Does the hunter have any involvement with the gutting/skinning/breaking down of the animal?

[Ray B]

A VERY Basic Question. Prior to visiting this site I had never even considered going to Africa on a safari- that has been moved up from a definite no, through maybe, to well, if things work-out, I just might start the investigation into a trip. So my first question is: when an animal such as a Cape Buffalo is killed, I understand the meat is distributed to the local employees and villagers- so after the hunter puts the animal down, does he have any involvement with the gutting/skinning/breaking down of the animal?

That's number one question- for others, I continue to review the various topics on this GREAT site. Thank you to all involved with putting the site into action and all of the contributors!!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

It's kind of up to you Ray what you want to do. If you tell your PH you want in on the process, then that request should be granted. It also depends somewhat on the situation. It may be that the situation does not lend itself to continue hunting. But if the situation is such that help can be called in to retrieve the animal to be taken to a skinning shed, and there's daylight left, well then the norm would be to continue on hunting. But again, there's no fixed rule here.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Prior to visiting this site I had never even considered going to Africa on a safari- that has been moved up from a definite no, through maybe, to well, if things work-out, I just might start the investigation into a trip. So my first question is: when an animal such as a Cape Buffalo is killed, I understand the meat is distributed to the local employees and villagers- so after the hunter puts the animal down, does he have any involvement with the gutting/skinning/breaking down of the animal?

That's number one question- for others, I continue to review the various topics on this GREAT site. Thank you to all involved with putting the site into action and all of the contributors!!

@Ray B
I can't see why you cannot be part of the skinning process. Although we have people who do it, I have had a few hunters ask me to be involved and they are more than welcome to do so. I only ask that our skinners do the fine detail in the caping, such as eyes, lips and nose, where it really matters.

 

[peras]

@Ray B
I can't see why you cannot be part of the skinning process. Although we have people who do it, I have had a few hunters ask me to be involved and they are more than welcome to do so. I only ask that our skinners do the fine detail in the caping, such as eyes, lips and nose, where it really matters.

+1

 

[rinehart0050]

Welcome to the site... you've definitely come to the right place.

To your question, its totally up to you. On our recent safari, my wife helped skin her wildebeest. Its also just fun to watch the skinners work. Its impressive how quickly they skin the animals, cut up the meat, and manage to waste nothing.

 

[cpr0312]

Yes you can request to skin/gut/etc. and I'm sure most outfitters would have no problem with it!

 

[CAustin]

Dive in there if that's your thing. But like others I would tell you that after pictures are taken you need to get back to hunting.

 

[Philip Glass]

Firstly where the meat goes depends on where you are and what kind of property you are hunting. If it is private land the meat will likely be used for camp meat and any excess is sold. Where there are hungry people and no USDA you can do these sort of things! If you are on a communal conservancy, government owned land, the meat belongs, in most cases, to the residents who will get a share of it. Some will be used for camp meat as well.
As far as skinning goes, although most of us can do it we choose to watch the locals get after it with their poor quality knives and marvel at their ability. Plus as much as a safari costs it's nice to sit back and watch for a change. But say you killed a big animal late, headed back to camp and nothing else to do but grab a cold one, why not jump in and do a little skinning!
Enjoy planning your first safari. You came to the right place!
Regards,
Philip

 

[sheephunterab]

I would say this is something to discuss with your PH/Outfitter. On our first trip to Namibia, we went to pitch in like we do on all hunts and our PH took us aside and explained that by trying to help, we were implying that the skinners were not doing their job properly. On other hunts we've worked together with the trackers and skinners to break animals down in the field and pack pieces to the truck. In the field if an animal needs to broken down for transport I'd say we would help unless instructed not to by the PH but if the animal is being taken whole back to camp to be processed then we stay the hell out of the way.

 

[Red Leg]

On all of my hunts, the "skinners" took some pride in their status and title. And I can think of no situation where my pitching in to "help" would have done anything but make their job more difficult.

 

[thi9elsp]

I have a skinning knife that my mom gave me (my brothers have one each as well) before she passed away. Before the the trackers started to break my buffalo into two pieces to get it in the rover, we took a picture of me taking the first cut. Kind of special. Did the same with the kudu. All the skinning was done in the skinning shed - another set of people to support through our hunting dollars. On my impala and bush buck, they just loaded them whole in the field and we dropped them off to be skinned.

I'm totally different here in the states when I hunted elk or black bear with a guide. It was just the two of us. So, I was holding legs or skinning too in order to get the job done. In Africa you have a whole team.

 

[billc]

all goes to talking with the outfitter. You want to help then you help. Your hunt and money so why not. If someone feeling gets hurt then maybe someone just needs to speak up and say your helping because you want to not because you don't think they can do the job. If by helping it make your hunt better to you then why not just tell them that.

If it is part of the hunt you want then you should be part of it. But understand there is a time and place were you maybe told no because of safety. Then even the your paying it is the outfitters job to keep you safe and not get you hurt.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I have pitched when asked to do so.
The packing of a Kudu off a mountain. Where one more body did make a difference.
That last shove of the Wildebeest, Eland or Buffalo into the rear of the Bakkie.

Typically, I am being whisked away hunting after the critter is dropped off and am quite happy doing so.


Another way to think about it.
You have limited resources; that is hours to hunt.
70 Hours of daylight in a 7 day hunt.

You are paying someone well to do all those support jobs for you in order that you can continue to have every opportunity to hunt.

It is part of the experience to see the skinning. The first encounter with the thickness of an Eland, Gemsbok or Buffalo (etc) hide is usually illuminating.

If you really want to be in on all the skinning book extra days for your hunt.

 

[MT Griz]

It's mostly all been said already....but you can jump in and help if needed....most of the time you will not be needed. The crew/people that do the skinning are part of "your team" and expect that they will do their job and support you on your hunt. No need to send the message that you don't trust their work or take their work away from them. On 99.8% of the time they will do a better job then you will anyway. Sit back and enjoy it's all part of the African experience. Oh and get back out there and hunt!

 

[sheephunterab]

This was one case where my help was appreciated!

 

[Divernhunter]

WE only hunted plains game so here is my take:
I am sure if I had asked I could have "helped"---Truth is I would have been more in the way. They have an excellent system of their own and I would just be tossing a monkey wrench into it. Why make their job harder.
I tried to help them haul my Waterbuck(1st animal) off a steep brushy hill. Two things happened--I was in the way and they seems insulted that I felt they needed my help. When I stopped trying everyone was happier and they actually got it down faster. I decided to just take photos and give them some hard candy/Skittles and that was the answer. Seems we are were better off and happier. I did not mess up theur long perfected system that way.

I did not even try to help skin etc. Learned my lesion on the Waterbuck. It is hard to do since I have always done my own and often had to do/help my hunting buddies with theirs.

After photos we went back to hunting--this is good--and the crew hauled the animal back to the skinning shed to work on it. We averaged 2 animals or more a day.
All animals we shot were on private property so the animals belonged to the owner who gives all his employees meat each week and the rest we ate or was sold.

Something that struck me as odd was that they only gut the stomach/intestines area in the field. They do the heart/lungs at the shed. I would have screwed that up if I had helped since I do the whole thing in the field.

You pay a lot for the hunt. They pay people(who are quite good even with not top quality knives) to do the job. I was surprised to see them sharpen knives on a flat rock. I quickly figured out let them do their job and do not take their job away. It is an insult to them---but some candy will really make them like you and be happy. I left my tracker a nice(not real expensive) knife when I left as a gift on top of his tip.

My advise is to stand back, take photos, give candy which will not melt, watch them work when you can, go do more hunting since that is what you paid for, do not interfere and insult them and above all have a good time. Many of them do this for a living.

Think of it this way. When you are doing your job do you want some unknown, maybe less skillful person interfering with your or your teams system and work process?? To be honest the same is true for them. Plus they feel like you are taking away their job not "helping" them with the job.

It is your call-------My 2 Cents

 

[JimP]

All I can add to all of the above post is for you to really look into a safari. They are not that expensive to go over and shoot 7 or 8 animals, but the expenses come when you bring the trophies home and that can be depending on what you are going to have done.

My hardest thing on my first and only safari was finding someone to go with or along. But then I fell into a group of hunters that I met on a forum and lets just say the rest is history.

Now I just need to find someone to go back with in a couple more years to finish getting the animals that I was not able to find.

 

[Scott Slough]

Reminds me of a sign at my mechanic's that goes something like this:

Rates

$45/hour
$55/hour if you watch us
$65/hour if you help us
$100/hour if you have already worked on it!

 

[sheephunterab]

I guess something else that many that have never been to Africa don't realize is that in countries like SA and Namibia where much of the hunting is done on private farms, very seldom is the animal touched in the field but rather loaded whole into the truck and the gutting and skinning done back at camp.

 

[Ray B]

Some of these replies make a safari seem similar to a rancher I knew about 30 years ago. His ranch was in a NE Oregon valley, surrounded by national forest. His land was posted no trespassing. The national forest was open to public and was heavily hunted, causing the elk to escape to the safety of the ranch. He'd charge $1500 (at the time, big money) for "hunters" to shoot an elk on his property. A typical hunt followed this schedule: 8AM hunter meets rancher at house, has ham & eggs breakfast. 9AM they walk to the corral, viewed the dozens of elk standing around in the wheat field, selected a suitable elk, negotiated a surcharge depending on trophy status. 9:15AM leaned rifle across corral fence, shot elk. Ranch employees drove front-loader tractor out to elk, hoisted it up, drove it to the barn where it was gutted, skinned and quartered. The hunter could be on the road by Noon. So is that present day Africa?