Anyone trophy hunt but not bring back trophies?

canoetrpr · May 17, 2014

Doing some planning for a 2015 hunt. I am a relatively new hunter so building up experience in spot and stalk is what I am after.

My wife isn't keen on trophies being mounted in the house and one has to compromise somewhere so this is where we have chosen to compromise. Besides I think I'd rather spend my money doing more hunting than paying for the trophies.

At most I may bring back a hide or two to be turned into a rug.

Under the circumstances, is there any point in me trying to hunt trophy quality animals rather than a management/cull hunt? Does anyone else hunt trophy animals but not bring back the mounts?

Guess my main question is, will I gain something additional experience / knowledge wise by doing a trophy hunt rather than a management hunt?

BRICKBURN · May 17, 2014

The biggest potential difference would be an older animal has been avoiding hunters longer and this may provide a heightened challenge.
Targeting one particular animal is a tougher hunt.

Finished skins are not going to cause you issues for import.

Good luck planning your hunt and have fun.

enysse · May 17, 2014

I think good pictures some days are worth thousands of dollars. I see no problem with hunting trophy animals and just bringing excellent picture back. The pictures generate as many memories as trophy mounts too.

JGRaider · May 17, 2014

I just returned from Namibia, and did a combo of cull/mgt hunting, and I added a trophy kudu and mtn zebra. I was able to get in lots of shooting/hunting (12 animals total) for a very reasonable price. I will do this type of hunt again, as I don't want to bring everything home either. That mtn zebra rug will make it home though...it is gorgeous.

accipiter · May 17, 2014

Recently, this same topic was a very popular thread on another hunting forum. Apparently a lot of guys go on trophy hunts but do not bring back the animals. I think you should do a combination trophy and cull/management hunt. You can always decide when you walk up to the animal whether you want to export it. You may change your mind when you see the beauty of these African animals.
Depending on your hunting experience in your home country, you will probably see more animals one week in Africa than 10 years back home. Which means you can bag more animals during a one week safari than a decade of hunting back home, at least that seems to be the case for an occasional hunter like me.

ActionBob · May 17, 2014

I have to agree with the above advice and thoughts.

A couple of the guys at the camp we were at talked about knowing a fellow who goes on a lot of hunts but only takes pictures. Our PH was part professional photagrapher and went through painstaking detail to get good pictures. The most dangerous part of our hunt was posing for picures... example "I don't care if your sitting on a thorn, Smile!"

I have a sister in law who is a professional photographer, she would have happily came with for less cost than taxidermy.

I want the mounts! But I can see the attraction to only doing photos. $10, 000 + for taxidermy, plus shipping, brokerage, more shipping from port to home, building a trophy room.... and the new house to go with it... Photos are potentially hundreds of thousands cheaper!

ActionBob · May 17, 2014

A related question for those who might know... Is there a market for the raw trophies? Will taxidermists pay enough for them that it would be worthwhile caping, salting, transporting, etc.?

Seems to me the mounts in bars, hunting stores, etc. Must come from somewhere. And taxidermists must at least have need for capes to use for repair work?

Anyone trophy hunt but not bring back trophies?

canoetrpr

BRICKBURN

enysse

JGRaider

accipiter

ActionBob

ActionBob

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