I think where the disagreement lies in presupposing that a hunt leading to a trophy is "worth" more than a hunt leading just to a hunt.

It begs the question of whether cull animals are priced too high or if it is indeed trophy animals.

I am supposing that there is a baseline cost to raising a given animal on a game farm, that cost seems to me to be independant of head gear but rather related to the species and age of the beast.

In those terms it would seem that the costs of these things, in the face of a great differential, are set simply by supply and demand. The result of this is that trophy hunters are driving up the price of these animals by creating the demand and therefore also a distinction.

The other side of the coin is that both animals, ie a 7 year old cull female and a seven year old master ram, eat about the same, need about the same sort of enviromental factors, etc and so should cost the same. The effect of that might be that the nice animals are all shot first, leaving crap in the herds.

On balance I like hunting animals rather than hanging them on my wall. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I loose interest in them when they're dead; just that there is no rush in taxidermy, no thrill to peeking my head around the kitchen door to try and spot the trophy on the living room wall before it spots me and certainly nothing to remember long after the wife has gotten you to take the "dead stuff" off the walls to make way for the latest painting she's bought.....

Whe I went to Africa a wise old boy said to me: "Double your intended trophy fee bill to see what it's cost you by the time you've got everything home"

I'd rather hunt double the animals.

quote:

Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:
For me it would be money..

You can go on a "PAC" hunt and hunt alot of jumbos instead of one trophy ele. You want the experience but you just dont want to pay 30K for each shot.

If nobody buys a PAC hunt then its up to the outfitter to kill them, I know of some appies that have killed some PAC´s etc.

plus one
We cant even import Ele into Aus so that another reason as I just love hunting them.

I've been thinking, and I guess, for me at least, it comes down to just shooting in lieu of spotting a particular animal, stalking it, and making a good shot. This looks more like a "shoot that one, now shoot that one, now shoot that one..." The same logic as hooking the ugliest fat woman you see in a bar. You know you're going score, but you hope nobody sees you.


Rich

My last two hunts in Africa have been "management hunts" in Namibia, 6 gemsbuck, 18 springbuck and 2 steenbuck for $4500. If you split it between two hunters, it's $2500 each. This also includes 5 days daily fees. You also get baboons, jackels, and rock hyrex for free. I don't want any more mounts. The hunt is the same as a trophy hunt. I actually shot two gemsbuck that were bigger than the one on the wall. I think its a great hunt and it isn't over until you say "enough". I usually go for 12 days and hunt Kudu, Zebra and Warthog as well. Two hunters can hunt for 12 days, shoot at least 18 animals and spend about $8000 on their hunt. It's one heck of a bargain and you still can get trophy animals if you want them. I get the hides tanned over there, they make great rugs and fine leather.....Tom

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I've been thinking, and I guess,
Rich

This could be the problem? Thinking and guessing is not fact. An example of an Elephant Cull hunt would be to search for the offending herd, then track it, find the herd, pick out the suitable cull animal and kill it. In essence its similar as tracking a herd and looking for a Tuskless without a dependent young or a group of duggerboys and picking out the trophy. So long as the kill is the objective, it will be a hunt that you might or might not enjoy.

quote:

The same logic as hooking the ugliest fat woman you see in a bar. You know you're going score, but you hope nobody sees you.

Exactly correct. My motto is go ugly early.

Rich,

I talked to an operator about his management hunts. Now, it CAN be like you said....shoot that one, now that one...ooh get that one there! But, he said with his hunts, the landowners may have specific animals in mind they want killed, like half horn bulls, crooked bulls, males/females that might be "runts" or below average body size. So you still have to HUNT out that animal by first finding them, then putting on the stalks to shoot THAT particular animal. Doesn't seem like the "shoot that one" hunts here in the states, where you pay for a buck, and get set up on a feeder where he likes to be every day. THAT, is shooting, not hunting.

I agree with most people here, it is the chance to get in a lot of action for the price. I have seen 15-20 animal hunts for well under 5k. Without dip/pack, shipping, taxidermy fees....that hunt is very reasonable. Plus, some of the management hunts will specify you make take for example, 1 trophy gold/silver quality gemsbok, out of your 5-6 total gemsbok.

you Pro side guys make a good case. If I could keep the hides and skulls it would probably be a real fun trip.

This fence is six strand barbed wire, asking me to go back and straddle it would be painful...

So, depends 99% of the circumstances.

I only have two more focused trips planned. Third trip I'll take a look.

I should be that lucky.

regards,

Rich

YYIIIIHHHAAAHHHH!!!!

To me culling is a hell of a lot more fun that hunting for trophies. Especially when taxidermy cost me nothing (brother is a taxidermist in Colorado).

It is very nice to shoot big animals, but I would rather shoot culls than animals that have not reached their prime.

I would rather shoot 10 cull cow kudu than one 5 year old 48 inch bull.

So would I, that's why I shot a 54" bull.
Ate good, too...

Rich

Rich,
I'm a small time outfitter who specializes in cull hunts on the privately owned island of Niihau. I get clients who return year after year, only because they enjoy getting a lot of trigger time culling feral pig and sheep. I'm also a booking agent for several Namibian game farms, and again offering various culling and management hunts.

The hunters who participate in cull hunts all agree that it is the best practical shooting school available. The experiences have paid off manyfold when pursuing trophy game. After taking the desired trophy wall hangers, the cull hunter gets many times the value and enjoyment as he can continue at a small fraction of the cost of the trophy hunt.

Geoff