What is a trophy and what falls short?

[TokkieM]

@UKHunter you can ask 10 Outfitters/PH's and get 10 diffrent answers to your question. African animals unlike European and American ones do not shed their horns,so the length of the horn does not regress as with Fellow Deer. They may loose length due to wearing the horns down,but as mentioned above that is a trophy to some.
A mature male animal will only be taken when it has poor genetics,broken off horns or is near death anyway. Just because it does not breed anymore does not automatically make it a non trophy animal. Think Buffalo.

As far deciding what a cull animal is that would depend on size of the herd,male female ratios and once again poor genetics and that even at a young age you may be able to tell what will become and what won't become a trophy. Then there is also herd dynamics were old cows may not breed any longer but keep the bulls away from the younger cows or a female that leads the herd may be barren,but shooting her would put the balance and we'll being of the herd at risk,Zebra are a good example.

Then there are also other circumstances that may influence the way cull animals are selected,over population of a specific species,drought,disease etc.

A proper management plan is a essential tool in ensuring the well being and growth of not only the species,but also trophy quality.

Anyone that tells you to just bang away at the first animal that comes up has not done his homework.

 

[UKHunter]

You make a good point that African animals may not regress in the way our deer species do, I hadn't thought of that

I agree that you will get a variety of answers from different people, resulting from a lot of the good points you make and which I also agree with for maintaining a healthy population.

I was just leading on from your OP that PH's are advising clients to take animals that would not be a trophy and taking it the other way that some trophy's taken may be viewed as a cull animal to some.

I have just re-read your post with great interest. I have only hunted SA once but learn more about hunting there every day on this site, such as how a older female zebra may lead the herd.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

A trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Velo Dog]

A trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

+1 with KMG Hunting Safaris here on - "eye of the beholder".
In that vain / regarding buffalo for one example, I definitely think they look best when they are old enough to have heavy and chipped bosses, tattered ears, missing plenty of facial hair, show lion scars on their back or rump and have had one horn broken off.