Ok, first I want to say these animals were taken legally and under fair chase. I understand not everyone likes to see dead animals but it is the circle of life, and most of us eat them every day.
As knifemakers we can't control who uses our knives for what reasons, we can only hope and assume their used for righteous purposes.
after all, were not making these knives to spread butter and homemade jam on grandma's biscuits. there used for a lot of use's, one being preparing game from the field.
That being said....if Boss finds these photos offensive or gets complaint's I'll remove them.
This first pic doesn't show a knife, just bragging rights. I was by myself when I killed this boar hog and it was getting dark. I had my camera on a tripod for this photo and I'll say this, a critter like this will surely test the edge of you blade. the scale said #270 but I think he was closer to 300.
Here's a smaller one for comparison, I think this one was around #150 or so.
I believe this is a Kudu that a customer sent me taken in Africa, with my knife on top.
This is a Cape Buffalo taken in Africa, the story behind this is he was with Government guides when he shot it, it was being taken across a dried river bed and the truck got stuck. he said they only had one knife, mine...so they dressed and quartered it right there, and carried it out.
the pictures of this thing really show how big these things are, I couldn't imaging getting charged my this animal.
Nice rifle too, that's a Blaser rifle.
Next is a Rhino, taken in the early 90s.
The story behind this is that when he got there he saw a lot of Rhino's...BUT, the government had his picked out. this was a very old animal that was no longer breeding but was fighting with the younger one's keeping them from breeding and it was time for him to go.
this hunter paid the government over $20,000 to harvest it, that money being used to pay game agents and helping to prevent poachers.
the hunter got the back straps and the rest was donated to local villagers.
A final note on hunting in Africa, I don't know the rules of the differant countries over there but I've been told by more than one hunter that they were told if they see anyone carrying a gun to shoot them, they were told by the guides that they were the only ones that were to be hunting in that area at the time and anyone else with a gun was a poacher.