I leave in eight days for SA for a two week PG hunt.

I had set myself on Kudu, Gemsbok, and a Zebra rug for Mamma as the primary goals. If a nice Impala and a big Wart Hog show themselves, that too. Now I have the option of subbing an Eland for the two smaller ones and a couple hundred bucks, or straight up Kudu or Gemsbok for the Eland.
What to do?

Rich
DRSS

Depends on the trophy quality in the area. I would trade the gemsbuck for the eland unless I saw a monster gemsbuck.

IS,

SA...Black Wildebeest for sure if ya want another option

Kudu, Gemsbok, Black Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, and a Wartie ain't a bad bag depending on quality!

Safe hunting!

Trade the gemsbok in for the eland. I hunted eland in RSA in 2007 and really enjoyed the hunt. It was in the Limpoppo and the bush was thick,spent the better part of 2 days stalking my blue bull.Also its one of my favorite mounts.
Thanks
Wesley

Eland are awsome, they are fun to hunt and they taste great, just make sure you have a lot of room because they are huge.

IS,

I re-read your post and STRAIGHT-UP for the Kudu or Gemsbok for Eland...No brainer...ELAND

What was I thinking

Hey Rich,

I would tell you to go with an open mind. Gemsbok in RSA are generally expensive, for instance if you're going to be making a 2nd trip, gemsbok are a dime a dozen in Namibia, and can be bigger.

Eland are great, just make sure if you decide to shoot one he has a bunch of hair on his face...called a brush. You want long dark hair, I've seen quite a few pics of eland that are young, long horned, with no mass, and no hair. The brush is the trophy part of an eland. I'm very excited for you, this will be something you will never forget!

Rich:

Go into it with an open mind. You see something you like, shoot it! Repeat as necessary.

I say ditch the gemsbok and shoot the eland. Start applying for the gemsbok tag in New Mexico.

If you don't have to make a choice this second, why not see what you run into. Maybe you'll see a huge gemsbok and no kudu. Maybe you'll see no eland. Certainly would be tough if you, for example, scratched gemsbok off the list and see a 40+ incher the first day.

Sevens,

that would be me. Pass on one for a nice Eland, and see one that would book top ten in either book that afternoon after tea...

Rich

Rich, Take the eland but, positively big shaggey hairy face or nothing...

Good luck and make the shot.

Mike

I took nine species on my PG hunt and eland was BY FAR the most exciting and challenging of the bunch, as well as the most impressive trophy and the tastiest. I've heard it aptly described as cape buffalo hunting without the element of danger.

Rich, you may be surprised at some of the rates they give you for additional animals. I went on my first African trip, a 7-animal PG hunt, in 1999, and came home with 16. When you find another Kudu that's even bigger than the one you've shot, and they tell you a 2nd one is only $400, why not! Only don't go nuts like I did! Enjoy!....Biebs

Guess my vote.

quote:

Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
Rich:

Go into it with an open mind. You see something you like, shoot it! Repeat as necessary.

Ha! Nice.

Damn it, shoot all of them!!!!

quote:

Only don't go nuts like I did!

If worse comes to worse, he could always pawn off his airplane ticket home. It's not like anyone ever wants to leave safari anyway.

No question about it - Eland. Trade the Gemsbok

Well, here is what I tell my PH's.

If you see and animal, that you think I need to shoot, just tell me to shoot. You can tell me why, when we are taking the pictures...

I do not want to shoot a Dink, just a nice trophy.

So what I am saying is, do not pass up a good animal, that you happen to see, as you may never see one that good again.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Well, here is what I tell my PH's.

If you see and animal, that you think I need to shoot, just tell me to shoot. You can tell me why, when we are taking the pictures...

I do not want to shoot a Dink, just a nice trophy.

So what I am saying is, do not pass up a good animal, that you happen to see, as you may never see one that good again.

Play the cards you are dealt.

IS, this might get me in trouble for suggesting it, but why not sneak enogh money to shoot all of them! Just sayin.....

Mad Dog

Take what the Gods of the hunt send you.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad Dog:
IS, this might get me in trouble for suggesting it, but why not sneak enogh money to shoot all of them! Just sayin.....

Mad Dog

My thoughts exactly. I treat every trip like it's my last.

Mike

Take them all Rich. But really, if you must make a choice I would take the Eland.

I'm leavin for southafrica in 8days, too.
Where are you hunting?
But i wouldn't skip the oryx, a big oryx is a great trophy.


Eland is a very nice animal and great fun to hunt.
The only solution is to hunt all

ISS-

Stay flexible and play it by ear, personally I would trade a gemsbok for an eland, that is unless, as others have said, it is a mega gemsbok.

Jason

If there is a tie, the eland wins the tiebreaker because he tastes sooooooo good.

However, I think you should shoot everything you want to shoot and reasonably can afford to shoot on every safari. You cannot compare the cost of one trophy fee to the cost of returning to shoot one animal or two that you passed the first time. Further, the TF is forgotten in short order while the memory of the hunt lives forever.

I once passed a big sika stag in Southern England because it was early in the hunt and there were several other species I was "planning" to shoot later in the hunt on another estate in the East. The weather, the PH, and the hunting all sucked from that point forward and I pulled the trigger one more time before I came home. Ten years have passed and I still can see that stag standing on a hill 200yds away with 20 or so hinds. Damn.

Moral: Take what the hunting gods offer!

quote:

Take what the hunting gods offer!

This is so true.

The eland is really big. The eland is tasty, but you can't bring the meat back. The eland has small horns for his body size, and makes an unimpressive mount, either shoulder or Euro.

The gemsbok is a fairly large animal. The gemsbok is very good to eat, but you can't bring the meat back on this one, either. The gemsbok shoulder mount is a VERY impressive trophy on the wall. Mine attracts nearly as much comment as my two kudu, and a lot more interest than either my black or my blue wildebeast. I say SHOOT THE GEMSBOK if the trophy fees are the same. If the trophy fees are normal, the gemsbok is about half those of the eland, and it is a no brainer. SHOOT THE GEMSBOK. The meat is a non issue either way.

Kudu, is absolutely the first shot, unless a monster something else gets within 300yds of me before.
So, gentlemen, it shall be: what presents itself will be in harms way.

Pictures about the 25th.

regardsall,

Rich

ISS - I agree with Sharpsguy. I think it all comes down to trophy quality. I wouldn't trade a 38-40" bull gemsbok for a so-so eland. I also wouldn't trade a 52-plus" kudu with a wide spread and beautiful horn configuration for a so-so eland either. I've shot kudu and gemsbok, but haven't shot an eland yet. Kudu and gemsbok both make absolutely beautiful mounts for your home. An eland is a huge mount with fairly short horns, but an old bull mounted on a pedestal is quite impressive. I know I will probably only shoot one eland in my life, but I really want it to be the "right one". That means an old blue bull with thick horns, a big dewlap, and a nice rough or "brush" on its muzzle, hopefully after a long sweaty track and stalk. If I were in your position, I'd tell my PH I'll consider an eland if it's a big old bull with the right look to it. (Study a lot of photos of trophy eland.) If there's none like that on the property, I wouldn't settle for a thinner-horned younger bull, even if the horns are long. But definitely go after kudu and gemsbok - you won't be sorry. Don't worry about the tasty meat - even if you don't shoot an eland, they'll probably have some eland meat at the lodge for at least a meal or two. Of course, the smartest thing to do (always) is take enough extra money to shoot an eland in addition to your other animals in case you see a big old bull. It's much cheaper to pay the additional trophy fee while you're there than to make another special trip for a couple animals you wish you'd shot on this trip. But if you're like 99% of the guys here on AR, you'll be making many more trips back there anyway, no matter what.

Glen

Rich-
My eland is one of my favorite mounts. I got lucky on a good one in the Save in 2005. Many PG animals are beautiful, eland is magnificent. You won't believe your eyes when you see how gracefully they move, and how high these antelope-in-oxen's clothing can jump. It's like magic.
That being said, what people are saying about the hunting gods is spot on. You'll shoot the animal you are supposed to shoot.

Funny, in a way, I am already thinking about what and which country to hunt in next year. The incredible bargains here are waaaaaay too tempting for a hunting fool like me to resist.
Just walked in to the computer/library room and my lovely wife said, "why not just take an extra grand and let God show you a good one, or not...?".
Can't argue with that.
A week guys!

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
If you see and animal, that you think I need to shoot, just tell me to shoot. You can tell me why, when we are taking the pictures...

I do not want to shoot a Dink, just a nice trophy.

I'm heading to Namibia (first African trip) for the first 10 days of September and that's the line I'll be using as well.
I've already told my PH he can leave the tape measure behind.

Mmmmm Eland steaks over acacia coals.....

Yeah, I know it's tough, but somebody's got to do it. I'm going back in mid-October and have eland on my list, since I don't have one.

Rich

I would surely perforate a HUGE eland before a gemsbok...with that being said though I shot a 42" oryx bull in the RSA. Trophy quality there was first and foremost in my mind. I spent 8 days looking for a "shootable" bushbuck and luckily I took a representative cape bushbuck, and it was probably the highlight of the hunt. As I talked with the PH about options if we couldn't find a decent bushbuck, I mentioned that a black wildebeeste would be a suitable substitute. The other hunter that I was with took a Fu*^ing monster a few days before...I had never seen a big one but when he dumped that one I told myself, if I ever get back to that area I would surely have to have one...a BIG one. Also, depending on where you are going I would look hard at the red hartebeeste. They are magnificent and VERY African...once again be looking for mature animals.

As others have said, if the PH says there is a monster "XXXXX" animal, then you thump the rascal and take pics. Make it a point that trophy quality is definitely on your mind...remember, every PH wants to "shoot" big stuff too...and the biggest trophy you take might be the "little" duiker...huge is relative. I showed you the pic of the suni I shot in Moz...4" and some change...BIG...and probably the most fun next to the bushbuck.

No matter what you hunt and shoot, you will have a serious experience and be addicted to Africa.

Don't forget to smell the air, drink in the landscape, enjoy the people and culture and be totally consumed by the experience...relax, have fun and count yourself blessed.

Brad

P.S. Are you taking your new double? Have a blast!

Richie Rich:
Don't even load your gun the first day. Just drive around and size up the animals. There's a tendency for gemsboks to have ground shrinkage.

Second day, maybe load your rifle, but don't touch it after you put it in the gun rack of the cruiser. Continue glassing and selectivity.

Don't let the lead fly unless you see heavy horned trophy zebra.

Then on day three let er rip. You want a little pressure on this shoot/hunt don't you!

Be willing to take it down to the last day without being all tagged out. Amazing what happens on those "last days" right.

Above all have fun, forget about everything and tip one for me at sundown.

To take a line from a Movie...

All I need to know is... which way to shoot.


Have a great trip.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Damn it, shoot all of them!!!!

That's what I was gonna say.....take more $$$ and shoot them ALL. Gemsbok are too pretty to pass on, ya GOTTA have a kudu! Eland are on my list for August 2010.