trophy hunt or cull hunt

[62flint]

I’ve hunted swan on the Norhern Neck back in the 90’s when goose season was closed. The farm I hunted is in Westmorland county. I think the farmers name was Woody and was on the bank of the Rappahannock, I can’t remember exactly but I was hunting with a friend from Leesburg that worked for the USFWS.
Both of my parents are from Virginia, my mother was born in Port Republic and grew up in New Market, my father was born in Waynesboro.

Woody is a good guy.. Had a few birthdays, but we still do a dove hunt there with a good meal every year,, talk about a small world

 

[Nyati]

Never made any taxidermy, only euro-mounts, this allows me to squeee 50+ trophies in an apartment.

Now I just have space for a few roe deer

 

[Hunt anything]

Woody is a good guy.. Had a few birthdays, but we still do a dove hunt there with a good meal every year,, talk about a small world

Yes sir it is a small world!
If you see Woody anytime soon, please tell him that our mutual friend Ron Kokel passed away this past October hunting woodcock in Minnesota. His wife called me back in November and told me the news. I don’t know if she contacted him or not. He was the friend from Leesburg that I used to hunt with on Woodies place.

 

[Andrew62]

Other than having some springbucks sent back in my friend's crate last year I have not had anything mounted in the last 20 years of African hunting. For me, the cost of getting animals mounted can far exceed the actual hunt. I just took a super nice buffalo in Cameroon last year then another nice buffalo in Uganda a couple of weeks ago, I took some nice pictures and walked away from them. Now I do not have the anxiety of how are they getting home, how much will that cost, so and so forth. I have also done a couple of cull hunts simply to be able to hunt.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have stopped also from shipping back as of now. But still trophy hunting and cull hunting. Trying to do big 5 and dangerous 7. No plans to bring most back. I want the hunt, memories and photos will do. At my age and health, I want the hunt and adventure. Less on taxidermy and shipping equals more hunting.

 

[Sourdough]

Give all your trophies away. That's what I did, and someone from AH. Could also do Cabelas or Sportsman's or something like that. Then start all over with different animals. For sure the memories are most important to me, but I do like some fresh "art" to look at.

 

[Randy F]

I used to think anything I took that "had a story" needed to be on the wall. Now after many moons and a room/bar full of mounts I've come to realize that anyone who visits does the "wow" thing and gawks a bit....once...and rarely have much interest in the "story". Upon return they rarely give them much of a glance but enjoy sitting at the bar having a few drinks and BSing.
So it's really been about me anyway and the way I chose to memorialize my experiences at the time. I'm truly happy I did what I did with them at the time, still very much enjoy them, and could sit in there staring at them and reminiscing for hours...but mostly to myself.
Now things are a bit different. Now that the costs of the hunt-to-wall process has gotten to where it is, I've decided that I can do very much the same thing with good photos and books we've made that are much like those @Red Leg has mentioned, and possibly putting those funds toward a video.

Having said that, I will admit there always could be that "one" I just want, but I'll be awfully picky from here on out.

Honestly, in my younger years I used to struggle to understand how anyone could not be super interested in all that stuff(ed). After much therapy, anger management sessions, and a fair amount of alcohol-induced spastic tantrums mostly in my head, I've accepted that most people frankly couldn't give a sh*t less about anything on my wall but me and I don't care.

Ok that was the long version of it's pics for me from here on out with the occasional European and the rare shoulder mount.

Disclaimer: If I win the lottery, forget everything I said.

As to the actual question asked, I'll always much prefer a management hunt for an old brute vs a cull shoot. I'm not much for the term "trophy" but for what it means to us here, it's the same thing as that old beat up brute for me.

 

[Rubberhead]

Skins and skulls are fairly cheap, and leave little room for "taxidermist error". Take a lot of pictures - digital media is cheap...

 

[Luminous Ham]

I used to think anything I took that "had a story" needed to be on the wall. Now after many moons and a room/bar full of mounts I've come to realize that anyone who visits does the "wow" thing and gawks a bit....once...and rarely have much interest in the "story". Upon return they rarely give them much of a glance but enjoy sitting at the bar having a few drinks and BSing.
So it's really been about me anyway and the way I chose to memorialize my experiences at the time. I'm truly happy I did what I did with them at the time, still very much enjoy them, and could sit in there staring at them and reminiscing for hours...but mostly to myself.
Now things are a bit different. Now that the costs of the hunt-to-wall process has gotten to where it is, I've decided that I can do very much the same thing with good photos and books we've made that are much like those @Red Leg has mentioned, and possibly putting those funds toward a video.

Having said that, I will admit there always could be that "one" I just want, but I'll be awfully picky from here on out.

Honestly, in my younger years I used to struggle to understand how anyone could not be super interested in all that stuff(ed). After much therapy, anger management sessions, and a fair amount of alcohol-induced spastic tantrums mostly in my head, I've accepted that most people frankly couldn't give a sh*t less about anything on my wall but me and I don't care.

Ok that was the long version of it's pics for me from here on out with the occasional European and the rare shoulder mount.

Disclaimer: If I win the lottery, forget everything I said.

As to the actual question asked, I'll always much prefer a management hunt for an old brute vs a cull shoot. I'm not much for the term "trophy" but for what it means to us here, it's the same thing as that old beat up brute for me.

Well said, I'll learn from that! Including the lotto part

 

[HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS]

We offer cull hunts every year to our clients that ran out of space, its great for us as we get to manage the game and gain a little income from the hunts,

The link below is what we had on offer this year, and it’s been very popular!

2024 Season Cull Hunt Package With HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS

thank you for the bookings updated available dates will follow soon!

www.africahunting.com

 

[62flint]

We offer cull hunts every year to our clients that ran out of space, its great for us as we get to manage the game and gain a little income from the hunts,

The link below is what we had on offer this year, and it’s been very popular!

2024 Season Cull Hunt Package With HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS

thank you for the bookings updated available dates will follow soon!

www.africahunting.com

Thank you,
I will seriously consider a cull/management hunt in the future, Looks like it can be a lot of fun and a good way to test rifles and loads.

 

[Mauser3000]

Unless someone has either unlimited space or unlimited resources, we all eventually face the trophy problem. Starting about eight to ten years ago, I began to become very selective about which animals I actually brought home. I have always tried to hunt age over size. Often a really old animal may not be the most dramatic trophy, but he can be very difficult to hunt.

Which in a long way around, brings us to the definition of a "cull hunt". I think there are two types. One is a species reduction hunt. These typically take place on game ranches where the population of a particular species needs to be reduced. Springbuck often will fall into this category. The ranch owner will have to do it unless he can find a paying customer. I personally have no interest in this sort of thing, but several of our members have done them and enjoyed the experience. The second would be called a "management hunt" in the States where one is looking for old, deformed, or less desirable representative animals. They will often represent a cost reduction on a game ranch.

In free range areas, simply dedicate oneself and your PH's efforts to looking for older animals rather than size. Often these will have worn horns that wouldn't be that spectacular on the wall but would look spectacular in a photograph or photo journal. I build a photo journal for each of my hunting adventures (or just our travels). Unlike a bit of dead fauna on the wall which will be a nuisance to our heirs, a photo journal could prove a treasure to a grandchild long after we are gone.

My best sable and only Kafue Lechwe "trophies" in the game room.
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I build the photo journals on Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books/
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I really like the idea of the photo journals. That’s a great idea for hunts.

 

[Mauser3000]

Northern neck of Virginia.
Westmorland county. About 20 minutes from George Washington and Robert e Lee birthplaces.
James Monroe birthplace I believe is about 40 minutes from me.
I am lucky. I can leave my house and in about 15 minutes be fishing the Potomac River. 20 minutes I can be fishing the Rappahannock River and 40 minutes I can be in the Chesapeake bay.
My family and my wife’s family settled here in the late 1600s early 1700s. We never left. Lol

I’m right across the Potomac from you on the western shore of MD. My wife and I like to picnic at Stratford hall and look across the River towards our home.

 

[Hunt anything]

It’s been fascinating to see all of the options and opinions on this. I have a good number of mounts, some European mounts, rugs and photo albums. I also have a lot of waterfowl mounts.
I’m not quite to the point of bringing nothing home but that day may come sometime. I would much prefer management hunts over cull hunts, old and worn out not killing to reduce population.
I do know I don’t want to become like a man I know that has a truly magnificent trophy room but he has so many mounts if you ask him about a specific mount he will have to think about it for a second to remember where and when he shot it. It is somewhat overwhelming. I am going up there next weekend to see his mounts from Ethiopia next weekend and I will be in awe of his room but even for me it’s a bit much. I want to sit in my room and remember each stalk and shot and not have to think about it.

 

[R eight]

I just can’t justify the costs involved in bringing trophies home from overseas hunts. It is bloody ridiculous. I just take plenty of photos. And I really don’t have any room to mount them. My B&C caribou lives in the store room. IIRC the airfreight alone cost me more than a return business class ticket.

Redleg’s idea of doing up a hunt album is great. For a few of my hunts I’ve written up stories and some have been published. It’s a great souvenir for all involved in the adventure.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Unless someone has either unlimited space or unlimited resources, we all eventually face the trophy problem. Starting about eight to ten years ago, I began to become very selective about which animals I actually brought home. I have always tried to hunt age over size. Often a really old animal may not be the most dramatic trophy, but he can be very difficult to hunt.

Which in a long way around, brings us to the definition of a "cull hunt". I think there are two types. One is a species reduction hunt. These typically take place on game ranches where the population of a particular species needs to be reduced. Springbuck often will fall into this category. The ranch owner will have to do it unless he can find a paying customer. I personally have no interest in this sort of thing, but several of our members have done them and enjoyed the experience. The second would be called a "management hunt" in the States where one is looking for old, deformed, or less desirable representative animals. They will often represent a cost reduction on a game ranch.

In free range areas, simply dedicate oneself and your PH's efforts to looking for older animals rather than size. Often these will have worn horns that wouldn't be that spectacular on the wall but would look spectacular in a photograph or photo journal. I build a photo journal for each of my hunting adventures (or just our travels). Unlike a bit of dead fauna on the wall which will be a nuisance to our heirs, a photo journal could prove a treasure to a grandchild long after we are gone.

My best sable and only Kafue Lechwe "trophies" in the game room.
View attachment 596719

View attachment 596711

I build the photo journals on Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books/
View attachment 596714

Completely off topic but what color green is that on the walls? I’m about to start repainting a room and have been thinking about a similar color green, possibly a little darker and plan to also mount some trophies against it

 

[Red Leg]

Completely off topic but what color green is that on the walls? I’m about to start repainting a room and have been thinking about a similar color green, possibly a little darker and plan to also mount some trophies against it

Sadly, I have no clue. We moved from VA to TX and the new place had a carriage house that had been used to run the previous owner's business. We gutted it and rebuilt it as a trophy room/guest house/ old school bar. I brought home probably fifty different color swatches/cards and this moss/light loden green seemed to work best with art, antiques, trophies, and militaria. I think it is the perfect backdrop color for what we display.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I live in a 1800s farm house that's been in the family since it was built. Strangely enough its always been passed down to the youngest daughter in each generation. Its pretty neat, there is a family grave yard in the back field with the earliest date of 1729.

I can’ be the only one who’s going to ask how old your youngest daughter is and if she’s single?



In all seriousness I think you’ve got a couple of different routes.

Like others have said there’s a difference between culling (lots of indiscriminate trigger pulling) and management hunting (selective trigger pulling). Dont get me wrong, I love pulling the trigger and killing stuff, but I much prefer management hunting, but I’d never turn down a chance to cull. There are a few people who’ve truly culled (think hundreds to thousands of Impala in a few days to weeks time) and it’s made them not care to hunt for an Impala again.

I’ve culled some Impala and warthogs on hunts in RSA before (nowhere near the level above). I was there, had ammo, a day or two to kill, and they wanted X shot that week for meat for their workers and neighbors. Zero cares about size just if they gave a good broadside shot to not ruin any meat. We just walked all over looking for a good Kudu and if we saw a warthog we set-up and shot, if we saw an Impala we set-up and shot. I killed several nice Impala rams that most would consider a trophy (several that weren’t), but they just happened to be the ones we saw and they offered quick shots. On that farm, any warthog was a dead warthog. Would I do this again? 100% but I wouldn’t plan a trip to just do this.

Now hunting for old broken, management animals is a little different. Here you’re hunting for something specific not just shooting the first animal you see. This is more inline with what I like, but I also think animals like this make really cool Euro Mounts. I’d definitely plan a trip like this with the intention of hunting for 1-2 specific trophies and shooting some management type animals as a kicker.

IF you’re truly out of space, the photo book is a great idea, but so is recording your trip. I’ve had 2 hunts now where I hired a videographer. Both were great, one was a PG hunt in Namibia that morphed into a PAC Elephant Hunt (unsuccessful) but because I had the videographer I got some really cool footage up close and personal with elephants, but also got something to memorialize my first time elephant hunting.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Sadly, I have no clue. We moved from VA to TX and the new place had a carriage house that had been used to run the previous owner's business. We gutted it an rebuilt it as a trophy room/guest house/ old school bar. I brought home probably fifty different color swatches/cards and this moss/light loden green seemed to work best with art, antiques, trophies, and militaria. I think it is the perfect backdrop color for what we display.

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Very similar to what I’m looking to achieve (also in Texas). Your stain colors, and white trim are also similar. Our wood flooring it a good bit darker, so I might need to go a little darker in shade (so I’ve been told). Only real difference, this will be in the main living area.

.I’ve gone through about the same number of swatches from Sherwin Williams, Lowe’s, Home Depot and another paint store to compare. I think we’ve got it narrowed down to about a 1/2 dozen colors going to grab samples now. Was just curious to know if one of them was the same as yours.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I've basically never spent a cent on taxidermy and just keep my trophies as euro's. My first hunt to Africa will be for 2 "management" buffalo bulls with a potential third one available. Will all be euro mounts, doesn't take up much room in the house and doesn't cost me a fortune in taxidermy fees. Everyone's different and I do understand the attraction of a nice shoulder mount but it's just not for me, the hunt is the important part for me and euro mounts and photos are more than enough to remind me of the hunt. I have however in the last 12 months had a couple of floor rugs made out of a couple of animals I have taken which cost me $1500 but again doesn't really take up any room in the house and is I suppose in a way something I would spend money on anyway if I hadn't used skins from animals I had hunted.