Would you hunt in Africa, in case the trophies could not be imported to your country?

[Bert the Turtle]

Count me in as another cull hunts/ own use hunts only. I’ve enjoyed both and would do it again.
That said, it depends on the species. I’d happily shoot non-trophy buffalo again. I’d shoot non-trophy pains game. But I’ve no desire to hunt a lion that I can’t bring back. And I know cull hunts won’t keep the lights on.

 

[mark-hunter]

Certainly, there is a global pressure on hunting.
But in the light of this forum, i am under impression there is more focus of antis on African trophy hunts, then on trophy hunting practise in Europe, or in USA.
If my impression is correct, then why is that? Why european and american hunting arguably stand better, then african?

 

[PARA45]

I would definitely go even if I couldn't bring them home. I'm actually going to do it next year, I'll be hunting a lioness which I cannot import into the US. The government or any tree hugger can't take the memory and adventure away from me. I'll have my camera and I'll take 10,000 pictures. Fken all.

 

[Tanks]

I would hunt buffalo and tuskless elephant. I would not hunt anything else. Well, I stand corrected. Baboons, I would hunt baboons.

 

[crs]

Viewed from the eyes of the anti gun nut or Commie, any reduction in hunting, target shooting, or any other civilian use of guns, all progress toward less guns is good.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I put 'no' as my final answer, but as others have said, it's not an easy answer to arrive at. I'm with @JimP - barring some unforeseen windfall, Africa's won't ever be an every year thing for me. I agree that the experience is probably the bigger part, and I'd likely still consider my answer being yes... but I have other bucket list hunts I'm willing to put on hold for the promise of going back to Africa. Tangible mementos of successful hunts are still important to me (after all these years every set of antlers from every caribou and moose still finds their way home with me). In the event of a ban I might decide to pursue those other bucket list hunts instead.

 

[PARA45]

It's going to be close to 12 years since my first trip to Africa, and now I'm getting ready for my next African adventure. I also cannot afford going to Africa every year, or every other year, and I do have some other hunts (elk, bear, Billy goat) that I will like to do before I'm too old. Regardless if I bring anything home or not. If we don't hunt, the anti's have won. If we don't shoot, the antis have won. Get out there and enjoy your hunts, we only live once. The anti's will never stop me for doing what I like.

 

[degoins]

Voted yes. Just did it this past October on my lioness hunt. I had a fantastic time. It's all about the total experience for me. I enjoyed the heck out of shooting non trophy warthogs with my double. Just to be hunting in Africa was wonderful.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I voted yes, I definitely would.

Old age and the declining health that comes with it, will come to most of us. Certainly there are those who will pass in a quick manner....car accident or other some unforeseen situation for some others.

Presuming I fall in the line of old age / declining health, it will come to a point where hunting just isn't physically possible anymore. I will hopefully still be surrounded by my taxidermy when that time comes, then again perhaps not. All I'll be left with are the memories of those hunts. Will the taxidermy help with reliving those memories? Certainly.

But as think about this sad scenario, the only thing that could make it worse in my mind, is thinking how I wish I'd done that elephant hunt or even just one more springbok hunt, but didn't because I could not bring back that trophy for display on my wall. I would personally count that a bad decision.

 

[Wheels]

The hunt itself and memories of the hunt are what matters most to me.

Many of my best memories of hunting in Africa include skulls/skins that were tossed in the burn pit and probably hauled off by hyena or jackal before burned.

If covid allows my buff hunt to go off next year, I have no intention of bringing a buff or any pg trophies home.

I have some trophies. It's fun to have trophies and I will probably bring more back, but the experience of the hunt is much more important to me than rooms and walls taken up by taxidermy.

 

[Milo]

Since I was singled out for saying it on another thread, it bears repeating - If they ban imports I will kill more animals, not less.

 

[375Fox]

Certainly, there is a global pressure on hunting.
But in the light of this forum, i am under impression there is more focus of antis on African trophy hunts, then on trophy hunting practise in Europe, or in USA.
If my impression is correct, then why is that? Why european and american hunting arguably stand better, then african?

This could probably turn into a 1000 page thesis if someone really wanted to dive into it, but there are a couple of reasons that stand out to me. There aren’t quite the emotional animals like lions and elephants in North America or Europe to draw media attention. Hunting in the USA can be viewed as a common man activity vs going to Africa is seen as more of an activity of the wealthy. I think they also focus on hunting in Africa too because it’s primarily a white run industry on a black continent. There are really too many reasons to list, but I also hunting in North America and Europe is equally under just more quietly threat look at wolves, grizzly/brown bears, mountain lions, other emotional species or hunting methods, just doesn’t make the news the way African hunting does.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Certainly, there is a global pressure on hunting.
But in the light of this forum, i am under impression there is more focus of antis on African trophy hunts, then on trophy hunting practise in Europe, or in USA.
If my impression is correct, then why is that? Why european and american hunting arguably stand better, then african?

Because the Lion King has half the county thinking African animals are people and politicians do what gets them re-elected. Bambi notwithstanding, voting to ban deer hunting is a nonstarter in most voting districts. But banning the import of an elephant to prevent “poaching” of this “critically endangered” species?
That’s just “common sense” to 99% of the population.

 

[Hunt anything]

This is just a curiosity killed the cat question. Most of the discussion has been about mostly common southern African species. How many of us would fork over 30,000. To 40,000 dollars to hunt Derby eland or bongo in CAR or Cameroon if we couldn’t bring it home?

 

[Tra3]

I would/will continue hunting if I cannot bring anything home. The experience and adventure are the greatest value to me. I don’t have a single skull or Mount in my home, but I do have a few hides in use on furniture.
I’m unsure if I will bring anything home next summer when we hunt.

it does concern me that the higher value hunts would be greatly impacted if people can’t bring them home, the money really does keep the land in Conservation.

 

[Scanos]

I will continue to go for the memories. My dollars also support anti-poaching efforts that protect the areas in Africa I love. When those areas are gone....they are gone.

 

[C.W. Richter]

No I would hunt elsewhere. If imports were banned totally, I would hunt more throughout America.

Normally we eat our game. I am less eager to hunt without a possible trophy or stocked freezer. Guess trophy fever and feeding the family are my motivations with hunting. Africa would offer neither if imports were banned

You can't import the meat from African game, period. That said, you can enjoy some for dinner(s) while there! The simple answer to the original question is: Yes. People have had to put up with the bans for years already.

 

[R.M.C.]

There's no way I'd go to Africa if I couldn't have anything shipped home. I'm planning on going for the first time in July and will be doing mostly tanned hides and euro mounts but hopefully a couple shoulder mounts. Pictures would not be enough for me, probably because I've never been there before and may never afford to go again , and I've dreamt of it since I was a small child. Replica elephant tusks are one thing, totally molded from silicone skulls and horns from normal plains game is another. I'd hunt other countries or just my own if there were trophy bans

 

[Tom Leoni]

If anything, such ban will redouble my zeal to hunt Africa for three main reasons:

1 - Supporting the safari industry and (and true conservation through my game fees)
2 - Shifting my taxidermy budget towards hunting another couple animals
3 - Poking a finger (I'll let you guess which one) in the eye of the anti movement

Mainly, I would never abet the anti-hunting crowd by turning my back on my PH and on the many hard-working people who make a living through safari hunting. Of course, as a defender of individual choice I respect anyone who answered "no" to this poll, although I personally find it disheartening that some would let a ban alter their behavior in such a consequential manner. Doubly so because we all know that this ban would be driven by a combination of ignorance and malice.

Anyway, it's already illegal to import the best part of many African animals--the meat--into the USA where I live. This has not reduced my enthusiasm for my next African hunt, and a trophy-import ban will (at most) have the same exact effect: a big, fat zilch. And of course, I'll be always importing my memories, the friendships I've made, the experiences I've lived, and the anticipation for the next hunt.

 

[Clifford Johnson]

I would probably limit my African hunting. I have gone 7 times, so I have most of what I wanted 30 years ago. I will never hunt cheetah, or brown hyena, but would love to, because I can't bring them home and have a nice mount to sit and look at in my old age (fast approaching). For ME, a picture isn't the same as having that mount to look at. I can't see African hunting suffering much, as there are lots of folks who are good with the pictures. Nothing wrong with that. Another plus for ME is that the grand kids are more interested in the mounts than the pictures. Can't pet the pictures.