Just finished Richard Harland's book "The Art of Hunting the African Elephant" and recommend it highly. Most of you know Richard was a game cropping officer in the Tstetse Fly Corridors in Zimbabwe as a young man and shot many, many elephants. He has an easy reading style and straightforward, common sense advice for both the professional and "sport" hunter with Nzou on his "most wanted" list.

Most surprising was his weapon of choice in a caliber much maligned. A Mannlicher Schoenauer in .458 WM! The rotary clip holding 4 cartridges with one in the chamber gave him the firepower he needed in tight situations!

I have met Richard twice and find him very personable and quite unassuming. He is in Buzz Charlton's video doing a 5 minute interview that is very entertaining. When Buzz introduced us and told me he had shot more elephant than anyone he personally knew, I have to admit I was surprised. Richard is the type of person you would walk by at the DSC show and never notice. Talking to him however was another story...he listened to my tales of shooting my two eles, seemed very interested and congratulated me. Then he spoke of a couple of his adventures and I was wowed!

This is an excellent book for those who have, who will or dream of hunting elephant in Africa some day. Don't miss it.

Thanks for the suggestion rm!

I did a google and found it available for $55 at: http://www.craigboddington.com/boddington-books.htm

Great book and great price. I just finished reading my copy as well and would highly recommend it to anyone who has hunted or wants to hunt elephant.

Ditto. on the above. I would point out that you might find the title to be "Ndlovu" for a search.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Ditto. on the above. I would point out that you might find the title to be "Ndlovu" for a search.

JPK

If I recall correctly I got my copy from the African Hunter magazine people at the DSC. I haven't finished reading it yet.

About half way through the book. Very easy to read and extremely informative. The book on buffalo hunting by the same publisher was also an excellent book. I really like the way they throughly cover the subject, calibers, rifles, animal characteristics, country information, stalking, tracking, etc. they cover everything with a story thrown in here and there too.

Also read the book. I thought it was very good as well.

Read it right after Will's book..exceptional reading..Bought it at the Harrisburg sportsman show in Feburary..Will read both before I head back to Africa...14 weeks...but whos's counting...

Mike