Would you value a record trophy more than an unusual trophy?

[ArmyGrunt]

Skinner, I agree with you on that "fought to the top" comment. If the animal broke some horn off, but is still running around, it must have been doing something right.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

you think in the animal society the "normal" ones make fun of the oddballs?

"look at Jimmie! his horn is all twisted!"

 

[Norwegianwoods]

THANKS Caustin it was one of the best shots I made (heart lungs ) dropped right in the middle of the road at 40 yards, after taking out a water tank ......boy was my PH impressed ? NORWEGIANWOODS why would you not want to take an animal that fought it's way to the top . As I said my PH was sorry he had not noticed the horn . I was not sorry at all I had taken the lead Bull of the herd it "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder "
Glen

First of all, I don't feel anything special about shooting the alpha male/lead bull/top dog.
Animals with broken antlers/horns/tusks don't appeal to me the same way as a mature animal with everything intact.
I don't mind hunting and shooting animals with broken parts and I still enjoy hunting them, but I would not pay a full trophy fee for it.
Specially because I would most likely not keep the trophy.

I am not a real trophy hunter by far.
So far I have kept the trophies from the animals I have shot in South Africa as great memories on the wall, but most likely I will do more and more cull hunting on my next hunting trips to Africa.

When I hunt here in Norway and Sweden, I normally only keep the antlers of the Roe bucks I shoot.
I keep all Roe buck antlers. Small and big. Not really sure why

I have only kept one from a bull Moose.
All the others from Moose, Red Stag, Fallow Stag and Reindeer have been left in the forest or in the mountains.

I keep and eat or give away all the meat, but that isn't the reason for why I hunt either.

I hunt because every cell in my body screams that I need to hunt and I wish I was able to hunt every day of my life.

 

[Pheroze]

I saw a contest in Sports Afield for the ugliest and oldest buffalo. I really liked that idea from a conservation perspective but also because of the incredible character in the trophy. The battered face and horns would work for a trophy of that species I think. When I go to Africa buffalo will not be on my list this time but the idea of looking for animals with character does appeal. Perhaps a cull hunt would provide a better opportunity for that.

Strangely, the odd ball looks, as opposed to the old a battered look, tweaks my sympathy for the animal. Boy, that sure is a snapshot into my psyche

 

[G Skinner]

Norwegainwoods sorry if I offended you.... that was not my intention . I fully agree big or small all are trophies .
Glen

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Norwegainwoods sorry if I offended you.... that was not my intention . I fully agree big or small all are trophies .
Glen

You didn't offend me Glen and all is good

We all have different opinions about things, but we all on this site agree on one thing.
We love hunting.

One of the great things about this site and its members, is that we can discuss topics and disagree, but still behave civil and have respect for each other

And I do like oddballs as long as they don't have broken horns,/antlers/tusks
Like this Roe buck I shot some years ago.

When I think about it, I need to correct myself a bit.
I have shot one buck with a broken antler that I like.
It was because he was very very old(teeth totally worn down and no chance of surviving next winter) and that he almost looked like a unicorn with his white face and single antler in the early morning mist.
I was not totally sure I was dreaming or not when I took the safety off before I shot

 

[ArmyGrunt]

You shot the last unicorn!?!?

 

[ActionBob]

Closest things to unusual trophies I got so far are my Red Hartebeest with one horn that has a little extra twist to it and a common Springbuck with a stripe down his nose. Really happy about the springbuck because I can ad him as another to a collection for my future completed springbuck slam.

The Hartebeest was a great hunt, spotted a couple groups of Hartebeest, Blesbuck and Impala and there was a beautiful Hartebeest to the side at long range with a very dark head and chest... I tried to get a shot on him but just could not get steady on the sticks and did not want to take less than a perfect shot at that distance, he took off before I got a shot. I wanted to go after him but Mark said when he turned he got a better look at the horns and felt we could do better. So went after another larger group and made a great stalk with a large group of Impala just over the hill in front of us, with the Hartebeest past them farther out front. The Impala were all nervous as they knew something was up but could not see us as we were crouched down below their line of sight and had the wind blowing into our faces. I wanted to get to a small tree and rest across a branch so I crawled out ahead and got on that tree and blew a little 129 grain Interbond bullet right through both front shoulders, he dropped within a few yards. I was surprised it went through as that is sizable enough animal for 129 grain. But Mark had a lot of faith in the 6.5 Creedmoor and everyone says to listen to your PH so when he told me to leave the 375 and bring the Creedmoor, I did. Mark said he saw the blood spray out the far side.

Also used the Creedmoor on the Springbucks and after wounding a big black one a couple days prior, and taking 3 shots to finish him, I was feeling pretty down on my springbuck hunting. But I was committed to getting a common. Springbuck were everywhere out in the Karoo we were hunting but sizing one up and getting a shot is a challenge... So after dropping the smaller one with one shot, I feeling better and had fun. After the photos and loading him up, Mark said "well that was fun, we should do it again"... I told him "ok, find a bigger one and I will do my best to shoot it!" It wasn't long and I was aiming at the second one and noticed something od looking in the scope but was concentrating on the shoulder, not the face. Made another one shot kill but I cannot claim a great shot but rather good luck, hit it in the neck and it went right down but made a pretty big hole in the cape. It was a nice surprise to see that striped nose up close. Mark said he never saw one before but had heard about them.... I've seen pictures of others so I'm sure they are not all that unusual but I sure like him and plan to make a great display of him.... Gotta get back for the white, copper and another, hopefully larger common!

 

[Red Leg]

I think in its best sense, a trophy is a physical memory trigger of what was an exceptional experience - an experience we can, at least partially, relive whenever we look at that trophy or describe the hunt to its admirer. I suspect our hairy chested - low-browed ancestors did much the same thing for the same reasons. My best kudu was taken in 2008. He would have been hyena food years ago, but lives on in my memory and as a trophy for as long as I have the wits to recall that hunt. I have friends who refuse to hunt another kudu, oryx, you name it because they already have one in their "collection." That I truly do not get. I hope I can always hunt the next kudu or a cape buffalo - at least dream of it.

I had the good fortune to spend five years in Germany in late seventies learning a lot about their hunting ethic and the value they placed in the hours it took to take an aged animal or a non-typical from the gene pool. To this day I value a non-typical over perfect confirmation when it comes to antlered game.

In Africa, I personally value age over inches. I would much rather take a 38 inch ancient dugga boy than a 45 inch herd bull.

 

[harden]

I'll take this one.....over a 60"

KUDU shot with one of the supporting advertisers here on AH White Lion Safari and Ricus Devillers

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

you think in the animal society the "normal" ones make fun of the oddballs?

"look at Jimmie! his horn is all twisted!"

What....you never watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?!

 

[Jafa]

As Red Leg told, I prefer age over inches.
I am not a collector of trophies, but a collector of memories, and that kind of unusual trophies bring very good memories.
This is an old gemsbuck hunted with Spitskop Safaris in Kimberley. The day before we hunted a very good bull, and we saw this one. Adam, the owner of the company told me that I could hunt that one as a cull hunt. And the next day, when we were looking for a duiker, we saw the gemsbok herd with the old one.
We laugh a lot trying to place the bull on the Toyota both alone. At last we had to use the winche.
Jose

 

[billc]

To me each animal has it own beauty being it a top trophy or one that grows them messed up shaped horns.To this day I regret not letting dakota shoot a oryx were the one horn made a circle in front of its face.Other horn was about 34" long,It seems I have notice a few oryx like this in other pic's and we will not pass another as long as the money is there to take it.

 

[Ruan Bouwer]

I would personally like an oddball like that, but I still do love my big, trophy sized animals! But in any way, I have always been interested in those odd looking creatures! But I am finished with hunting until at least next year! I shot a gemsbok, blue wildebeest & a red hartebeest all in one trip. So yeah! And about 3 weeks ago, I shot a beatiful zebra! The 3 other animals were about 1 week ago!

Regards,
Ruan Bouwer (13)
South Africa