Baboons?

[jonsimoneau]

Has anyone on this site ever taken a baboon?  I have to admit, at first, I thought I would never in a million years want to shoot something that so closely resembles a human.  I don't know.  Any opinions about this animal?

[Rick McGowan]

I coulda shot lots of them, but many of the other animals use the baboons as scouts, they let them check out the water holes first, so its an advantage to let them hang around. I did consider shooting one huge ancient male, he was all alone and had gray facial hair, but I could sort of empathise with him!

[Don Thomas]

Same as Rick. Lots of opportunities, and they are the one animal everyone in Africa seems to loathe. But the best thing you can have in front of you is a troop of undisturbed baboons, and messing with them will eventually cost you. Besides, they look too much like my relatives. Don

[gregg dudley]

I just read (I mean five minutes before I turned on the computer tonight) "The Killer Baboons of Vlackfontein," by Peter Capstick, which first appeared in The American Hunter Magazine in October-November 1979 and was later included in "Death in the Lonely Land."  Interesting stuff.  Capstick mentions several incidences of baboons killing or maiming people.  Interesting story.

[S Meyer]

Hello all

Baboons are considered pest by most farmers. Their only natural predator is leopards. On farms where there are no leopards to control the populations they cause real damage to crops. They are also extremely dangerous, especially the large males who do lookout duty. Brandwag is the Afrikaans term, translated as “fire watchman”. They can become very brave in the presence of humans, even arrogant. They sometimes come into homes and steal food, if you corner them in the house you are in serious trouble. I had a friend who had two large pit bulls. The dogs chased a large male into a shed and the baboon killed one of the dogs and seriously maimed the other. They had to kill the baboon when it threatened the farm workers. A large male baboon can have fangs up to two inches long.  

An interesting (and slightly cruel to some) way to get rid of a troop of baboons is to catch one of the large males. You paint it red or silver with water base paint; find the troop it belongs to and let it go. The troop sees a large red monster coming gives a danger signal and starts running. The male hears the warning of danger and speeds up to rejoin the group and safety. The troop runs faster… This goes on until the male find water or it rains. Both ways the baboons are now someone else’s problem

[Joseph]

I am going to try and get a couple of them when I go back to Africa.  They are cool looking mounts and their skull is really cool if you get it metalized.  The thought of shooting one doesn't bother me.  I like the story about painting one red    That's funny.  Joseph

[S Meyer]

Metallic silver is better but it doesn’t wash off.

Next time anyone is in SA or Namibia try to get hold of a movie called “Oh shucks, here comes UNTAG” it is a Leon Shuster comedy. It is mostly Afrikaans but has subtitles. The main character has a personal vendetta against the baboons that raid his cabbages every morning. He uses what looks like a 55 millimeter field howitzer.

It’s worth watching. It’s like “The Gods Must Be Crazy” if that helps.

[doctorbrady]

Jon,
I took a big male baboon and scared another nearly to death on my hunt in Namibia.  I, too, think that they are pretty cool looking critters.  Like Don said, a disturbed group of baboons can ruin a water hole for the morning, but that's what is great about Africa...always another place to sit.  In my experience they are the most wary and smartest critter you can chase.  That makes taking one, especially a big male, a real challenge and worth the effort.

[Jack Shanks]

While sitting on a water hole one morning a big male came around the side of the hide and peered in the shooting hole looking right at me. He then proceeded to run off and tell all the animals within a half mile what he had found. Had I seen him coming a little sooner he might not have had a chance to spoil my morning hunt. I wouldn't think twice about shooting one.

[8th Dwarf]

Which relatives, Don?  On your side, or your wife's side?

Too F. Short

[Don Thomas]

Paul -- Actually, I meant to say "friends and relatives"... and I mentally had you on the top of the list.

[Don Thomas]

Sorry -- got cut off mid-post. Dwarf, you've seen Lori and you've seen me. Who do you think looks most like a baboon? Don

[hunt it]

I plugged one with a compound many years ago. A big male, the skull makes an awesome trophy. They have bigger teeth than a lion! I have shot many since with rifle for friends that wanted skulls. Had to shoot six on one trip before I got one with any teeth. If you pick the big old males many times teeth are not pretty!

[doctorbrady]

Can you tell which one is the baboon and which is me?
 
If it helps, I am the one holding the bow.

[tradtusker]

S Meyer

"An interesting (and slightly cruel to some) way to get rid of a troop of baboons is to catch one of the large males. You paint it red or silver with water base paint; find the troop it belongs to and let it go. The troop sees a large red monster coming gives a danger signal and starts running. The male hears the warning of danger and speeds up to rejoin the group and safety. The troop runs faster… This goes on until the male finds water or it rains. Both ways the baboons are now someone else’s problem"..............."Metallic silver is better but it doesn’t wash off".

im sorry but i just had to laugh(my a*s off) iv hered so winners in my time but this takes the top!

nice to see another s african on here! howzit bro

[2wfstlhunting]

I was in the situation in '95 of having a troop of them come to a water hole and mill around a heavy canvas tent blind that PB dragged all the way to RSA. They were so close that they were actually resting up against the blind in the hot sunny day's lethargy.  It was a matter of mild fear at being so close and not wanting to alert them to our presence right there inside the blind. They wandered off and I eventually shot an impala at about 15 feet.  Frankly, they are just too humanoid for my tastes to kill one. I couldn't stomach shooting the little verved monkeys either.

Steve

[Frank AK]

Ive heard of baboons tearing through huts and stealing babies to eat... that would be reason enough for me to shoot one around a native village.

If you got into a scrap with a baboon I guarantee it wouldent be so human like anymore.

[S Meyer]

Hello All.

I just returned from two weeks in the Cape (did a wine tour, saw the whales. It was fun). I spoke to someone who works on many fruit farms and the farmers there are unanimous in their hate of baboons. They move into an orchard and do great damage to the trees. They only take one bite of everything they pick. These farmers apparently prefer a 223 for baboon control…

[Frank V]

I kinda like the paint em touch. If you ever got a video of it I think it would be something to watch. Frank

[S Meyer]

I'll see what I can do.