Quarry Species Question

Drew

Well-Known Member
While chatting about past sporting exploits with a gentleman the other day it occurred to me that most of us will have a line that we do not cross...a personally imposed sense of what species it's sporting to shoot. So this is the question:

What couldn't you/wouldn't you want to shoot?

For me it's elephants, simply couldn't do it. I'd probably also have trouble with some of the big predators. I have been out to Canada for black bear, but that's another story.
 
I couldn't shoot a badger for some reason, I don't know why. I'd be happy to shoot cats and chavs and child molesters but not badgers. I don't think I could shoot bears or big cats either! I'll stick to deer, foxes, squirrels and rabbits I think. :confused:
 
Nothing wrong with taking Elephants, especially rogue ones, they are not quite so placid and friendly. They are terrific animals, but when wounded in a poachers snare like mine was, well its a different ball game.

Whales, cant see the sense in people taking them at all, dont like the Japs for doing this under scientific reasons. And people who want to hunt a Soay Sheep, for some odd reason some people liken them as a trophy to take :rolleyes:
 
I've just remember seeing walrus offered by an outfitter ttoo, wouldn't want to do that either.
 
Hi Drew,
It does sound a bit strange hunting walrus. Have you got any 'Real Sea' camo gear handy or a sea weed ghillie suit! :lol:
 
Elephants

Back in the mid-90's I worked for PH over in Zimbabwe and we did a number of elephant hunts. I'll never forget the first one, where a number of bulls were out on a 'pan handle' on the shores of Lake Kariba. The PH identified the one to take and as it fell to its knees, the other bulls tried to support it and keep it on it's feet. It was very moving, even in the 'heat of battle'. Afterwards, I don't think any of us felt a sense of acheivement or elation, even the American client who had done most of the shooting (and was a idiot with an ego bigger than anyone I ever met!).

Yes. all the locals came along and were very well fed for the next few weeks, but it did seem a shame that such a wonderful animal had met it's end. At that time the CAMPFIRE scheme was running in Zimbabwe, but I always had my doubts about the reliability of the animal counts, and therefore the cull quotas - the locals wanted trophy money and they wanted red meat, so who could blame them for exagerating the numbers a little?

We did plenty of plains game which was fantastic! Good sport and lovely eating. For me it's all about the eating. If it tastes good, there are too many of them and the animal enters the food chain, then I have no problems with it being shot and that applies to elephants too - but I won't be the one pulling the trigger...

Now Cape Buffalo, there's a thought...........

Cheers,

Rob
 
Blimey Rob! Me and the missus have our hearts in are mouths with your elephant account. You are right about elephants needing to be culled but its heart breaking. I read a book about a British Army Officer in Burma during WWII. 'Elephant Bill', he was in charge of the elephant convoys through the jungle resupplying the British and Indian troops. Some of the Elephants got captured by the japs and put to work for their war effort. The RAF had to drop bombs on the Elephants and Mahouts to stop them. The pilots hated doing it. Very sad. :(
 
Must agree on elephants - or for that matter rhino. Never felt the urge.

In two minds about big cats though. Lions don't excite me, but after reading far too much Ruark and Corbett, I'd love a chance at leopard. Though it's unlikely ever to happen.
 
Your a bit of a dark horse Rob. I had no idea you had been to Zim.

I have to admit, I had no intention of taking an Elephant at the time, as I was hunting Cape Buff. But as the Elephant in question had only half a trunk due to a poachers snare, it befell me to do the job. I will freely admit I would not have shot this cow, if it had a calf. This was something I could not do. But as luck (if you can call it that) would have it, it was a barren cow.

I took no ivory, or skin away as a trophy, only a few tail hairs which I had made into bracelets, all of which I gave away to friends apart from one which I still have. The whole village turned out and devoured it. And it is the only animal I have ever had filmed while I shot. Most present to collect the meat were women and children, who were very hungry.

Would I do it again YES, if the circumstances were the same. Would I go for Elephant on a trophy basis, probably not, having taken one although a cow, I have no desire to take another.

Funny culling Red Hinds in the winter in Scotland, as a rule you should take the calf as well, does anyone have a problem with that? Personally I dont, but at times I have not shot, because I did not feel right, or the dam was showing a tender moment towards the calf, stalkers do have hearts, despite what the antis feel or say. Being a hunter means you show respect for your quarry.

Showing due respect gentlemen that is the most important thing at time like this. There is a right time for everything.
 
I was within four metres of a muntjac buck fawn the other day. He didn't see me, he was browsing away on a bramble. I thought, no this is too easy and I'd like to think that this winter fawn would survive the winter and feel the warm summer sun on his back before he gets it! I'd like to think that one day he will make a big buck and that I can shoot him as he is 'going over'. Muntjac bucks are great! all those war scars and tatty torn ears, real campaigners!
 
When I was staying in Africa on a game reserve i reakised that many of the animals were rather oblivious of our presence.
I was staying at the time with a mate that runs a 100,000 hectare game reserve.

It really did not seem to offer "sporting shots" as they animals are very used to human intrusion.

Rogue animals are different of course and need to be culled.

In this country I rarely shoot hares, as they are also not sporting shots. I have hundreds on my land, so take the odd few just to keep numbers in order.
Turks love em tho, and I never pay for a kebab
 
I believe I could only kill anything that was going into the food chain. Unless I had a very, very good reason to pull the trigger.

The thought of hunting a large predator does not appeal. I watched a leopard hunt (Link from this very site) online and felt truly sickened after watching it. :evil:

MJ
 
poddle said:
In this country I rarely shoot hares, as they are also not sporting shots. I have hundreds on my land, so take the odd few just to keep numbers in order.
Turks love em tho, and I never pay for a kebab

Haven't shot a hare in over 20 years. Rather like them.
 
I couldn`t shoot elephant or any of the big cats. Badger,? Yes, I hate the bloody things, where i live i see more of them in the lamp than rabbits!!! :mad: , It`s all thanks to that bloody Bill Oddie making out they are so rare and cuddly, just put them on the open general license that`s what i say. I`m sorry if that grates with any of you but it`s just the way i feel.
I have no problem shooting feral cats, lots of them,
sheep (wooly maggots) shot lots of and pigs, a few of.


Sikamalc, you ask if anyone has a problem with culling calves?, when i was contracting for FC, it was a case of getting the mother first and waiting for the calves/fawns to come back to mother to get them too, if they ran off after shooting mother, harsh I know, but as you may know, you don`t make money letting them go. I will just add that it was just before the start of the season, from 1st of October, so they would have been as near as dammit independant anyway.


wadashot
 
Haven't shot a hare in over 20 years. Rather like them.[/quote]


Yeah, I like them too, like I said tho, I have absolutely hundreds on my land, they actually far out number rabbits. It's nothing to see 20 or more in just one field.

I probably take 10 or 12 in a year, to try and keep numbers sensible, but they can do considerable damage to new crop.

I never feel good about shooting one tho
 
Yes I'm in the Elephant camp only a rogue or a mercy job, Tiger couldn't do one, Hares nice to see around.
However bloody brock would be no problem far to many about.
 
Brock does not get much of a break in my area.

most of the farmers in my area have a zero tolerance. And instruct certain shooters to kill them on sight
 
Well its nice that we have different views about this subject and can except each others ideas. I couldn't kill badgers, because I once saw badger baiters at work. I phoned the police but they didn't respond. The badger baiters were there for nearly an hour. They were in full view in a 'nature conservation area' in the middle of a city. I took the registration of their car. Two days later the police told me that they were known badger baiters from Bootle. A woman police officer finally interviewed me and after the interview admitted that she didn't understand what I was talking about! "So what is badger baiting and what's the problem?" God bless plod! :evil:

What ever we shoot we should respect it. IMHO We change our world then expect everything else in it to conform to our doctrine.

Isn't there a Anglo-Saxon belief that Hares are shape changing women/witches and they cry in human voice when wounded? Now that would really freak me out. :eek: :confused:
 
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