I have killed quite a few elephants. I look at the tusks and there seems to be a great disparity in tusk sizes even for those that supposedly weigh close to the same thing.

I am not always present when the tusks are weighed. The only time that I can remember being there, one tusk weighed 59+ as I recall. I saw it weighed myself.

I have another that is supposedly 56. I was not there when it was weighed. It appears to be FAR smaller than the 59 both in length and circumference.

I got another set today. It supposedly weighed 40 on the biggest tusk. It it noticeably longer and thicker than the 59.

All of these elephants were taken with the same company, same PH.

Has anyone experienced this? Can the nerve cavity cause this much of a difference?

I really question these weights.

Larry,

Are they already mounted in stands thus not weighable at present?

I've read that the nerve can vary weight up to 10%.

Personally, the weight would not matter to me unless I was on a Botswana or Tanzania hunt that charged the trophy fee predicated on weight of the tusk. But that's me.

Cheers
Jim

Jim:

I really don't care either. This set today just seemed so much bigger than a supposedly heavier set, it got my attention.

Yes, they have bases at this point.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Jim:

I really don't care either. This set today just seemed so much bigger than a supposedly heavier set, it got my attention.

Yes, they have bases at this point.

Are you questioning the weights stamped on the tusks, or the weights the PH gave you after the hunt?

Larry.......Personally, I DO NOT trust any weight that comes from an African scale. I think You of all people deserve to know the proper weight of any said tusk. I will gladly pay the freight on any and all tusks you would like properly weighed....and guarantee the weight to within a quarter of an ounce. Send them to me.....I will weigh them and get them right back to you immediately after the first of the year. Your office seems a bit cluttered anyway........... B

I know that I often fail to communicate my thoughts properly. Maybe what larryshores really wishes to ask is: "Does anyone know how much the specific gravity of elephant tusks can vary between tusks from different elephants?"

I have Googled it and found this interesting and relevant link: Ivory Properties Although I cannot, and do not, vouch for the accuracy of the information the range of SG variation given is from 1.70 to 1.85 - which is quite enough to explain larryshores' posted observations.

Very nice Larry, I'd keep them!!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

I should just a replica of these and stick it in my house.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

I should just a replica of these and stick it in my house.

Mike

The nerve does add a great difference. My Bots PH has had nerves go from 18" to 36" with no apparent ryhme nor reason based on age or other factors. I have only been present for weighing one set and that was wwith CMS last year. Nearly Identical at 45 pounds each.

Jeff

Nice set Larry

Beautiful set larry
I heard same thing
I noticed quite the difference in mine

Very Nice Larry.

Thanks all.

I measured one of these tusks. I am going to do the same with another tusk when I get home. It will be interesting to see the difference when the weight is supposedly 20 pounds different.

I did some quick measurements.

The supposedly lighter tusk is 1.5 inches longer and .25 thicker at the lip.

No wonder I am confused.

Not only the nerve, I'm think also the density of ivory can give different weight. I doubt that density is always the same, nor always "near the same". Based on my experience (a veterinarian thesis about bone density) if bone, in the same domestic species, same breeding condition, same sex and same age can have density variation of 10-20% from an animal to another, I can suppose that ivory in different elephants can have, at the last, similar variation... for density i mean quantity of minerals in ivory.

Well, I have at least a partial solution to the mystery.

These tusks were not the tusks I originally thought they were and was told they were. It is a different set.

The issue is still the same but the difference is not as great. The longer thicker ivory weighs 6 pounds less.

If you have taken enough elephants that you are having trouble keeping the sets of ivory straight then I want your problem. Those are impressive.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by DonW28:
If you have taken enough elephants that you are having trouble keeping the sets of ivory straight then I want your problem. Those are impressive.

Don

I suppose there are worse problems to have. LOL

The taxidermist originally misidentified the tusks. I am insanely busy. It wasn't until I got home late last night that I sorted it out, then verified with the taxidermist this morning.

Only ones I have were shot in Zimbabwe and I was lucky enough to be at the station when they were processed by game and fish. They weighed and then stamped them. They were weighed on an antique beam scale and weights were quite old and dinged but I cannot believe they were very far off. They are stamped in KG's to 2 decimals. They are also stamped with an identification number. The stamping on mine is all on the inside curve.