Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Various friends

Here are JJ's wife Tatia, JJ and a little centipede we found. That's the centipede in the middle, BTW, not on JJ's lip.<P> <P>This fellow walked out of the bush one day to say hello. We were all admiring his stately grace and JJ was whispering in my ear "$3000. Trophy fee is only $3000!"<P> <P>A tame meerkat we found at one of the properties. He was quite tasty! (Oh relax, I'm just kidding )<P> <P><BR>My wife and Duchy the pet pig. Duchy slept on a blanket outside the dining hall at Bokpoort and had the run of the property. Remember, I still have 40 rounds of .375 H&H ammo left and am a very good shot, so be sure you don't confuse who is who!<P> <P><BR>The professional hunters waiting on their tip. <P> [img]http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/JiminIdaho/crocs.jpg[/img]

Jim, I don't even remember that Centipede picture being taken? Must have been after a good day though because my pants and boots are soaked in Blood!<P>I got the package today when I came home, Thanks for everything, you know it will be put to good use with me!jj<P>------------------<BR>The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.

Howdy Jim. This was on the third day after I shot the wildebeest and zebra. This picture was taken as we waited for Poetie (sp?). He and either RJ or Mike were on the trail of a gemsbok and we did not want to barge in on his area.

I don't recall ever seeing crocs with the bright green heads like that, anyone know what species they are?

Not sure why their heads were green. I cheated a bit, these were actually in a circular enclosure near the skinning shed and were fed the innards of the skinned animals. Maybe the green color is spray paint?<P>The other option is algae. The pond in this enclosure was covered with a light green scum. Since the crocs lie in the water with just their heads barely showing, perhaps they have been stained that color by the algae.<P>JJ or Pete Millan or anyone familiar with the crocs on MV's place at Ellisras (how do you spell his name anyway?), do you know why their heads are green?

Thanks for sharing the pictures Jim! <P>Good to see Tatia is well JJ, and a Safari Lover as well(Bonus )<P>Is a giraffe an animal that people want to collect just for looking at, or are they hard to hunt or something? I have never really thought of them as something to collect. Please fill me in!<P>Mike<P>------------------<BR>God, Family, Country.

I agree with you Ready, I have no desire to shoot a Giraffe, for that fact an elephant either. Neither one seems sporting. The big cats I would like a tanned hide from, but not at the expense of killing one of the beautiful animals. I wish they would ban hunting big cats myself, except in cases of over population. Hunting all the plains game is at least challenging and the animal is eaten. I am all for hunting rights, just against those who shoot endangered animals to add to a collection and bragging rights.

Please allow me a moment to help you understand a bit of this hunting philosophy of big cats, and Elephants etc.<P>Kenya has banned all hunting years ago. They also have huge threats from poaching and are one of the countries refusing co-operation into the export of ivory. This is because they have less and less elephants each year(so they say?). With the dwindling elephant population they seem to think hunting will whipe them out?<P>Zim, tanz, Namib, South Africa, Zam, Bots, have all allowed elephant hunting over the years and many of these countries still have seasonal culling and are pushing for ivory export and sales. <P>Why the difference?<P>Where elephants are hunted they have VALUE! where they are not hunted they are worthless as a business and therefore do not have the funding to protect them, or the interest to move them when in areas they are causing damage in.<P>Cheetahs are exactly the same. They were exterminated as a pest because they had no hunting value when they were protected. They were like coyotes in the USA. Most landowners shot them on site and many safari operations were instructed to shoot every one of them. The Cheetahs were/ are a threat to livestock. Now that several countries have opened hunting for Cheetahs the landowners are happy to give up a few head of livestock for the chance at the big payoff of a cheetah hunt with an overseas hunter. Cheetahs are coming back in strong numbers now in many areas. <P>Hunting Elephant, cheetahs, lions, leopards, and rhino is not an "ego" thing it's a huntable species with it's own individual challange. If you think for one second that elephants are no challange you have never been 50 yards from one who is trumpeting and flaring his ears at you letting you know you should back off. You have probably not been around them and can smell them but have no visual of animals that weigh 6000 pounds and can out run you quite easily and can go right over what is in there way to get at you. <P>I'm not really sensitive about this just trying to help you understand that hunting is the only thing saving these animals today. Hunting gives them value and funds their protection from poaching. South Africa is the only country in the world where all the big five can still be hunted. And it is because they can be hunted that they are available!<P>Nothing can be hunted in Kenya and they have serious problems with endangered species. Go figure!jj<P>------------------<BR>The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.<p>[This message has been edited by JJHACK (edited May 30, 2001).]

I'm all for hunting anything legal, I was just enquiring about the Giraffes! I was wondering if they are elusive or tough to hunt. You never hear any Giraffe stories. I figured it was more to have the mount than anything else, which is fine by me as well, if you've got the desire, cash, and high ceilings go for it!<P>Mike<P>------------------<BR>God, Family, Country.

JJ, excellent post. I was tempted to post when I read the previous post, but my ire was up and I thought it might be better to wait and let someone with a cooler head answer in a way that would make the situation more clear. You did precisely that- Thanks- Bob

ROTR,<P>Folks do take giraffe as the skin is pretty unique. I doubt anyone would make a shoulder mount but of course I'm sure more than one person has. Must have a three story room or something!<P>As to giraffes being elusive or tough to hunt, no, not IMHO. Like anything, you have to find them first, but when you do...<P>Ramo, our skinner, spotted the one shown above and we stopped for pictures. As we took the pictures he actually approached us for a closer look and just stood there. Later on we spotted a family unit of three adults and two youngsters. We actually spotted them twice on two different days. They wandered off into the bush but not before hanging around for a minute or so offering an easy 30-50 yard shot.<P>I'm working on a post about sporting Africa but want to get it right so there is no misunderstanding. They do things differently there, but basically you can make it as difficult or as "fish in a barrel" as you want, it would be up to you.<P>But just to back up JJ's comments, in Africa the saying is "if it pays it stays".

I'm with you on that Jim! I wasn't implying that nobody should shoot them, I just wanted to know if they were "gamey"<BR>Mike<P>------------------<BR>God, Family, Country.

JJ, I totally agree on hunting helps preserve the game. I use the same arguement about animals in the US when talking to those who are against hunting. I guess the bottom line for me is I have no desire to shoot any ofthe big five except a buffalo. I just don't find certain animals desirable to hunt, either because of their beauty, the lack of a sporting hunt, or the animal is endangered and thus I have no desire to take one. I do understand how hunting them can lead to overall improved numbers though of endangered animals, but I still have a hard time justifying it when it comes to pulling the trigger on one. Thats just me though. However, I also understand the arguement of poaching vs hunting conservation, just don't think of it off hand though as its not an issue we deal with in the US usually. In Africa, other than the Buffalo, plains game is the most exciting to me, and is what I desire to hunt, and as in the other post, I would to prefer to walk and stalk, as that is how I hunt in the US for whitetail deer usually. I still beleive fully though, that the hunters are in several species, those who hunt for the thrill and enjoyment of the chase, and those who hunt to collect the animals and record book listings.

Mojo,<BR>Least not forget that everytime we shoot an elephant, we have fed a village of hungry people, men women and children, especially the children for the next 90 days or so and they are definatly protien starved..Thats always a good feeling.<P>------------------<BR>Ray Atkinson<BR>atkinsonhunting.com<BR>208-326-4120