Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Wacking a giraffe... ????

Moosie

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Dec 9, 2000
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Boise, Idaho
OK a question was asked about harvesting a giraffe, WHO would or wouldn't take one while in africa ..... AND WHY ...

I'll answer later :D :D
 
Moosie, I'd love to have a giraffe mount, but the logistics get in the way for me as with most people.
First, you have a trophy fee of upwards of $2500-3000. Then it takes extra skinners to handle the skin in time so it won't lose the hair. I've heard it takes about 6 additional hands to handle a giraffe skin, about 3 for a shoulder mount only.
The full skin can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds, sometimes twice that, if you want a full mount. Personally, a shoulder mount would be fine. Shipping it back to the states would add substantially to expense. Even then, you would need 25 foot ceilings to accomodate the mount.
However, when all is said and done, if I could afford it I would love to take a giraffe and have a giraffe mount in my home. They are absolutely spectacular looking up close and personal.- Sheister
 
Sheister.. I was at a FANAWS banquett sitting at a table with a GAzziolionair once about 3 years ago (He also bought 2 african trips at that action, he was taking his kid on one of them).... HE did a full body girraffe mount for one of his cabins... He said the mount cost him $17,000.00 (PLUS/MINUS) Chunp change eh ?
 
Ouch, that hurts for blue collar workers like me.
Along this vein, I've noticed many people I've talked to who are planning trips to Africa (not their first) have decided to not bring their trophies home unless they get an exceptional one, and use the money saved on shipping and taxidermy for their next trip. After my one trip, and trying to plan another in a couple years, I can understand why. Not that I would trade any of my trophies for anything!
- Sheister
 
Hey Guys........I can get nice stink bulls, black ones for $1500 (trophy fee). I am having mine made into a floor rug. Yep, shipping for all my animals, including that big skin was over $800, but I shot a lot of game! My crate will be very large, so really, it was a bargain.

When you shoot your giraffe, the skinners are already included in your fees regardless of what you shoot, it doesn't cost extra. Yeah, a hide like that needs care right away. But done right it's a lifetime of a memory. I am having mine tanned in the States, superior tanning is available here.

Yes, a full body mount of anything that size is gonna run you though!!!!
 
Interesting question, Moosie. Price and logistics aside, I think a giraffe flat hide would be a cool trophy. I suppose it all depends on your budget.

The good thing about the taxidermy bill is that you can spread the cost over the next couple of years if need be. Aspen makes a good point in that the price for 6 skinners as opposed to three is built into the hunt so it needn't be a consideration for the hunter. Furthermore, when we were in Zim in 1984, the trackers and skinners were being paid $2.00 a day! Not much extra cost to the PH... I'm sure the numbers are different today though...

I'd probably shoot a giraffe before I shot an elephant or a rhino.

Aspen... have you ever hunted antelope in Douglas, WY? You're picture matches the description a buddy gave me of a woman from Michigan with whom he shared a camp a few years back. It was an outfitted hunt on a private ranch outside of Douglas. Just curious.
 
My freind went to africa couple yrs ago, he had no intention of shooting a giraffe but the outfitter had him shoot one cause they used the meat to bait leopard in with and I believe his trackers took the rest home to feed there familys, once they got a hit to there bait they switched the meat to zebra since leopard prefer that over giraffe. He said when that when it fell was like sawing down a tree in the woods....TIMBER
 
IndyJay,

Nope, I've never hunted out west yet. Probably won't for awhile, the tag fees are rediculously prohibitive to us non-residents. I get more for my hard earned money in Canada and Africa and hunting here in Michigan!
 
I recently kearned that I can I've got an invite to hunt some private land up north on the Maple River. Where might I o to find our more information aboiut that area?

I believe it's near Harbor Springs/Petosky...

Thanks,
 
Papa Moose said:
OK a question was asked about harvesting a giraffe, WHO would or wouldn't take one while in africa ..... AND WHY ...

I'll answer later :D :D


Well Oscar, it has been almost 5 years...are you gonna answer or not :p

In our local sporting goods store, they have a neck mount of a Giraffe. It stands on the floor and is about 6 1/2 feet tall.
 
Funny you should bump this topic........

I'm leaning towards Africa next year as of adiscussion a week or so ago.

I'd wack a Giraffe in a heartbeat... matter of fact, it's on the list ;)
 
I probably saw the pictures of the "Gazillionair" that Moosie was referring to. The dude was posin' with his Giraffe. Silliest looking thing I have ever seen, no way would I drop one of them. And I can't imagine it was a challenging hunt.

All the giraffes we bumped would not have been the least bit rewarding or challenging to hunt.

Don't do it.
 
Giraffe are extremely tough to kill, once wounded you will have extreme difficulty sneaking in on a 17ft tall animal with excellent hearing and unmatched vision.

The Giraffe has skin thicker then anything else I've seen on the front of it's chest right over the heart. This skin is several inches thick. So thick infact that it is very difficult to get salted and protect from spoilage. Giraffe are one of the most difficult of all animals to tan with success due to the effort to remove the hide and get it dried out quickly in the high temps.

It's often many hours (4-10 hours) just to skin them!
 
I would not whack a giraffe. Just not an animal I have ever personally wanted to kill. Not judging anyone who does. Same thing personally would not want to kill a african lion. I've killed mountain lion and would like to kill another, just never wanted to kill an african lion. Would love to kill a leopard, or a tiger if it was ever legal to do so.
 
Though I have no desire to shoot one, I have two buddies whom have both taken giraffes....one has the tanned hide running down the wall on the hallway to his back office/bedroom and it looks pretty bitchin I must confess. The other fellow had a short shoulder/neck ped mount done and it's in the corner of his living room as you go into his game room. He likes it (and that's all that counts IMHO) but to me it looks like an add for Toys-R-Us. :(

Giraffes just seem to have a goofy grin on their faces. I'm not sure exactly what either set them back but I know the mount was "plenty" of coin hump
 
I wouldn't shoot one either but I can sure visualize the posts if Tom took one in South Texas.:D

...wouldn't hunt to shoot an African lion nor elephant either.
 
All the giraffes we bumped would not have been the least bit rewarding or challenging to hunt.

I've bumped/mounted many a Women that weren't challenging to hunt but It was fun and rewarding to me. And remember, thats what it's about, me :D :D
 
Actually I've been looking into prices. I've decided I am not htat rich yet....

2-3k for the Giraffe' 2-3k for the tan, alot for the Dipping and Shipping..... More then this boy can Borrow from the bank for sure !!!! I also don't have a Place in the trailer house for it yet. I'm thinkning about upsizing to a Doublewide in 2 years and might build a room for a 17' mount.....

That being said, on the Next trip I might think about it ;)
 

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