I thought the title would get a few smiles. Anyhow I am leaving in 2 weeks on my first trip and probably won't be able to afford to go back for a long time. I'm just an average paid guy that has saved up for a long time for this hunt. I would like some direction on average trophy size for the animals I am wanting to hunt. If you could give me a good Idea what you guys think it would be great. I am hunting in SA Limpopo area.
Black widerbeast
gemsbuck
warthog
Impala
Kudu
Besbuck
Duiker
Springbuck
Zebra
Bushbuck
Red Hartebeast
Baboon
This is my list. It is a ten day hunt and hope to be able to find most of it and have some decent quality on the animals.
Thanks

nube, one of the fantastic parts of hunting Africa is the experience itself. Any animal you take is a trophy to you. Aside from the "atta boy, good job & nice buck" only you will experience the actual thrill of taking game. Anyone who has been there shares that feeling with you. As for average trophy size, it takes a lot of Internet searching to read about African game. That's a good place to start. That said, talk to your PH. He knows what constitutes an average, above average and big time trophy in his area. Size varies from region to region and of course age. For a crash course, you can visit my web site and look at the PG. I try to post the life cycle of most game, and you'll find average to record horn length on most of them. Have a great trip and enjoy all of your trophies. Good hunting, David

If you're only there for 10 days, tell your PH that you want a good mature male specimen of each of the species hunted. If he then says shoot, shoot it! You should get some very good trophy's and some average trophy's. The main thing for the older hunter, is don't shoot an immature specimen.

No disrespect, but if you are planning to harvest 12 animials in 10 days you won't be doing much hunting, just shooting them as they leave the pen.

quote:

Originally posted by SGraves155:
If you're only there for 10 days, tell your PH that you want a good mature male specimen of each of the species hunted. If he then says shoot, shoot it! You should get some very good trophy's and some average trophy's. The main thing for the older hunter, is don't shoot an immature specimen.

Very good advice. This is what I told my PH on my first trip, which was also to the Limpopo area, and several of my trophies would make the SCI and Rowland Ward record books.

Nube,

Enjoy the experience and don't worry about the record books. And don't listen to the BS here on AR.

quote:

No disrespect, but if you are planning to harvest 12 animials in 10 days you won't be doing much hunting, just shooting them as they leave the pen.

Make sure you do a search here on AR to determine what a trophy is and what is not. Also seems that you can only shoot a certain number of animals in a set number of days.

I'm leaving for Namibia in July, maybe I can get a list of AR rules before I go.

I hope you have a great time and good luck. Be true to yourself, the trophy is in the experience, not the horn size.

Shaun

That is good advice David K. I am planning on listening to the PH and shooting whn he says to. I have guided for 12 years noe here in Alberta and I am also an Outfitter so I know all about the way trophy hunting is. I just would like a general Idea how big my trophies will be compared to the average. I understand I won't have time to get all that is on my list as well. A few of my list I would like to get a really good one and for the rest it doesn't really matter much. I just have read a lot of posts on here and looked at the size of them and would like to know if someone shoots a 23 or 24 inch impala is that the top end of the impalas and if someone shoots a Blsbuck that is 16-17 inches long is that a good one? Just curious on a few of the numbers. Either way it will be a great trip and I am looking foreward to it.
Thanks

nube,

I have all the animals you'll hunt and will give you what I think is an average on the animals I'm most familiar with.
As an experienced hunter you know that some areas are just better for some species than another. I do think if your PH encourages you to take smaller animals than listed below he doesn't have many of them or he doesn't really care about your trophy quality.

quote:

Black widerbeast
gemsbuck 36"-37"
warthog 10"-11"
Impala 20"-22"
Kudu 48"-52"
Besbuck 14"-15"
Duiker 3"-3.5"
Springbuck
Zebra
Bushbuck 13"-14"
Red Hartebeast

I don't think that your PH will have you shooting anything that isn't a good trophy. Just listen to his advice. He will be the one making the initial judgment on trophy quality and advising you whether to shoot or not.

I just finished looking at GRayghost safaris like David K had stated and it gives me some info on what I was looking for. I understand trophy quality will differ from certain areas but it is nice to have some Idea of how things compare to the average. I'm not the kind of guy that wants the biggest to show it off because I really don't know anyone that has been to Africa and it wouldn't make a difference to brag about it anyways. Just curious more than anything.
Thanks Mark Young for putting up some numbers for me.

nube check this site - you will find some general trophy tips under most of the animals - wish you a good hunt

In the Limpopo area I think you could expect better than average Impala, Kudu, Warthog, Bushbuck. In my experience it isn't a great area for gemsbuck and spingbuck (they're may not even be any there). The really hard ones to measure are the zebra and baboon

UEG,

You've got some fantastic trophies and that lion you shot is an absolute toad so you've had some great advise from your PH but believe me to assume every PH will lead you to the best trophies available in a particular area is niave. I personally when on my first couple of safaris was advised to shoot some animals that were not good representatives at all. Being personally aware of reasonable trophy expectation for your safari is only prudent and being an informed consumer. I'm not suggesting you try to judge trophy size yourself because you can't particularly on a first safari but that you share with your PH that you have some idea of how big an impala or whatever should be.

Mark

Mark, you're absolutely right. It always helps to have some idea before you go as to trophy quality. I've just been very fortunate to have some PH's that have not given me bad advice on which animals to take, in conjunction with some hurried discussion between us before some of the shots. It's better to be as informed and as knowledgeable as you can be, without any question.

Use the tape to confirm an exceptional trophy, not to measure your satisfaction with the experience.

The happiest hunters I know have no idea how big their trophies are.

Shoot what looks good for you not everyone has the luck to enter each animal in the record book that is why its called a record book.
You say you will be hunting in Limpopo where in Limpopo is also a deciding factor on the average horn lengths you will get.

quote:

Black widerbeast "Bad area for good black wildebeest are you sure it's not blue wildebeest?
gemsbuck "Sometimes you can be lucky we bagged a 39" cow close to the limpopo river last year"
warthog "Anyhting that sticks out more than 5" out of the lips is good. "
Impala "For limpopo 20" + "
Kudu "From 48" +"
Besbuck "Not good area for blesbuck as well from 13" +"
Duiker " If the horns are ear length go for it."
Springbuck "Not a good area at all if any 11" +"
Zebra
Bushbuck " Good very good depending on area 13" +"
Red Hartebeast "Good also be quite good depending on area 20"+"
Baboon "Just compare the size to others if their is any others otherwise blast him if the PH says go "

Have fun but also think straight if you get an impala 22" and stumble upon a 26" take it dont go and say I have one already that goes for all the smaller game which are not so pricey.

Everybody is saying (quite correctly) that 48" is sort-of minimum expectation for a Limpopo Kudu bull. I'll venture to say that, when you first see a 45 inch bull, you're going to gasp for breath. Should you pass him up in the hopes of finding a 48"+ specimen? That's not a call I'd like to have to make.

This is what I was told about gemsbok in the Limpopo province of RSA. Standards between male and female are a little different. 36" to 37" inches is a good number for a cow. But for the much heavier bulls at least 32" is the number to shoot for.

This is simply what I was told. I'll leave it up to the more experienced to dispute. I took a 35 1/2" bull and am darn happy with him. On a ten day safari I saw absolutely no bull bigger nor did anyone else in my group of 9 hunters. I saw some 40+ cows but the bulls seemed to top out mostly at the 32" mark.

Yes you could probably do better in Namibia. But in RSA they trully may not have them.

quote:

Make sure you do a search here on AR to determine what a trophy is and what is not. Also seems that you can only shoot a certain number of animals in a set number of days.

-quote by SD Hall

You might also want to check with AR on what to wear or not wear when traveling and in the field.

Finally, once you're back; post photos at your own risk. I am assuming you are carrying a fine double rifle with a deep blue and highly figured wood in an appropriate calibre.

quote:

Originally posted by SDHall:
Nube,

quote:

No disrespect, but if you are planning to harvest 12 animials in 10 days you won't be doing much hunting, just shooting them as they leave the pen.

I'm leaving for Namibia in July, maybe I can get a list of AR rules before I go.


Shaun

You are the pot calling the kettle black! I see you want to blame AR for the stupid remarks of "PEOPLE"! AR has absolutely nothing to do with what anyone writes on any thread, including the condecending ones like your's.

Shaun, you will find people in any group that are both helpfull, and smart asses, that their only purpose is to disrupt. The man asked a ligitimate question. I don't think he was asking for sarcasm, or a scolding, but information.

Nube,disregard the dumb comments, they were aimed at each other more than anything, and are of no value to you at all! Some of what both told you, howevr, is true, even if they picked a dumb way to state it.

Since you have 12 animals on your list, the ranch hunts in RSA is about the only place in any African country where you can concievably take all those animals on one 10 day hunt, in one place. This is because all those animals do not normally live in the same place. The ranch hunts make this posible, because they have stocked many different species on their properties. Even the ranch hunts of RSA, will not normally have everything, so be prepared to reduce your expectations.

The trophy size is not as important, to me anyway, as it is to gather good adult animals,fair chasse,and representative of the species. With 12 animals on your list, it is more like you have a FULL BAG hunt booked, where you may shoot what ever pops out of the weeds. On your 10 day hunt, you will probably not shoot all the animals on the list, and still get good members of each species. If you hold for just GOOD ADULT MALE animals, you will be lucky to collect one per day.

The advice to Tell your PH what you want, and give him the job of picking shootable animals is a good one. The doubt from the other person, is also justified, because 10 days is pritty short, for the collection of even 10 animals, and even shorter to collect GOOD animals of each.

In any event, have fun, and enjoy being in the bush of Africa, and I can assure you it may be your last trip to Africa, but it will not be because you don't want to return! JAMBO,BWUANA!

Nube:

If you are on an unlimited budget you can shoot everything the ph says is a good trophy and probably be ok.

You can also go by the rule of thumb my budy Joe uses; "It's the biggest anyone on my family ever shot!"

If you are on a limited budget and don't have high priorities for certain animals and thus really want to limit yourself by only shooting exceptional animals for that particular area, that's a good method as well. To do this find use the guide posted above and compare it to what your ph says has been taken in the last few years, set your parameters and hunt hard. You may only take a few animals but will know you accomplished something.

One of the great things about Africa hunting is you can have it your way!

Good Luck

Mike O

MacD37,

I wasn't responging to Nube's question, I was responding to the “smart ass†comment by Die Ou Jagter. Nube did ask a legitimate question, and there are a lot of people that post here that give great information, but there is a lot of crap that is tossed around as well. I didn't respond directly to his question, because I have never hunted in the Limpopo are and I don't have the information that he is looking for.

My comment was directed at the elitist criticism that is tossed around here so often. Re-read my post, I didn't make that statment, I was quoting someone else.

Hunter, spot on! BTW, just got an e-mail from Bev, my trophies from October will be leaving Tanzania tomorrow.

Thanks for the info guys. I have the idea that I want to shoot a good Kudu, Bushbuck , Warthog and black wilderbeast. Other than that I will be happy to just get an average animal. I put my list of things I will shoot up just so I could get some numbers to gage things by. I don't want to shoot something that is below average and would be fine going home without it if that was the case. If for some fluke I get all of the animals on my list as average critters than I can say I did very well. I really don't think it will happen but I am sure this hunt will be fun. I will post some pictures when I get back for sure and hope you guys can keep giving me some more advice because I have learned a lot and still have lots to learn.
Thanks

nube,

FWIW, my perspective on trophy hunting is sort of Germanic:

I would not want an immature animal no matter how big he might be. Immature animals do not make good trophies and killing them is generally antithetical to sound conservation besides.

I have killed a few animals for trophies that were too young, or were at best borderline animals, in my day, sometimes by mistake (and despite best efforts, mistakes do happen) and sometimes as the result of following bad advice. Those experiences were not good ones - in fact, they were awful.

I'm not sure how many people feel the way I do, but I have to say that I like taking very old, but average, or even below average, animals almost as much as taking truly big trophies - and by that I mean trophies as measured by the highest standards. Not that I have many huge trophy animals, because I don't. But I do have a couple, so this is not idle banter.

In my view, as long as an animal is an old timer, he will make a good trophy, irrespective of his below average mane, teeth, horns, antlers, hide or whatever.

Old and average, or even below average, is more than just acceptable, it is sound conservation and it can make for good and challenging hunting too. I guess what I am saying, again FWIW, is that there is something very satisfying about culling the old timers and I wouldn't rule that out if I were you.

quote:

Originally posted by SDHall:
MacD37,

I wasn't responging to Nube's question, I was responding to the “smart ass†comment by Die Ou Jagter.
My comment was directed at the elitist criticism that is tossed around here so often. Re-read my post, I didn't make that statment, I was quoting someone else.

quote:

I'm leaving for Namibia in July, maybe I can get a list of AR rules before I go.


Shaun

Shaun,I understand you were quoteing him!


The quote in red above was not written by you?

That is what I was talking about! Die Ou Jagter, made his dumb comment, and you made the one above blaming AR for the comment made by an individual.

IMO, what he said was no more elitist, than your's, was sarcastic, and missdirrected. Insinuating AR is somehow so elitist that you should get the approved RULES OF AR before you leave for your hunt. If that was dirrected at Die Au Jagter, then why didn't you ask for a set of HIS rules, not AR's? Hence my comment "pot calling the kettle black!"

Sometimes, without benefite of face to face conversation, it is hard to get the actual meaning one is trying to get accross. If I'm out of line here, then I appologise, but lately I see AR getting blamed for all sorts of things that should be dirrected at the individuals who commit the offences. Accurate Reloading, and Nitro express web-sites are the best informed two web-sites where African hunting, and big bore DGR rifles are concerned in the world today. But any place that has the trafic that is the membership of these two, will have some who are more than willing to cause un-necessary trouble, while offering nothing posetive at all. That it to be expected, but to a new commer to the web-site, that stuff turns them off before they see where the real information is comming from.

All I'm saying is, when someone makes a dumb statement,that you find anoying, call them on it dirrectly, don't blame the web-site!

Again, if I'm out of line here, and I may very well be, then I appologise!

quote:

I have the idea that I want to shoot a good Kudu, Bushbuck , Warthog and black wilderbeast.

Are you sure the black wildebeest is not a blue wildebbest ? Unless you will be hunting in the east Cape but youre not and youre going to hunt in Limpopo you will have to move or hunt between two different areas to get good animals of your list. They just dont mix. The Kudu, bushbuck and warthog falls in the same area namely bushveld. While Black wildebeest is found in open country and unless someone has started to bring black wildebeest into the bushveld with the chances of getting mixed breeding between blue and black I have never seen a black wildebeest next to a marula tree for example.

But any case the black wildebeest is a very difficult trophy to judge. Just have a look for a deep drop in the horns then coming back level with the top of the bosses and then wide bosses. If the horn tips are also spread further apart that is also a good consideration. I just love the tuffs of hair on their nose and dont be surprized if they dont drop on teh first shot. Good luck

I'm not trying to discourage you but the clsest place where I know you will find the animals close together is the North west province. Hunting the Groot Marico for kudu, bushbuck and warthog and then moving a bit south an hour's drive or so for the black wildebeest.

Nube,

You'll be in Limpopo the same time as me. Who are you hunting with? I'll be there from May 26 - June 8.

Paul

Paul I am hunting with Lucas Safaris starting June 1. As for the Black Wilderbeest you are correct. I have to travel an our or 2 to hunt them in a different area. There are a few different concessions I can hunt on from what I am told so I hope things work out well. Thanks again for the info and keep more comming.

nube: if you want to search back a few pages on this forum, you will find a great source of information on PG (plains game). I started several posts, as did other members. Headers will read something like "Zebra: show and tell" or "Let's see some Kudu" for example. There are a lot of great pics with our trophies. Most everything if not all your hunting will be found. Hope this helps. I will be over on the 28th but I am all over the country, but won't be in Limpopo this trip. Good hunting, David

nube

if you are traveling to the Kwazulu Natal Province to hunt your black wildebeest you might want to hunt your blesbok there as well. They seem to be bigger there, at least from what I have seen.

Nube and Paul 55,
I will be in Limpopo the beginning of July. It will be my first hunt as well. And you know what, I could care less what the 'professionals' or Monday morning quarterbacks think about S. Africa or hunting that many animals in 10 days. I'm going for it and I don't plan to come back with one bullet. I may never get to go again and I want to ride this experience like it was my senior prom date! My list includes impala, gemsbuck, sable, warthog, baboon, kudu, nyala and hopefully springbuck. I added 2 days to mine to make it 12 full days of hunting. My must haves are the kudu, sable, nyala and gemsbuck. I have a feeling I'll be breaking the bank with more animals though! LOL If I do get to go again then I'll settle for a more remote tent-style hunt for big game ie cape buff. But the first one will be about numbers and accomodations. I've hunted in the heat of Texas to the mountains of Wyoming and New Mexico. Froze my tail off, hiked for miles in snow, let more elk walk because they were only 5x5s when I wanted 6x6 or better and sweated so much that I could literally wring my shirt. I've earned my picnic! Just have fun and don't worry about anyone else. My friends have never been to Africa and I have nothing to prove to them or anyone else. Now if you want to hike up the snow filled Wyoming or New Mexico mountain ranges with me looking for elk, then we can talk about constitutes a demanding sport!!

nube: I'll be hunting with Shingani Safaris.

nube and bluefin: good luck!

Howdy guys, I just returned from two weeks in South Africa and Namibia, my second hunt, and the four of us in our party had a wonderful time. What's big and what's not? I've read a lot of good opinions here, and I'll add my own, "Don't shoot until the PH says so!" My personal best results have been that way with a 55.5 inch Kudu on my first hunt and a 28 inch Nyala just ten days ago. As for the Black Wildebeest questions, they are native to the Free State region of the RSA and seriously different from the Common Wildebeest as seen in Limpopo. The Blacks have horns that resemble meat hooks, and once seen you will not forget them. Overall, go to Africa to have fun, enjoy the service, the food, and the scenery. We did a wide ranging trip, starting in the Bushveld, then briefly to the Free State for the Black Wildebeest, then on to Namibia for monster Oryx, would you believe a 39 incher? Again, the people in Namibia are also great and just itching for clients from the USA.

LLS