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

[Woodcarver]

I intend to get to Africa soon, whether or not they have banned all imports, or if they manage to make it so I have to borrow a rifle when I get there. While neither option is appealing, I want to hunt Africa.
It would most certainly be better if I can decide to bring some stuff back, but until they make it illegal to hunt anything, I still plan to go. Been a dream for 50+ years, not going to give it up just because of the stupidity of others.
That being said, the taxidermy on the walls is my way to pay tribute to some of the animals I have pursued. They are definitely reminders of a good hunt! Those that choose to go elsewhere because they can't put that mount on the wall, I totally understand. Personal choice. Can't knock them any more than I can the guys that prefer different methods of hunting than what I like.
The only thing I would give someone grief over is if they stopped hunting altogether because of these attempts to achieve that very objective. Don't let them win.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Short answer, yes I would, memories would be enough.

 

[Jaegger]

Interesting topic but a tough straight-forward: Yes or No response. For me - hunting abroad is an investment & I’m not referring to merely $ spent @ the Hunting Operation. I’ve invested into Africa x 8 & Trophies are part of that investment …

Flip Quarter Heads: I’m planning my 1st Sable hunt & I’m left to remember that memorable moment w/ a bullshit 3D printed plastic skull/horns - really!?

Flip Quarter Tails: Do I really need to return home w/ my 7th Oryx skull/horns?

For me - hunting w/o trophies is like walking into a small family run business to buy a beautiful handmade leather rifle sling & then “leaving the sling” in the shop cuz the purchase was really about supporting entrepreneurs …

The anticipation of the trophy crate is like Christmas & I’ve had 7 Christmas events @ my house … giggle/smile I get when cracking open that crate & see my friends immediately transports me back to that place, time, & experience … it‘s without words. It would be a damn sad day to Never Experience that again …

 

[Jaegger]

… hunting would be Cull & Market Subsistence @ a faction of the $$ investment.

 

[PeteG]

From my perspective, a trophy import ban would reduce every trophy animal to a cull hunt/management hunt category and the price would reflect it.
Now for those who can make the comparison, would you pay $16,000 for a trophy buff hunt or would you do a $2,500 management/female buff hunt?
Essentially every animal would be reduced to being almost worthless and the industry would collapse.
don’t think for a second that the anti’s and the ones pushing this agenda don’t know this fact.
they have been working on this for years and years, slowly eating away at the resilience of the law makers and chipping away at them knowing that in the end they will succeed and they will destroy the hunting industry in a short space of time if they are given the opportunity.

there will be no govt concessions to hunt in Zambia, zim, bots, moz, tz, Congo, Cameroon, Uganda and wherever else you can think of… worldwide! Not just Africa. Europe, Hawaii, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand and every other destination will be affected.
Certain game farms and ranches will survive and thrive based on a different business model and clientele. But I would be surprised if anything more than 1% of the current hunting would be taken up if there were no trophies to be take.
bear in mind, once the group of people now who already have taken their trophies are done hunting, the younger crowd will not partake if they cannot bring their trophies home. And this will the end of it.

anyone here willing to do a $160,000 lion, leopard, ele, buff combo and not be able to take the trophies home? Not even the magnificent 19”bushbuck you took as a lucky opportunity? Or the 45” sable that stepped out while you were following buff tracks?

 

[sierraone]

The goal is to stop hunting. Antis don't care about your shoulder mount they want hunting shut down. It is naive to believe after a trophy ban they would quit and allow us to go on hunting unabated.
If successful they will go hard at a hunting ban with things like shutting down flying with your firearms and most corporations are run by leftists or at least PR minded business folks who bend with every breeze.
If a trophy hunter who has been mislabeled successfully as a criminal who kills only for a head is evil, how much more so is the person who would kill for only a selfie? They don't care about facts and don't even acknowledge or respond to counter arguments given in rebuttal. Every time some hunter with a house and social media full of trophies, mounts or pictures, starts telling one of them how they hunt for conservation or just being in nature it just sends up the BS flag and they don't listen and neither do many on the fence.
I trophy hunt. I'm interested in conservation because I want to keep hunting. One feeds the other.
If I can keep nothing but the memories I'll likely go other places and for other species on my list but I'll aggravate the piss out of my politicians to change things just like the antis do.
Sorry for the rant, no coffee yet.

We are just different in that only old age and bank account is what will stop me from going back to Africa. I have never used Facebook. This is the only internet site I publish photos on. I am retired so I don't have a boss. Just don't care what someone else thinks about me going to Africa to hunt.

 

[JimP]

One thing if any of you are on FB which I am you can set up your preferences to where only your friends or contacts on FB can see your pictures. While I don't post very much on FB it is a good way to stay in contact with family and friends who you don't talk to very much. That is if you can get over the drama that some like to post on it.

But back to pictures, even on a photo hosting site such as Imgur which I use you can set up your preferences to where only you can see the pictures unless you provide a link to them on a forum such as this one.

Both ways keeps a lot of the anti's at bay.

 

[Vintageguy]

We are just different in that only old age and bank account is what will stop me from going back to Africa. I have never used Facebook. This is the only internet site I publish photos on. I am retired so I don't have a boss. Just don't care what someone else thinks about me going to Africa to hunt.

I also don’t care what people think and I post pics and I don’t do that silliness of blurring my face out like I’m ashamed or some kind of criminal. However, I’m a working class guy with limited time and money. Africa is such a draw for me that I can’t wait to return but if a trophy ban happened that singled out African trophies being brought back to the US then I would spend my limited time and money pursuing other species in other places. Things that I want to do but Africa gets in the way because, well, it’s Africa.

 

[MarkB]

Tuff decision, I could say I would but would I actually spend the $$$$ when time comes? I save and work many years between safari, don't have annual safaris or unlimited funds. It is the experience that matters most and I do have a room/house filled with mounts. Don't need same species mounted again but other closer species still mountable and not hunted could/may or possibly could trump another safari. I have not hunted polar bear and don't have one mounted. Yet? Priorities would be hard to choose. As others state this is only another tactic for the fools who want to stop us, it will not end with banning animal part exports.

After some thought I voted yes, but that could change and be wrong.

MB

 

[fourfive8]

Voted yes. Been enough including trips not bringing anything back. Years ago, before going to Africa the first time I don't know how I would have voted but probably yes. I had hunted a lot well before Africa so not a huge passion to bring trophies home. If young or new to hunting out of state or internationally, I may answer differently??

 

[thi9elsp]

I voted yes. I've only been twice. I hope to go again in 2024. I only have capacity for euro mounts. I would prefer to be able to bring them home. But, if I were unable to get the shipment home (no airlines will fly them, government rules, etc.), I would look into spending the taxidermy budget on having the trip professionally filmed, edited and produced.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I can see a great market for a comany in the USA producing replicas. Most fish mounts here in Zim are now replicas and they are indistinguishable. Then the carcass in total goes to the 'community'. Harder for the greenies to poke holes.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I can see a great market for a comany in the USA producing replicas. Most fish mounts here in Zim are now replicas and they are indistinguishable. Then the carcass in total goes to the 'community'. Harder for the greenies to poke holes.

The greenies are at their peak now, going forward they will metter less and less.

 

[Code4]

Of course. Not everyone is a trophy hunter.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Speaking to my operator buddies the hope is that that the USA and to a lesser extent but still significant Europe and the UK will not be put off because you are all that is standing against extinction of hunting. Once hunting goes, the animals go too.

 

[Jaegger]

@ Code4: I like the simplicity - I’m six (6) African species away from a similar mindset & support proven past: Hunter $$$ can have the biggest impact on conservation so hunting must continue.

Directly below my response is a header: Similiar Threads, title “UK to ban import of Lion trophies if hunting industry does’t reform.” Dec 19, 2015.

Literally six (6) years ago & it appears the greenies meritless messaging in 2015 had little traction. I tracked the latest post from 10 Dec 2021 & screen shots on UK Env. Sec. latest proposal. “Import of hunting trophies from thousands of endangered & threatened species to be banned - including lions, rhinos, elephants, & polar bears. Ban on imports of hunting trophies that will be one of the toughest in the world & protect nearly 7,000 species. Key manifesto commitment as part of a wider UK drive on international conservation.”

* I was unaware there were 7,000 hunt able species!?
* A quick google has the number of recognized mammal species: 6,495.
* I must assume, Fish, Reptiles, & Insects top off the 7,000 list.
* My popular RSA Taxidermist advertises 57 species … tad shy 7,000!

Extremism - politicians, their screaming messaging, & absurd policies are becoming to easy in Democracy-style Free Voting Countries. As easy, as locating an apple crate & pedaling “cure-all” snake oil in the town square. Lazy, weak minded people & social media skimmers fall to easily for these meritless feel-good messages & policies.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Kevin Peacocke
This year in my country, the goverment declared hunting as "national heritage".
Good move.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Speaking to my operator buddies the hope is that that the USA and to a lesser extent but still significant Europe and the UK will not be put off because you are all that is standing against extinction of hunting. Once hunting goes, the animals go too.

There's too much money and too many jobs that hunting and the firearms industry depend on in the U.S. Unlike Europe and the rest of the world, hunting in the U.S. is for more than the well off and enjoyed by people in all socio-economic strata.

You can look at the stats for 2016 here. The last two years have seen an uptick in hunting and fishing license sales so these numbers are likely less.

 

[Brent in Az]

Kind of like going to a gun store and paying for a gun, but not being allowed to leave the store with it.

But hey....I got to fondle it.

 

[TOBY458]

YES. The wall mount, skin, or horns are the least important parts of the hunt to me. Sure, I'm happy to have some trophies here at home that were taken in Australia and Africa, but the pictures and memories are worth more to me than any of that stuff. Good pictures capture more of the hunt than any wall mount can hope to. And my memories are what keeps me wanting to return.