Giraffe question from newbie

[Aixenmemphis]

Why is there very little posted about giraffe hunting on AF? It just doesn’t seem many hunt reports or posts mention giraffe hunting.
I’m sure there is reason l, but being a newbie I just don’t know the reasons.

 

[dailordasailor]

This post gives me weird feelings..

 

[375Fox]

Most safaris don’t take a giraffe. Giraffe become much more expensive after they are on the ground. However, I also wouldn’t rate giraffe as one of my more memorable hunts. I’ve taken 2 old bulls. Both hunts were relatively uneventful. They also consume half a day to properly process and get the giraffe out.

 

[EXECUTIVE HUNT AFRICA]

The "Greenies" love to badmouth and leave a lot of negative comments when someone posts or advertises on a giraffe hunt. People don't post, because they're afraid of the negativity. It falls in the same category than elephant and zebra hunts, they think of them as animals not huntable/sacred. They all stare the same fate in the face: extinction, because of no value.
Because of not hunted a lot and trucks driving past them without shooting, they seem to be very tamed, but when hunted on foot, they can be quite a challenge! If you'd like to hunt something big and majestic, it is quite an experience to hunt a giraffe.
If someone thinks it is uneventful, then so is hunting crocodile, hippo and hiena; some people would differ - so would I! It doesn't fall in the same category as hunting buffalo, but it can be quite rewarding! No hunting experience, even on the same animal, is the same, but differs from outfit and the area you hunt. If your PH is not enthusiastic when hunting a specific animal, then the experience is also not so great.

Did you know? Giraffe are known for killing lions when attacked and a lot of people have lost their lives due to absence of respect for them.

 

[ofbiro]

Let me add that relatively few people can afford to take home a giraffe trophy.
If you live in a town flat you cannot ask your neighbour (living one floor higher) to host the giraffe head, while the neck base sits in your living room.

 

[375Fox]

Let me add that relatively few people can afford to take home a giraffe trophy.
If you live in a town flat you cannot ask your neighbour (living one floor higher) to host the giraffe head, while the neck base sits in your living room.

Carved giraffe leg bones are a nice trophy to take home that doesn’t add too much cost or take up too much space. These were at a taxidermy but I’ll be having done with my last giraffe.

 

[375Fox]

If someone thinks it is uneventful, then so is hunting crocodile, hippo and hiena; some people would differ - so would I! It doesn't fall in the same category as hunting buffalo, but it can be quite rewarding! No hunting experience, even on the same animal, is the same, but differs from outfit and the area you hunt. If your PH is not enthusiastic when hunting a specific animal, then the experience is also not so great.

Did you know? Giraffe are known for killing lions when attacked and a lot of people have lost their lives due to absence of respect for them.

You seem to be intentionally trying to discredit what I wrote with your someone comment. I’ve taken all the additional animals you listed as well for a comparison. Both my giraffe were taken on foot in wilderness areas. The most recent had a large number lion scars and we found the carcasses of lion kills in the area. I’m glad to have the giraffes I’ve taken, but I’ll talk more about my eland or kudu hunts than the giraffe hunts I’ve done. They are a unique trophy but the hunting doesn’t particularly stand out to me.

 

[russ473]

Giraffe hunting can be exceptionally difficult, with their periscope height and generally being herd animals it can be very challenging to stalk them. But it is a great hunt.

 

[D-Orcutt]

Let me add that relatively few people can afford to take home a giraffe trophy.
If you live in a town flat you cannot ask your neighbour (living one floor higher) to host the giraffe head, while the neck base sits in your living room.

That’s a shame is a giraffe rug that expensive to ship over that was on my future list

 

[Sh1kar]

That’s a shame is a giraffe rug that expensive to ship over that was on my future list

Perfect trophy for your hall and stairs

 

[HookMeUpII]

I have no qualms about people hunting them legally, but I choose not to myself. Bringing the trophy back can financially ruin someone. Folks will go with a full neck or 1/4 shoulder from the floor mount and the dollar amount to have only that shipped is staggering.

There is also some disagreement on how challenging or "sporting" giraffe hunting can be. According to my PH, some will stand broadside and look at you for 2 minutes while you shoot them. Other times they will track an old bull for days. It will get bumped into thick stuff, almost unreachable. Yes, you can see the head above the tree line. Good luck getting a shot on the shoulder. That's the 2 sides.

Giraffes need culling on certain properties due to over abundance, fighting, and lack of food. Hunting them is all but essential in certain areas.

 

[bakerb]

That’s a shame is a giraffe rug that expensive to ship over that was on my future list

I have a giraffe rug, it was expensive to ship and tan over here, and I still haven't found anyone that will stretch it. But I can't remember that it added a ton of expense to the shipping to US. Nothing more than the usual robbery anyways. . . .

 

[D-Orcutt]

I have a giraffe rug, it was expensive to ship and tan over here, and I still haven't found anyone that will stretch it. But I can't remember that it added a ton of expense to the shipping to US. Nothing more than the usual robbery anyways. . . .

I think u would just try to have it made into a rug in Africa to save cost, I have been burned by more American taxidermist than African so far but I’m fairly new

 

[Doubleplay]

When Giraffe males get older and can't breed anymore, they have to be culled.
Because they try keep younger males away from the females and fight with them.
There's not much challenge to hunt them but you have to use an appropriate caliber to anchor them.
However this is obviously in a controlled environment, wilderness hunting can be different.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That’s a shame is a giraffe rug that expensive to ship over that was on my future list

I thought they might make a nice bedspread but my PH said probably not. Apparently the hide is very thick. I suppose it could be "split" to make it thinner but it would be very expensive. He said formerly giraffe were almost hunted to extinction in South Africa specifically for the leather. It was used for making bullwhips. "Oh, that's right. The Boers were big on ox carts." He grinned: "Back then bullwhips were more in demand for ... ah ... er ... labor management."

 

[randallhebert]

I enjoyed my giraffe hunt, fed a whole village, helped with the game management and made my wife very happy with her giraffe hide that she has coming so A+ all the way around.

 

[ActionBob]

You can bring them home!

We just brought my giraffe home to Texas from sitting in a shed in Minnesota. It will remain in the crate for the time being as I'm going to need to round up some help to set it up BTW, something like 13 critters in that crate. The giraffe causing the nearly 13 foot length.

 

[Reed Thoma Outdoors]

I just hunted a huge dark bull in July. Before going I didn't expect it to be a hard hunt, but I thought it would be a fun experience. The property we went to quickly changed my perspective. We ended up hunting in the Waterberg mountains. When I tell you I have never expected to see a giraffe on the top of a mountain I was truly surprised to see these huge beasts scale up them like they were nothing. We were hunting a specific bull that was old and needed to be taken out of the herd so the younger bulls could start breeding. It took us a day and a half to even find him. After that the hunt was on. They are very alert creatures, but he thought he was hidden behind trees as only the top three feet of his neck was exposed. They are tough, I missed the spine and hit more of his throat area. He took off and ate several rounds of 30-06 and 458 before going down. They are a truly amazing species that I would gladly hunt again.
It is definitely a controversial hunt, but like any other animal they need to be managed. Plus, they are everywhere. We hunted two properties and they both had strong numbers of giraffe.

 

[cajunchefray]

I enjoyed my giraffe hunt, fed a whole village, helped with the game management and made my wife very happy with her giraffe hide that she has coming so A+ all the way around.

If I wasn't married, I would be inclined to hunt giraffe.

As I am married, I would then be divorced and probably dead. My wife loves them, and they are truly majestic creatures, especially the ones we saw at a local wildlife park, eating out of her hands.

When that giraffe stuck his head into the Conestoga wagon, to eat out of the feed bucket, "Oh Sh$t, that thing is huge!"

 

[ActionBob]

My wife absolutely loves giraffe. We have a neighbor that has a pet giraffe and it is an investment for him.

Gina will be hunting her second giraffe in Africa year. She really wants to get a big old black bull. She readily discusses this with random people and when she gets the inevitable disdainful question as to how she can kill a giraffe, she happily replies "with a high caliber rifle of course!" Then if the offended person (yes usually female) is still within earshot she will spew forth facts about hunting and conservation and ask what they have done to be sure giraffe are still available in viable numbers in the wild