Is there an African animal you wouldn't shoot?

I find it very interesting what members have said here. Especially on leopard and lion. For ME, they are so iconic of what African hunting is. The tiny ten are so difficult to complete. Elephant, being so close to this enormous beast would be thrilling. Rhino yes only dart due to the scarcity. If we’re talking big game only I have very little interest in impala. Don’t know why. And warthog.
 
There are not many animals I would not shoot, but definitely not Rhino. Giraffe, very low interest since I had a unique encounter with one in camp. It walked up behind me one night within arms reach. I didn’t know what to do so I offered it an orange which it took and walked away.
 
No primates for me- period. Legal or not has nothing to do with it. I imagine a certain Idaho game commish wishes he'd had a sense about that also.

A PH I know pretty well relayed a story to me a couple of years ago. He was guiding, IIRC, a father-daughter duo on a normal PG hunt. One of them shot a baboon and proceeded to dress it up in a tuxedo they had brought along for the pictures. Seems perverse to me- and we as hunters wonder why the bad image??
 
As long as it is ethical, fair chase and legal I would consider any animal on lisence.

In my opinion not hunting an animal for fear of public backlash is counted as a win by the antis. Doubly no money is exchanged for trophy fee so the species loses as well... the main focus should be on explaining to friend/acquaintances that the trigger pull on that animal is only 1 percentage of the experience and not necessarily a hunters favorite part of the hunt. That it’s the chase, the tracking, the pursuit, the adventure, the travel, the research the Conservation before and after the hunt that brings us together as hunters and conservationists.
Exactly!
I am surprised at the number of people listing leopard. They are doing well in many areas and can take more than one trip to get one.
 
No primates for me- period. Legal or not has nothing to do with it. I imagine a certain Idaho game commish wishes he'd had a sense about that also.

A PH I know pretty well relayed a story to me a couple of years ago. He was guiding, IIRC, a father-daughter duo on a normal PG hunt. One of them shot a baboon and proceeded to dress it up in a tuxedo they had brought along for the pictures. Seems perverse to me- and we as hunters wonder why the bad image??

As long as it is ethical, fair chase and legal I would consider any animal on lisence.

In my opinion not hunting an animal for fear of public backlash is counted as a win by the antis. Doubly no money is exchanged for trophy fee so the species loses as well... the main focus should be on explaining to friend/acquaintances that the trigger pull on that animal is only 1 percentage of the experience and not necessarily a hunters favorite part of the hunt. That it’s the chase, the tracking, the pursuit, the adventure, the travel, the research the Conservation before and after the hunt that brings us together as hunters and conservationists.

While I agree in principle, @TravisfromNC, I think many here on the forum are in personal or professional situations that limit the amount of risk we are willing to expose ourselves to, preferring to focus on hunting animals that won't get us into hot water at work and at home. @fourfive8 brings up the game commissioner who recently was forced to resign from his position in part because he hunted baboons and a giraffe. He compounded his risk by emailing the pictures indiscriminately to his coworkers, but his example ensured that I was pretty careful about what I hunted and what I said about it. I still try to educate others on the good that managed hunting can do for wildlife populations and the care that hunters in general have for animals and their habitats, but my livelihood is pretty important to me.
 
Any African animal you hunt will be criticized. Just hunt whatever you want and keep it to yourself. Don’t let “them” win.
 
Let's start by rephrasing the question. If it was legal, ethical (no females with fawns or kids, animal within range for your abilities, etc.), of sufficient size, and no extra cost to you, is there a type (species or subspecies) that you wouldn't shoot? If an animal presented a shot and your PH put up the sticks and says "Take him!" is there any kind of animal that would make you look at your PH and say, "No thanks."

For example, some people just don't like the look of the horns on hartebeest. Perhaps you feel that you've already shot too many of a particular kind of animal. Or, in your opinion, they are not sufficiently challenging to hunt?

If there is such an animal for you, why wouldn't you shoot it?
No primates, meerkats(?), cheetahs, rhinos, lions, tigers, bears (oh my!), camels, giant donkeys, aardvarks, scimitar oryx, bongo, ostrich, cassowary, raptors, etc. Either too small, no challenge, endangered or some/all of the above. OR, I’m not paying the outrageous cost to hunt one or more of them!
 
Ostrich or or any primates, although I I have considered shooting certain baboons after constant aggravating barking, not opposed to hunting either just not really interested
 
Ok this is a great question that personally I have changed my mind about after three trips to Africa. The end result is that hunting is part what you like and want, part what is good for the area and unfortunately, part what the local govt wants. We are now in a period of hunting that says we hunt because we love it it, we need meat, we want to help conserve land for future generations. We hunt not for ourselves but for people after us. The areas we hunt have goals for animal management. If we, as hunters do not take them, the areas will in culling operations. As such I will not say I would not hunt anything as long as it was legal. I will shoot some things that I did not target from a conservation standpoint. It is part of the process. All of this is in my opinion only.
 
1. Bontebok - Have seen several groups in different areas...most within very easy shooting range...don’t seem like much of a challenge

2. White Rhino - have seen many...I think if wind & cover were right I could almost sneak up and tag one

3. Primates (except Baboon)

4. Cheetah

5. Honey Badger, Aardvark, Mongoose, Porcupine ...actually none of the animals in this group of “odd” ones
 
I have enjoyed reading the responses in this thread. I must admit to being a little surprised by some of the responses, but that is the real interesting part. Goes to show how we perceive and misperceive many of the folks that we interact with on a somewhat regular basis, although mostly through this media platform. Thank you to the OP for getting this started, it’s been a good educational read.
For me, there are some animals that just hold more appeal than others and I choose to pursue them ahead of the others, largely due to limited funds. Funny though, my priority list seems to be ever-changing. Before my first trip to Africa, Eland, Hartebeest, tiny 10 and others were not high on the list. Then I got to see and interact with them in the field and everything changed. Re-shuffled if you will :)
I have hunted Leopard, Lion and Elephant and would do so again in a heartbeat! Planning to hunt Buff in Mozambique next year.
I always thought elephant would remain beyond my budget and in my mind was the absolute pinnacle of Dangerous Game/Big Game hunting. Then I reassessed my priorities and decided I should figure out a way to make it happen sooner rather than later. In examining what was most important I decided the Hunt was the real trophy and I would much rather have the experience than tusks as a trophy (ivory or replica). So I booked a tuskless hunt in Zimbabwe and it was the best decision I ever made. By far the most thrilling, exhausting and enjoyable hunt I have yet to experience in Africa. And cost a fraction of what a trophy Bull hunt would have.
To answer the original question directly, I can’t think of anything I would NOT hunt so long as it was legal, sustainable, ethical and fair chase. There are a few animals I don’t have a burning desire to chase after. Giraffe and Croc, Blue Wildebeest (already shot a few) and some others, but I may change my mind one day. You know, another re-shuffle ;)
So I understand everyone has different desires that motivate them and certain animals that turn their crank, or not. To each their own to make their individual choices, as it should be, but I have very much enjoyed hearing what folks have hunted, hope to hunt, or have no desire to hunt.
As we make our choices and examine our personal viewpoints, let us all remember some critical and time tested truths as they pertain to hunting and conservation in Africa. If it pays, it stays! Hunters are the true and original Conservationists and our dollars pay the freight in maintaining or restoring healthy populations of range animals and providing anti-poaching to protect that resource. Not to mention keeping wild places wild and not tilled under or grazed off by cattle, goats and sheep.
Happy Hunting!
 
I once had the chance to shoot a giraffe for free. It had a skin disease and the owners wanted it taken out. I pondered it overnight and declined. I had no desire to shoot one even for free. Other than that, cheetah, primates, though I did shoot a baboon as favor to my PH in Botswana for a friend of his that wanted one. Probably wouldn't shoot another. Ostrich is another, no interest at all.
 
I have some that may not interest me much, but to say that I wouldn't? Maybe never say never. Before I had been to Africa, I thought it would be a no to giraffe and zebra. Now it's still a no to giraffe, but a definite yes to zebra. It was a hard no to primates, but when you hear about or see what the baboons can be like, you may change your mind. I know I did! Still no to gorilla, etc. Elephants....... I think it would be such a rush! BUT, I don't know if it's something I could bring myself to do. Maybe if it was in the name of conservation... a cull hunt or something.... maybe.... probably not. Steenbok. Wouldn't want to shoot one. I have my reasons. .
 
When tortoise was mentioned, I agree, but I don't think that's what the OP was after, so I won't head down that road.
 
There isn’t much I wouldn’t hunt in Africa, mainly primates other then Baboons. The other is Rhino, would love to dart one but not kill one. I hunted a management Giraffe a few years ago was one of the hardest hunts I’ve done.
 
"When the buffalo are gone, we will hunt mice, for we are hunters. . ." -Sitting Bull
For me its not so much WHAT is being hunted but WHERE and HOW. If price were no issue I would have no personal or ethical dilemma hunting ele or lion, giraffe etc. No rhino for me because at any cost, there simply aren't enough of them, darting would be something I would love to do. Same goes for any of the truly endangered or rare ones.
No interest in any of the primates tho I would be happy to help a farmer trim the baboon population-I justified it to my coworkers when the Idaho guy took family photos of the ones he killed and displayed by telling them that baboons in SA are like rats here. Vermin, needing high level control and management. But I wouldn't book a trip to hunt one either.
Setting a bait for a common mouse and waiting to dispatch it with a much loved and well handled bb gun late at night-hell yes! Not sure I could eat it or make pillows from its pelt but the actual hunt would be worth the memories.
 
Interesting that so many mention no interest in hunting Rhino "as there are so few"...

Irrespective of how many there are they will always be a hunt able population...

Best thing that could happen for Black Rhino conservation would be to make them more accessible to hunt..
 
Big cats, Primates, and bears for that matter hold no interest to me. I guess I just like antlers and horns. I've passed up big male baboon while stalking other species.

Unlike many others I have no interest in shooting Wildebeest, black or blue. They just seem like dopey critters to me going by what I've seen. Maybe one day I'll change my mind, I never say never ;)
 

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