Zim tuskless

25 November 2006, 00:22

Raffica

Zim tuskless

Well, the 2008 hunt is starting to come together. 3 hunters so far.
2 of us are planning on buff in Zim along with a tuskless for myself. the other hunter wants just plains game.

How large can I expect a big tuskless to be?

I've seen some taken that wern't much larger than moose that I have shot... And others that were HUGE!

Thanks in advance

25 November 2006, 01:12

hacksawtom

Not to hijack this posting, but maybe you know the answer to these questions. Are there more tuskless elephants now then there use to be? If so why?

25 November 2006, 05:23

Russ Gould

Don't understand why folks go for tuskless when for beer money you can hunt PAC and have a very good chance of shooting a bull.

Russ Gould - Whitworth Arms LLC
BigfiveHQ.com, Large Calibers and African Safaris
Doublegunhq.com, Fine English, American and German Double Rifles and Shotguns
VH2Q.com, Varmint Rifles and Gear

25 November 2006, 20:59

BigBBear

Raffica, not sure if this will work but here is a picture of a big tuskless bull I shot in Zim in 2005. Had a trophy and a tuskless on license. Tuskless bulls are not common as more cows seem to be that way than bulls. If you are hunting elephant of any nature focus on the tracking, hunting, and getting close. Do not worry about size. Getting close to elephants is what is all about for me.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/487100714/m/946108644

25 November 2006, 22:13

Grumulkin

When you shoot a tuskless elephant, what kind of trophy do you bring back?

25 November 2006, 23:56

surestrike

quote:
Originally posted by Grumulkin:
When you shoot a tuskless elephant, what kind of trophy do you bring back?

Tail hairs if you're lucky.

Here is a tuskless I shot in 2004. She is a large cow.

26 November 2006, 01:09

Raffica

quote:
Originally posted by Grumulkin:
When you shoot a tuskless elephant, what kind of trophy do you bring back?

Good Pics... Dont need any more than memories anyway...

Antlers, horns, skulls, and tusk's, are just dust collectors for me...

26 November 2006, 01:10

Raffica

quote:
Originally posted by surestrike:
quote:
Originally posted by Grumulkin:
When you shoot a tuskless elephant, what kind of trophy do you bring back?

Tail hairs if you're lucky.

Here is a tuskless I shot in 2004. She is a large cow.

Perfect

26 November 2006, 07:27

BigFiveJack

Way to go SURESTRIKE, way to GO!!!

27 November 2006, 05:02

boet

Tuskless elephant, especially tuskless cows, are notoriously the most unpredictable and dangerous to face.
Something to think about!

27 November 2006, 06:42

Geronomo

Raffica, don't worry about size. Rest assured, a mature tuskless will: 1)weigh a lot more than a mature moose 2)be a lot more fun to hunt 3)be a lot harder to kill than a moose 4) be one hell of a lot more dangerous to hunt than any moose you will ever find.

You know the saying about size matters? Even small elephants are BIG!

Geronimo

27 November 2006, 22:27

Raffica

I am so looking foreward to it, There's nothing like being close enough to get grizzly snot on you!

28 November 2006, 03:23

chuck5656

I was fortunate to hunt them this last may in Chewore with
Roger Whittall Safaris. Biggest rush Ive ever had hunting.
Surrounded by 50 elephant (most with calfs) trying to get a shot at the one or two which dont have tusks. And,by the way, the cover is thick. We saw some small ones and,like any other trophy, we did not go after any little ones. All we got was the tail hair, which was enough for four bracelets.
It was the toughest animal Ive ever seen. It took 15 rounds (12 from my .375 and 3 from the PH's .470) to bring it down. The last shot it was finally immobile enough for a side brain shot. I was out of solids and brained it with a soft up the ear canal. Do it if you can!!!

28 November 2006, 03:45

404Rodda

Tuskless vary in size. The one pictured with Raffica is on the larger size. Some, as mentioned earlier are the size of a mature moose.

You usually get the tail hairs. I've heard it is possible to get the leather as well, but recommend you check with the PH first.

I recommend you go to Safari Press and buy the DVD, "Hunting the African Elephant" by Buzz Charlton. I've seen it 4 times. It tells you nearly everything you need to know about elephant hunting including Tuskless. Good luck!!

28 November 2006, 08:09

yukon delta

Ditto on the DVD by Buzz. Great stuff.

28 November 2006, 19:35

JPK

Mature tuskless vary greatly in size. They vary in size from area to area and also within an area. The larget that I have seen are from the Save Conservancy. The elephants there are particularly tall and nasty too.

That said, a smallish muture tuskless is still damn big. You will be shooting up!

Also dito on Buzz's video.

JPK

28 November 2006, 20:30

465H&H

Elephant size is dependent on two prinmary factors, location and age. Although genetics also has some influence. This applys to bulls as well as cows. In Zimbabwe the largest elephants are generaly considered to come from areas along the Botswana border. They are normaly called Kalahari elephants.

When I hunted tuskless we passed up half and three quarter grown elephants as well as cows with young calves by their sides. No reason to shoot the first tuskless you see unless the area has few tuskless. I shot one huge tuskless cow in the Matetsi area (near the Botswana border) that was larger than several bulls I have shot. It had front feet that measured 21 inches across. Truely a monster cow.

465H&H

28 November 2006, 21:00

Aspen Hill Adventures

You can also ship skin back from tuskless not taken as a PAC in Zim. I didn't have the spare change to have some panels tanned but next time I will plan for it.

29 November 2006, 06:06

billinthewild

quote:
Originally posted by Grumulkin:
When you shoot a tuskless elephant, what kind of trophy do you bring back?

Memories, wonderful, exciting memories. It is the hunt that counts, the kill is secondary.

29 November 2006, 10:46

LV Eric

quote:
Originally posted by 465H&H:
Elephant size is dependent on two prinmary factors, location and age. Although genetics also has some influence. This applys to bulls as well as cows. In Zimbabwe the largest elephants are generaly considered to come from areas along the Botswana border. They are normaly called Kalahari elephants.

When I hunted tuskless we passed up half and three quarter grown elephants as well as cows with young calves by their sides. No reason to shoot the first tuskless you see unless the area has few tuskless. I shot one huge tuskless cow in the Matetsi area (near the Botswana border) that was larger than several bulls I have shot. It had front feet that measured 21 inches across. Truely a monster cow.

465H&H

your right and the elephants in the Omay are tiny things.

01 December 2006, 08:10

465H&H

Here are a couple of pics of "Tiny Elephants" from Omay!

465H&H

03 December 2006, 21:39

465H&H

Sorry it took so long to get these pics added.

465H&H

04 December 2006, 00:04

Raffica

How hard would it be to have the skull prepared and sent home?

I think a glassed in tuskless skull would make a great base for the card table in my MAN ROOM!

04 December 2006, 00:05

Raffica

quote:
Originally posted by 465H&H:
Sorry it took so long to get these pics added.

465H&H

Dont be sorry, Awesome pics...

14 June 2008, 06:42

Steffen

quote:
Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Don't understand why folks go for tuskless when for beer money you can hunt PAC and have a very good chance of shooting a bull.

what is PAC, and is it more expensive than tuskless?

14 June 2008, 07:08

ozhunter

PAC stands for "Problem animal control".
These Elephant hunts usually take place in Communal areas when the villagers crops (often Corn, Cotton and Watermelon) are due for harvest and when backing onto or in areas of forest attract the Elephant from afar.
These hunts usually take place in Zimbabwe during the months of Feb, March, April and May.
Often the hunt is done at night with lights and also a follow up from the fields in the morning is a used method.
These hunts can take place in areas with high human populations where Tuskless hunts often take place in wild Safari areas with little population.
PAC can be a well priced option for an Ele hunt .

A PAC Bull fat with Corn.

14 June 2008, 07:18

Steffen

sounds very interesting.

can PAC-hunts be booked, or do you have to be in the right place at the right time?
i assume that the shooter doesn't get to keep the ivory?

14 June 2008, 07:21

ozhunter

It would be ideal to be set up there but booking can be made for during peak Crop Raiding times such as March with outfitters such as Russ Gould.

14 June 2008, 07:59

Head Trauma

Mr Gould is spot on,PAC hunts are the way to go. On PAC hunts almost all of the crop raiders are bulls and since the hunts are in Communal areas, the recovery is usually much easier.

14 June 2008, 08:29

yukon delta

It depends on what you want from a hunt. PAC hunts are generally done around populations and the hunt is often but not always at night. There is some tracking but often not in the typical elephant fashion. It would be a bit unusual to have a PAC hunt go for more than a couple of days.

Tuskless hunts, as mentioned, are often in remote areas with little to no population and there is often quite a bit of tracking involved. Tuskless hunts can take up the whole hunt like my tuskless hunt in Makuti last year...no villages or poachers encountered, shot the first tuskless we found on day 6 after tracking for dozens of miles in the Escarpment. You also normally have to sort one out of a cow herd. It can get very interesting.

14 June 2008, 08:42

JPK

Between PAC and tuskless, I prefer tuskless becuase of the shear number of elephants encountered and the intensity of dealing with the herds. I like trophy bull hunting more than PAC hunting too. But all elephant hunting is great.

JPK

14 June 2008, 21:22

chuck375

Can the tusks from a trophy or PAC elephant hunt be imported to the U.S. or is that not allowed? Or is it country dependent.

Regards,
Chuck

14 June 2008, 21:26

yukon delta

Yes on trophy ele, some countries need a CITES tag, some do not. Namibia allows exportation of PAC trophies but I think the rest do not. I know that Zim does not allow PAC exportation.

So, it's country dependent.