Non Trophy expectations?

[finnbear270]

:?:Just been thinking about hunting in the world of "Trophy" expeditions, I have no need of anything to put on the wall, and have no negative feelings about those who do, always a "Pothunter", I wondered if I might be thought of as an oddity just wanting to hunt generally, a bit like preferring the Hinds to the Stags if you like? Steve.

 

[Safari Hunter]

Hi Steve
Hunting is what you make it. Hunting management animals is just as challenging as hunting a trophy. If you need any help with anything please let me know or take a look at my website below.
Cheers
Adrian

 

[howa243]

I find it slightly odd. For me the trophy is the event/occasion not the animal. Not sure that leaving with a trophy head would make things more memorable. Especially as, the more one reads about such things the more it appears like a trophy comes at the expense of a good hunt.

I have never done it so accept that this could be an inaccurate understanding of the topic.

 

[finnbear270]

I like the web site!, didn't realise I was already describing management hunts

 

[Bushwack]

All of you do speak truth here...it is about the hunt / safari not the animal...so, nothing wrong with management / for the pot / biltong hunting...

I am the hunting industries for over 20 years and never had any trophies mounted on my walls, don't no why, just didn't see why...my 15 year old son has 4 trophies on the wall today that identify him as an up and coming hunter. I even didn't like to take photos of the quarry harvested back in the day...today I am very disappointed by not taking enough photos!


Patrick

 

[Safari Hunter]

I like the web site!, didn't realise I was already describing management hunts

Thanks Steve, take a look around it and let me know if you want any further information. I'm not for from you.

 

[Pine Marten]

People hunt for a mix of reasons, and I suspect that just collecting trophies as the main motivation is a minority pursuit. However, if the trophy is a by-product of an otherwise memorable hunt and serves to keep the memory of that experience alive, fine. That's why I have a tiny collection of trophies including a roebuck that no serious trophy hunter would ever bother to have mounted. But it matters to me. I'm very lucky in that I have a probable invitation to hunt chamois in France in the Autumn, but it's been made clear to me that I wouldn't have a tag for a mature male, just a youngster. This is fine by me, it's more than I could ever have expected anyway. If it happens and works out, I will still put the little horns on the wall as a tribute to a memorable hunt. And have the skin tanned too, because I think a chamois fur is probably a pretty unusual interior decorating feature in Ealing!

 

[NigelM]

You're not alone. The trophy thing has never really lit my fire either. Much prefer a good couple of days on the hill after hinds than one day looking for a Stag. More interested in getting the cull balance right and preserving the best of the gene pool on the Roe than shooting the biggest.

I have a few heads on the wall. None of them are "trophies", but all of them have a great story attached to them. From the Red Stag with the unfeasible huge testicles that we spent the day looking for to the "Beast of Kildermorrie" who was a heavily battle scarred old Sika Stag, and the first Roe Buck I ever managed to call in during the rut. Great memories that deserved preserving and as a result a little grin appears on my face whenever I look at them.

Size really doesn't matter......

 

[slider]

"Trophy" hunting does nothing for me, always been a "function over form" man. To me the stalk is the enjoyable bit, the shot is there to do a purpose - fill the freezer or meet cull requirements

 

[willie_gunn]

I've never gone out to specifically shoot a trophy. That said, I have a number of good sets of antlers on the wall, but only because those have belonged to the beasts that happened to walk out in front of me when I was stalking.

The trophy is the product of the animal that bore it, not the hunter that bores you talking about it

 

[shakey jake]

I would quite like a couple of mounted heads not sure on species or sex but something that looked nice and had a story, always seems a shame to bin the skin I have got my first munty skin dried on the back of by guncupboard door but for me most hunting and shooting is about a meal

 

[BruinO]

There are many different aspects to our sport and it's what you get out of it that counts at the end of the day irrespective of trophies and venison,it's about fun.Go to Africa if you like adventure and then decide when you are out there.Most go to SA on a cull hunt and take a trophy or 2 lol.I'm off to cameroon on Sunday and I am not hunting with a tape measure but will look for an old rep of the species. The venison will be eaten and the money will conserve and the horn porn on the wall will be my memories

 

[finnbear270]

Ha Ha, Horn Porn, That's a good un!.

 

[Drag1]

Iv'e been to Africa 5 times now always on management cull packages although i have a few things on my wall but they are the memories from my hunting trips , non of them are "Roland ward" standard but they are "MINE" and to me when i sit and look at them i can remember every stalk and shot . but last year i went on a Trophy KUDU hunt for my 60th it took nearly four days to get my beast certainly not the biggest but a nice beast nevertheless, the icing on the cake for me was when we found this animal and specifically went for him, when we eventually got him he was so old he hardly had any teeth left in his head and yes the mount is coming home (don't know where its going yet)
The thing i'm trying to get across is more or less what you lads are saying ITS THE HUNT THAT MATTERS to me . But the so called "Trophy hunters" bring in a lot of revenue for the outfitters so each to his own i say.
drag1

 

[FGYT]

My primary reason is good quality Meat at a reasonable cost (also raise my own pigs for similar reasons)


Would rather end up with a Michalen star quality burger or steak than a gold medal from an old boy who is tough and produces lower quality meat
so will photograph the end product of a nice meal not the just shot stage which is only half the journey to me

I certainly cant see the point of paying out a lot of money to go hunting even with a successful outcome and still not ending with some Food for the freezer (thats just for Me no problems with others who do as the meat goes into the food chain)

dosnt mean if i do shoot a nice head for what ever reason i.e. injured or its time for that one to let in fresh blood etc I will take the Antlers may mount them as is or will use for Knife making or trade ot other craft makers

 

[Southern]

I had supper last night with someone who just returned from Zimbabwae, where he had taken an elephant on a cull hunt. It was destroying crops, killing cattle. His total hunt cost was $5,000, with a few plains game. He was not allowed to bring back of the elephant. All the meat went to the village farmers whose crops were destroyed, and the hide was sold by the guide as some of his renumeration. But he said he had a thrilling time. This was his fourth hunt in Africa in the last nine years.

 

[Bushwack]

I had supper last night with someone who just returned from Zimbabwae, where he had taken an elephant on a cull hunt. It was destroying crops, killing cattle. His total hunt cost was $5,000, with a few plains game. He was not allowed to bring back of the elephant. All the meat went to the village farmers whose crops were destroyed, and the hide was sold by the guide as some of his renumeration. But he said he had a thrilling time. This was his fourth hunt in Africa in the last nine years.

Guy's,

Zimbabwe is a very nice place to hunt, did it for 10 years...

Was this s cull hunt or PAC (Problem Animal Control) hunt? Destroying crops and killing cattle sounds more in the class of a PAC hunt? Just make sure that this is legal to do, it use to be, but NOT anymore!!

 

[Southern]

I don't know the details, as the three of us only had a few minutes at the table, and discussing several things. He called it a cull hunt. I will see him this weekend and learn more. He travels to SA several times a year with his company, so he tries to work in a hunt when he can. I will pass along your info, as I like some of your cull hunts and build-your-own hunts.

I have two friends who have done several PAC hunts in other countries, but one of them is a former PH, and his connections are game wardens he has known his whole life. I have missed several invites because of work, but he has tracked and taken seriously bad lion, croc, buffalo in the last decade. Real hunting, to me, to go after a specific animal, whether it be mountain lion, bear, coyote, wild boar, or just a troublesome bobcat or feral dog.

 

[Bushwack]

You get cull hunts in Zim...it was just the words you used that registered PAC hunts in my eye's...


Just some general information:

PAC hunts a few years back wasn't illegal, but they are now! Especially in Zimbabwe as far as my knowledge serves me right...be very careful doing such hunts...there are outfitters (SA and Zim) in Zimbabwe that does sell these PAC hunts and you will not get your trophy or will get arrested by the Police once known about this

Perhaps there are hunters on the forum that have more info to verify this?

 

[MJ75]

For me it's all about being out there in the bush. I've taken trophy and cull animals. I tool a Rowland Ward class blesbok once, only because he turned and presented a good broadside shot before the other two rams with him did...

I've hunted on a concession that we were the first 'foreign' hunters to stalk on. Only RSA biltong and meat hunters have hunted there previously by all accounts. Due to the large area and the fact that we were discovering the areas along with our PH's who had not hunter there before it felt like a truly authentic African hunting experience. The area wasn't completely fenced either so it was true fair chase. The concession has massive potential for African adventures and can't wait to get back there to be honest.

I shot my first mountain reedbuck there too which we ate, it's by far and away the nicest tasting venison I've ever had. One of my friends who was there with us described it as the best tasting meat he'd ever eaten in his life, so I hunted two more the following day. This kind of experience all adds to the overall satisfaction of the trip.

I've made the mistake of booking too many animals in the past, the hunting then became a bit of a chore and the pressure we'd inadvertently placed the PH under ruined the overall experience. Now on I'd rather hunt management animals with the odd trophy at a slower pace and just enjoy the sights and sounds of the bush etc. In short it's more about the hunting than taking the actual animals if that makes sense?