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Welcome to the party!

I'm not a giraffe hunter, but here is a photo nonetheless taken in January 2006 in Kenya.



You may notice the Nairobi skyline in the background.

scottyboy

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon. All of us smart guys honeymoon in Southern Africa!

No photos of giraffe at hand at the moment but there are some lying around here somewhere ...

500grains posted a picture of his on this thread.

Widowmaker416 and Aspen Hill Adventures/Ann posted theirs in this thread.

We saw several but no black bulls:

Scotty,

Here is a pretty nice old "stink bull".

Jim

Scott,

Welcome and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

Here is a photo of a giraffe I shot last season in ZIM.



I obviously don't have it mounted yet, but here is photo of one done by my taxidermist. Mine will be similar to this.



Regards,

Terry

Gentelmen, all I can say is WOW!! Those are some impressive bulls you guys got there. All are great trophys.
Mbogo375, that bull of yours has to be one the, if not the, most impressive bull giraffe I've evr seen! Unbelievable!! That bull is exactly what I am going to be looking for when I head back there in a few months. BLACK!!
Let's hear the story on the hunt if ya don't mind..When, where, etc...

Here are a few itroductory pics of me from the last time I was over there in 2001.. Again, this a great site and hope to hear alot more from you guys!!

Scott,
If you think mbogo375's giraffe is impressive wait to see his buffalo....

BTW, welcome to the Forum !!

L

quote:

Originally posted by Scottyboy:
Gentelmen, all I can say is WOW!! Those are some impressive bulls you guys got there. All are great trophys.
Mbogo375, that bull of yours has to be one the, if not the, most impressive bull giraffe I've evr seen! Unbelievable!! That bull is exactly what I am going to be looking for when I head back there in a few months. BLACK!!
Let's hear the story on the hunt if ya don't mind..When, where, etc...

Scotty,

There is a somewhat unusual story about this giraffe. You might say it was a "Problem Animal Control" hunt. I was in Zim a couple of years ago for a lion hunt, and through a monumental mess by the airline, my flight from the US arrived in Joburg barely too late to make my connecting flight (although I was at the gate over 20 minutes before the flight was scheduled to leave). I had to overnight in Joburg, and even though I didn't make the connecting flight, my rifles did (or so I was told by South African Air ).

When I got to Zim the next day there was no trace of my rifles . After much "discussion" with the airline, there was no resolution, so I had to hope that my rifles would turn up sooner or later. Since the trail into camp was impassable due to recent rains causing a river crossing to be much too deep and wide to ford at that time, we decided to spend a couple of days at a lodge/cattle ranch waiting for the rifles.

As luck would have it, there was a certain old giraffe bull that was causing much damage to the cattle fences as he came and went, so the ranch owner asked if I was interested in taking a giraffe since they had to get rid of it. I had not planned on shooting one, but I was offered a reduced trophy fee and accepted.

I borrowed a 375 from my PH, and used my own ammo (that had arrived when I did). We spent the morning hunting in the rain, and eventually found the herd. The PH wanted me to take a head shot, but the bull's head was always obscured by brush, so I finally settled for a slight quartering angle from the rear into the lungs. At the shot the bull was off with the herd, and the PH was not very happy. He told me that the previous year a hunter had shot a bull in the chest, and they had chased it for MANY miles and hours. He was afraid that we were in for a repeat.

We started off on the tracks, and found the bull after about 1/4 to 1/2 mile as I recall. He was dead, and we found that the 300 grain North Fork soft had completely traversed the chest cavity, and was in the off side shoulder. Great performance and penetration.

After two days my rifles showed up, and we spent ALL the following day crossing the river into camp with two vehicles and supplies.

This photo was taken from an island in the middle of the river. It was just as far from there to camp, in the opposite direction, as you can see in the photo. Looks like the old style porter safari.


It was a case of moving a few feet, and then digging and jacking the vehicle out again. Then the process repeated,and repeated, and repeated...........


Fun was had by all (including me, as you can see me pushing here ).


After another rain that night, this is what the sandy area in the above photo looked like.


We were officially stuck in camp, and as supplies and generator fuel started running low later in the hunt the PH and some of the guys had to swim the river, and make a raft of innertubes to float some things back to camp that we had been unable to bring across initially.


Sorry for the long post, but you asked for a story . The lion hunt is another story for another day .

Jim

Great story and pictures!

Thanks for the story Jim. That is a fantastic looking G-Raff.

Is it just me or does Scottyboy look to young to get married and to be able to go to Africa?

Scottyboy- welcome to AR and congrats on the upcoming wedding!!

John

Thanks for the story and pics. Quite an adventure for sure. And again, super giraffe you got there...
30ott6, I WAS young in those pics!! I was 22 when those pics were taken. That was back in 2000. I went back to SA for one more trip in 01. I turn 28 next week. But alas, that baby face is still with me...

Scotty,
Cool to see you here too. We have a lot in common. I am also 28 and recently engaged. We have a mutual friend and hunting pal, Myke S. He's said a lot of good things about you. I'm planning my safari for 2008. If you come out to So. Cal. this summer I'll get you out for a couple of mako sharks on my boat. And I'll pick your brain about safaris. One question... How the hell did you get your bride to agree to a safari for a honeymoon? It would be my head on the wall if I tried that one. You better be marrying that girl!
Cheers,
Nate

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I wanted to make that quail trip but I had just returned from your area chasing pigs with my bow. As for sharks, late July through Sept is prime time. If we can make a weekend of it and head out both days we should have some good opportunity. I'll keep ya posted.

Hi Guys:

This Balck Bull was shot in Zim in 2004.... He was called the Black Bull of Dingwall....

Until this point I had seven one shot kills on mutiple plains game with my mighty 300 RUM.... It took sevem shots to anchor this big boy with the RUM.

Regards... Jim P.

PAHunter, another great bull!! That thing looks ancient!! Congrats on a terrific trohpy.. I can only hope I find a bull like that...
Keep posting those big ol bull giraffe pics for me guys...I'm loving them!!!
How did your 300 RUM do on the other game it took? That is what I'm going to be carrying over there this go round. I plan on using it for Kudu, Zebra, Impala, Warthog, and possibly Waterbuck. I think that I'm gonna try to take the giraffe with my PH's .375. What do ya'll think?? Do ya think the 300 RUM is up to the challange, or do ya think I oughta stick with the original plan of the .375?
What bullets did you use in the RUM, and what grain if ya don't mind me asking???

quote:

Originally posted by Scottyboy:
Hey guys, just joined the forum. Great wealth of info on here and a great group of guys as well. Hope I can contribute to the fun!! Little about myself.... 28 years old, from the grandest state on earth.. TX!! But since Nov of '03, transplanted to Tucson, AZ. I was a hunting guide for 5 years after college. I worked in South Africa twice. I wasn't a true PH, but did my fair share of the helping and hunting on the property. Went there twice for a total of around 10 months spent in SA. Also guided in New Zealand for a 6 month stint as well. Done some work in Canada and lots of guiding stateside. Also, when I was not guiding, I worked in a taxidermy studio that specialized in African big game. Got out of the hunting buisness and now work for the Fed Govt. I had to "grow up" and get a "real job"!! But still do taxidermy for myself and as a hobby to make a little hunting money.
I am going on my third trip to SA this June(30th) and will be hunting plains game. It is actually my honeymoon!! First, and hopefully last time this is going to happen, I hope!! Anyways, I am planning on Kudu, Zebra, Giraffe, Impala, Warthog, Waterbuck and Baboon. The giraffe is #1 on the wish list. The last 2 times over there, I saw several huge, black bulls. They just got into my head and I started wanting one really bad. I think they make one of the most striking, beautuful mounts a person can have. I have mounted several and it just made me want one more than any other animal I've seen over there. I will be trying to find the biggest, blackest bull on the property when I hunt there this summer.
I guess my question is... can you guys post any field pics of the bulls you have taken for me.. And also any pics of the bulls you have in your house. Lets see what you have done with your stink donkeys.

What age did you start college and how did you manage to do all of this by age 28 if you dont mind me asking? Im only a year behind you.

Certianly... started working in a taxidermy/ outfitters shop when I was still in high school. Graduated HS in '96. Stayed in my hometown and started college same year. 4 years in college, and guiding in TX and a few trips to WY, and old Mexico when time permitted. Graduated in 2000. In Jan of 2000, we had a booth next to an African safari operator at the Dallas Safari Club Show.. After a week of hanging out with them everyday, they extended their invitation to me to come and work in SA with them over the hunting season... Did that in the summer of 2000. Came back home and then did the same thing with them in the summer of 2001. Still worked for the same outfitter in TX as well when I was home. Then, in late March of '02, I went to New Zealand to work for an outfitter and stayed there until July. A fall sent me home. I was in the hospital 9 days, but thats an different story.. Came home in July and hit the therepy, and when Sept 1 rolled around, headed to Manitoba to help my buddy with his bear outfitting service and spent a while up there till it got too cold and the bears denned up. All this while, I was in the proceess of getting my job that I have now, and in the summer of '03, I dropped the hunting and taxidermy as a full time gig all together and decided to get a real job and that is what I currently do and enjoy it alot! Pays well and I get plenty of time off.. Got hired in June of '03 and moved here to Tucson on Nov of '03. I was 25 when I got hired, and turn 28 next week.....
( I was supposed to go work in Spain for a stint as well but this application process with the Gov't job precluded me from doing that.. that is the only regret I have by getting out of the hunting industry)

I think the only part I messed up in my first paragragh was that I said I guided for 5 years AFTER college. Not true.. It was THROUGHOUT and AFTER college....

Hi Scott:

As far as the 300 RUM goes it is deadly on plains game. So far with the RUM I have taken, (1) Bull Elk (2) Warthogs, (2) 50+ in. Kudus (2) Impala (1) Wildebeast (1) Waterbuck (1) Tesebee (1) Spingbock (1) Sable (1) Zebra (1) Hartebeast.... all one shot kills. The Waterbuck and Tesebee were shot just beyond 250 yards... On plains game it hits like the hammer of Thor..

If you can get a good shot at the Giraffe's neck, say about 1.5 feet down from the head, and place your shot there, he will go down like a ton of bricks. He will also probably need a finisher shot. There skin is over an inch thick, so if you are going to shoulder shoot him, I would use a minimum of a 375 H&H Mag. His heart sits further up front than you think. I would just use the 375 H&H if I had to do it again, neck or shoulder.

I have my stalk and kill of my Giraffe on video and it's a riot. I had the Bull down twice, and when I put the finishers in him he jumped back up to his feet.

I also was using my 300 RUM on Leopard, but never got a shot at one on my last Safari.

For Dangerous Game like Buff, Ele, and even Lion... It's the 458 Lott or 416 Rem Mag for me.

Regards... Jim P.

quote:

Originally posted by Scottyboy:
Certianly... started working in a taxidermy/ outfitters shop when I was still in high school. Graduated HS in '96. Stayed in my hometown and started college same year. 4 years in college, and guiding in TX and a few trips to WY, and old Mexico when time permitted. Graduated in 2000. In Jan of 2000, we had a booth next to an African safari operator at the Dallas Safari Club Show.. After a week of hanging out with them everyday, they extended their invitation to me to come and work in SA with them over the hunting season... Did that in the summer of 2000. Came back home and then did the same thing with them in the summer of 2001. Still worked for the same outfitter in TX as well when I was home. Then, in late March of '02, I went to New Zealand to work for an outfitter and stayed there until July. A fall sent me home. I was in the hospital 9 days, but thats an different story.. Came home in July and hit the therepy, and when Sept 1 rolled around, headed to Manitoba to help my buddy with his bear outfitting service and spent a while up there till it got too cold and the bears denned up. All this while, I was in the proceess of getting my job that I have now, and in the summer of '03, I dropped the hunting and taxidermy as a full time gig all together and decided to get a real job and that is what I currently do and enjoy it alot! Pays well and I get plenty of time off.. Got hired in June of '03 and moved here to Tucson on Nov of '03. I was 25 when I got hired, and turn 28 next week.....
( I was supposed to go work in Spain for a stint as well but this application process with the Gov't job precluded me from doing that.. that is the only regret I have by getting out of the hunting industry)

I think the only part I messed up in my first paragragh was that I said I guided for 5 years AFTER college. Not true.. It was THROUGHOUT and AFTER college....

Thanks for answering. That is very interesting to me since you are only 1 year older than I am. I would love to stay in Africa for an extended time like that even if for only one season.

Thanks... I was very fortunate and LUCKY to have been in the right place at the right time..

Any body else got any more stink bull pics??? I'm loving everybody's pics so far. Amazing animals!!

mbogo375,

That is a nice dark hide. Did you keep it?

I guess i have to try to put a pic here!!


Did this work?

quote:

Originally posted by 9,3x74R:
Did this work?

Yes it did -- nice giraffe!

Yep, it worked... and I must say you posted a beauty!! that is an unbelievable bull!! Congrats..
Man, you guys are making it very hard on me to sit around and see all these great bull pics and have to wait till June 30th!! It's killing me!!

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
mbogo375,

That is a nice dark hide. Did you keep it?

Dan,

Yes, I did keep it, but I still have not received the shipment from that hunt yet. I intend to do a floor or pedestal mount, and do a rug with the backskin. I am also getting the skull.

Jim

Scott,

Welcome to the forum!

One of our members, cchunter (Christer), has a video for sale that covers one of his hunts in RSA. It has some good footage of him taking a giraffe.

Put me on your msn, and ill try to send the hunt/shooting of this bull.(video)

alf_rino@hotmail.com

quote:

One of our members, cchunter (Christer), has a video for sale that covers one of his hunts in RSA. It has some good footage of him taking a giraffe.

Yes! agreed! Very good footage on his Giraffe.

I Got mine on camera too! What a experience, shooting that monster! And yes I'd do it again.

Here's my Stink Bull............



Took it with 4 solid and good hits from my Remington 416 at about 75 yards, factory iron sights

I never gave much thought to hunting one until I saw Christer's video; now I think I might have to give it a try.

Another great looking bull there Widowmaker.. A terrific bull. Where did you get the opportunity to take him?? SA, Zim???

Great Stink Bull photos and stories. I am hoping to get one this July in South Africa.
What shot placement did you use Heart/Lung, Neck, or Brain. I have heard mixed comments about which one works best. What massive animals.
Robert

quote:

Where did you get the opportunity to take him?? SA, Zim???

Took him with PH Brent Leesmay of Buffalo Range Safaris in south east Zimbabwe. Chiredzi river region.


QUOTE:{What shot placement did you use Heart/Lung, Neck, or Brain. I have heard mixed comments about which one works best. What massive animals.]

- -Hit him square in the shoulder, first shot.
- -second shot - Running straight away - hit him in the back 2 feet above his tail, that dropped his ass a bit!
- -third and forth shot - running somewhat quartering to my left - Hit him right in front of the hind quarter - both shots were within two inches of each other.

Found him dead about 200 yards from the last shots.

I'd shoot one again in the shoulder, I like taking their air away!

The bull was taken with ONE shot. Frontal heartshot (375 H&H Swift A-Frame).. Shows well on the video.

Taken in Namibia Sept 05 rifle used custom Mauser M-98 30-06 with 180gr Barnes TSX handload's
Took 2 shot's broadside to the lung's as he turned I put a finisher to the head

Another great bull! And with a 30-06!! Wow. Congrats on a great trophy.