After having talked with Buzz Charlton and Myles McClallum at DSC in the past, I met with them again this year at DSC and booked the hunt. I'll be doing a PAC ele at the end of March in Zimbabwe. I am so excited that I probably won't be worth a damn at work until this hunt arrives! With only 9 weeks left to go until I leave, suddenly there are tons of things to do and think about.

Watching their video is absolutely incredible. Having booked the hunt, I can no longer watch it completely detached, but instead realize that I could soon be in a similar position, with eles within spitting distance. Talk about getting fired up!

Even better (can it get better?), after meeting with Gracy Travel while at the show, I realized how easy it would be to stop over in Windhoek for a few days either coming or going, and do an abbreviated plains game hunt there. Having taken most of the plains game in Zim and RSA before, I've never had a good reason to stop in Namibia. This will give me a chance to take a few species indigenous to Namibia, without making a whole trip over just for that. If it turns out to be a warm-up for the ele hunt, perfect. I met a few Namibia outfits at DSC as well, and have a few solid leads to work with once flight schedules are finalized.

Fundamentally, I have a two week trip, with three dyas hunting in Namibia, and the rest in Zimbabwe. And I wasn't even planning on booking a trip when we left for Dallas! I definitley need to go to Dallas more often! And in case you are wondering, my very supportive wife was with me in Dallas, and gave her blessing to this trip on the spur of the minute. What more can a guy ask for?

Thanks to everyone on this forum who has posted and written about their elephant hunts in the past. You have provided the fuel that helped me get over the hump and book this trip.

Since I will be generally hunting communal land for problem elephants, instead of a large concession, I believe I will have a bit more interaction with local villagers, etc. I'm thinking I may have luggage room to take over some supplies for the village. My first thought is school supplies. Any ideas what might be appropriate and a hit with the local villagers? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

9 weeks and counting...!

Bill

Bill,

First off super....Nine weeks that is way to cool...I am excited and you will join the ranks...

Pencils, small notebooks, shirts...I took hard tack candies....

Mike

Hard candy is a really great thing to take. Keep it in the truck with you, as you'll run into youngsters all the time. When I was in Zimbabwe last June my PH handed out all of our empty plastic water bottles at a village to the kids, and they thought that was the coolest thing they'd ever seen!

Also, I took an SCI Blue Bag and some school supplies. It was a highlight of the trip. The PAC elephant should be a gas. Generally, you'd have the option to upgrade to something that is exportable if you get the itch for a bull. Is that possible on this hunt?

Bill,

Very cool! On my first trip to Zim I took a Polaroid camera and took photos that I gave to the kids. They loved it. The looks on thier faces when the image appeared was worth millions. Not sure if you can find a Polaroid, but if you can it's worth hauling it and the film.

It was nice to meet you and your wife.

Take Care,

-Steve

Congrats and good luck. I hunted with Buzz and am in his video. I shot too high on a frontal brain shot and had to follow it up with a heart/lung. If you use a scope on your elephant hunt then make sure you adjust it to shoot at about 25 yards. Mine was set at the typical 100 yards and I thought, "no big deal as surely I can remember to bring it down a few inches". Well, once I was directly in front of my tuskless at 20 yards I was too excited to remember and I shot too high. Buzz wanted me to adjust at the sight in, but I didn't think it would matter. IT MATTERED.
If you want to be a big hit with the villagers take a few soccer balls, whistles and pumps. They will love you for it.


You can borrow money, but you can't borrow time. Go now.

You're screwed. I have a perpetual reservation for March for P.A.C. elephants. I booked the return before I ever left Zim!

Have a SUPER safari.

Thanks, everyone for the great suggestions. I am already telling everyone this is my "first" elephant hunt, so yes, I do believe I am in trouble!

Steve, Mike, and Bwana - those are all excellent ideas. It doesn't look like I'll have any trouble filling an extra suitcase. (I knew that already, but at least now I can fill it with things they really want.)

Ernest, I saw your eyes light up at the dinner table Friday in Dallas wwhen I just mentioned a PAC hunt! It doesn't take much to see how valued these experiences are to those who have "been there".

Please keep the suggestions coming everyone. Obviously I can't take it all, but it is fun to collect things for the kids.

Not quite under 9 weeks yet, but still counting down...

Bill

Buzz will give you a great safari!

Steve, it isn't only the kids but the trackers love them also. They are in a lot of pictures but never get a copy for themselves. In Namabia a couple of years ago with Vaughan I had a polaroid picture that didn't develop completely and I threw it the trash. A little later I saw the cleaning girl with it and she was showing it to others very proudly and keep it in her apron pocket.

Bill,

My camera is a sony cyber shot with 12X optical zoom...With it my wife and I took a sony printer for photos...We gave everyone in camp photos of them doing there jobs and also fun photos also with them in..The printer pac holds all ink and photo paper for up to 80 pics...4X6 inch.....

If possible your camera should have the AA batteries and the silver electronic Everyready ones they really go far...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Steve, it isn't only the kids but the trackers love them also. They are in a lot of pictures but never get a copy for themselves. In Namabia a couple of years ago with Vaughan I had a polaroid picture that didn't develop completely and I threw it the trash. A little later I saw the cleaning girl with it and she was showing it to others very proudly and keep it in her apron pocket.

You're absolutly right. I also gave the trackers and scouts photos. Big grins.

I usually travel with a digital camera (and lattop for journaling and videos on the flight). I wonder if I could find a portable color printer that wouldn't take much space.

-Steve

quote:

I usually travel with a digital camera (and lattop for journaling and videos on the flight). I wonder if I could find a portable color printer that wouldn't take much space.

Absolutely, there are a lot of them now. I took w/me in 05 a Canon CP-220 "dye-sublimation" battery and AC-powered portable printer that is "PictBridge" compatible, along with the necessary supplies. It was great, as I was able to print out picts for trackers and staff, as well as a few of the local folks. I am not sure that it would have the same impact in other parts of Africa, but in Zambia where the villages are quite rural, it was a big hit. Regards, Bill

Bill - Congrat's on booking w/Buzz & Myles. I'll be there in 6 weeks!

Congrats and have great time. I am booked with Buzz in August, so leave one or two for me.

Bill-

Congratulations!! 9 weeks will be upon you quickly. Buzz and Myles are great guys, I know you will have a BLAST.

Last year, on our trip to Zambia, we took a SCI Blue Bag. Of everything in the bag the natives seemed to like the new toothbrushes the best. I'm sure your local dentist will donate some for the cause.

Does this trip now make you elephantpacker?

John

llamapacker,

You can do no better than book an elephant hunt with Buzz. Especially, if you end up in the thick bush or jesse. His team is incredible when things get rowdy.

Last summer, I lost my scope when I found all the ele cow herds would be in the jesse and I am glad I did, as a scope would be a handicap at quick frontal brain shots at close distances. Ask Buzz about expected thickness of cover that time of year and get his recommendation for scope/no scope. Also, consider caliber, close hunting requires heavy calibers 416 min, 450 and above IMHO.

Good luck on a great hunt!

Dak

I hunted with Alan Shearing Aug-Sept 06.Alan works for Buzz.You will have a great time.Took a tuskless cow about 16 yds from the muzzle of the Searcy 500 double.You will not regret it

Wombat,
I will also be hunting with Alan this trip. I've heard such good reports on Alan I wasn't the slightest bit concerned when told he would be the PH on this hunt. While I've only met Buzz and Myles, I feel that I know Alan just from reading about him on this forum. Thanks for the vote of confidence in Alan.

Bill

What is a ball park figure (cost) for a PAC hunt like this?

Including daily fees, trophy fees, charter, camera man, etc., but NOT counting airfare to Africa, you can keep it under $10K.

Bill

quote:

Including daily fees, trophy fees, charter, camera man, etc., but NOT counting airfare to Africa, you can keep it under $10K.

We do this hunt for $5k, five days. If you don't get your PAC, it works out at only $2k. Usually, clients extend to 14 days with PG or other DG to follow the PAC.

russ do you have some contact numbers.

503 263 3787 pacific time zone 9-9 but not always.

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the info.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:

quote:

We do this hunt for $5k, five days. If you don't get your PAC, it works out at only $2k. Usually, clients extend to 14 days with PG or other DG to follow the PAC.

5K U.S for a 5 day Elephant hunt???? Which country??

zim babwi i was talking with russ on the phone......and im working on doing 2-3 elephants my self

Things that seemed in dire need when I was in Zim were Pens, they need lots of them. I bought a box of those cheapy Bic pens and a box of pencils. You thought I gave the gift of life when handing out pencils and pens to the school kids as they were walking too and from school.. Hard candies are a hit with everybod you meet. The biggest grins tho were from the regular camp staff followed by the trackers when they had their own Poleroids.. In Zambia I was going to take a few pictures of the local fisheman and families, suddenly they politly asked me to please stop and wait, the whole family herded into their huts and came out in moments dressed in their Sunday best.. Don't laugh.. but the whole time I was taking pictures I was having a hard time focusing as my eye's kept swelling up with tears.. I ended up using all my film in that small village in the bush, just didn't have the heart to turn any one family away. Saddest part is, I have no pictures of them for myself..

Excellent. Buzz said today that he only had a few things left to sell. Sounds like he had a tuskless, a bull and maybe one more buff available.

Glad you got in. I'll be there early June for tuskless.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
We do this hunt for $5k, five days. If you don't get your PAC, it works out at only $2k. Usually, clients extend to 14 days with PG or other DG to follow the PAC.

Jeez! Are there PAC buffalo hunts?