After reading a comment by Saeed as follows:

quote:

A long time ago when I first started hunting in Africa, my PH always had a small measuring tape in his pockets. He used to get it out and measure all the animals we shot.

After a while, he discovered that size did not matter for me at all. Since then he never bothered to measure anything.

In fact, we tended to choose an old animal with worn down horns over a younger one that would score very highly in a record book.

We started our own joke about SCI's INNER CIRCLE - by shooting animals that would qualify entry into our own OUTER CIRCLE.

These animals have to qualify to get into our OUTER CIRCLE.

Those with horns have to have one horn completely off. Or are completely worn out.

Elephants and warthogs qualify by having one tusk broken.

I have decided to submit an entry for the AR OUTTER CIRCLE.


This Eland was estimated at 19-years old and was with two younger bulls that had much bigger horns; either of whom I could have shot. He had the most character.

Saeed and/or Walter can judge the trophies. I would encourage others to submit their entries as well.

Dave

Now, that's one damn fine eland and I salute you for your trophy.....one don't need a tape measure to see this one!!!!!

That is one hellofa eland T-R-O-P-H-Y!!!!

If you need a tape measure to see that it is a magnificent trophy, well,,,,,?

My sincere congratulations on shooting the trophy, and letting the long-horned youngsters grow to become trophies.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

If worn out horns are what is needed to qualify, I think that my buffalo from this summer makes it.



Doug

L&B superb trophy huge body and big dark face...

Mike

Great old critters!

I nominate Dan's (500grns) "Scrub Bull":

The spread on that buff was a full 20 inches so he might be borderline for the outer circle.

against my wall there is a blind cougar. This is a great thread, true trophy hunting

Hi Gents.

I would like to show you this impala that had a great personality. He gave some younger rams a real hell battling for “their girlsâ€. One of my most worthy trophy’s and a real character! He gave me a great hunt…

Many years ago, when I still wore a suit to work for a boss, I went on a venison-getting trip right after work. Arrived at the hunting farm and drove to go meet my buddies in camp. On the way I saw a nice big impala, got my rifle in bag from car rear seat, got the rifle out, loaded a single round, leaned out the window and popped him. This, still in my suit and tie, was NOT a hunt! When I got to him: Lo, look at those horns. 26 1/2" with very sharp tips, so typical of a young ram. I threw the horns away! I did not deserve the trophy by the way the animal was shot. It was also not a trophy in y book.

Today I'm sorry that I actually threw those horns away, they woul have much better illustrated exactly what my idea of a trophy is.


The one on the right was selected because it just made the measure to be included into the next edition of Mr. Roland Ward's publication.

The horns on the left at 16 1/2" comes on the biggest bodied impala, by far, that I've ever shot. I walked after it for almost a full day, well from just past dark in the morning to about 16.00 when I finally took a very long shot at him. He was facing me dead on from very far. Bullet hit him on the extended side of the stomach, just touching his skin. No penetration, just a no-hair and some blood mark 3' long. It did not penetrate the skin fully, and he was DRT! A bangflop at 450 yards?

Now those horns hang on my wall!

In good hunting.

May I submit my broken horn impala and warthog, taken in 05 with Buzz Charlton in the Save Conservancy.

These were meat, non-export animals. As there were a lot of impala and warthog along the river, we made it challenging looking for "broken-horned" critters. It was a lot of fun, more difficult then one might expect, and put the sport back into it. Next elephant hunt we are going after only one-horned, three-legged, blind-in-one-eye plainsgame.





PS - Does a lion with the end of his tail missing qualify?

My first African trophy was a broken-horned Gemsbok. I remember it so well becasue it ran off when hit. The PH asked if it was well hit, and I told him that I hit it in the chest, two inches off center and 8 inches above the bottom. That is exactly where the shot went, and I've hunted 5 more times with that PH. He now never asks if a shot was good.

I would suppose that you will have more entries from Europe than anywhere else. The Europeans love the wild, different and the weird. No offense to anyone from Europe; however, it's just that they like the unusual.

I think this one definitely would qualify for the outer circle. 10 full inches broken off one horn. The PH didn't want me to shoot this lesser kudu but in my mind he has great character and is a real trophy.

Mark

Here's an Buff taken in August that was literally in the outer circle:




He had survived numerous lion attack ... scars on his face, neck, and shoulders. We also found two musket balls encysted under the skin of his belly where poachers had attempted his life. He is a beautiful, old ugly to me!

two warthogs that qualify for the outer circle? 1 was taken by myself and the other by a friend of mine, her 1st hunt and her 1st kill.

Here's a copy of a post I put up a couple months ago, but didn't get any response....

quote:

I would like to make an official application for entrance into the Outer Circle.

Alan, Don and I had a fantastic hunt one morning, following a couple dugga boys from the river up onto one of the low hills in the area. While tracking these buff we had a short adventure with about 4 elephant cows/calves that did not like us being so close. It was very cool.

Anyway, after we finally caught up to the dugga boys, Alan could see that none of them were good trophies but that they were pretty old. After we followed them a bit trying to get a shot opportunity, Alan figured we wouldn't be able to get close enough to shoot one with a bow and if I wanted to shoot one. I said, as long as it looks old I'll be satisfied...and so after another stalk I got a shot at this bull...



He has one deformed horn, and you can see in the picture of his skull/horns below, that he at some point in his life sustained a pretty damaging blow to his head. The whole right side of his head is angled to the side! You can also see from the fusing of the joints that he is an old bull.



It was a great hunt that I will remember for the rest of my days, and the memories of that day are a trophy that to me exceeds any record book set of horns.

It was great to share that experience with two guys like Don and Alan and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.

Cheers,
Canuck