Is there an African animal you wouldn't shoot?

[LivingTheDream]

Yeah forget once in a lifetime. I went with 4 guys this past year. It was my 3rd safari and their first. They were studying their lists and asking my opinion and asked why I didnt seem to worried about what I get. I told them it doesnt really matter, just gives me another reason to go back.

 

[Royal27]

For those who don't want to hunt an animal because the "numbers are too low" you might want to better educate yourself before making those statements.

Did any of you know that rhino numbers as one example were much lower UNTIL hunting was brought back to SA in 1968?

How about Argali ? Less than 200 animals and declining HAS to be too low of a number of animals to hunt, right? Then why is the current number almost 2000 animals and growing after being sub 200 as recently as 2003 without being hunted, then the numbers miraculously went up when hunting began?

https://www.iucn.org/commissions/co...uli-briefing-paper-informing-decisions-trophy

If someone doesn't want to hunt an animal for purely emotional reasons I get it. Don't do it. But, if you're justifying not hunting an animal based on "the numbers" it would behoove you to actually understand the numbers and not get them from some silly anti site or public opinion.

 

[Newboomer]

While I agree in principle, @TravisfromNC, I think many here on the forum are in personal or professional situations that limit the amount of risk we are willing to expose ourselves to, preferring to focus on hunting animals that won't get us into hot water at work and at home. @fourfive8 brings up the game commissioner who recently was forced to resign from his position in part because he hunted baboons and a giraffe. He compounded his risk by emailing the pictures indiscriminately to his coworkers, but his example ensured that I was pretty careful about what I hunted and what I said about it. I still try to educate others on the good that managed hunting can do for wildlife populations and the care that hunters in general have for animals and their habitats, but my livelihood is pretty important to me.

chonk34,
I agree with being careful where you post what. I don't do any social media except AH where we are all of one mind and understand hunting and trophies..

 

[IdaRam]

For those who don't want to hunt an animal because the "numbers are too low" you might want to better educate yourself before making those statements.

Did any of you know that rhino numbers as one example were much lower UNTIL hunting was brought back to SA in 1968?

How about Argali ? Less than 200 animals and declining HAS to be too low of a number of animals to hunt, right? Then why is the current number almost 2000 animals and growing after being sub 200 as recently as 2003 without being hunted, then the numbers miraculously went up when hunting began?

https://www.iucn.org/commissions/co...uli-briefing-paper-informing-decisions-trophy

If someone doesn't want to hunt an animal for purely emotional reasons I get it. Don't do it. But, if you're justifying not hunting an animal based on "the numbers" it would behoove you to actually understand the numbers and not get them from some silly anti site or public opinion.

Here’s what Capstick had to say on the matter.
“In a place as unbelievably vast as Africa, it is impossible to slap a valid label on a species as widely distributed as the elephant and decree it in danger or not. Whereas there may be, by way of example, extreme poaching pressure on jumbos in Kenya's Tsavo District, this has little to do with other areas of the animal’s range, which might be dangerously overpopulated.”
“I was no stranger to the biggest wildlife problem in Africa today: elephant overpopulation.” ... “Each season had seen more and more land that was once available as elephant habitat fall to the ploughs and cattle of the tribes, and now the reserves were so over crowded with elephants that they were literally eating themselves - and other species - into destruction.”
“The basic cause of the problem is the vastness of the elephant’s stomach and the methods he uses to fill it daily with the average of 600 pounds of forage necessary to keep his bulk going.” “...overpopulations and over concentrations of elephants kill trees faster than they can grow back...” “Shade is lost, which affects grass and predator-prey relationships. The symbiosis of many species is destroyed. Great amounts of soil are lost in the rains. If permitted to continue, elephant concentrations would destroy whole areas, turning them to deserts and effecting a death sentence on the elephants themselves.”
- Peter Hathaway Capstick - Death in the Long Grass - 1977

Sounds a bit like Capstick was sharing with us a premonition of Botswana’s Chobe and Okavango regions, eh? Or possibly Kruger in S.A., Transfrontier N.P., or a handful of areas in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique...

 

[enysse]

Males don’t have babies! Hunting older bulls does nothing to the future population. But that obvious especially on this forum.
Like I said I’d hunt anything that was legal and ethical and I could afford it.
Philip

Totally 100% behind what you are saying!

“If it flies, it dies; if it hops it flops; if it crawls it falls.” an old man once told me (back when I wasn’t one). As long as it’s a hunt and not a shoot, I pay my way and firmly believe I help conserve wildlife and mankind. JMO
If I could afford a 30 day big 5 hunt (if you still could) I would spend my last 30 days of life attempting it.
I believe everyone knows what is right for themselves, but not necessarily for others. We are all different individuals.
I have mentioned on other posts that I grew up varmint hunting and called my first gray fox at 6 years old. I still love hunting predators to the max. If that was all I got to hunt the rest of my life, I’d be perfectly happy.
Just enjoy the hunt what ever you are chasing!

Could not agree more! Having grown up a farm I saw the cycle of life first hand. Food comes from the field.

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

I haven't been there yet but for some reason I really can't get excited about kudo for some reason. They just have never tripped my trigger. Same with Hartebeast (to damn ugly) . I just never had the want for one. With that said I would take just about anything legal if I took a fancy to it!

 

[enysse]

Kudu is usually # 1 on my hit list every trip. Bushbuck being # 2. I’m always looking for a warthog! Love zebra hunting, I definitely would like to take more giraffe on a cull hunt. I’m really hoping to get a serval one day!

I definitely am open to eating everything I hunt and kill. I think there are certain animals that have less appeal than others. For me a wildcat looks like a cat I saw on the farm every day. In today’s world you better have an open mind and heart. It’s a tough world to live in with a closed mindset.

 

[AZDAVE]

For me a Gorilla and rhino. I would consider my idea of a green hunt on the rhino though. That would be stalk in close and shot it with a paint ball and call it a day.

 

[BeeMaa]

For me a Gorilla and rhino. I would consider my idea of a green hunt on the rhino though. That would be stalk in close and shot it with a paint ball and call it a day.

I've heard of people doing a dart gun research/hunt on Rhino.
Once darted and down you can take a few pictures.
Researchers then take measurements, samples, apply a tag and then you are done.

 

[AZDAVE]

@BeeMaa I have looked into the dart, but they have to use such a large dose of tranquillizer that I don't want to knock it out as there is always a risk to any mammal when it is knocked out, I would just take a video of the stalk and the little round splat and I would be good with that.

 

[Ryan]

I need to amend my list
Add color variations. Black impala, golden wildebeest, any of the colored springbok, etc. Zero interest. Too gimmicky to me, too much toying with nature.

 

[BeeMaa]

I need to amend my list
Add color variations. Black impala, golden wildebeest, any of the colored springbok, etc. Zero interest. Too gimmicky to me, too much toying with nature.

Golden Wildebeest is naturally occurring, first documented in the 1920's in the Limpopo River Basin.
Now they are selected and raised for the color of their coats, size of their horns and bodies.
Just like every other animal on an outfitters price list.

As for the Impala and Springbok color variations, I don't know if they were naturally occurring or not.

 

[Ryan]

Golden Wildebeest is naturally occurring, first documented in the 1920's in the Limpopo River Basin.
Now they are selected and raised for the color of their coats, size of their horns and bodies.
Just like every other animal on an outfitters price list.

As for the Impala and Springbok color variations, I don't know if they were naturally occurring or not.

I have hunted farms but from what I can tell their breeding, if any, has been based on diversity of the gene pool not focussing on very specific traits. So, to each their own. I'll leave the color phases to others who have an interest in the novelty and rarity.

 

[BeeMaa]

I have hunted farms but from what I can tell their breeding, if any, has been based on diversity of the gene pool not focussing on very specific traits. So, to each their own. I'll leave the color phases to others who have an interest in the novelty and rarity.

Wasn't judging you for not wanting to hunt color variations.
Just making a point that there are cull hunts for a reason, fenced or otherwise.
It's for the betterment of the species (at least in someones view).

Personally, I am looking forward to having a Golden Wildebeest rug one day.

 

[Ryan]

Wasn't judging you for not wanting to hunt color variations.
Just making a point that there are cull hunts for a reason, fenced or otherwise.
It's for the betterment of the species (at least in someones view).

Personally, I am looking forward to having a Golden Wildebeest rug one day.

None taken. Though selective breeding and culling are not alway the same. Culling may be to remove some less preferred genetics, but it is just as often used for proper population control.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Well, I started this thread and have thoroughly enjoyed the discussion. However, I have sat back and not shared my own list. I will add one more qualifier to the question. Assume that the animal that you are going to pass up is healthy. There isn't anything that I wouldn't shoot if it needed to be put down because it was sick or injured.

OK, so now on to my list of apparently healthy animals that I don't think I would shoot. I'm not saying anyone else should the same preferences as me. As long as it's legal, go ahead and shoot what you want. Also, I know better than to say "I'll never shoot.", these are just my no-go animals as of today, as I sit at home.

My now list: honey badger (for me, just too amazing to shoot), aardvark (seen a couple in daylight and got pictures - that's good enough), steenbok, and probably all of the tiny ten. I've shot enough blue wildebeest and gemsbok, so unless an animal needed to be culled, I'd pass. Beyond those two, there are plenty of others that don't get me excited (like giraffe, springbok, etc.), but that's not the same as saying "I wouldn't shoot..."

I think that even if one of the animals on my list was huge, I would pass. I wouldn't appreciate it (at least as I imagine the situation). Better to leave it for someone who would be thrilled (even my PH if he wanted it). That was my rationale when I took a Shiras moose 4 years ago. I had a boatload of Colorado points for moose. I finally decided to apply. Most likely, with that many points, I could have drawn a bull tag on my first try. I decided to apply for a cow instead. My reasoning was that I have an absolutely huge Alaska/Yukon moose over the fireplace in my trophy room. Even if I took a monster Shiras, it would pale in comparison to the one that I have. I figured that it was better to leave the bull tag for someone who would be thrilled get one. So, I drew a cow tag and killed one. I checked off a second moose specie and got some excellent meat for my freezer. That seemed to me like an all around good outcome.

 

[35bore]

The only animal in the world I wouldn't hunt would be the one without a license. If it's legal and within range,,, ya I'd hunt it.

 

[MarkB]

Well, I started this thread and have thoroughly enjoyed the discussion. However, I have sat back and not shared my own list. I will add one more qualifier to the question. Assume that the animal that you are going to pass up is healthy. There isn't anything that I wouldn't shoot if it needed to be put down because it was sick or injured.

OK, so now on to my list of apparently healthy animals that I don't think I would shoot. I'm not saying anyone else should the same preferences as me. As long as it's legal, go ahead and shoot what you want. Also, I know better than to say "I'll never shoot.", these are just my no-go animals as of today, as I sit at home.

My now list: honey badger (for me, just too amazing to shoot), aardvark (seen a couple in daylight and got pictures - that's good enough), steenbok, and probably all of the tiny ten. I've shot enough blue wildebeest and gemsbok, so unless an animal needed to be culled, I'd pass. Beyond those two, there are plenty of others that don't get me excited (like giraffe, springbok, etc.), but that's not the same as saying "I wouldn't shoot..."

I think that even if one of the animals on my list was huge, I would pass. I wouldn't appreciate it (at least as I imagine the situation). Better to leave it for someone who would be thrilled (even my PH if he wanted it). That was my rationale when I took a Shiras moose 4 years ago. I had a boatload of Colorado points for moose. I finally decided to apply. Most likely, with that many points, I could have drawn a bull tag on my first try. I decided to apply for a cow instead. My reasoning was that I have an absolutely huge Alaska/Yukon moose over the fireplace in my trophy room. Even if I took a monster Shiras, it would pale in comparison to the one that I have. I figured that it was better to leave the bull tag for someone who would be thrilled get one. So, I drew a cow tag and killed one. I checked off a second moose specie and got some excellent meat for my freezer. That seemed to me like an all around good outcome.

I have a life-size ant bear, (aardvark), the most questioned/interesting talked about animal in room. I must green hunt a rhino, last for my big 5, cant expect to kill as above my pay grade. Moose are just awesome we hunt annually and am lucky to have a booner. Must admit every thing I hunt gets me excited in some way. Its in my blood. Great post BTW, good idea.

MB

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I have a life-size ant bear, (aardvark), the most questioned/interesting talked about animal in room. I must green hunt a rhino, last for my big 5, cant expect to kill as above my pay grade. Moose are just awesome we hunt annually and am lucky to have a booner. Must admit every thing I hunt gets me excited in some way. Its in my blood. Great post BTW, good idea.

MB

I have to say that for me, elk ranks higher than moose. There is something about their bugling that lights my fire. Also, I think that elk is slightly better to eat than moose. But that's just a matter of taste. (Groan! Sorry couldn't resist the bad pun.)

 

[MarkB]

I have to say that for me, elk ranks higher than moose. There is something about their bugling that lights my fire. Also, I think that elk is slightly better to eat than moose. But that's just a matter of taste. (Groan! Sorry couldn't resist the bad pun.)

Totally agree, elk do eat better on average, I have eaten moose you cut with a fork and others I have tried to eat and then only with the pressure cooker or crock pot and that was tenderloins. Elk bugles also light my fire, but so do a rut crazed bull moose I just called in. In BC I do not have access to elk as easy as moose. At least for now, our moose pop is/has crashed way down. Used to see 50-60 in a 3 week hunt and pick your bull, now lucky to see 6 and you better shoot first legal bull.

Il let you know about that Honey Badger, on my night list next year, along with many others. My problem is I just love all hunting.

MB