Is there an African animal you wouldn't shoot?

[K E Johnson]

I have not been to Africa yet. It is in my future. Perspective may change.

Absolutely not saying any one else is right nor wrong on this, as it is a personal decision and to each his own. More power to each respondent. I can understand a reasoning for every animal I've seen listed.

I was amazed to see members of the big five on this list. Some of them hold more interest for me than the others for sure. This also depends on the situation as well.

I have no interest in giraffe, nor zebra. Actually most of the plains game holds minimal fascination for me. More for some of you. More elephant and dry land hippo for me!

 

[Hogpatrol]

I wouldn't shoot any tortoise, snake, lizard or frog. No rhinos either.

 

[Dirtdart]

I wouldn't shoot any tortoise, snake, lizard or frog. No rhinos either.

Here in Florida it is your duty to kill invasive species. I put a Cuban tree frog down with a load of rat shot earlier today. Not much of hunt but doing my part for the environment.
A friend of mine in south Florida does his best to keep the iguanas in check around his house. You should see the size of the ones that show up on his dock.
It is hard to believe the amount of pythons that we have in Florida, kill then all.
Certain types of frogs, lizards, and snakes need to be shot but that is probably not what the OP was referring to when he started this thread.

 

[sgt_zim]

Cheetah and honey badger. No real interest in leopard hunting, either. I can sit in a blind and hunt deer and pigs in the US. Just ain't my cuppa if I'm going to spend a boat-load of money on it.

Jackals remind me of coyotes, both of which I'd stack like cord-wood if given the opportunity.

 

[chonk34]

I don't have any desire to hunt cats or primates. We had a rancher come out during our hunt and ask us to shoot some baboons off of his crops, and we declined.

I think giraffes are amazing and I love their hides, but I couldn't shoot one. I wouldn't shoot an elephant or a rhino.

I understand that managed hunting leads to population increases, but I would have a hard time shooting anything that isn't very numerous in the wild.

 

[Jeffro]

Any cat, blesbok (too dumb), bat-eared fox which is harmless, so no, giraffe, elephant, rhino. I guess that means just most antelope are on for me. No primates.

 

[Graham Hunter]

Not a Cheetah not Red Hartebeest too ugly. I would not shoot a Rhino but I would dart one.

 

[lwaters]

I'd have no problem shooting anything legal. Just that I feel some animals are not worth the price and some I have no room for them.

 

[YancyW]

I 100% support game management through hunting, but I don't think elephant will be on my list. I would have said primates before I went to Africa, but once you see how big of pest baboons really are, that changed my mind.

 

[BnC 04]

Giraffe have a permanent "free pass" when I'm hunting.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I have darted a Rhino and was really moved by the experience. So couldn't shoot one even if it was free.

I have no desire to pay to shoot a giraffe, a hippo or a croc. But wouldn't pass the opportunity to hunt them for free.

There are some plainsgame I wouldn't want to hunt, but one might strike me as magnificent when I am in Africa so never say never.

 

[wesheltonj]

I don’t, but my wife does for me. Giraffe, elephant and zebra.

 

[gizmo]

Nope. I’d hunt freaking 3 toed African field mice if that was a thing.

 

[Scott CWO]

I never had a big desire to hunt elephant until I read how challenging all the walking for a mature bull can be so I would consider it now in areas where there is a benefit to hunting them.

I have no desire for the tiny 10 antelopes. They just don’t do anything for me. I guess I just like bigger horns and I am not a collector of every species.

I enjoy plains game hunting more than I enjoy bait hunting for cats but I still will hunt cats. I don’t understand why some people don’t want to hunt predators. I have no problem hunting cats, canines and bears.

 

[Rickmt]

Giraffes and elephant and rhinos and all the cute little tiny stuff!

 

[JSD]

Nope. I’d hunt freaking 3 toed African field mice if that was a thing.

I agree. And I would also. And love it! But I find myself looking at a world that is evolving into if it’s man vs animal the animals always lose. If that’s what needs to be to further conservation and preservation then I’ll ask for ammo donations. Sound conservation in a world that has been altered by us is the hardest decision. Some people will be willing to help.

Scott

 

[K-man]

Probably only a gorilla. Everything else is on the table if populations are stable and/or conservation and hunter dollars will help.

 

[Scott CWO]

I don't have any desire to hunt cats or primates. We had a rancher come out during our hunt and ask us to shoot some baboons off of his crops, and we declined.

I think giraffes are amazing and I love their hides, but I couldn't shoot one. I wouldn't shoot an elephant or a rhino.

I understand that managed hunting leads to population increases, but I would have a hard time shooting anything that isn't very numerous in the wild.

Most of the time the less numerous species like elephant and lion pay the bills for the expensive anti poaching work that the Outfitters undertake for the underfunded game departments.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have no real interest in shooting an elephant, zebra, rhino or giraffe with anything but my camera.

Of course I could always change my mind about elephant and rhino in the future.

 

[chonk34]

Most of the time the less numerous species like elephant and lion pay the bills for the expensive anti poaching work that the Outfitters undertake for the underfunded game departments.

I've read the research and talked to the ranchers, and I agree that trophy fees support population growth in ways that ecotourism and other methods don't. I think that a managed legal trade in Rhino horn would help to increase and protect their populations, but some animals just aren't for me. Giraffes are really no different from many of the other plains game aside from their size and 'cute factor,' but that's just not an animal I want to shoot. From what I saw in South Africa, baboons are basically giant aggressive pests, but again not something I would be comfortable shooting.