Harvesting African animals?

[liteandsirens]

I dont know anything about hunting in Africa. Lets get that out of the way. So, I have a couple of questions. Are there any animals in africa, that you shouldnt eat? If so, would you harvest this animal anyway? It just seems that some of these animals are huge and the amount of meat available could feed a small town. Is there a lot of trophy hunting in Africa where the only trophy is the hide, or head or antlers.
 I was raised that if you killed it, then you should clean and eat it, or give it to someone who needs it. and I would hate to see a beautiful creature like a Zebra(which reminds me too much of a horse, to kill),or a kudu be taken if the meat wasnt eatin.
  This may seem like a silly subject and maybe Ill just give you veteren hunters a chuckle, but I am just curious why someone would shoot a jackle. Doesnt seem like I would want to eat that. Kinda reminds me of my dog.
  Anyhow. Enligten me, if you will. I would love to hunt in Africa, it seems as if there would be no other place on earth that could top that beautiful and untaimed continant.  Please excuse my bad spelling. thanks, from a new traditional archer.

[Rick McGowan]

Very little gets wasted in Africa, they take in the animals whole(aside from the ones that are to big),because even most of the innards get eaten. What dosn't get eaten on the concession will be sold by the outfitter for part of his income. Personally I think its kind of silly when guys say they wouldn't shoot this or that  animal, because it reminds them of something. EVERYTHING reminds somebody of something. There are some animals that I have no interest in hunting, an ostrich for instance, but I sure don't have any negative view if someone else does.

[TradAlaska]

Zebra tenderloin is about the best eating you can get.  Ostrich is pretty darn good too.  I've eaten eland, kudu, waterbuck, wildebeest (blue and black), hartebeest, nyala, impala, warthog, as well as zebra and ostrich and it was all very very good.  There are some good eating birds other than ostrich to be had too.

Cheers from Alaska

[liteandsirens]

Awesome. Those are the answers I was hoping for. I hope you guys didnt take me the wrong way. Im a firm believer in " to each his own". I dont think theres anything wrong with killing any animal, heck, Even the bible speaks about it. I just hoped that all creatures taken would be used for the nurishment of man, and not left for some unworthy oppurtunistic creature. lol Excellent answers from what I imagine are excellent bow hunters. Thank you sirs. And hopefully I will oneday experience bowhunting in Africa.

[S Meyer]

Hello

If properly prepared, any African animal can be eaten. Traditionally predators like lion and leopard are not eaten but if the fancy takes you just tenderize with a really big mallet.

Some of the best eating is some of the lesser known animals. I can personally recommend crocodile, any big snake, Mopanie worms and several kinds of ant. Many birds are hunted, not just guinea fowl. All are very good. I can add that many of these birds are skinned, not plucked. With some garlic and lemon juice I really don’t think there is anything you can’t eat.

I can forward some recipes to anyone interested.

[Don Thomas]

As ric pointed out, Africa probably has the strictest meat salvage ethic and traditioni anywhere, for two good reasons: virtually all tthe meat is superb, and there are a lot of hungry people. I am a "you shoot it, you eat it" hunter (with rare exceptiions) and I can assure you they salvage and devour parts of game we would leave in the woods here (intestines, feet, noses, you name it). As mentioned, virtually all plains game is superb on the table and I would gladly trade a kudu's horns for its meat if there was a way to get it back home. Don't turn up your nose at zebra -- first, they are tough, wary game animals who aren't like horses at all and second, they are perfectly good eating (I once cooked zebra curry for a camp and half a village). Crocodile is good and I have also shot and eaten monitor lizards -- fried whole in hot oil. As noted, the game birds are also delicious and I have eaten francolin, sand grouse and doves in additin to guineas. I appreciate your concerns but they are unfounded. Don

[Wile E. Coyote]

As far a the Jackal goes, it was one of the most hated predators by our PH's. One of them was a mutton farmer in the off season and said Jackals were responsible for more infant deaths than disease. I don't think you'd want to eat one, but I have no problem shooting a predator solely on the basis of its action and the positive consequence of keeping the damage they do in check.

Very smart critters, our PH said he would pay us $100 for each one we killed, but we would have to pay him $100 or each one we missed and educated.

[liteandsirens]

Very interesting stuff. Id love to try some of Africas wild game. I am a new archery hunter, but have hunted off and on for 18 years. I am only 27 and I would love to start a yearly or more likely every other year trip to Africa. To hunt or just to see the sites. About 4 years ago, I priced a 14 day safari for my wife and I. Unfortunately, it was way out of our price range. Now, however, I have a career and so does my wife, and I think that the price of a hunt is attainable. I dont think my wife could hunt because her current draw weight is only about 40lbs with her compound. She has expressed interest in Africa, but I think it would be best if we took some game here in the states (Fl. Ga.) before we try and tackle African game. I dont think I would have any problems, as I am accurate up to 40yds with targets. I would limit a deer shot at 30yds with a compound, but I am hunting this season with a longbow so my yardage will be much less. What is the typicle yardage in Africa. I know the animals are much larger, but they are alsow harder to penetrate. I would imagine you wouldnt want to take a shot over 20 yds with longbow or 25 with compound. Let me know about this. How long have you guys hunted in Africa? I looked at Paul Brunners web page and it really sparked my interest.

[Wile E. Coyote]

From my experience and speaking with others who have been there, a PH worth his salt will have his blinds set so that you really don't have to shoot beyond 20yds, and I would dare to say most game is taken within 15yds.

[Ray Hammond]

Actually, gentlemen, I have eaten african lion and found it very, very tasty. No, I did not shoot the lion- someone else did.

Nonetheless, I think this notion that predators don't get eaten gets taken a bit far sometimes. I've never heard of anyone eating coyote, or wolf, certainly, but you know what, if my plane wrecked in the bush and I had a long way to go to get to civilization, and I had a chance to get one and cook it up, you bet I'd be eating it instead of breaking  up logs for grubs...I ate those at Outward Bound and didn't think too much of them and anyway,it would take a good many grubs to fill ME up!

I've also had puma, or cougar and it was great too. I think Don Thomas likes mountain lion meat as well?

[S Meyer]

We used to have a brand of beer here. Lion Lager it was called. I’ll drink as many of those Lions as you want. If I’ve had enough of those I may even try eating one. I have been told grizzly bear is good though.

[Don Thomas]

Yes, mountain lion is superb. We eat every one we kill. I do however draw the lion at jackal. The are the noly game the Bushmen will not eat. Don

[tradtusker]

yip prety much everything is good eating if prepared right! i have not tried jackel, lion but iv given prety much everything else a go...vervet monkey...croc..python...porcupine.. good chow!

[IndianaBowman]

Ate coyote once!

[Jeff Sample]

You would!

[hunt it]

You would be lucky to even find a wet spot on the ground after African game is shot. Even elephant, 24hrs later not even a fly on ground. Locals eat most anything except cats, bushpigs,baboons and the varmints,jackals and hyenas. I've eaten elephant, hippo, buffalo nuts you name it and all the African game is great eating. Hard to beat a good Eland backstrap or a warthog roasted on the pit. Lite, Africa is a wonderful place, take your wife and enjoy!

[liteandsirens]

wow.... reading this after 8 years. lol. I was such an inquisitive young man. Got surprised with a divorce that year. Never saw the dark continent. Back in the woods with my same long bow, this time with my best friend. The baby in my pics. Hes 9 now. life is good.  

[Benny Nganabbarru]

G'day mate, glad to hear you're in the woods with your young bloke and your longbow! Hope you can keep the African dream alive! It's a wonderful place, and I hope you can find a way to go.

[J-dog]

Yeah nothing goes to waste - ill second zebra tenderloin as being some of the best meat I have ever eaten. I have had giraffe biltong too, very good.

If you go on a hunt there you will probably be fed the more choice parts (tenderloins) of what you or hunters in your party kill. The rest is divvied up to the farm workers or nearby villages. An elephant seems like such a majestic thing to hunt and kill, but then to see 2 or three villages smiling so big when they come to harvest the meat and the lengths that animal will feed the area and the harvest fee will go into programs for the villages. Hunting is really a good thing there.

Also I was raised to eat what you kill, but as I got older I realized how much bologna that really is. Hunt and trap things all the time I have no intention of eating, coyote for example, rats, muskrats, otter. But their hides go to use; I just ain't eatin them.!! Yuk!

Cheers and short blood trails

[bruinman]

Ray, if you are doing the cooking that coyote would no doubt be great!