African Dangerous Game and Big Rifles

[Yoder]

Totally agree, as reflected in my prior post. However, anyone who shoots an elephant simply for the "allure" or desire for a wall trophy is morally reprehensible.

You are looking at this all wrong. These people are buying livestock and then shooting it. You go there, pick out the one you want, make sure you can afford it, then shoot it in the face. You get cool pics for Facebook, an awesome trophy on your wall and the local tribes actually get to eat something for once. It's a win, win. If it wasn't for "morally reprehensible" hunters there wouldn't be any animals left in Africa. They need a value that is more than meat or else they will all be killed off and eaten. People in Africa are starving. They could give two shits about how many elephants are left. Hunters are only allowed to kill animals that are either a problem or are no benefit to the herd. There is no way they would allow people to shoot anything they wanted with no regard for preserving the species. The only reason this is true is the animals are worth a shit ton of money. What would happen to elephants if nobody hunted them? Eventually there would be too many for the land to support and they would have to cull them. This makes as much sense as calling in sharp shooters to kill deer when you could make money letting people hunt them. I have no problem with trophy hunters as long as the animal is not wasted. I think a lot of people have a strange link to animals in Africa. It's something we learn as kids that these animals are somehow more special than animals anywhere else. If you lived there I don't think it would be such a moral dilemma. It's like people from the city in awe of a deer standing next to the road and all I'm thinking about is what pin I would use on my bow to shoot it.

[gummy jones]

I'm just wondering by what standard anyone judges something morally reprehensible? Laughably most people's morals nowadays come from Hollywood, facebook memes, their feelings and the like.

[JAKIII]

I understand the need for thinning out a herd that is overpopulated, (i.e., it helps the species to survive and prosper). Or, donating harvested game to locals or charity for food.

These people are buying livestock and then shooting it. You go there, pick out the one you want, make sure you can afford it, then shoot it in the face. You get cool pics for Facebook, an awesome trophy on your wall and the local tribes actually get to eat something for once. It's a win, win.

I agree with this.

[Pilot321]

All of these animals have been taken with .303 British, and .30-06 as well as other calibers. Just sayin.

[knight0334]

All of these animals have been taken with .303 British, and .30-06 as well as other calibers. Just sayin.

Yeah, but some African nations have a legal minimum of .375H&H for dangerous game.

[dkf]

Is it me or do some of those heavier offerings seem a tad light for their caliber?
A 7.5 lb 450 Nitro Express or a 7.25 375 would be memorable from the bench.
Scoping would add a bit.
In contrast I have a #1 375 H&H that I believe is over 9 lbs bare. From the bench with a past recoil pad I find it tolerable for a 5 shot group.
Found over the years the number of shots have been inversely proportional to my age. Have not shot it in awhile, should go see what I'm down to.

Yeah I'd want a heavier rifle than 7.5lb, even 9 lbs is quite light when you are talking the big thumpers. The CZ 550 Safari is probably one of the better bang for the buck rifles and they dress out at around 9.25lbs with open sights. Largest calibers they come in are .458lott and .505gibbs.

[hog45]

Several of you have explained the basics of how these hunts work. It is not hunting in the way we hunt here in PA, and it is not really comparable to it.

Yes, I would love to have a trophy elephant, and yes there is a tremendous amount of thrill in just the idea of it. In reality I highly doubt I will get to bag an elephant, but a lion is a real possibility, and I don't think an elephant has any more inherent dignity than a whitetail deer or a cottontail rabbit. One is bigger than the other. That is all. But the elephant has a bigger thrill to it because of how difficult and exotic they are. And I don't care if that makes me morally reprehensible. There are a lot of things going on in the world that are worse than killing an elephant.

And yes, there is so much red tape involved in this it is ridiculous. Just getting a rifle and ammo into Africa is a pain in the balls, the license to hunt, (with a date window that needs to be planned months ahead of time)You have to follow government cartridge requirements, as well as the private PH (Professional Hunter) requirements, you have to get your specific game, and nothing else, the right sex, the right age, within a specified geographical area. You have to follow all the local regulations about using a motor vehicle, baits, stalking, etc (Personally I want to do a stalk, but I may have no choice depending on how this works out). You have to hire the PH, the tracker, the drivers, the skinners, in South Africa there is something called a "Black Economic Empowerment Fee" just to go on a hunt. (Other countries have similar things). Altogether just to go on a hunt will cost at least $20K plus transportation plus the rifle, etc... (My opportunity, should it work out, is an incredible gift - I don't have that kind of cash)

To get the trophy back to the states is a whole different thing, and costs extra of course. Do I want the head mount, a rug, just the skin, etc? Regardless it is all extra, there are fees attached and customs nonsense and shipping a lion skin from Namibia isn't exactly cheap.

The point is there are hundreds of people who profit from a hunt like this, and there is a reason people pay that kind of cash. It is because there is an intense thrill at the idea of taking one of these majestic animals, even if it is all bought and paid for and "unsporting."

I don't care.

[Sandcut]

Several of you have explained the basics of how these hunts work. It is not hunting in the way we hunt here in PA, and it is not really comparable to it.

Yes, I would love to have a trophy elephant, and yes there is a tremendous amount of thrill in just the idea of it. In reality I highly doubt I will get to bag an elephant, but a lion is a real possibility, and I don't think an elephant has any more inherent dignity than a whitetail deer or a cottontail rabbit. One is bigger than the other. That is all. But the elephant has a bigger thrill to it because of how difficult and exotic they are. And I don't care if that makes me morally reprehensible. There are a lot of things going on in the world that are worse than killing an elephant.

And yes, there is so much red tape involved in this it is ridiculous. Just getting a rifle and ammo into Africa is a pain in the balls, the license to hunt, (with a date window that needs to be planned months ahead of time)You have to follow government cartridge requirements, as well as the private PH (Professional Hunter) requirements, you have to get your specific game, and nothing else, the right sex, the right age, within a specified geographical area. You have to follow all the local regulations about using a motor vehicle, baits, stalking, etc (Personally I want to do a stalk, but I may have no choice depending on how this works out). You have to hire the PH, the tracker, the drivers, the skinners, in South Africa there is something called a "Black Economic Empowerment Fee" just to go on a hunt. (Other countries have similar things). Altogether just to go on a hunt will cost at least $20K plus transportation plus the rifle, etc... (My opportunity, should it work out, is an incredible gift - I don't have that kind of cash)

To get the trophy back to the states is a whole different thing, and costs extra of course. Do I want the head mount, a rug, just the skin, etc? Regardless it is all extra, there are fees attached and customs nonsense and shipping a lion skin from Namibia isn't exactly cheap.

The point is there are hundreds of people who profit from a hunt like this, and there is a reason people pay that kind of cash. It is because there is an intense thrill at the idea of taking one of these majestic animals, even if it is all bought and paid for and "unsporting."

I don't care.

I wonder if they realize that the acronym for Black Economic Empowerment Fee is "BEEF."

[Muscle Master]

Not my cup of tea

If I was to do a big game hunt like that, I'm not shooting a peaceful animal like an elephant. I'm going after lions, cheetahs, and other dangerous animals. It's is called dangerous game right

But for the hell of it... I do wander what wildebeest taste like

[JDA58]

Not my cup of tea

If I was to do a big game hunt like that, I'm not shooting a peaceful animal like an elephant. I'm going after lions, cheetahs, and other dangerous animals. It's is called dangerous game right

But for the hell of it... I do wander what wildebeest taste like

don't want to be presumptuous.. but I'm guessing you have never been trampled to death by an elephant.....