All:

I was just curious as to how many of you have taken an animal previously not intending upon taking? I did it with a nyala last year in RSA. When intially planning the trip, I really hadn't thought of taking one since it was my first safari. However, after the first three days and literally bumping into them every time we turned around, I decided I couldn't take it anymore, and one was going to have a plane ticket back to the USA.

So, how many have done it and with which species? Also, was it just one of those times that you were out hunting and ran into an exceptional trophy that couldn't be passed on?

Best wishes,

I have done it on every trip to Africa. Can't even begin to list the animals, but can tell you that it has been in excess of 20 animals.

Not exactly but sort of. I had a list of 4 primary animals I was interested in. I had 6 full hunting days and by day 5 I had all 4 primary species. With my PH we decided to just go out and see what we could find a good trophy of, animal didn't matter. I ended up with a hartebeest and springbok that day.

Actually did that in RSA last year ... not because the animal seen was a superb or unusual specimen, but because I found out the species was a challenge to hunt and did not fit my preconceptions of them.

Decided to take a Zebra after being given away by them several times. Found out they certainly are not stripped horses.

We spent 2 and a half days stalking a good one ... was a wonderful hunt that I most thoroughly enjoyed!

Going to try to go with fewer preconceptions next time.

Graybird,

It's always that way particularly until you get really tuned into your overall safari goals. You will always run into animals you hadn't considered taking.

My advise is to always ask for more animals than you really think you want just in case there is a limited quota. That way you won't be left out if you decide you want something once on the ground. Even if you ask ahead for a special animal you are not obligated to take it.

Also don't let your NA prejudice get in the way of a great trophy. Twice I hunted in areas were there had been severe drought and animals that were often very difficult could have been taken easily because they were about in the daylight with little cover. I didn't take them qand that was dumb! Keep an open mind.

Mark

Each of my trips have been that way - we have taken 3 or 4 each trip that we had even thought about. Adds to the fun.

You mean you went over there and didn't actually want everything?

There is something to be said for graciously accepting an opportunity which comes easily and is given to you.

One man's gimme is another man's desire of a lifetime.

I have never taken an animal I did not plan to take and had not budgeted for. All my hunts have been planned and in all cases but Lion I have always filled my book.

I fall easily to such temptations! So I plan accordingly for each hunt.

Every trip leads to something unexpected. I always have my basic game plan but nothing is written in stone. I will always take an oportunity at an exceptional animal when it arises. As far as that goes it holds true for good representative animals if it is something I have not had the opportunity to hunt previously. I always allow extra in the budget for such things as they always come up. There have been times when money was tight that I had to make some hard choices and I didnt like that much. So now I just work extra overtime and plan accordingly.
My favourite of the bunch of unplanned trophies is my Limpopo bushbuck 17 1/2". It was taken on my first trip to RSA. That started it and Ive never looked back.

I think you worded the question wrong,who has not taken an additional animal that they had not originally intended to shoot?

I passed up a record book caribou on a brown bear hunt in 1983, (I even had the money with me for license/trophy fee!). I have always deeply regretted doing that. So when I went to RSA I had extra money for trophy fees with me (all the extra money I could scrape up)and a 100% open mind. The only animal that I regret passing up was a big Mountain Reedbuck, the PH said to shoot and I had no idea what one even looked like so I put my rifle down and grabbed my Binos to see what it looked like, when I picked my rifle back up to shoot it was already running, we never saw it again. After that if the PH said shoot, I pulled the trigger and went to see what it looked like after I shot! I got a great Duiker this way and had no regrets afterward. Joe

The goal for some is a high scoring trophy of a specific aniaml and they won't settle for less...i.e.--55" SGKudu, 42" Gemsbok, etc.

My first two trips I had a list, but got real practical when we spotted game that wasn't being considered. I took a completely unexpected old Common Springbok with heavy horn mass & length, which is now one of my most treasured mounts.

My next trip will be for buff/leopard/PG, and I will be selective, but no list. After the buff/leopard, it will be PG targets of opportunity based on the strengths of the concession and the PH's suggestions...

A hartebeeste, a waterbuck, a common reedbuck, a blue wildebeeste, a tsesebee, a hippo and tried my best to kill a mountain reedbuck and a leopard I hadn't planned to hunt. I will always try to take any local specialties or nice trophy that pops up during a hunt if I have the extra $$$.

Perry

Our first trip to Namibia was last June and my son and I had looked after 'our list' and we had a few days left. So we went after a blue wildebeeste.

We shot it together at the same time. It was a nice ending to a good 8 days of hunting.