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 Enclosed is a picture of a magnificent Sitatunga bull taken in the Kafue. Would you take him? Look closely and he is missing half a horn and knowing this secretive antelope you may only get one opportunity one shot at this trophy. What about other 'expensive' horned game such as Roan and Sable? Is this character, an expensive taxidermy job or simply not what you were looking for? ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | ||
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For me...antelope are targets of opportunity while hunting DG. If he was seen when my rifle was in my hands...I would shoot him and mount him as is. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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My taxidermist is skilled at replacing what was lost and giving him the horn that he grew. After all, that is what I am celebrating by mounting him. A tribute to his life. I see nothing wrong with mounting him as is. That is also a very accurate and honorable tribute to his life. It is a personal choice and there is no wrong answer. But, yes ... shoot him! | |||
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A Bull with broken horns is a trophy with lots of character. I would love to hunt him. Lane, a sitatunga is nothing you just take while hunting dg. It's one of the most desirable trophies of the World ;-) | |||
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I want the odd trophies that's why I got a scrum cap buffalo in Uganda. bring on the broken, bent, misshaped weird looking horns or tusks  | |||
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Would you like to make a deposit?  Kidding and besides he is still young.  ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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MMmmhh! I would like to hear the considered opinion of a suitable "dome-doctor."  | |||
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Andrew, Great picture, gives me goosebumps. For me the "trophy" is merely a physical manifestation of the hunt and represnts the memories. As you very well know Sitatunga hunting can be difficult and the environment is not friendly. I would smack that bull before he had a chance to bark. Steve Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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I would probably take him (especially if the PH concurred). My goal is to take mature representations of a species. I could care less about records for SCI, B&C, P&Y, ABC, LMNOP, NAACP, etc. | |||
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Hooker, apparently that was your wife's philosophy when she went looking for a husband!!!! :-) | |||
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Andrew, If we had been hunting hard together and you gave me a "thumbs up" I would definitely shoot him. Some of my favorite trophies are not my biggest but my most memorable and unique! And I would have the taxidermist mount him as is... On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! - Rudyard Kipling Life grows grim without senseless indulgence. | |||
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Tough call, but I probably wouldn't shoot him, as I would want only a representative example of such a fine and hard to get antelope. Although Wendell's notion of restoring his horn post-mortem is interesting to me and I might consider it. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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If you wanted to shoot him, do it. I also am not interested in record books and my taxidermist has strict instructions not to change anything. I shot it that way, or it grew that way or that was his history and that is what I took. | |||
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I would shoot the sitatunga but not the sable. Broken horns are one thing but the deformed/damaged horn on that guy does not appeal to me. ~Ann   | |||
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Andrew, My trophies are symbols that represent some of the best experiences of my life. They're not just a collection of mounted heads and hides so regardess of book score or configuration they are mine and that's what matters most to me. Would I shoot that sitatunga? It would all depend on how the safari was unfolding and how much that particular animal meant to me at that time. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Exactly. Antlers Double Rifle Shooters Society Heym 450/400 3" | |||
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never heard of anyone who thought a sitatunga was a target of opportunity before | |||
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No, you got those great photos so we can assume we had reasonable chance at making a good judgement and time to shoot, but passed. The way I see it we have won this round and get to continue hunting. Pressing the trigger is just a small part of whole thing. I may only feel this way about these antelope. Now show me an old scrum cap buff bull and my German heritage is likly to override all control. Many Thanks HBH | |||
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I absolutely would NOT shoot. The sitatunga is too treasured of a member of the spiral horned family to just settle and shoot an inferior representative of the species such as the one posted above. A broken horned sitatunga is NOT a trophy, and I would pass on him and wait for another one. Never shoot to kill, just to say you got one in the bag. Selectivity is important here, especially on a sitatunga. The sit and the lesser kudu are the only two spiral horns I didn't harvest during my African hunting days. I could have hammered a 29" lesser kudu in Ethiopia while hunting with Jason Roussos, a few years back, but I passed on him. I do not regret my decision in holding back the shot. That's hunting. Each individual is different and it comes down to makeup of each hunter. Andrew, excellent topic. Very well laid out. Let me know when you are ready to release that 40" sitatunga that you've been growing for me in the barn! Happy Holidays over there. Moja | |||
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My answer may seem a bit odd. 11 years ago I would have said, "Does it taste any different without the horn"? Basically I hunted only what went in the freezer. I killed a Brown Bear in 2000 the year I moved from bush Alaska to the big village of Anchorage. He's rugged and on the wall and I found him to be unedible. So 11 years ago, unless we were hunting the Sitatunga for food I would say no. Now I have taxidermy coming from my trips in 2010. I realize they are 3-D photo's of sort. Reminders of the experience. I still sneak a glance at my Brown Bear and a flood of memories of one of the best self guided nine day trips ever come back in detail. I'm not interested in a book or a tape measure. If we worked to get into the position for that shot, if the animal had a fair ability to escape, he was mature and other breeding males will take over, and my PH said (based on our previous conversation upon arrival in camp that I'm not a tape guy) he's a shooter, then he's going down. ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Michael Robinson: Tough call, but I probably wouldn't shoot him, as I would want only a representative example of such a fine and hard to get antelope. Although Wendell's notion of restoring his horn post-mortem is interesting to m __________________________________________ Michael, How is this Sitatunga not representative? obviously a veteran of many battles in the papyrus. Steve Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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Why not? Is an elephant with one 100 pound tusk not a trophy? Certainly you can agree that it is a trophy to some. To many, the horn or the tusk does not make the trophy, they are just the icing on the cake. The memory and the experience of pursuing and taking an individual animal is the cake. You can eat cake without icing and it will still be good. If you just eat the icing, after a while you will start to feel sick. What if one of your shots busts the horn off the sitatunga and then you have it repaired? Does it go from a trophy to a non trophy and then back to a trophy again? On a side note, shooting one with one horn may lessen the chance that it will get mixed up with other trophies in camp or at the dip and pack! | |||
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Yup, I agree. One does not just stumble across them on their merry way. | |||
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I do not see choosing to shoot this sitatunga as just shooting to say you got one in the bag. That is a warped view of what motivates hunters. You could also look at it this way: Never let 6 inches of missing horn turn a fantastic hunting experience into a non event. If you have to have a perfect set of horns to be happy then do not shoot one with a broken horn...If you do not mind the broken horn, shoot it....the trophy is in your mind...not on the hoof. | |||
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You and I think along the same lines Grafton. Well stated in both posts... On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! - Rudyard Kipling Life grows grim without senseless indulgence. | |||
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Can't say that anymore.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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Mark, I'll take exception to your statement about a one horn Sitatunga NOT being a trophy. BESIDES Andrew....I'll bet I have more swamp water in the crack of my ass, more dunkings, more mud under my toenails more charter miles, more trips down Mporokosa road then anyone in this debate. Hunting for Sitatunga is not unlike Cat hunting. It is a procedure, building and moving machans, getting to those machans whether they are pole machans or island blinds with the center hollowed out well before light with no flashlight beam. Showing complete trust in your PH as to where your going, following grass with the top bent over by the tracker the evening before. Freezing your ass all morning, then roasting your ass the rest of the day. Simply stated putting a bullet in THAT bull IN MY OPINION would be a successful conclusion to any swamp hunt. That said, would I rather shoot the one I did? yep. Great Hunt Sitatunga is. Steve Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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For me it depends, I am much more into the hunt and experience than the inches. I would sure as heck prefer to shoot the broken horn sitatunga, after a great hunting experience than to shoot this one
Farm raised animals are not trophies. | |||
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I would not shoot either. However, after reading Nganga's post, I might consider the sitatunga late in the hunt. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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It matters not. If I was in a position to take it after a rewarding hunt then YES it would be a trophy for me. Far better than a perfect set of horns taken on the first day via a quick stalk from the Vehicle.  | |||
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I do not think there is a right or wrong answer here. Note this male will go 28 inches and is very heavy set. I tend to agree that early on in the safari I would probably be indecisive but debate with the hunter that the old warrior has much character. Note with Sitatunga you do not have much time to debate and I never saw this handsome bull again. Note the faint stripes and the odd spot which some claim to be related to the forest variety. This is not true and these Zambezi Sitatunga vary greatly in colour within the same population pool. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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It matters a lot - Andrew bring it on - it only matters not, what time of hunt it is - it is all about uniqueness that sharpens with age, besides there are not many things as boring as symmetry... So yeah get me one of a kind anytime, and you have earned your tip   | |||
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Mouse, The picture was taken whilst scouting. This is the bull we took from the same swamp and whilst he has not much length the trophy has great character and you just got to love those ivory tips.  Note the coat is rufous brown and this one also bears a shadow stripe. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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The succinct answer is "no" - it does not matter. For me, shooting a larger animal with perfect horns would not have made the experience any richer than it would have been with this unique animal. I personally do not own a tape measure, and I cannot begin to tell you the measurements of any of the African animals I have taken. I can recount the story of the hunt of each in great detail - I guess that is what is most important to me. We all like to take large animals, but this is far from the "main thing" about the hunt. Judging the quality of a hunt by the length of the horns of something I shot is just not in my vocabulary. There is so much more........ Mangwana | |||
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+1"The greatest threat to our wildlife is the thought that someone else will save it” www.facebook.com/ivancartersafrica www.ivancarterwca.org www.ivancarter.com ivan@ivancarter.com | |||
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Andrew, I may be the odd one out, but I actually prefer the first bull FOR MYSELF. For a client, I know most guys will not shoot it. On a recent hunt with Larry, we had a great oppertunity at a very old worn roan bull (less than 20 inches, but massively thick...), just a day or so after he shot his. I now dream of taking that bull for myself, if only I can afford it!!! (I am also sure it will not make the end of the 2012 dry season.) Karl Stumpfe Ndumo Hunting Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net karl@huntingsafaris.net P.O. Box 1667, Katima Mulilo, Namibia Cell: +264 81 1285 416 Fax: +264 61 254 328 Sat. phone: +88 163 166 9264 | |||
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Gentlemen, To me it seems that it would be a "once in a lifetime" kind of trophy..given that that the hunting was good. Regards | |||
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If a man cannot be honest with himself, he cannot be honest with anyone else. I say that after thinking long last evening, Two short weeks from today, will be my first hunting day in CAR. If I mentally replace the pictured Sitatunga bull with a Similarly broken Bongo, will I feel the same?  Hindsight 20/20.... Formerly "Nganga" | |||
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Sitting here with my keyboard I would say "No". Sitting in a machan with my rifle late in the hunt would be a different story. As stated by others, the record books don't count, only the memories do. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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