Judging Giraffe

Judging Giraffe
Does anyone have pictures of light and dark color giraffes? Indication on how to judge a Giraffe. I understand the light colored are cheaper. I have always wanted to hunt a giraffe, but wasn't looking to spend a ton of money on one...my wife isn't too thrilled in the first place. But I always wanted at giraffe. Taxidermy of the neck and head...with the head turned...the rest of it I just wanted tanned skin. And I know taxidermy is not cheap. I only wanted a few feet of the neck...because I don't have a lot of room in my house either. I wanted to kick a few ideas around...for a future hunt down the line.

Hi Eric,
I know of two Bulls in my area that need to be taken. Can have the details for you next time we chat.

Best Regards
Marius Goosen

enysse,

Depending on the reference, there are about 9 identified subspecies of giraffe. Colors and patterns range from the dark brown Reticulated to the light colored West African.

Here's a link: Giraffe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've been looking into this for my next hunt too.

Giraffe has always been on my list. They're starting to make to the top of the "short list" Maybe not my next safari but the one after that for sure!

FWIW, the dark ones are the mature males and the lighter ones are immature males or females.

Other give aways for the mature males is the top of their 'horns' (for want of a better term) are bald and they STINK!

Originally Posted by shakari

FWIW, ... the top of their 'horns' (for want of a better term) are bald and they STINK!

So, how does one get up there to smell the 'horns' to ensure the trophy is mature? ;-)

I guess I need to read a study guide on giraffes!

Greybird,

Oops, guess I had a senior moment there and didn't express myself quite as well as I should..... sorry about that!

As you guessed. What I should have said is the mature male giraffes stink.

Which is why they're often called 'old stinkers'

Sorry about that!

We had one giraffe bull on the property that had only one ear he was about 10 years old when we bought the land and about 12 years later he died we where not sure if it was old age or lightning but he was about 22 years old and never turn black.
Johan

Go for the Black one, they are worth the extra money.

Originally Posted by hunting

We had one giraffe bull on the property that had only one ear he was about 10 years old when we bought the land and about 12 years later he died we where not sure if it was old age or lightning but he was about 22 years old and never turn black.
Johan

I agree with this post. I have seen old giraffes that are almost white with age. I think it all depends on the genetic makeup of each animal.

Originally Posted by shakari

Greybird,

Oops, guess I had a senior moment there and didn't express myself quite as well as I should..... sorry about that!

As you guessed. What I should have said is the mature male giraffes stink.

Which is why they're often called 'old stinkers'

Sorry about that!

Shakari,

Yeah, I knew what you meant. I was just pokin' fun!!!

Bushbuck, your giraffe mount looks excellent, congrats! The head looks like it has a lot of detail.

Originally Posted by hunting

We had one giraffe bull on the property that had only one ear he was about 10 years old when we bought the land and about 12 years later he died we where not sure if it was old age or lightning but he was about 22 years old and never turn black.
Johan

I never thouht about that one, "lightning". Seems like mother nature might have wanted to address that shortcoming!

I have come across a couple dead Giraffes. I was told at the time they most likely died due to a mamba bite. The Mambas go up in the trees to sun and a giraffe eating the leaves startles them. 1 bite and the giraffe drops to the ground.. I guess they also do not get along to well with electrical wires strung between poles.

Originally Posted by Bushbuck

Go for the Black one, they are worth the extra money.

That's a great looking mount Bushbuck. Have you got the little guy pulling a bow yet?

To be honest Phil, I dont know who the young man is. I have most of my pics on my other computer at my other home. This is one that my daughter had on her laptop. Must be a friend from the neighborhood or something. I have 2 daughters, 10 & 14 and they both shoot a bow though. I can tell you that out of the hundreds of mounts I have, the Giraffe gets the most attention from guests. Everyone wants a picture.

Originally Posted by shakari

FWIW, the dark ones are the mature males and the lighter ones are immature males or females.

Other give aways for the mature males is the top of their 'horns' (for want of a better term) are bald and they STINK!

Shakari,
I will have to disagree with you. Sure , Giraffe do get darker with age, but the really dark ones as questioned from this post, with the pigmentations that are almost black, is because of genes not age.
So, to say they get darker is correct, but the "black" bulls that come up on photos are from the genes. We have one like that, but its not for sale.This is to give it chance to spread its genes to get the dark colouring into the group.

Best Regards
Marius Goosen

Marius,

No doubt that some get darker than others and I fully understand and agree that a landowner would want to encourage that variation but I'm sure that if you check ANY species book or zoological site, you'll find confirmation that the mature bulls are considerably darker than the females and immature bulls who look a bit like they've been put through too hot a wash in the washing machine and had some of the colour washed out of them.

I accept there might possibly be the odd exception to that rule (as there always are occasional exceptions to most things in Africa) but if there is, it's a very rare exception indeed.

I general you find the very old bulls are much darker as they do get darker with age but you can now and then find a bull born darker than others .So genitics can play a small roll in the colouration , as we have about 70 plus girrafe on the reserve and and we do find some being more light than others at birth but as they get older they do get darker but will never be as dark as the ones that were born darker .
When a girrafe get old he also gets a strong smell and we call them stink bulls , they get this odour when they are about seven years old .
Chris