If you have unlimited funds, and you want to hunt a magnificent elephant that would be the highlight of your trophies, what would be your destination, and why?

A lot fewer places than 5-10 years ago!

Nixon

I'd still do a wide selection of 90 days of safaris, and I'd start out with a full bag in Tanzania. In Tanzania I'd buy 3 21 day licenses so I could kill as much stuff as I came across.

Enjoy the camp with a very nice selection of people I absolutely adore and want to spend 60 days with.


Then off to the Namibia to hunt elephant in the Caprivi. Plus a couple weeks hunting plains game, then I'd spend a month in South Africa, Zimbabwe or Mozambique.

BWW has a great plan, but from what I understand, Tanzania will not issue a license unless the trophy is importable to your country of origin. I could be corrected, but if anyone knows any differently, please advise.

So that leaves you pretty limited on elephant these days, especially if you want to import a trophy to the US. Unless I'm missing some and please correct me if I am, I think you are down to the areas outside of Kruger in South Africa and Namibia. The Caprivi Strip would be a good option.

If anyone has any other ideas, please enlighten us.

There's obviously been a couple of monsters out of Zim and a couple of 100lb'rs.
Bots is closed for now and before that Northern Moz pulled out some monsters.
It might be real interesting ig Angola pops back open like it almost did.
I saw a 70lb tusker in Zambia in 2012 too while hunting Lion.

I would find a reputable outfitter in northern Namibia or Caprivi with a history of success.

Close to Hwange and Gonarezou in Zim. Caprivi in Namibia. Maybe a couple of places in the APNR in SA and that is about it these days.

Don't think you can include anyplace in Tanzania currently. Maybe a couple of spots in Mozambique such as the eastern boundary of both Kruger and Gonarezou, C9 and maybe one or two areas in the greater Niassa region.

Don't know about Zambia but I would not expect much.. Maybe 3 or 4 GMA's.

Bottom line.. You waited too long.

Always wanted to hunt Angola. Hope it opens before I'm too old.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Always wanted to hunt Angola. Hope it opens before I'm too old.

Me too.

Nyae Nyae Conservancy Namibia with two permits and lots of time

I would take Ethiopia. Very unspoiled Africa and very very Expensive...even just to shoot a impala...$$$$$$$$$

quote:

Originally posted by jens poulsen:
I would take Ethiopia. Very unspoiled Africa and very very Expensive...even just to shoot a impala...$$$$$$$$$

Would have been good 30 years ago in Gambella, the coffee plantations and maybe one or 2 other locations.

The last couple of years there has been some monsters coming out of the areas next to Gonarhezhou, that is where I will spend my money and time !! ( if I had it )

quote:

Originally posted by kallie404:
The last couple of years there has been some monsters coming out of the areas next to Gonarhezhou, that is where I will spend my money and time !! ( if I had it )

you got it
2011 1 - 80+ pounder that I know of
2012 3 - 80 + pounders
2013 1 - 90+ pounders
and that is just one operator out of several
IDON'T have info on the others

Well, if I had unlimited funds, exportability would be a nonissue- I would buy a house in the country that either allows import or in the country I would be hunting proper (or for that matter in my multimillion dollar yacht...)

I don't know really where the best elephant hunting really is on a pound for pound basis.

In Zim, it seems that the biggest bulls were usually shot at a park border. Personally, I would rather have a traditional stalking hunt, but that is a personal preference, and if all I cared about was ivory, well, ???

Tanzania has some big bulls in the north, and that has not been as hammered as the Selous.

Mozambique has a history of some great elephant hunting, but I understand that the greater Niassa is just as hammered as Tanzania (when I went to southern Tanzania in 2012, we could find tracks of poachers going back and forth.)

Botswana is technically closed, (but one hears that ranchers are shooting lots of elephant and cats as crop raiders- with unlimited funds, buy a ranch and shoot...) but if they get that sorted out, it may still be good.

Namibia is a good choice.

South Africa may be good, but every hunt I looked at talks about maximum size restrictions in areas bordering the big parks.

Zambia would be a bit of a wild card. It hasn't been hunted for elephant much in years, but the folks I hunted with (not for elephant...) state they don't see much as far as big ivory (by my definition over 75#), just lots of elephant.

My "ideal" hunt would be to go to one of the places that isn't common, but had a great history and open it. Angola, Kenya, something like that... and maybe get really lucky, but I don't have that kind of money or influence.

I'm definitely not an expert, but I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you want weight then Zimbabwe has produced some 100lb plus elephant. Tanzania the ivory tends to be long and slim. For me beautiful.

Bob

Cameroon, in the jungle with pygmy trackers.

quote:

Originally posted by ManuelM:
Nyae Nyae Conservancy Namibia with two permits and lots of time

Pretty solid plan with Denker or Gerrit Utz.

Denker is retired, IIRC.

OK since I waited too long to get a job that can actually support this I am in same boat. I am liking the lots of time caprivi idea. How longs a lot of time? A month?

In Zim having hunted many areas- out the areas that I would consider fair chase and satisfying hunting and value for money I would go to the Forestry blocks bordering Wankie. It is a quality hunt with a chance of a real good ele and above all one sees alot of bulls. Organization camp though is average but that is the price one pays for going there.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by ManuelM:
Nyae Nyae Conservancy Namibia with two permits and lots of time

Pretty solid plan with Denker or Gerrit Utz.

Stephan Jacobs has Nyae Nyae now. I'm headed there in 4 weeks for a nontrophy bull but I'm excited about seeing the HUGH body bulls. Maybe I'll get to see a 80 plus pounder.

quote:

Denker is retired, IIRC.

Yes, he is.
"No more the tuskers".

But:
You can get on an PG safari.
He does this still 3 - 5 times in an year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Y1bzbXdn0


Attached is a news link posted two days ago concerning Botswana elephants and the desire to open hunting again. If it does open, the Okavango Delta (NG32 with Johan Calitz) would be my choice. It was an absolute amazing place to see while my husband was hunting elephant.

I like the Naye, Naye, Concept too...60 days would be ample time...that deal would probably be $180k...but hey price was no object...right!

Ed

What Buzz said! Double bull, unlimited time, a big area that Chiru, Jeff, Gary and I could not walk out of. That's my dream! While I am dreaming may just as well take Bongo to cook. About covers it.

Hello,

Nyae-Nyae communal Conservancy, Namibia. One of the best averages over the last 20 years.

Camelthorn Safaris are one of the current concessionaires in Nyae-Nyae conservancy

Buzz do you hunt there and do you store Ivory? This import ban is quite annoying

quote:

Originally posted by Buzz Charlton:
In Zim having hunted many areas- out the areas that I would consider fair chase and satisfying hunting and value for money I would go to the Forestry blocks bordering Wankie. It is a quality hunt with a chance of a real good ele and above all one sees alot of bulls. Organization camp though is average but that is the price one pays for going there.

I was hoping to keep it under a 100G's

quote:

Originally posted by 505ED:
I like the Naye, Naye, Concept too...60 days would be ample time...that deal would probably be $180k...but hey price was no object...right!

Ed

I like that idea too, but hate to kill a monster and have to leave it...

quote:

Originally posted by HBH:
What Buzz said! Double bull, unlimited time, a big area that Chiru, Jeff, Gary and I could not walk out of. That's my dream! While I am dreaming may just as well take Bongo to cook. About covers it.

Trophy Services in Pretoria East gets all my work.

Now that they have relocated and caught up with the back log its about a 6 month delivery time...

quote:

Originally posted by gunslinger55:
I like that idea too, but hate to kill a monster and have to leave it...

quote:

Originally posted by HBH:
What Buzz said! Double bull, unlimited time, a big area that Chiru, Jeff, Gary and I could not walk out of. That's my dream! While I am dreaming may just as well take Bongo to cook. About covers it.

Money is no object remember. Build yourself a man-shack in a "friendly" country to house the ivory...and other unimportable trophies (walrus, polar bear, cheetah, etc.)

quote:

Originally posted by Bama15:

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by ManuelM:
Nyae Nyae Conservancy Namibia with two permits and lots of time

Pretty solid plan with Denker or Gerrit Utz.

Stephan Jacobs has Nyae Nyae now. I'm headed there in 4 weeks for a nontrophy bull but I'm excited about seeing the HUGH body bulls. Maybe I'll get to see a 80 plus pounder.

Stephan Jacobs and Camelthorn Safaris have Nyae-Nyae conservancy together. The quota is shared between the two companies. This can be confirmed with MET and WWF who have copies of the contract.

.
Reading the post question my immediate thought was - Mumbai / Bombay ! That would really be a once in a lifetime ele hunt !

But on a more serious note, I would think probably the Caprivi.

Bots a few years ago must have been sweet - great thick ivory !

.

Yes and with a Tiger too!

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
.
Reading the post question my immediate thought was - Mumbai / Bombay ! That would really be a once in a lifetime ele hunt !

But on a more serious note, I would think probably the Caprivi.

Bots a few years ago must have been sweet - great thick ivory !

.

I'd hunt with Mike Kibble in the Caprivi.

Why? He consistently produces big elephants. A couple of years ago one of his clients shot a 100+ pounder there.

Forget Tanzania for elephants.

iv been on 2 ele hunts 1 in bots and 1 in zim and iv been looking at some others the nice thing is being from Canada i can import tanz ivory but it'll be another year yet before i can go elephant hunting just bought a new house ect need to do some work on it.