record book entry, that is totally other game.