We all know that plains game excludes the Big 5! OK. No problem with that.

We also all know that 'plains game' excludes feathered game of all description. Still no problem.

The term ‘dangerous game’ certainly includes the Big 5? Yes! As hippo and crocodile can most certainly kill a hunter they can also be regarded as ‘dangerous game’. What about black mamba, gorilla, chimp, bushbuck and a few others which can [not will, but can] equally easily kill a hunter?

But let us first try to establish what the term ‘plains game’ really means to individuals. Hopefully if it means the same to all individuals, or a vast majority, we can reach consensus of what the term means.

Very few will have problems understanding that animals like blue wildebeest and Burchells zebra are typical 'plains game' animals.

But what about the following animals? Hippo? Giraffe? Baboon? Vervet monkey? Hyenas? Bushpig? Bongo? Crocodile? Pangolin? Aardvark? Porcupine? Otter? Python? Tortoise? Sitatunga? Rock Hyrax? Mountain Nyala? Others that can or should be questioned?

If any of these are not considered to be ‘plains game’, then why not?

Where did the term ‘plains game’ originate? In Africa, or elsewhere?

Just wondering......

Andrew McLaren

ANDREW I think for Americans, at least,and to me in particular, Plains game is all animals not included in the big five, with the addition of the Hippo, and Croc! But excluding the small cats, and primates!

Dangerous game ,includes all the big five, plus HIPPO, and CROC. Though as you say many animals are dangerous if wounded and approched too closely before thay die., and that includes many animals like Badger, which are not normally dangerous, unless wounded. The dangerous to me are the ones that will be dangerous if you get too close to them before they are wounded,simply because you invade their space!

In the end all animals are dangerous under some condition!

Agree with MacD37 ,doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

Andrew,
I have wondered this too...

In SA, as a 'laatie' (boy) for us plains game was, well, plains species like blesbuck, springbuck, black w/b etc. This is different to bush species, like kudu, etc.

I wonder if it didn't originate in east Africa on the more 'typical' savanna plains?

For example, if you hunt 'plains game' in the Zambezi valley, you aren't actually hunting on plains at all, yet in Botswana, you pretty much are.

Its all semantics. We all use and understand the term plains game, but it doesn't really describe (IMO) what we see...what about buffalo that are on 'plains' in TZ or Kenya? Bongo in the Bale or Abadare MTNs are definately not 'plains' animals at all...yet they are 'plains game'....

Of course 'Plains' could be a twist on Plain, as in 'ordinary' used to describe ordinary game from glamour game, namely the big five. This too could originate from British-esque terminology of open game, common game, royal game etc etc. The more glamour species were special, not plain? Although I hardly think of most antilope as 'plain'...just one hypothesis!

Would make for good beer debate!!!

Kayaker, I think you may have something with the word "PLAIN"! However I think most still mean "plains", in the way it sounds! However, I think this missnomer is simply because most people who don't live in Africa, simply do not know where the differen't animals live, nor do they care! I really don't think the location of the home room for any animal has anything to do with what they are called. As you say many animals live on the plains, that are not considered to be "PLAINS" game, and vice versa.

I think it is a general term that denotes the difference in the type of rifles used for different game animals, more than where they live, (Dangerous game rifle, or plains game rifle). One being a close in weapon, and the other more suited for longer range shooting! For the ungalates, the same basic rifle is used whether in open bush,savana, or swamp. With the big five, or DANGEROUS GAME excluding the croc, the rifles are usually larger chambering, and more stopper than general hunting rifles. These animals are generally called Dangerous game. All else are considered speciality targets!

To most Americans, it is either plains game, or dangerous game, and a Safari is listed as a plains game hunt if no dangerous game will be hunted, no matter where the hunt takes place! If a safari includes even one of the big five, then it is a dangerous game hunt, and anything taken on that hunt that is not a member of the dangerous eight, are simply filler of a DGR safari!

I don't think, this would be a good subject for a beer bar discussion, but no matter what is meant, or what is correct, the terms are well understood amoung hunters from the USA, and I suspect from many other places as well!

quote:

Kayaker, I think you may have something with the word "PLAIN"! However I think most still mean "plains", in the way it sounds! However, I think this missnomer is simply because most people who don't live in Africa, simply do not know where the differen't animals live, nor do they care! I really don't think the location of the home room for any animal has anything to do with what they are called. As you say many animals live on the plains, that are not considered to be "PLAINS" game, and vice versa.

Mac---yes! You are right, we all know what is means to us, no questions...But

Just throwing some 'fuel on the fire'! I figured if we are going to to be 'academic' about it, might as well try some options eh?

I mean, as a missnomer, it has an origin...just like some animal names, 'white' rhino, 'black' rhino etc etc...

Cheers

P.S. of course it would make good beer talk...not as good as arguing about SD, twist or PF vs. CRF, but, acceptable

It is of course semantical. In African hunting we think of all big game other than the Big Five as plains game, but of course they aren't all plains inhabitants. I think of plains game as antelope and ungulates, but that may just be my personal reference as it clearly slights zebra which aren't either but are wild horses. Other game mentioned above can be thought of as mountain game, forest game, small game, or vermin, which can include snakes, rodents and some primates.

antelope

ungulates

zebra

primates

Well, to this American, Mac has it spot on. Most "plains game" are ungulates but that isn't the criterian. You are either hunting DG or PG, QED.

If you are a visiting hunter, There are plains game and DG and the glamour (read $$$) species as in Bongo, mnt nyala, sable and Giant eland. The latter are sometimes lumped together but price seperates them. Some primates and smaller cat and dog family are considered vermin. If you are a local they all are spelled NYAMA.

I have only hunted PG and so am lacking any experience "at all" with DG with the exception of accidental close encounters that were quickly dispersed. So when an even a person who is totally uneducated with African game asks what the difference is, what I tell them in my limited knowlege, is AFTER you shoot DG you are just as likely to piss them off as to drop them in their tracks, after being shot and not killed it is also not unusual to counter attack instead of running off, and some wounded DG will actually lay in ambush for revenge. This seems to satisfy them, whether I accurately represent it, I don't know.

quote:

Originally posted by Andrew McLaren:
But what about the following animals? Pangolin? Aardvark? Rock Hyrax?

Andrew McLaren

I didn't think these would be "huntable" species. Not that they would not be very interesting specimens, but I would think they would be protected. Or are they considered "vermin"

Just wondering.............

It's a really interesting question that got me to thinking! I only hunted in Africa once (sadly) and it was for buff. To me the term meant all "deer like" animals (because I came from the States and knew animals like deer, moose, elk) I guess it still does and so I think of the whole antelope range of species as "plains game" -or for that matter, whatever carries horns. Animals like warthogs fitted into what I knew as javelina (a lot smaller critter), a wild pig. Snakes were vermin to me and never fitted into a classification of "game" of any kind. Yeah, I grew up being told never to shoot non poisonous snakes because they got rid of mice and rats -along with baby game birds too as I always pointed out. To me snakes are vermin and never could have the honorable title of "game". (A copperhead hit me at age 6 and I have never had a fond feeling for snakes since then! -but hey! I'm not prejudiced!)

PG = all 4 legged mammals in Africa except for cats, ele, rhino, buffalo, hippo.