trophy hunt or cull hunt

[62flint]

I am heading back to Africa for a Cape buffalo in 2025. I expect that will be my last trophy hunt for the wall. I simply do not have any more room. I have a shop/man cave that I will be putting 9 animals in when ever they get here. I already have a spot picked out for my Buff, but past that I think my taxidermy bills will be getting light.
I live in a 1800s farm house that's been in the family since it was built. Strangely enough its always been passed down to the youngest daughter in each generation. Its pretty neat, there is a family grave yard in the back field with the earliest date of 1729. My wife can trace her family back to those grave here. Any way side tracked my own post.
We moved in to a home and contents 30 years ago.
So here is my question, how many of you go to Africa and do not bring any thing back but memories and pictures?
I may still squeeze a euro mount in my shop every now and them but that is it.
I discovered Africa late in my life and hope to have many more trips over. Planning a Tiger fishing trip for after 2025 already.
What about cull hunts? If I am not looking for big horns are cull hunts a viable alternative? Do a little hunting and save the trophies for some one wants the horns. I am at the point I just want the experience I have some really memorable hunts that ended up with no animals. I also have some hunts that ended with good animals but the hunt its was ehhh not so much.
I am thinking cull hunts may just be the ticket for me.

 

[buck wild]

You own the land, build a trophy room next door.......

 

[John the Electrician]

I’m very interested in this topic.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Nothing wrong with cull hunts. I stopped hunting for the trophies back in 1980. These are some of my only trophies (barring a pair of elephant tusks which are at my daughter’s in-law’s house).

That said, I do have plans for just one more trophy- If I ever succeed in hunting a rhinoceros bull, then I’d really like a head mount.

 

[62flint]

You own the land, build a trophy room next door.......

That is a thought, but there are already numerous buildings right around my house, smoke house, tractor shed, horse barn my new shop/man cave etc. really do not want to build any thing else.
Also a new building would cost me the price of a elephant/ large cat hunt.
If I had the room then I would need to fill it,,, cost me a elephant , large cat hunt , crocodile etc. Its a vicious cycle I need to break lol

 

[JimP]

After 2 trips if I go back it will be for a cull hunt and perhaps one or two animals if they are outstanding which I will pay the trophy fee.

I had a black wildebeest on my last trip that would of scored well up into the book that I passed on that I would of had to pay the trophy fee on. the biggest reason that I passed was that I already have one that scores quite high.

 

[Hunt anything]

If you haven’t done it. Hunt the tiny 10, they don’t take up much room and can be a great challenge to hunt!
Nothing to do with your post but where is your property? My father’s family home was much the same and finally turned into a museum.

 

[Red Leg]

Unless someone has either unlimited space or unlimited resources, we all eventually face the trophy problem. Starting about eight to ten years ago, I began to become very selective about which animals I actually brought home. I have always tried to hunt age over size. Often a really old animal may not be the most dramatic trophy, but he can be very difficult to hunt.

Which in a long way around, brings us to the definition of a "cull hunt". I think there are two types. One is a species reduction hunt. These typically take place on game ranches where the population of a particular species needs to be reduced. Springbuck often will fall into this category. The ranch owner will have to do it unless he can find a paying customer. I personally have no interest in this sort of thing, but several of our members have done them and enjoyed the experience. The second would be called a "management hunt" in the States where one is looking for old, deformed, or less desirable representative animals. They will often represent a cost reduction on a game ranch.

In free range areas, simply dedicate oneself and your PH's efforts to looking for older animals rather than size. Often these will have worn horns that wouldn't be that spectacular on the wall but would look spectacular in a photograph or photo journal. I build a photo journal for each of my hunting adventures (or just our travels). Unlike a bit of dead fauna on the wall which will be a nuisance to our heirs, a photo journal could prove a treasure to a grandchild long after we are gone.

My best sable and only Kafue Lechwe "trophies" in the game room.

I build the photo journals on Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books/

 

[mark-hunter]

So here is my question, how many of you go to Africa and do not bring any thing back but memories and pictures?

Soon I will be in this camp.
I am out of space with 3 safaris done, and all trophies mounted. This is not only from Africa, but also from my local hunting at home grounds.
Just like you I am planning buffalo.
After that, I cannot force anymore trophies at my space.
I also have a feeling my kids will be more happy with albums and diaries from the hunt, rather then with mounted trophies on the wall, when the time comes.

I think that new hunter to Africa on first safaris wants to have it all, and all at home.
With some experience some hunters reduce their appetite for trophy. (judging from my perspective) I want to spend as much time on African soil, but too much shooting is not priority for me after three safaris. Good hunt yes, but quantity of shooting is not priority. Tuskless elephant comes to mind in the future, etc. Photos, memories, albums, diary, absolutely.

 

[62flint]

If you haven’t done it. Hunt the tiny 10, they don’t take up much room and can be a great challenge to hunt!
Nothing to do with your post but where is your property? My father’s family home was much the same and finally turned into a museum.

Northern neck of Virginia.
Westmorland county. About 20 minutes from George Washington and Robert e Lee birthplaces.
James Monroe birthplace I believe is about 40 minutes from me.
I am lucky. I can leave my house and in about 15 minutes be fishing the Potomac River. 20 minutes I can be fishing the Rappahannock River and 40 minutes I can be in the Chesapeake bay.
My family and my wife’s family settled here in the late 1600s early 1700s. We never left. Lol

 

[lawrence_court]

Great question, OP.

I did a few trophy hunts to Africa to start with, and I found that taxidermy was expensive enough to start limiting my next African hunt. At that point, I stopped getting shoulder mounts and just took Euro mounts and some skins so I could prioritize saving for future hunts.

I also noticed that at least 95% of people had no interest in my trophies, and so they sat on the wall collecting dust, most likely just a thing that my children would have to sell or dispose of.

I also started prioritizing taking the oldest or poorest animals over long horns. This made me feel more connected to a process of natural and sustainable hunting and conservation.

All the above lead me to doing cull hunts. I shoot 4 or 5 times as much, I get all the greatness of being in Africa, and it costs me about 1/3 of a trophy hunt.

But that's just my process.

Hope that helps.

 

[Luminous Ham]

Space is definitely a concern, also for me, a tiny apartment. Luckily I'm in Denmark where most mainly do euro mounts, I'm considering that for my one-day-to-be buffalo, saves space and a ton of money (some on dipping and packing, transport, taxidermist), thus provides opportunities for even more trips. Would personnally have no problems with either type of culling, somebody gotta do it... And would be happy to have nice photos of them hanging on my walls.

 

[Red Leg]

Northern neck of Virginia.
Westmorland county. About 20 minutes from George Washington and Robert e Lee birthplaces.
James Monroe birthplace I believe is about 40 minutes from me.
I am lucky. I can leave my house and in about 15 minutes be fishing the Potomac River. 20 minutes I can be fishing the Rappahannock River and 40 minutes I can be in the Chesapeake bay.
My family and my wife’s family settled here in the late 1600s early 1700s. We never left. Lol

Lovely area. We lived between Leesburg and Middleburg for a decade after I retired from the army and while working for a major defense contractor. Kept searching with the metal detector for some sort of proof Mosby used our barn as a rally point.

 

[Luminous Ham]

I also noticed that at least 95% of people had no interest in my trophies, and so they sat on the wall collecting dust, most likely just a thing that my children would have to sell or dispose of.

Oh no, I wish you would not write that, I don't like it put in black on white
but it's true

 

[Hunt anything]

Northern neck of Virginia.
Westmorland county. About 20 minutes from George Washington and Robert e Lee birthplaces.
James Monroe birthplace I believe is about 40 minutes from me.
I am lucky. I can leave my house and in about 15 minutes be fishing the Potomac River. 20 minutes I can be fishing the Rappahannock River and 40 minutes I can be in the Chesapeake bay.
My family and my wife’s family settled here in the late 1600s early 1700s. We never left. Lol

I’ve hunted swan on the Norhern Neck back in the 90’s when goose season was closed. The farm I hunted is in Westmorland county. I think the farmers name was Woody and was on the bank of the Rappahannock, I can’t remember exactly but I was hunting with a friend from Leesburg that worked for the USFWS.
Both of my parents are from Virginia, my mother was born in Port Republic and grew up in New Market, my father was born in Waynesboro.

 

[Troubleshooter]

After 2 trips if I go back it will be for a cull hunt and perhaps one or two animals if they are outstanding which I will pay the trophy fee.

That's pretty much where I'm at now. There are a very few African animals from which I might take a Euro mount, but other than that just photos and memories. And I have to reserve a bit of space for a few from other areas of the world which I'd like to mount someday.

 

[375Fox]

I bring all my trophies back each time but most stay in the garage. I figure if I bring one back I might as well bring them all. However, I don’t think a cull hunt would do it for me. I’d be very happy with a management hunt for older trophies with poor genetics or broken horns though. Cull hunting is more harvesting to me. I think what I like so much about hunting is it puts a specific goal on being outdoors. If a large portion of the animals seen quality as a cull taking just any animal wouldn’t give me the same satisfaction or give the same experience as actually hunting for specific animals.
Something else to consider Africa is a big place. Even South Africa is a big place with a lot of ecosystems. Most areas outside private land in South Africa and Namibia don’t offer cull hunting. Regardless if you have room for the trophies or not, I think you’d be missing out not experiencing some new areas and new hunting methods. Tracking a trophy bull eland for a week is very different than shooting a cow from the truck the first afternoon. Even something as simple as a springbok you’ll look over several hundred to find that specific trophy where a cull would be over quickly. I just don’t think cull hunting lets you take in the full experience of hunting like trophy hunting does and you miss out on really seeing what hunting that species or area is about.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I bring all my trophies back each time but most stay in the garage. I figure if I bring one back I might as well bring them all. However, I don’t think a cull hunt would do it for me. I’d be very happy with a management hunt for older trophies with poor genetics or broken horns though. Cull hunting is more harvesting to me. I think what I like so much about hunting is it puts a specific goal on being outdoors. If a large portion of the animals seen quality as a cull taking just any animal wouldn’t give me the same satisfaction or give the same experience as actually hunting for specific animals.
Something else to consider Africa is a big place. Even South Africa is a big place with a lot of ecosystems. Most areas outside private land in South Africa and Namibia don’t offer cull hunting. Regardless if you have room for the trophies or not, I think you’d be missing out not experiencing some new areas and new hunting methods. Tracking a trophy bull eland for a week is very different than shooting a cow from the truck the first afternoon. Even something as simple as a springbok you’ll look over several hundred to find that specific trophy where a cull would be over quickly. I just don’t think cull hunting lets you take in the full experience of hunting like trophy hunting does and you miss out on really seeing what hunting that species or area is about.

Culling can sometimes be a good hunting experience. Culling springbuck can be a challenge unless shooting them from the truck. I wouldn't do that even if the landowner insisted. I culled a very fine cow buffalo on my first trip and we promptly had our hands full with a very agitated herd bull. Very full! I essentially culled a sable on my second trip and that wasn't much of a hunt. But I understand they aren't terribly challenging in the best of situations. Generally, I think a cull hunt can be what you make of it. Depends on the situation. But the same holds true hunting "wild" trophies. Drive down the road from camp and a kudu of a lifetime magically appears in front. Get out, walk into the brush and there he is waiting to be shot. Are you going to pass on a 60+" bull because the hunt was not difficult enough?

 

[lawrence_court]

Oh no, I wish you would not write that, I don't like it put in black on white
but it's true

Ha ha ha. Took me a while to admit it to myself!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have more than 20 trophies on the wall in my <800 sq ft home. Almost all are euros. By far the most obtrusive space invaders are the two elk cap mount racks. Even my daughter's full body cougar doesn't take up as much space. Personally, I really don't care much for glass eyes and fur, no matter how well done. They use up too much space and too hard to pass down or get rid of at the end of the trail. I've had businesses express an interest in putting up some of my euros. They are NOT interested in shoulder mounts. Too much space and too much maintenance.

I would advise anyone who is starting out on their African adventures to think seriously about limiting themselves to mostly if not entirely euro mounts for all those reasons. Unless one lives in a castle and has no heirs, it really makes more sense. The one mount I would like to stay in the family is the one least practical. If that elk was a shoulder mount, he wouldn't have a prayer of surviving me. As a cap mount, maybe.

PS: Antelope is one of my daughter's class projects. Not mine.