Giraffe - to mount or not to mount

[Reed Thoma Outdoors]

Hey everyone,
I am going to SA to hunt a black giraffe in middle of July and I am trying to plan what to do with it after. I would like to shoulder mount it, but the price of taxidermy and the shipping costs are scaring kinda scaring me away from that. For those who have shot giraffes, do you think it is worth getting it mounted or would you stick with a skull mount and a rug?

 

[Dewald]

Scull and rug. Or ottoman

 

[freefall]

I fail to understand the trophy value of a giraffe. Are they dangerous? Elusive? Extremely attractive?
I get mounting a buffalo (dangerous), a kudu or impala (beautiful) , if rhino were still plentiful I'd have had a .470 and be done by now.
But giraffe? I just don't get it.

 

[steve white]

Giraffe look great with the shoulder set on the floor and the neck and head arching over a door...

 

[Houston Bill]

A friend of mine shot a giraffe a few years ago and he did a shoulder mount and I must admit it is an awesome looking trophy. I think the black giraffes are the best looking giraffes...if it were me I would get a shoulder mount and I think you could still get a rug or a very nice gun bag made from the rest of the hide. There are not a lot of trophy rooms that have a giraffe shoulder mount so you would have something pretty unique.

 

[375Fox]

I just got my giraffe full shoulder mount back from taxidermy. Mount looks great but I wish I would have put money towards more hunting. The dip and pack, shipping, and mount far exceeded the cost of trophy. I’d recommend having the leg bones carved to take something home, after that photo and memory is good. A rug would be good too, but have done there to avoid dip and pack fees. Might take a long time to tan a giraffe properly though.

 

[375Fox]

I fail to understand the trophy value of a giraffe. Are they dangerous? Elusive? Extremely attractive?
I get mounting a buffalo (dangerous), a kudu or impala (beautiful) , if rhino were still plentiful I'd have had a .470 and be done by now.
But giraffe? I just don't get it.

A lot of areas I’d agree, but go to a proper area where you can look over a lot of bulls and choose a dark giraffe with a lot of battle scars. It becomes a nice trophy. YouTube giraffe fighting. All these scars came from that.

 

[SETH RINGER]

BY FAR THE MOST POPULAR TROPHY WITH NON HUNTERS VISITING IS OUR GIRAFFE. "IF I HAD A NICKLE FOR EVERY TIME" PICTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITH IT.

 

[Andrew62]

I have a giraffe 'neck' mount, meaning it has just about 4' of neck extended down from the head, it mounts on the wall. I do not regret shooting a giraffe, in fact, I am scheduled to shoot 5 this fall as part of a cull package, just beware, I have a leopard mounted, lion run, monkey's, etc, and by far the one animal that upsets people most to see mounted, is a giraffe. Please don't let my comments hold you back from getting one mounted, I just want to tell you that is one animal people kick back on more than any. Good luck on your trip!!

 

[Hunt anything]

I like Seth Ringers mount, I’ve also seen a mount where the giraffe was looking around a corner that was interesting. Other than that, rugs , gun cases and furniture coverings along with a skull mount. All of which I will never have as my wife has put her foot down with “no giraffe or cats” I don’t argue too much as she is so supportive of my hunting.

 

[shotgungibbs]

I've had people question why I took a Zebra? They do not understand the taking of a lot of different species. They have no idea what the animals are really like in the wild! Any animal is & can be considered a "trophy", if taken fairly. I was with a fellow that took a Giraffe. In fact, he asked me to film the hunt. It was his money, and his "trophy". I don't feel like it is my place to judge anyone as far as what they desire to have in their home. To each his own.

 

[rookhawk]

Hey everyone,
I am going to SA to hunt a black giraffe in middle of July and I am trying to plan what to do with it after. I would like to shoulder mount it, but the price of taxidermy and the shipping costs are scaring kinda scaring me away from that. For those who have shot giraffes, do you think it is worth getting it mounted or would you stick with a skull mount and a rug?

Rug is fine. Better yet is finished curios so you don't have to pay shipping on a giant rug that doesn't sit flat very well. Legs are an option for lamps or cigar ashtrays. Bone is suitable for scrimshaw and knife handles. That skull will cost you $1000 to get to your door...recommend tossing it at camp.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I fail to understand the trophy value of a giraffe. Are they dangerous? Elusive? Extremely attractive?
I get mounting a buffalo (dangerous), a kudu or impala (beautiful) , if rhino were still plentiful I'd have had a .470 and be done by now.
But giraffe? I just don't get it.

I support anyone who legally takes one but yes, not for me. After seeing a bunch in RSA that literally just stand and look at you when they see you, I decided it's probably forever a pass.

With that being said, the mounts are incredibly impressive. They had one in the lodge that was a floor mount of the head coming up. Stood on it's own. It was something to see.

 

[rookhawk]

I support anyone who legally takes one but yes, not for me. After seeing a bunch in RSA that literally just stand and look at you when they see you, I decided it's probably forever a pass.

With that being said, the mounts are incredibly impressive. They had one in the lodge that was a floor mount of the head coming up. Stood on it's own. It was something to see.

They are actually pretty hard to hunt in wild areas, they don't let you get close enough for iron sights very easily as they see everything. I'm told that young giraffe tastes good, but I found stinkbull to be quite awful and outrageously tough.

If someone wants the experience, go for it. Make curios, but be aware of how darned expensive the tanning/making/shipping/import/taxidermy is for the animal. You could go on a 7 day safari for the price of what you'll pay "stuffing" the giraffe, death by a thousand financial cuts.

Gun slips and pillows and chairs? Sure, go for it, looks great. But don't become a financial slave to your taxidermy where you spend so much that you reduce your hunting to pay off the debts for things you barely have room to display.

14 safaris later, I would do MUCH less taxidermy than I have done as most of it sits in storage.

 

[rookhawk]

P.S. - Closest relatives of the giraffe are the Okapi and the North American Pronghorn Antelope. Both very goofy creatures from an evolutionary perspective as well. If it walks on 4 legs and eats grass, its game. Hunt it responsibly and make no apologies. I won't hunt another giraffe because I didn't enjoy the meat, nor the 1.5 days it takes to process and recover the animal that I could better enjoy by hunting. (same effort as packing out an elephant)

 

[southern_fowler]

My wife’s giraffe is the most talked about animal we have taken. I never wanted one until we got her mount back.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I fail to understand the trophy value of a giraffe. Are they dangerous? Elusive? Extremely attractive?
I get mounting a buffalo (dangerous), a kudu or impala (beautiful) , if rhino were still plentiful I'd have had a .470 and be done by now.
But giraffe? I just don't get it.

Get out of the Bakkie and try to walk and stalk one. Not drive up to one and shoot it. Actually hunt it. You will find out what that long neck and long legs are good for. Culling one is not hunting one.
I hunted one, on foot @Ozondjahe Hunting Safaris. When a Giraffe knows you are after it, the game changes. Give it a try.

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...zondjahe-hunting-safaris-namibia.11161/page-5

 

[Frederik]

I still have to hunt/shoot one myself but they can get triclky to hunt when they know you are after them and walking up to the. Hve been on a few girrafe hunts.
They have to be managed in numbers just like other game.
Very good use on a DG calibre as they have very thick skin and it is a big animal if you get an old one weight of twwo buffalo bulls.
Trophy, the skull would do for me alone at its unique but I don't have issue with shipping at least.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Skull, rug, shin bones (two scrimshawed with african scenes and two to be used as knife handle blanks) hooves made into bookend stands is what became of my giraffe. I had no room for a shoulder mount.

 

[CBH Australia]

A mount might depend on your home if you can display it in the right place.
If you are a trophy hunter then only you can decide if you want a giraffe trophy..
Using the hide and bones is still a trophy and utilises the animal.