Let's talk about ostrich for a moment. I've always wanted to take an ostrich while hunting in Africa. My wife says, "Why do you want to go all the way to Africa to hunt something you can buy here in the U.S. and own a whole farm of them?"

For some reason, they are part of Africa that makes them unique to me. If I ever get a chance to take a male, he's going down!

I've often thought about having a shoulder mount of one to add to the trophy room. I'm sure it would add something that the standard impala, blesbok, etc. mount can't do. Not to mention, I wouldn't mind having a few leather items made, so maybe two might be in order.

Therefore, for those of you who have taken ostrich, what have you done with your ostrich?

I have shot a few. I had the skin tanned and dyed. From those skins, I had some things made.

Many years ago, I remember Steve Scott hunting plains game in RSA and this male ostrich kept coming up in the background video. Finally it attacked and Scott was knocked to the ground by that big bird whose brain is as small as its eye. Guys were running to the rescue camera stopped for a second. Comes back on and they are chasing it away. That would have been white meat on the menu for dinner if I was there.

Mike

shoulder mount on first from south africa. shot 2 in namibia last year. had the skin tanned and i am now exploring my options. love that hide. plan to shoot 1 on every trip from now on.

Last year, we had a pair of females that kept running in the direction we wanted to hunt springbok. My PH said if we don't get in front of them, they'll chase everything in the country away. We got in front of them, walked up a slight rise and started glassing. Then, out of no where he they came again. My PH said something to the sort, "Ever what to ruin good hunt? Let ostrich live."

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
That would have been white meat on the menu for dinner if I was there.

Mike

It's red, just like beef. Very tasty. And yes, I agree... it would've been meat on the table in that scenario!

knew a guy years back that life sized one sitting on a nest. one of the guy here had one as a pet on the farm. nasty nasty bird. he'd kick out that big front toe and disembowel other animals. tony never got kicked, but sure came close a couple times. the damn thing would stand and kick the gate to the fence so hard that it had to be replaced at least once a year

On one trip in Namibia two damn ostriches started following us while we were stalking some impala. They would run at high speed towards the impala then run over to us and then start marching behind us sometimes coming with 10 yards. It was a bit disconcerting since I was armed with the video camera at the time. Last time I was there the PH wasnt too keen to let me shoot one, he said they are full of fleas and a real pain to skin. Its probably cheaper to buy an ostrich skin article ready made then to shoot one and have something made with your skin!

Anyway I promised myself I will shoot one next time.

Shot one in Tanzania, nasty things!! Like Arjun says, covered in ticks, fleas, and other creepy critters. But fun to shoot.

My husband took this one in 2004. He wanted a full body mount but we were tight on floor space, so I had Conroe Taxidermy do it like a flying goose. He is a major conversation piece in our trophy room. My hubby says he shot the last flying ostich.

D,

That is certainly an interesting mount!!! Lookes like he pissed off the leopard as he went swooping by!

Thanks,

In namibia '09 there were a lot of ostrich. I asked the PH, "How much?" He said he hated the damned things, but it would be $200, or free if I shot it in the head. Well, easier said than done. They seem to never stop walking, and they bob their head back and forth as they walk. I managed to hit one on the first shot, and it was like the old phrase, "like a chicken with its head cut off". It thrashed around for a good ten minutes before expiring. Blood ALLLLLLLL over the place, and the trophy was destroyed. I salvaged two or three feathers.

Shoot it in the body!