Definitely eland for me!!!

gemsbock number 1, Kudu #2, Zebra #3,, awe heck,, they all my favorite,, even the ugly warties,,,

quote:

Originally posted by drwes:
gemsbock number 1, Kudu #2, Zebra #3,, awe heck,, they all my favorite,, even the ugly warties,,,

I would never go to Africa and not take a wart hog! However I'm one of the most rare of African hunters because I have never had a desire to shoot a KUDU, and still don't.

It's not an African hunt if I don't shoot an Impala.

I have a friend, Bill Pritchard, who has enjoyed more than 60 safaris, dating back to 1949. A couple years ago, Bill invited me to his home for lunch and we spent a good deal of time admiring his mounts (he didn't have that many in his home, though he did have 14 rams moounted and only went on his first sheep hunt at age 701) and talking about African hunting. Bill had mounts of every other member of the spiral horns and Big Five, as well as some other trophies, but not that many for a man with such extensive African hunting experience. When I asked Bill what his favorite animal was, I was surprised when he said....bushbuck! I thought that said quite a lot about that little gem of an animal. As I recall, he did have several bushbuck mounts displayed, chobe, limpopo, masaai, menelicks and others.

Man, that guy's as old as Methuselah! Started sheep hunting at 701! Must be in damn good shape! LOL! Does he have a secret potion? (DLS:couldn't resist, sorry!)

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Man, that guy's as old as Methuselah! Started sheep hunting at 701! Must be in damn good shape! LOL! Does he have a secret potion? (DLS:couldn't resist, sorry!)

Bill is about 84 or 85 now, and I believe he's still doing a little sheep hunting. I think he has 2 grand slams and I remember he had a Gobi Argali among his 14 sheep moounts. As recently as a few years ago, he was doing one or two sheep hunts a year, combined with safaris to Africa. I remember that he hunted Alberta and Tanzania in the same year just a few years ago. He's in excellent shape, especially for his age and I imagine that he'll hunt till his days end. He's a gentleman whom I feel very priviledged to know.

I'm certain that Mark Young also knows Bill, and can add more. He'll vouch that gentlemen like Bill don't come along often in our lives, I'm sure.

So far, I have to say eland.

You get to walk a lot and see beautiful country on foot which I really like. You get to learn a bit about tracking and teamwork. You get lots of ups and downs along the way and if it all works out the reward is a beautiful, large beast that is about the coolest thing you can put your hands on.

My African hunting experiences are few but eland and Mt. zebra are two that stand out. I would like to hunt them again.

Eland: huge, yet graceful and always switched on!

DLS: You are very fortunate to know him and to have had him personally share many of his experiences with you!

DLS,

I do know Bill and I think his only real failing at his age is that he is quite deaf. He hunted Cameroon with the same PH I used a couple of years later. When questioned Charles the PH was very complimentary concerning Bill saying he was one of the few hunters that he had guided who actually wanted to walk for the LDE. He also said he was an excellent shot. He did have a couple of funny stories about trying to tell Bill when to shoot.

I think he lied to you as he told me he got interested in mountain game at 65. Can you imagine?

As far as I know he still walks 4 miles each day. Definitely an inspiration to all us younger hunters.

Mark

Given the opportunity; 1) Lord Derby Eland 2) Sable 3) Roan

Eland and Hyena.

I've always had a soft spot for Impala. They're not fancy and they're not scarce. Matter of fact, the fact that they are so common does them an injustice. I don't think anyone can dispute the simple elegance of a really good Impala ram. There is just something about that reddish brown coat and lyre shapped horns.

If the Impala was even a little bit rare, he would be one of the most desired trophies available. And he is also one of the best eating which is good because the trophy fee is low so it isn't hard to keep a good supply of that delectable meat in camp.

I am torn between Eland and Bushbuck, myself.

Eland is much more a team sport- all the trackers, PH and yourself having to work together to make it work. Given how good it is to eat, I would give it the win, but.....

Bushbuck are really fun to hunt, with the close terrain, relatively flighty manner, and the need to make a good quick shot.

I like Kudu, but I will have to reserve final judgment until I get home from RSA with a good Eland.

My Kudu is a "standard" version, not the "wide body" model where the horns are nearly as wide as they are long. I'd like to get one of the "wide body", if I got lucky this trip or the next one and was able to take a clean shot at a big one.

Ask me again around May 11th, I hope to have pictures of me with a nice Eland bull.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
definitely Gemsbok...

+1.Also good to eat!

Will go for Eland in June, but so far, Bushpig was really fun to hunt.

Gotta be Eland. Massive yet graceful, wary, impressive, delicious...the perfect game animal.

The last one and the next one. Its all good.

It has to be warthog!

The next one! Definitely! Hope it will be a young springbok ram with a muzzle loader!

And Sitatunga?

Tie between Bushbuck and bushpig

For me it's a toss up. Bushbuck or Nyala.

If you hunt long enough, you will find that sometimes all animals are very hard to hunt.

And as I love eating them all, I hunt every animal that is on the quota.

Of course kudu (like elk) and zebra, but I really enjoyed hunting springbok (like pronghorn, my favorite in North America).

With 21 species now I would have to say I love them all. But Nyala just makes my heart stop every time...Waterbuck beautiful under rated and amazing...Impala just say Africa to me. I never repeat I am happy with the trophy when I make the decision to take it...and I move on loving each and every one it helps on the budget and my taxidermy obsession.

Gemsbok, just love the spot and stalk aspect of this hunt.

Eland, hands down. My favorite African animal to hunt.

Roan or Sable...?

This is not easy. I make a living out of hunting them, and all are special in their own way. I would break mine up as follow:

Bushveld:
Bow - Bushpig at night

Rifle - Eland for being so hard to spoor in the Mopanes and for it's meat. Bushbuck for the pretty face and hard ass attitude in dodging the hunters, Kudu, well Kudu are Kudu, and those that have hunted them with me know why. Nyala because they are the prettiest animal in Africa.

Highveld:
Black Wildebeest because you will shoot over a great distance.
Mountain Reedbuck because nothing tastes better in a black pot with veggies

Coastal Mountain range:

Vaalies - Taste like sh...t, but there is no harder challenge in South Africa, than to hunt one of these on foot in the Overberg or Outiniqua mountains.

LDE.