Anybody heard much in the way of reports of elephant coming out of Bots this year? I know Peter Flack went early with Graeme Pollock and did well.....I go next year, frist of April with Graeme. This area is NG 47. Just wondered if there were any other reports from this season?

From what I've heard, they struggled a bit early in the season to get the big bulls due to a lot of rain and them not having to leave the park. I talked to Johan Calitz and Greg Butlers outfit and they all said the same story. Sounds like they're still shooting some good bulls (60s and low 70s), but I haven't heard of anything like what they shot last year in Bots. We had one client shoot a 70 x 55 lb bull early in the season, but he said it rained for 7 of the 12 days he was there. Here's the bull, chobe bull:

Greg, I figured you would have the scoop on Bots eles. Is that Mr. Caruthers in the photo?

quote:

Originally posted by 7kongoni:
Greg, I figured you would have the scoop on Bots eles. Is that Mr. Caruthers in the photo?

Sure is! The guy can't do wrong over there. It rains for 7 days and he still pulls a 70 lb bull out. Last year shot the 84 lb bull for $25,000. Lucky man for sure!

http://www.huntingreport.com/t...s_details.cfm?id=589


Link to 77 pounder from April.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
http://www.huntingreport.com/t...s_details.cfm?id=589


Link to 77 pounder from April.

Nice snag Kathy . . . my friends Peter and Barbara Stein from California with Peter's best elephant.

What are some of the other hunting options in Botswana if you by chance get your elephant early in the hunt? It seems every time I turn around Bots is taking something off of the list.

Good Question !! Graeme has developed a privatized, 'low fenced', game-farm a number of kilometers from the elephant hunting area. In the area.....I think they have Kudu, Zebra, Eland.....and who knows exactly what else. It is far enough away from the elephant concession as not to bother the eles and run them out of the country, so to speak. At least this is my understanding. When and If I can take a good elephant, I want to turn my daugher and grandaughter loose on some of the game we can find there. At least this is the plan as it stands now. I hope I am not speaking 'out of school'......and I know that Graeme checks in on the forum from time to time.....If I am off base I trust he will correct me.
Presently, he is out chasing elephant with clients.

I sure do check in after a hunt - BC you know me to well allready !! I do think our kids may just have a future beyond hunting !!!

We have finished 21 elephant hunts since 06 April allready - our best so far was Bob Begeny who shot 2 elephants in 6 days - his first went 70 x 68 pounds and the second elephant 55x55 , his son Steve also took 2 elephants in 8 days.
We have taken a few in the high 60 's and low 60's - with Gerald Warnock ( also took 2 elephant ) and Peter Flak cracking the 60's as well. Blas Herrero from Spain shot three bulls in 6 days and his best was 68 pounds ( he and his hunting friend shot 5 elephant and two buffalo in 6 days ). Mike Spencer hunting with Campbell Smith safaris shot a charging bull at 12 paces and this bull with a nearly 19 inch circumference and 39 inches sticking out should have gone high 60 to 70 pound range but a big nerve put him in at 63.5 x 62 - still a great bull. Botswana remains the destination for elephant hunting as one can see from 21 trophy bulls coming out of one area in less than 2 months. We can only hope that hunting will continue into the future in this great hunting destination.

On the issue of other hunting or activities.
We have a 650 000 acre government concession , we also have a cattle ranch of 40 000 acres which shares a boundary with the concession - on this cattle fence we can hunt free ranging species such as gemsbok , kudu , zebra and most game you find in the concession ( in fact our land owners permit allowes a higher quota than the concession except for eland ) added to this we have high fence game ranch 10 miles from the cattle ranch - the high fence allowes hunting of any plains game on the ranch including eland. At present the government has advised that hunting on private land will continue - private ranches are the only ones that still get leopard tags in Botswana. The government has also publicly stated that elephant hunting will continue. We also have permission to shoot any elephants breaking fences on the ranch but no part of the elephant may be removed and the tusks remain government property, the same for problem leopard.

http://www.johancalitzsafaris....11/bots_photo_11.htm


Link to gallery, one in the 80's and some 70's so far this year.

WOW..........It just breaks my heart to know the area that I and my kids will be in is full of elephant!!! What a great report Graeme. I will also look forward to the pictures. Graeme usually sends out photos of his previous years hunts to upcoming clients. He happens to be one of the PH's who DOES keep contact with clients. Man is that first class or what?
It will make my daughter and grandaughter smile to read the part about the "other" hunting also available! My grandaughter is already asking me on a regular basis......."Grandpa, do you think you can shoot your elephant on the first day"? She DOES NOT have MY elephant on her mind -- get the picture.
By the way......she, (my grandaughter) just drew an Ibex tag here in New Mexico. So come September we will be in the Florida mts. in the southern part of the state....keep our shooting skills sharp and legs strong.

Andy Hunter and I hunted NG 42 in late May. My permit was for a management bull. We finally shot one on the last day. In seven days of hunting we saw 32 bulls many of which had great and I mean great ivory. Mature management bulls were few and far between. Lots of young bulls with trophy potential.

lb

Anyone know what NG 42 Masame looks like....going on first Ele hunt next May.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom In Tennessee:
Anyone know what NG 42 Masame looks like....going on first Ele hunt next May.

Tom,

I'll send you a PM on NG 42 shortly.

Greg

IF ANYONE HAS HUNTED NG42 CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE AREA AND MASAME CAMP?
THANKS!

Greg, great info! Thanks!

Hey..........Does anybody know where Harry Selby lives near, or around the Maun area??

http://www.johancalitzsafaris....11/bots_photo_11.htm


92 pounder shot