The Europeans have a great hunting ethic in that they place primary value on a trophy animal's age...with broken or worn-down horns a mark of honor (some feel the same way about weird trophies like that sable). We Americans tend to prefer "perfect" trophies...perhaps this stems from Boone and Crockett's long-standing "deductions" for lack of symmetry, or perhaps we're much too "book-conscious." Rowland Ward is completely the opposite: Records are made on the longest horn or heaviest tusk! I'm no different than most...that sitatunga is a wonderful old trophy, but I would probably pass on it early in the hunt and, with my luck, I'd still be kicking myself because it was the only one I saw! Trophies are always in the eye of the beholder, so there are no right or wrong answers.

Bam!!!!! I like the double broomed heavy mass old sheep too! No flies on a worn tip or scrum cap old dugga boy either!

Brett

This Masailand lesser kudu is a full 31" on the intact side. After about a week of looking for these unique animals when this bull stood still for 5 seconds there was no doubt in my mind that this was the trophy I wanted. He was and still is my favorite trophy from that safari. he is a symbol of a wonderful experience regardless of the 10" of horn he is missing.

Mark

Nicely composed picture of a great animal.

I have come back to that broken-horned sitatunga several times. Early in the hunt that would be a most difficult decision...later it would be a whole lot easier! Sitatunga are tough...you can get them on the first, the 10th day, the 14th day, or not at all...and I've had all four happen! One thing: I'm pretty good at aging whitetails on the hoof, but I sure can't do it on sitatunga...but it isn't clear to me that the broken-horned animal is old...the intact horn doesn't show much ivory, the tip appears sharp, and the front horn surfaces don't seem to have much wear. So all that's clear is that one horn is pretty darned good, and the other one is broken, which could have happened a month earlier or years earlier. The second sitatunga that Fair Game showed us may not have quite as much length--but there's lots of ivory on top, and the front surfaces are heavily polished. I'd be interested in what Fair Game says, but I would judge the second one to be the older of the two. If they were standing together, that's probably the one I would choose. The first one, just plain a tough call, with no wrong answers except that any mature sitatunga you pass may be the only one you see. Good mental exercise. Regards, C

quote:

Originally posted by craig boddington:
I have come back to that broken-horned sitatunga several times. Early in the hunt that would be a most difficult decision...later it would be a whole lot easier! Sitatunga are tough...you can get them on the first, the 10th day, the 14th day, or not at all...and I've had all four happen! One thing: I'm pretty good at aging whitetails on the hoof, but I sure can't do it on sitatunga...but it isn't clear to me that the broken-horned animal is old...the intact horn doesn't show much ivory, the tip appears sharp, and the front horn surfaces don't seem to have much wear. So all that's clear is that one horn is pretty darned good, and the other one is broken, which could have happened a month earlier or years earlier. The second sitatunga that Fair Game showed us may not have quite as much length--but there's lots of ivory on top, and the front surfaces are heavily polished. I'd be interested in what Fair Game says, but I would judge the second one to be the older of the two. If they were standing together, that's probably the one I would choose. The first one, just plain a tough call, with no wrong answers except that any mature sitatunga you pass may be the only one you see. Good mental exercise. Regards, C

Picture one I would say the animal is in his prime. He is large bodied and supports a thick neck which is a sign of maturity.

I find Sitatunga vary greatly in colour and in horn shape. Ivory tips although a sign of maturity are sometimes absent from old animals as illustrated here. Note this Sitatunga is from the same swamp and he is in his latter years.

What LEDVM said, plus One!

Have you seen the Impala mount at Afton House?

I don't care about the record books, but at the same time I want a mature animal with nothing broken off.
I don't know why I feel the way I feel about it.
But it always bothers me when I look at my Roe deer bucks that have broken tines.
I couldn't care less about what they score.

But at the same time is the hunt the most important to me and not the trophy.
The trophy is just a nice bonus and something I keep as a memory of the hunt.

I don't need to shoot on a hunt and I am no species collector.

But to the question.
I would consider to shoot that animal for a very discounted price, specially with a bow.

I would never shoot it for a full trophy fee.
So I guess it matters to me

quote:

Originally posted by Norwegianwoods:
I don't care about the record books, but at the same time I want a mature animal with nothing broken off.
I don't know why I feel the way I feel about it.
But it always bothers me when I look at my Roe deer bucks that have broken tines.
I couldn't care less about what they score.

But at the same time is the hunt the most important to me and not the trophy.
The trophy is just a nice bonus and something I keep as a memory of the hunt.

I don't need to shoot on a hunt and I am no species collector.

But to the question.
I would consider to shoot that animal for a very discounted price, specially with a bow.

I would never shoot it for a full trophy fee.
So I guess it matters to me

Roebuck v Sitatunga?
Like comparing apples to oranges;
Sitatunga at a very discounted price because of a slightly broken or deformed horn? - Give us a break!

I guess you are entitled to think of it as you like (it is a free world after all) and wish you the best of luck in finding an outfitter who will give you the freebie you're looking for.

PS. I can tell you for sure that there are some German hunters who would pay double the fee for that Sable!

If he was in the Lunga Luswishi, like this one is, I would let him go. There are too many great bulls there to take this guy, barring time pressure or other special circumstances--for example, if the hunt for this specific animal had been especially challenging/enjoyable/memorable.

These pics are of a sitatunga I pursued for 3 days in Cameroon. We tracked him daily, glimpsed him once. He eluded us twice - once by just disappearing and once my jumping in a river and swimming away.

We found him, like this, on the third day - a meal for a leopard. We saw his legs sticking out of the bushed on an over grown logging road. When we got out of the truck to investigate, the leopard was a mere few feet away as indicated by tracks and the pygmy dogs going nuts.

Now, what to do? This is a real trophy, a real fine forest sitatunga. Is the trophy mine or the leopards? Did I "earn" the trophy? Do I pay the trophy fee and take it home?

We picked up and the pygmies ate him. The horns are in the NSOK camp today, I assume.

I had the pleasure of hunting him but lost out. It happens. I would have shot him if he had half of one horn as I hunted him fair and square.

I am not an "inch" guy, so.....

Would I shoot the one fairgame posted? Depends - was it a drive by shooting, had I been hunting him hard for several days?


For Craig Boddington -
You took a nice sitatunga at Pete Fisher's place, Nchila. You made a super running shot on a nice one. I do not know the circumstances of the hunt but I hunted the same place and stalked the one I took there. Your shot impressed Pete. Would you have shot that running sitatunga if at the last split second you questioned the horn quality?

In my opinion, the trophy in that hunt was your shot. The animal was excellent but you earned the trophy with your shot and manner of hunting.

Bloody hell Dogcat that is tough luck as that is a very fine Sitatunga the Leopard got there.

The only set of Kudu horns that decorate my house is a pick up, a Lion kill and I kept them as I had hunted the same Kudu a couple of times in the past. But it is not my trophy but they are my horns.

As you have noted you do not shoot drive by sitatunga and it can (not always) be an arduous and often frustrating hunt. Mostly fly camping in remote and distant swamps. You live like a vampire - active during the dark and twilight hours but dormant during the heat of the day, holed up in whatever shade you can find.

Because Sitatunga are considered rare and elusive, and their habitats are dense and often impenetrable the briefest of glimpses of animal or horn is enough to get the heart pumping. You stalk the swamps in the dark well before dawn and who knows what you will bump into? The deep resonating bellow of a bull, much like that of a buffalo, at close quarters will have your heart in your mouth. It can make for exciting hunting and the Sitatunga is a worthy trophy.

Fairgame,
The "trophy fee" would have been $6500 for the pick up horns and the cape was damaged in skinning. I opted to hunt for another but did not connect with one.

Looking back, I like the pictures I took and they serve well as a reminder that the leopard is better hunter than I am.

If there had not been a $6500 trophy fee, I would have brought the horns home.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Fairgame,
The "trophy fee" would have been $6500 for the pick up horns and the cape was damaged in skinning. I opted to hunt for another but did not connect with one.

Looking back, I like the pictures I took and they serve well as a reminder that the leopard is better hunter than I am.

If there had not been a $6500 trophy fee, I would have brought the horns home.

They say if at first you do not succeed then try and try again. This obviously does not apply to Sky Diving.

Trust me, I will try again. It is addictive.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Trust me, I will try again. It is addictive.

Good lad and I am considering another small AR group hunt in Bangweulu swamps and will let you know details if you are at all interested?

Being in Cairo now, I can be in Lusaka in about 10 hrs. PM when you have something put together. Even if you do not have something put together, keep me in mind.

I may have to shoot that 1/2 horned beast in the picture yet.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Being in Cairo now, I can be in Lusaka in about 10 hrs. PM when you have something put together. Even if you do not have something put together, keep me in mind.

I may have to shoot that 1/2 horned beast in the picture yet.

Never saw him again and he probably went the way of your sitatunga. Will do and keep in touch.