This posting is not intended to be about ethics at all. Nor is it a discussion on what equipment to use/not use. It is just about defining a successful hunt. I have a funny way of defining a successful hunt. It works for me. But after reading some posts about spine shots on buffalo, I wondered how others think of a hunt. Specifically the statement by Ganayna [who I have great respect for and whose DG hunting experience is vast] that the spine shot is not one that he often recommends to a client made me think. I’ll get back to this later.

A hunt does not start when the thought of going to kill a certain animal is first either in writing, verbally or even mentally articulated. That is daydreaming! A hunt starts when the specific intention of going to kill an animal is first stated; “Come hell or high water I’m going to hunt a buffalo/whatever else in Tanzania/wherever in 2009/whenever!†Everything related to achieving that objective which follows is part of the hunt! The posting of questions on AR about calibers, bullets, scopes, malaria prophylactics, the reloading, shooting, reading, getting and studying/reading “The Perfect Shotâ€, planning, getting insurance, getting fit or fitter, making a will, buying the wife a Mediterranean Cruise, searching for the best flight deal, arranging for someone to look after your dog, in short everything that you do in preparation for the adventure is really part of the hunt. Call it just preparation for the hunt if you wish, but you and I both know that if these things are not properly planned and executed the actual “in the hunting area†part may well go wrong. I regard the preparation as part of the hunt: It is the longest lasting part of the hunt that can be enjoyed for a long-long time! There are many "wannabe's" that absolutely keep on enjoying hunting for years on end!

A hunt includes the part that plays off in the hunting concession/area/country/province or state: The charter flight, the getting to know the camp staff, interaction with the PH who is to guide you, seeing the Southern Cross for the first time [or again], are all part of the hunt. Then naturally the part of the drama that plays off in the actual hunting area, like when you set out with your loaded rifle early on the first morning is also part of the hunt. In some instances this is only a very brief moment compared to the months of specific preparation for the event. Much enjoyed, but brief; Sometimes ending on the first morning of the booked period!

The hunter and his PH then search for a suitable animal, maybe initially just finding tracks, which may or may not be followed. This everyone will agree is part of the hunt. Eventually the hunter and his PH sees the animal(s) and selects a suitable trophy, or decide to search some more. Now all that remains is for the PH to get the hunter into a proper position to take a 100% sure to kill instantly or nearly instantly shot. Undoubtedly still part of the hunt. Once the hunter has replied to a whispered question by his PH with something like: â€Yes, I’m very comfortable and sure that I will not make a boo-boo of the shot.†The hunt is over! In my book, and maybe not in your or everyone else’s book, the hunt is over and successful once the final decision to kill the quarry has been made. Now it only remains to actually shoot the animal, but this is not really seen as part of the hunt. It is an essential requirement if the hunter wants to take a trophy home to actually kill the animal. I have hunted many animals successfully and for a number of reasons often did not actually shoot at or attempted to kill the quarry.

Anything that follows the decision to kill the animal is not really part of the hunt. It is just part of the killing of the animal. If the hunter actually wounds the buffalo, and there is a requirement to follow up and dispatch the wounded animal, that is not part of the hunt. Despite how exciting it may be, that is not part of the hunt. It is part of the killing and finishing off of what followed after the hunt. In this case the hunt was successful, the killing no so well executed.

Now let’s look at a few likely scenarios that may unfold just before the hunt ends. One is the classical: The quarry, call it a buffalo, but it could be any other animal, has been approached to close range and is standing in an open area with nothing obscuring any likely target part of it’s anatomy. In this one I’m sure that Ganyana will, if this has not previously been specifically agreed to, whisper to his client in response to the client assurance that he’s sure of making a killing shot to “Shoot him through the heart.†Hunt successful and OVER! Now follows just the killing part. If the hunting client has done certain parts of his hunt preparation well, the end result will include a skinner/tracker bringing a buffalo heart with a bullet hole through it to the fire for the client to see, and the cook to prepare. If, despite all the proper hunting part of getting close, and then a bit closer, setting up the client nicely, calming the client and everything on the hunt done just right, the actual moment gets too big for the client and he pulls a shot through the stomach, the hunt is still over and was successful. It was only the killing part that was less than ideal. We have a wounded buffalo to recover: Not to hunt, but just to dispatch and recover! I know that there are few things to get the adrenalin flowing as much as following up on a wounded buffalo: But it is not part of the hunt! It is merely an act of finishing off a botched kill that followed a successful hunt.

I know it is true that many or most wounding is a result of an attempt to make an unsuccessful hunt appear like a successful hunt. The PH allows the client to take a shot from way too far, because he knows that his and/or the clients stalking ability is not up to getting close enough for a successful hunt. So he gambles and allows the client to take a % shot. If the buffalo is lucky it gets killed outright and the PH and his client boast about how well they “hunted†and killed the buffalo from so many yards with a telescoped / open sighted rifle. If the buffalo is unlucky, it gets wounded, and a follow-up is required. What in the world make me think of Mark Sullivan now? Both hunts were unsuccessful, but one resulted in a lucky and spectacular kill, the other in an exciting [Hello Mark Sullivan] follow up.

The tall grass scenario is one many hunters have experienced. The buffalo [or whatever] is closely approached but is in tall grass so that just the top part of the body is visible. What now? The main objective of any hunt, namely to get a clear shot at the heart is simply not possible. Grass all around and very little or no hope of getting the quarry in the open to be able to take a clear unobstructed shot for the heart. What now? The spine, which we know if properly hit is an instant killing or at least drop right there shot, is clearly visible. The client has proven himself to the PH to be a competent shot and he assures the PH that he knows where to aim to hit the spine, should the PH allow him to go for the spine? What would your reply be if the PH has seen how poor a shot the hunter is by seeing his target performance and or missing or wounding some plains game, or even other DG, animals earlier during the safari. Should the PH now allow the hunter to attempt for a spine shot, and thereby making a basically unsuccessful hunt into a seemingly successful one?

Should the PH allow the same proven poor shot to shoot at the buffalo which presents a clear heart shot in the first scenario? Should he attempt to get even closer? Or should they back off a little, knowing that some hunters will shoot much better at a buffalo at 80 yards than one from 8 yards.

I believe that where there are buffalo in an area where it is very unlikely to ever get a clear heart shot the hunting party should still attempt to get, as first prize, a clear heart shot, but that getting a client in a position to take a clear and confident spine or head shot could also constitute a successful hunt.

Comment on my views of when the hunt ends welcome. Mud thrown will be ignored if it will miss me, or simply ducked!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Andrew,

Does the hunt ever end ? What motivates the hunter in the first place and is that motivation extinguished with the successful stalk placing the hunter is a position of power over the object he hunts ?

I'd suggest that in response to the primal motivation to hunt, the hunter goes looking forever.

For me , the hunt never ends. There are too many things to see often more than one time is needed. Filling the house and shop with skins , mounts, heads , antlers, horns , etc.; these things help keep the drive alive. But the desire to see other lands , or the next hill ,around the next turn in the river . This desire cannot ever be complete. Even if a huge beast is taken, the desire for a bigger one, or tougher one is always there. People ask me what my favorite animal to hunt is ? I tell them I don't know, as I think you would have to take 100 of every thing in every part of the world to even attempt to answer that. Then you get into styles of hunting, blinds ,spot and stalk , calling, rambling and so on. In other words it is not one hunt but one lifetime to do so.

This got a little too mystical for me. I tried to read the first post from the start, gave up and started from the bottom, and gave up. If anyone found anything in the middle, let me know.

I think Code4 and Rug understood it; which makes me worry about them.

My answer to the original question is too simple, so I'm going off to sit somewhere alone, and come up with something that makes me feel like an intellectual equal. Right now I'm having feelings of inadequacy. I'm out of here.

The "hunting" ends when you decide to take the shot. After that your shooting, and once the shooting is done, the work begins.

I would guess the first requirement would be to define the "hunt". To me the hunt begins when I book the "hunt" and ends when I receive my hides, horns etc from where ever I have ben hunting, Be it Africa, Asia or where ever. If I am hunting on my own wood lot the hunt begins when I enter the woods and ends when I leave the woods. So there are two different "hunts". JMO

quote:

The tall grass scenario is one many hunters have experienced. The buffalo [or whatever] is closely approached but is in tall grass so that just the top part of the body is visible

Twelve foot tall buff???

Never mind I need to join Kensco.

Andrew, there are "HUNTERS", and there are people who hunt, and they are not made of the same cloth! A "HUNTER" is hunting from the day his feet hit the ground to learn to walk, and he is still hunting when he draws his last breath,either in his mind or in the field, simply because hunting is not what he does, but what he "IS"!

There are people who hunt for many reasons that have nothing to do with being a "HUNTER", some are for political reasons, some to intertain business clients, and IMO, for those people the hunt begins when the see an animal, and ends when the contracts are signed, the tape measure is recorded in some record book, and the animal is placed on their wall for others to admire, but hold no burning memory for the person who killed it!

As I said in the begining, IMO,there are HUNTERS, and there are people who hunt, but they are not the same!

NEVER.........

I still remember my very first walk, at my dad's side, BSA Meteor, tied together with a shoelace and sans a front sight in hand, on a plot of land near what is now Westonaria, SA. about 38 years ago.

The owner, my dad's cousin, had thrown out an old, moth eaten buffalo trophy, and that was my first target. 2nd was a dove which my dad "graciously" allowed me to shoot, provied I grilled the breasts...

that hunt, and all the others, continue in my memories....

I would suggest that we are in a defining mode of what "hunt" means. Even moreso, it sounds like a previous president (note small p) who wanted the word "is" defined.

To me, the hunt is three parts: Preparation, Participation, and Pronouncement. The preparation is, of course, all the planning, etc., that goes into getting ready for the hunt. Participation is the time spent in the field in trying to get the game you are after. Pronouncement is that time after you, or your friends, have your game and now are in camp discussing the happenings.
To me, the end of the hunt is when departure from the area is at hand.

If you are defining the "hunt" that deeply as to say once you picked out the animal the hunt is over think about this... If you have a guide (PH in africa) and he/she is taking you to the animal are you actually hunting or is the PH doing the hunting and you are just along to make the kill... Could you (if legal) find, stock and kill the animal all by your self? If you could not then are you really hunting.....
Just food for thought....

Keusco and JBoutfishin, I find a bottle of rum helps .............

In the end, the Hunter hunts himself