Being somewhat new to Africa hunting (and I apologize for the greenhorn questions) I am looking at trying to find a hunt for a good heavy tusked elephant and I was wondering if anyone could tell me who I should be talking to - I am prepared to wait in order to get the perfect area and PH.

thank you in advance for your help .
Peter Jameson

ps . i have been reading the forums a little the last few days and i commend the organisers for a great site.

quote:

I am prepared to wait in order to get the perfect area and PH

Are you prepared to go "now"? http://forums.accuratereloadin...2100588/m/6661015621

What's your budget? ($25-35K, $35-$45K, $45-$55K, unlimited)

What's your definition of the good ivory? (long thin pretty but maybe 45-55lbs, short stubby thick but maybe 55-65lbs) And would you shoot a one-tusker or broken-tusker if the other were large and the ele old?

How important is the "experience" of the hunt, versus the weight of the ivory? (30/70 experience vs weight, or 50/50, or more like 70/30)

Do you enjoy walking/tracking? (are you looking for a "gentleman's hunt", or a hard-core tracking hunt, or something in the middle)

I can think of dozens of other qualifying questions....but perhaps the most important...would you prefer to be on TV, DVD, or both?

Peter,

I would say Johan Calitz Safari's is what you are looking for. Ivan Carter, who is on here quite a bit, would be able to answer your questions and even be your PH if you are willing to wait for his line up of elephant hunters...DAN

I'd seriously consider going with Johan Calitz to one of his Botswana concessions or with John Abraham (Madubula Safaris) practically anywhere.

Whoever you choose, don't let the price make the decision for you -- a quality Elephant hunt is always an expensive adventure and I've always thought it a good plan to pay whatever it takes to get access to the very best concessions.

Pierr'e van Tonder at www.pvt.co.za has produced really big elephants the last few years. Retreever, who posts here killed a real giant and a fellow with him in camp last year did likewise.

Ivan Carter www.ivancarter.com and Buzz Carlton www.cmsafaris.com do well, of course. Buy their videos and see for yourself. I think that Aubrey Kent at www.pelandabasafaris.com has a concession where big bulls come out of a park/reserve and a good chance at a 50# plus elephant is more than likely.

Karl Stumpf has concessions in the Caprivi where big elephants roam. www.huntingsafaris.net

HHK at www.hhksafaris.com now has Matetsi 3 and big elephants are around when water dries up in Hwange.

I've hunted with Pierr'e and will hunt with Buzz and Karl next year, Aubrey, eventually??? and Ivan in 2011. I'll be with Lou Hallamore and HHK twice this year after elephants.

Heck, look at the names on the thread about offered hunts. We are blessed here with some really good booking agents. Mark Young, Ron Oliver, Wendell Reich, David Keith. They represent other good elephant P.H.'s .... I could go on. They all have satisfied customers who have posted here. Do a search and you'll find some amazingly well written hunt reports.

Remember, shopping for the right P.H., the right deal, the right time of the season... all of it is fun!

I know I left some folks out, but I'm limiting my comments to those I know personally and can vouch for from experience.

www.kambakosafaris.com might not offer budget lined Elephant hunts but this might not be an issue for some one with a quest for an 80lbs+ Tusker.

www.cmsafaris.com

Buzz Charlton is one of the absolute best a producing nice tusked bulls. He and his partner Myles have produced two very good Elephant hunting DVDs. You might contact MJines here. I believe he has hunted Elephant with Buzz for several years in a row, and has always had good success. Marvelous concessions in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
www.kambakosafaris.com might not offer budget lined Elephant hunts but this might not be an issue for some one with a quest for an 80lbs+ Tusker.

Note; Elephant items from Mozambique can not be brought into the USA at this stage.

Most importantly, dont forget to turn on the camera.

Mike

I would love to shoot another big elephant.. But I'll be damned if would shoot one in Mozambique and cant bring it back to the USA. It would really bother me if I had to let ozhunter take my ivory to Australia...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
www.cmsafaris.com

Buzz Charlton is one of the absolute best a producing nice tusked bulls. He and his partner Myles have produced two very good Elephant hunting DVDs. You might contact MJines here. I believe he has hunted Elephant with Buzz for several years in a row, and has always had good success. Marvelous concessions in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Rich

Last season Buzz guided clients to some exceptional bulls including one 70 pound one tusker that I am particularly proud of. Check out his website. He is also ready to deal on some early season bulls in Dande East that come in from Moz if someone is in a position to go in the next two or three months. That would be a great chance for a big tusker.

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
I'll be damned if would shoot one in Mozambique and cant bring it back to the USA. It would really bother me if I had to let ozhunter take my ivory to Australia...

Mike

Mate, Australia is even better, we don't allow any Ivory or spotted cat skin into the country..
Ive often wondered which AR member would be best to have take care of any future Leopard skin or Ivory.

Peter: Let me begin by saying...."I agree with nearly every word in the previous posts"!!!
Now....I am not new to this game, I have been at it way to long --------, but, making that decision on who to book with is an absolute killer.
I have worked my tu-tu off trying to make the proper decision FOR ME....not what someone else thinks. Although a lot of the guys on AR Think Very Good!!!
I COULD NOT have gone wrong with Buzz and Miles of CMSafaris. Those guys are simply special.
But....in the end I chose Graeme Pollock of SAFARIS BOTSWANA BOUND.
I booked the first hunt of the season come April 3, 2012.
It came down to.....EXACTLY what did I want???
You need to KNOW in your mind what you are looking for.
For me, it came down to this equasion....
1. The opportunity for heavy Ivory. (without a damned sliding scale that would price me out of the market....even IF a 100 pounder showed up!!!)
2. An "all-in" price I could afford.
3. That my daughter and grandaughter would be able to make every step of the hunt just a few feet behind me and the PH.

Tanzania = Boy do I like long skinny Ivory, I would prefer it anyday...But....CANNOT AFFORD IT.
Mozambique = CANNOT GET THE IVORY HOME. Screw that.
South Africa = I Doubt it.
Zimbabwe = Could not go wrong with Buzz & Miles or Barry & Rob Styles. But...I'm going to have my girls along. Camps? Camps? Camps? Many times the boys do not have control over what they have. It just wasn't right at the time for me.
Botswana = That damned sliding scale for Ivory weight.....except for Graeme.

When it's all said and done....this was right for me. That is what it needs to be for you.

Now, I've got two years of absolute pure ANTICIPATORY JOY AND DELIGHT. A reason to eat right. A reason to STAY in fighting shape. A REASON TO LIVE WITH JOY!!!
By the way.....Graeme Pollock and Safaris Botswana Bound was recommended to me by Peter Flack.....who also bought a hunt with Graeme next year in 2011.

Peter,

In my humble opinion the best area for a reasonable chance within 14 days of hunting an Elephant over 60 lbs or at least 50 Lbs would be in the Nyae Nyae conservancy (formerly known as Bushmanland) Namibia. This is the place I personally would go. Kai-Uwe Denker is the current concession holder, he is an experienced ph and has an impressive average on elephant.
This area has arguably one of the best averages in terms of ivory pounds over the last 20years in Africa.

The next best area and possibly just as good would be east kavango (western border of Kaudom park) also in Namibia. This area has also produced averages over 60lbs and Denker shot a 100 pounder (101 and 98lbs) here several years ago when he was the concessionaire there. Currently Allan Cilliers hunts this area and is also an experienced ph.

The 100 pounder shot in Nyae Nyae (yes this one was 115lbs and Denker also was the ph) was 2.04m in length and 64cm in circumference if memory serves me correctly which is far from short.

The average circumferences for the ivory from these areas seems to be between 18" - 21"/22" and lengths on the outside curve on average seem to be about 6ft.

My opinion the key is to try shoot as old an ele as possible over 40 years being the starting point and the hunt for ele is arguably the ultimate. I also do not personally place much value in shooting a symmetrical "tusked" ele and am interested in the heaviest tusk even if it only has a single tusk within reason of coarse.

85 POUNDER Masailand


76X77 & 78X79 POUNDERS NW Zimbabwe

The 85 pounder is one of many big elephants that wonder in and out of our areas bordering Tarangire Park in Tanzania

The two Zim elephant are two of many big boys that move back and forth from the Hwange Park into the Forestry areas

Peter,

The two areas above are excellent but there are many more. Tholo Safaris in Botswana should produce 60# with no sliding scale. Zambezi hunters has produced some bautiful ivory near the Gonarhezou Park in Zimbabwe. These hunts run $35,000 to twice that much. Call me if you'd like to discuss any of these. The dialogue is free.

Mark

Thank you gentlemen .

i see some disconnect here unless i am missing something

CM safaris is in the zambezi valley of zimbabwe correct? unless i am mistaken and they have other areas i am not aware of , the Zambezi valley does not produce consistent big ivory .

I am leaning to Botswana or Tanzania - I have found some very interesting posts on here and some great information so thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Peter,

Botswana and/or Tanzania are good choices but might I suggest you research exact areas and times of year very carefully. Both can affect success rates and trophy sizes dramatically.

I'd also suggest that bearing mind your particular requirements, you don't make price your first priority. If you want the best chance of really big ivory, it ain't gonna be cheap.

CMS's Chewore North borders Mozambique. The eles move into Zim to raid crops toward the end of the wet season, as the crops ripen. This is CMS's hunters' opportunity to take big tusked eles from Dande North.

JPK

Chifuti has Chewore North and South, not CMS.

You owe it to yourself to check out Miombo Safaris: http://www.miombosafaris.com/

Peter,

In 2006, my husband wanted to shoot one big bull elephant in his life. We booked with HHK Safaris in their Chirisa Concession for March 2007 (which was supposed to be primetime). On day 3, two bulls about 45 pounds were seen and passed on. After 13 days of very hard hunting a smaller bull was shot. The big bulls just never came out of the park and it was just one of those things that happen in hunting. We still had a very enjoyable and great hunt.

After extensive research, he decided on Johan Calitz in Botswana and booked CT2 for 2012.Through a lucky cancellation we will be going this September to NG32. This is Johan's best area,at $49,300. His other prime areas are NG34,NG41, and CT2 at $47,900. These hunts include ivory to 59.5 pounds, with $5,000 additional trophy fee for every 10 pounds of additional green ivory weight. So a bull to 69.5 is $5,000 more, 79.5 is $10,000 more and over 80 pounds is $15,000 additional fees.

Good luck in your search and best of luck finding the big tusker. An excellent DVD is "Big Botswana Tuskers".