JJHACK
New member
Over the last 13 years of my work hunting in Africa regardless of the country. Kudu seem to be the most popular or most highly sought after trophy by the majority of hunters. Sure most want buffalo or leopard etc. However the Kudu seems to be the animal that is a must have by nearly all Hunters.
One of the first things people ask me when researching their hunts is "how big are your Kudu" I often reply with what are you looking for, or I use actual statistcs stating that we have an average in the mid to low 50's. Some seasons all Kudu are over 50" and most well over 50". There are sometimes bulls under 50 but they are old mature bulls with a perfect "kudu" form.
I have had hunters in front of very nice bulls that are mid 50's. They wanted to wait for something bigger, and I would say bigger then this is not likely! The reason they want to hold out is due to the shape of the horns. Narrow deep curls with a high score don't often have the same visual beauty.
I have hunters say to me frequently that they want a bigger bull then the last safari they were on. When I ask them how big that is, they say 55" or bigger. Problem is that the shape of the horns has more to do with the percieved size then the actual measurement. Very few hunters can really grasp the magnitude of a big bull because they just don't see enough of them to be able to understand the whole package. Furthermore they all use a Rowland Ward number, but if entered it is nearly always in SCI. Although the two are credible systems they come to the score by different means.
I have suggested that a hunter look for a kudu that he wants visually rather then the number it provides as a score. Europeans are very interesting when it comes to trophies. They seem to prefer the most bizzare unmatched, nontypical animals available. They would not score high in most cases. Americans seem to have a great dependance on a "number" rather then a specific look. Even though very few are ever entered into a "book".
I have over the years had hunters shoot a lot of bulls that were smaller then the ones they passed earlier in the hunt. Just because they felt better about the way they looked. Sometimes they will pass on a Bull with narrow horns and huge deep curls that would score high 50's. Then a few days later they decide to shoot a wide spaced bull with shallow curls that has an actual score of 49". If they were next to each other most guys would pick the wide spaced horns with the shallow curls. It's visually better looking to the majority of hunters or maybe just to the human "eye" in general.
Be very careful when you're hunting and tell a PH that you want 55" or better. You could end up shooting a bull that is over 55" but does not look the way you expected, or has a more nontypical horn type. I think the majority of hunters not interested in the record book would be well served to give a visual description of the horns rather then a number. Many bulls are as big as they will ever get with beautful white horn tips pointing forward yet only 48-51 inches with 2.5 curls. They are as good as they will get and a beautiful trophys. If you tell the PH you want 55" or better you will be passing on this kind of trophy to collect one that may have tips backward, sideways and/or short deep curls with narrow spacing. It will not likely look like the Kudu you had in mind before you arrived, although it meets the "number" you requested.
Here is a photo showing two bulls exactly the same size. Which would you pick for the trophy room?
One of the first things people ask me when researching their hunts is "how big are your Kudu" I often reply with what are you looking for, or I use actual statistcs stating that we have an average in the mid to low 50's. Some seasons all Kudu are over 50" and most well over 50". There are sometimes bulls under 50 but they are old mature bulls with a perfect "kudu" form.
I have had hunters in front of very nice bulls that are mid 50's. They wanted to wait for something bigger, and I would say bigger then this is not likely! The reason they want to hold out is due to the shape of the horns. Narrow deep curls with a high score don't often have the same visual beauty.
I have hunters say to me frequently that they want a bigger bull then the last safari they were on. When I ask them how big that is, they say 55" or bigger. Problem is that the shape of the horns has more to do with the percieved size then the actual measurement. Very few hunters can really grasp the magnitude of a big bull because they just don't see enough of them to be able to understand the whole package. Furthermore they all use a Rowland Ward number, but if entered it is nearly always in SCI. Although the two are credible systems they come to the score by different means.
I have suggested that a hunter look for a kudu that he wants visually rather then the number it provides as a score. Europeans are very interesting when it comes to trophies. They seem to prefer the most bizzare unmatched, nontypical animals available. They would not score high in most cases. Americans seem to have a great dependance on a "number" rather then a specific look. Even though very few are ever entered into a "book".
I have over the years had hunters shoot a lot of bulls that were smaller then the ones they passed earlier in the hunt. Just because they felt better about the way they looked. Sometimes they will pass on a Bull with narrow horns and huge deep curls that would score high 50's. Then a few days later they decide to shoot a wide spaced bull with shallow curls that has an actual score of 49". If they were next to each other most guys would pick the wide spaced horns with the shallow curls. It's visually better looking to the majority of hunters or maybe just to the human "eye" in general.
Be very careful when you're hunting and tell a PH that you want 55" or better. You could end up shooting a bull that is over 55" but does not look the way you expected, or has a more nontypical horn type. I think the majority of hunters not interested in the record book would be well served to give a visual description of the horns rather then a number. Many bulls are as big as they will ever get with beautful white horn tips pointing forward yet only 48-51 inches with 2.5 curls. They are as good as they will get and a beautiful trophys. If you tell the PH you want 55" or better you will be passing on this kind of trophy to collect one that may have tips backward, sideways and/or short deep curls with narrow spacing. It will not likely look like the Kudu you had in mind before you arrived, although it meets the "number" you requested.
Here is a photo showing two bulls exactly the same size. Which would you pick for the trophy room?
