Is there an African animal you wouldn't shoot?

[Cervus elaphus]

Let's start by rephrasing the question. If it was legal, ethical (no females with fawns or kids, animal within range for your abilities, etc.), of sufficient size, and no extra cost to you, is there a type (species or subspecies) that you wouldn't shoot? If an animal presented a shot and your PH put up the sticks and says "Take him!" is there any kind of animal that would make you look at your PH and say, "No thanks."

For example, some people just don't like the look of the horns on hartebeest. Perhaps you feel that you've already shot too many of a particular kind of animal. Or, in your opinion, they are not sufficiently challenging to hunt?

If there is such an animal for you, why wouldn't you shoot it?

dik-dik. I like plains game skins, deer (esp fallow) chamois, but I draw the line at this dainty little fella. I usually eat what I kill but an elephant would be too much, imagine the backstraps. Not a collector of horns and only use antlers for decoration or knife handles.

 

[CJW]

I've always liked the looks of hartebeest.

Off the top of my head of what I probably wouldn't shoot I would have to say cheetah, honey badger, rhino, ant eater, baboon.

 

[rookhawk]

I like to have maximum utility from what I hunt and I REALLY enjoy eating game in the bush. I was not at all impressed by giraffe that I had twice. It was so tough as to be inedible and it had a very unpleasant musk. Another PH friend of mine swears that its amazing meat so I’ll have to give it a 3rd try.

On the other hand, I’ve had Zebra many, many times. The trackers, skinners, cooks, and PHs do not understand why I want to eat it. It tastes great, especially as a deep fried schnitzel. It’s an odd taste of its own, but not any more odd than a lamb or goat tastes to someone used to beef.

I’ve heard many times that American Mountain Lion and African Leopard are both very pleasant meats but I’ve never tasted either. The same people that praise Mountain Lion and Leopard say that African Lion is horrible.

Whatever it may be, I do like to get as much utility from anything I hunt. Hides, bones, trophies, meat for the locals, meat for me and the camp, revenue for the local economy, etc. It needs to maximize utility and it has to be sustainable or I won’t kill it.

 

[Ridgewalker]

The same people that praise Mountain Lion and Leopard say that African Lion is horrible.

I haven’t had the opportunity to eat cougar nor leopard, but Toby458 and I ate lion we took and it was delicious! I have also had bobcat and it too was delicious!

 

[M McDindi]

There are a number of species I love to "hunt" but have no desire to "shoot". I love to do the baiting and blind building for leopard, checking the baits daily etc., but no personal desire to shoot one for myself. I love to chase elephant and be in/around them but, again, only time I would pull a trigger on one is self defense from a charge. No desire to hunt cape buffalo though we've done the water buffalo cull hunting in Australia once. The list of antelope species I have no desire to take is a lot longer than the ones I do like hunt and shoot a LOT of. I have NOTHING against anyone hunting/shooting any of the legally huntable species at all and fully encourage everyone to pursue anything they legally desire to hunt - just no personnel desire myself.

 

[Reed Thoma Outdoors]

Cheetah - can't import to US
Small cat species - might shoot if opportunity arises but wouldn't purposely hunt them
Rhino - wouldn't kill but would green hunt (they are my favorite animal, would be hard to kill one)

 

[Muskox]

If I was in the financial situation to be working on a Weatherby Award, I would not leave any stone unturned in the field.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I like to have maximum utility from what I hunt and I REALLY enjoy eating game in the bush. I was not at all impressed by giraffe that I had twice. It was so tough as to be inedible and it had a very unpleasant musk. Another PH friend of mine swears that its amazing meat so I’ll have to give it a 3rd try.

On the other hand, I’ve had Zebra many, many times. The trackers, skinners, cooks, and PHs do not understand why I want to eat it. It tastes great, especially as a deep fried schnitzel. It’s an odd taste of its own, but not any more odd than a lamb or goat tastes to someone used to beef.

I’ve heard many times that American Mountain Lion and African Leopard are both very pleasant meats but I’ve never tasted either. The same people that praise Mountain Lion and Leopard say that African Lion is horrible.

Whatever it may be, I do like to get as much utility from anything I hunt. Hides, bones, trophies, meat for the locals, meat for me and the camp, revenue for the local economy, etc. It needs to maximize utility and it has to be sustainable or I won’t kill it.

I think you'll find a greater proportion of PHs in Namibia (fmr. German Colony-Sudwest Afrika) preparing the zebra as schitzel, as it's the traditional substitute for veal or pork, widely availbable and cheap! I've had it. It wasn't bad, just a tad bland. Lion sure love that odd yellow-fatty meat!!!

 

[Badboymelvin]

@Badboymelvin Why is it that you wouldn't shoot a rhino? (Just curious)

Hey mate,
I dunno, I just couldn't drop the hammer on one. They're just an animal I like and couldn't hunt one. Have no problem with anyone who has/ is hunting one but personally, I just couldn't do it.
Anything else though - is on the cards!

Cheers,

Russ

 

[VertigoBE]

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.

I haven't even left on the first one safari, planned for June, and I'm already starting to feel like in that situation. Whatever the list is, I'll be back at some point. So I'll just see on the spot what happens.

 

[Vintageguy]

No monkeys, it would feel too much like committing a workplace mass shooting. Cheetah nor Giraffe, although I recall Selous stating in his book A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa that he had misgivings about shooting a Giraffe but that it was the finest meat he’d ever tasted.

 

[Tanks]

No monkeys, it would feel too much like committing a workplace mass shooting. Cheetah nor Giraffe, although I recall Selous stating in his book A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa that he had misgivings about shooting a Giraffe but that it was the finest meat he’d ever tasted.

Opposite could be true as well. Mad at co-workers? Instead of committing workplace shooting go shoot bunch of monkeys.

 

[PARA45]

None of the tiny ten, not interested. I like elephants too much, not sure if I could bring my self on pulling the trigger. My wife said flat out no giraffe, but everything is game. LOL!!!!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Not honey badger, elaphant, small cats especially genet. Ant bear. All of the antelope are fair game, except the littlt tiny ones and the klip springer because it pairs for life.

 

[Ike85123]

I couldn't shoot any wild dogs. They look to similar to domesticated pets.

 

[WilhelmM]

Cheetah, they remind me too much of the average house cat.

 

[BWH]

I've passed on Giraffe, African Wild Cats (feral house cat) & various other creatures.

 

[Rule 303]

No monkeys, it would feel too much like committing a workplace mass shooting. Cheetah nor Giraffe, although I recall Selous stating in his book A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa that he had misgivings about shooting a Giraffe but that it was the finest meat he’d ever tasted.

Wait until a mob of monkeys invade your camp, I am sure you will think differently.

Giraffe is the best eating meat I have ever had, followed by Zebra.

 

[WilhelmM]

Wait until a mob of monkeys invade your camp, I am sure you will think differently.

Giraffe is the best eating meat I have ever had, followed by Zebra.

This is true. Even though I have ZERO desire to shoot monkeys or any sort of primate, it's not hard to realize why they're so despised by farmers.

 

[IvW]

Not honey badger, elaphant, small cats especially genet. Ant bear. All of the antelope are fair game, except the littlt tiny ones and the klip springer because it pairs for life.

Not quite true same as steinbuck.....only pairs for life until something happens to the better half.....