Animal you wouldn't hunt

[Silence]

In a discussion with other hunters I often hear what they could never ever hunt because of various emotional reasons.

A good friend of mine is a horse rider and could not shoot at a zebra, it´s too much like a horse.

An other hunting pal of me hates seeing hunting pictures of baboons or monkeys, because for hin there are our close relatives and look and behave too much like a human being.

In my own hunting area it´s "normal" to shoot young animals, excpecially boars or foxes - I could never shoot a baby animal, maybe bacause I´m a woman?

In Africa I had plenty of possibilities shooting jackals... I can´t do this, for me they are looking like stray dogs and I´m a dog owner. No way killig one!
A cheetah for me looks so gentle and harmless, I would feel bad shooting one.

What about you? Any species you couldn´t pull the trigger?

 

[Royal27]

Great topic....

For me it is the Cheetah as you mention, although I can't tell you specifically why? Maybe they are my favorite animal on some level, although I don't really think of them that way. I also have zero problem with them being hunted, and enjoy the stories and pictures. If I was in Namibia for something else and the opportunity arose I don't even know that I wouldn't pull the trigger, but I'm not going to Africa with a cheetah on the list.

This is the only animal for me that makes that list.

 

[Philip Glass]

For me as I learn more about an animal and its habitat I want to hunt it. I think most people's responses to this question will relate how much they actually understand abou the animal. For example as you mention many folks say a zebra is so much like a horse therefore they do not want to hunt it. This actually shows that they know little about the animal. I've found zebra to be of the most challenging to both hunt and bring down of all the plains game.
So go see them where they live, learn all you can about them before answering this question. No matter the animal or environment. Just my thoughts as I sit in an airport on my way home from hunting Austria.
Regards,
Philip

 

[BWH]

I don't really agree with the Zebra logic as it looks like a horse. If that were the case.... Cape Buffalo looks like a cow, warthogs/feral hogs look like pigs, coyotes/foxes look like dogs, lions & leopards are big house cats......

for me anything that is domesticated or pinned... I really have no interest in. Same for a giraffe. I'm sure it would make a beautiful hide, but I doubt it would prove to be a true "hunt".

 

[Silence]

Philip, thats true about the Zebra.... at the beginning I also don´t wanted one, but as I saw how alert and wild they are...

On the other hand, every year I became more emotional about hunting foxes. At the beginning, it was no big deal for me shooting one. Now, after years of watching them interact with their young, playing, chasing mice... I don´t like hunting them anymore.

 

[Philip Glass]

Silence
I too know that at some time you lose interest or just no longer want to hunt a particular animal. I raise sheep so I do hunt foxes for management reasons. The little gray fox is not much trouble to us so I don't hunt them much anymore. I also like just watching the little animals like foxes when hunting other animals whether they be trophy or problem animals.
Good discussion!
Philip

 

[Silence]

We are also hunting foxes for management reasons. I hunt them only with dachshunds at winter time and with shotgun, everything is happening so quick there is no time getting emotional at all.
But in spring and summer, when they are not aware of me sitting in the treestand and "living their lives"... I can´t do that anymore. Other hunters here are crazy about shooting them, even the little ones that are completly unaware of danger and are playing around with eatch other. No way I could do such a thing.

One animal I would never hunt because of aesthetic reasons is the sable. Sorry, but their faces.... uhhh, ugly as hell for me. I my opinion the shape is not right, the eye part way to high. Never ever one of them would hang on my wall.

 

[BRICKBURN]

................. Same for a giraffe. I'm sure it would make a beautiful hide, but I doubt it would prove to be a true "hunt".

Hop out and track one and you will find out just how quickly a free range Giraffe will be happy to leave you in the dust!

 

[ActionBob]

I don't want to shoot a female that is nursing young. I think that would be the biggest issue for me.

I do have to shoot a cow now and then, sometimes just to euthanize. And it is damned hard to butcher them for meat when they are still alive! (See the lobster post). And I can tell you with certainty there is no resemblance between a cape buffalo and a cow other than a faint similarity in the odor, but it is different.

Zebra as a horse? Damned good reason to shoot them! I well remember a couple very ornery horses I've had negative experience with

As for baboons, first trip to Africa I thought no way would I ever want to shoot a primate. Well after being there a day and a half, I decided every stinking howling damned baboon needs to die!

 

[bluey]

koala
panda
orangutang

 

[ActionBob]

Hop out and track one and you will find out just how quickly a free range Giraffe will be happy to leave you in the dust!

They do hold the high ground!

 

[BWH]

Hop out and track one and you will find out just how quickly a free range Giraffe will be happy to leave you in the dust!

The far vast majority of all animals will leave you/me in the dust. Especially if shot at. That goes for a dog or house cat as well. I had 5 or 6 stand in front of me for an hour when I was there. And drove right past 3 more on another day. So no that really would not be much of a hunt for me.

 

[Scott Slough]

I won't hunt any animal that doesn't have food value, is immature, released just for me to hunt, or is not a predator that is in imbalance.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

In Africa I will not hunt for cheetahs.
Witold

 

[UKHunter]

Any endangered or rare animal, plus Rhino and any big cat.

 

[Bsto270]

Not many things, Zebras don't bother me much. African Wildcat, as I can't bring myself to pay that much to shoot something that resembles a big housecat. But I don't begrudge anyone the right to. I know lots of folks love hunting Zebra. And I am sure wildcat are probably tough to bring in.

The primates don't do much for me either (although the idea of shooting baboons is growing on me).

Giraffe, for some reason, fascinate me. I think hunting one would be a blast, I just have no practical way to put it in the house I live in at the moment.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Well I got to Dart a Rhino and it was way to cool of an experience for me. I got way too emotional being with the beast. I don't think I could every shoot one and kill it. No problem with anyone who does it legally, just that gave me my dance with the Rhino.

There are many animals I have no desire to shoot, but you never know how the mood might strike me on that particular day. I said I would never shoot a zebra or an ostrich but after seeing them, I kind of want to do it. I really had no desire to shoot a red hartbeast and now it is high on my list. A gemsbuck has pretty much dropped off my list. Same with foxes, some days they get a pass, same thing with small deer, other days they are in trouble. It depends on the situation, and my mood at the time.

 

[Panielsen]

As badly as I would love to hunt a Rhino, I wouldn't as they are so badly endangered..... I doubt the number will come up to "hunting safe" in my lifetime, but until it does, I will just have to use a 35mm and a zoom.

 

[Royal27]

As badly as I would love to hunt a Rhino, I wouldn't as they are so badly endangered..... I doubt the number will come up to "hunting safe" in my lifetime, but until it does, I will just have to use a 35mm and a zoom.

I have a slightly different view on Rhino. If the horn trade opened up and money actually started flowing then it is possible that that for every rhino hunted and killed legally that multiple rhino could be saved from poaching. Then it makes sense.

I understand your point though.

 

[johnnyblues]

For me as I learn more about an animal and its habitat I want to hunt it. I think most people's responses to this question will relate how much they actually understand abou the animal. For example as you mention many folks say a zebra is so much like a horse therefore they do not want to hunt it. This actually shows that they know little about the animal. I've found zebra to be of the most challenging to both hunt and bring down of all the plains game.
So go see them where they live, learn all you can about them before answering this question. No matter the animal or environment. Just my thoughts as I sit in an airport on my way home from hunting Austria.
Regards,
Philip

Agreed Philip, zebra were very tough for me too. A soon as they see you they run and don't stop for miles. Definitely a challenge.