Already booked for a buffalo hunt in September in Tanzania, but thinking about 2007. For those that have hunted elephant before, what are the recommendations:

- Best outfitter and best country
- Hunt one good bull or several non-importable elephants
- PAC hunts versus trophy hunts

What other questions should I be asking? I know little about elephant hunting and just trying to get steered in the right direction.

Mike, the first question you have to ask is???
How much do you want to spend...
Time of year, and how much time can you give to the hunt...
Up close all eles are intimidating..Took mine at 30 feet...In the jess..

Mike

I have only hunted Zimbabwe and have only taken 3 Ele's. First 2 were non-export and I'm sitting here looking at the tusks on the coffee table from the 3rd. I'm actually more proud of those tusks than anything I've shot in 8 safaris. I have 2 Zebra rugs and 2 Elephant tusks and the tusks are priceless. If I were to have the opportunity to go again I would go for several non-importables but if I had never taken an exportable trophy I certainly would want to bring one set of tusks home. I sit here and look at them every night and remember the hunt as if it were yesterday. That's what priceless means to me.

I recommend you hunt an elephant bull.
I agree with Zimbabwe, there is nothing like having your "own" ivory.
I have shot 2 elephant bulls and 3 cows. I would try to book a trip that would allow me to shoot a bull and a couple of cows.
My last hunt and my next hunt will be with Brooklands Safaris.

Totally agree with Zimbabwe. I look at my tusk often and relive the adventure. However, when I think of my elephant hunts I think of hunting tuskless cows in thick cover. I do not think you can undertake something more exciting and potentially dangerous. IMHO tuskless cows offer you the most "bang" for your buck than any other hunt you can take on. However, if can afford the elephant bull go for it. Either way you will never forget the experience of a lifetime.

I have shot two tuskless cows. Both were hunts of a lifetime. I really want to hunt a good bull as well. But I'm going back in Oct for more than a handful of tuskless. For 2007 I am going to book a good bull hunt with a tuskless or two for afterward as NE 450 No2 suggest.

I wanted to earn a fair bit of elephant experience on the (relative) cheap before I spring for an expensive bull hunt. I would definitely go for a tuskless or two before a bull hunt, there is much to learn. Chances are good that your first elephant hunt won't be your last, if you can swing the bucks.

JPK

How does the cost of the tuskless cow hunts compare with a bull hunt? 25% less, 50% less, other?

That question is a little hard to answer since bull hunt prices vary alot based on potential for ivory. Tuskless hunts don't vary so much but they are often for more than one tuskless or more "other" game on the menu so comparing apples to apples is difficult.

Here is some help though, 2006 pricing.

Tuskless trophy fee is generally $2500.

Bull trophy fees that I have seen have been as low as $8000 and as high as $16000, all this in Zimbabwe. The pricing generally varries based on potential ivory size.

Botswana is more expensive, but may/probably/does? produce bigger potential ivory. Pricing within Botswana is also variable and apparently based again on potential ivory.

Daily rate, as advertised and not as negotiated, 2006 pricing.

Tuskless runs from something less that $700 to about $1000. I was once quoted lower for a Nov hunt but the pricing evaporated when the dates were moved forward and other game was discussed. It seems, as you would expect, that the day rate goes up the more tuskless you hunt in a given time period or when you throw in a buff or other highly desired quary. I don't recall seeing a hunt for less than seven days but I think that if you are in a half decent area you would have a lot of time on your hands if your only quota was one tuskless on a seven day hunt.

I saw bull day rates from $1000 to about $2000 for one bull, often a ten or fourteen day minimum. I have seen two bull hunts above $2000 but if you average between the two bulls they were each in the range. Most day rate pricing was toward the lower $1000/day number.

The day rate pricing above is for Zim. Tuskless are a Zim only proposition.

Botswana was generally priced higher.

Some Zim bull hunts can be found that beat whats above, especially when the hunt has been discounted because it has not sold and time is running short. For instance there is a $16000 ten day? bull hunt being advertised here now. That works out to $800/day and an $8000 trophy fee.

Hope this helps and you can mull through and get an estimate. The pricing can be confusing.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by MJines: How does the cost of the tuskless cow hunts compare with a bull hunt?

Good stuff from JPK in regards to price. In Zim, excluding last minute deals, allocate $7500 for 7-day tuskless, $8500 for a non-trophy bull, and $24000 for a "good" bull ele hunt in an area that is going to offer an excellent experience. In the few areas where one can get a larger trophy prices go up (and perhaps the experience goes down). Of course prices range depending on the exact concession, time of the year, what else is available during the hunt as JPK said (plainsgame, buffalo), and who is selling it. Botswana and Namibia…$35K and up with generally speaking a different type of experience.

Besides "trophy quality", you must also ask a lot of questions in regards to the concession (wild area or populated, does it boarder a national park), how the hunting is conducted (most in Zim tracking on foot but a few trophy areas are more truck hunts), how experienced is the PH including what special techniques and tactics has he gathered over the years, time of the year and related migratory movements (early season or late season), available water and conditions if it is a dry/wet year, etc etc.

Check out this website for some packages: http://cmsafaris.com/zimele.htm. Chifuti and HHK are two others to consider in Zimbabwe. It all comes down to what your priorities are, how you want to hunt, and what your budget is.

Order Buzz Charlton's DVD if you have not already. Good luck!

I ordered the DVD earlier this week. Just finished reading Ndlovu by Richard Harland and am currently reading Elephants, Ivory & Hunters by Tony Sanchez-Arino. Once I have read and watched everything out there, then I will have nothing left to do other than to go hunt elephant!

When it says non-export bulls, does that mean that nothing is importable -- hide too?

Mike
That is correct, nothing.
Take a look at www.brooklandssafaris.com
I hunted with Dale Des Fountain.
I shot a bull elephant at less than 6 yards frontal brain in the Deka, and a cow elephant in the Save at 5 yards side brain.
Dale likes to get close.
I am returning to hunt with him in Oct.

I submit www.tshabezisafaris.com - I know a guy who has hunted five trophy bulls with this firm.

His photo is on the home page, top right. His "play" biz is www.rangemasteroutfitters.com

There's many pic's of African hunts there including many with above the firm.

i hunted with safaries botwana bound and had a great time i would highly recomend them if your looking for big ivory with out crushing your bank book.also the amount of buffalo in the area i hunted ng 47 was absolutly outta this world.

I have hunted with tshabezi twice now and as soon as I can put together the $ will go again. great people. Lots of elephant.
I just talked to Duddley and he has extra bull quota this year. He can still sell some hunts in 06.

I suggest going after a cow or two first to see if ele hunting is for you and to keep expenses reasonable during. If you like ele hunting, then book a bull. Buf if you do not like walking long distances at a very rapid pace day in and day out, then better to find out on a less expensive cow hunt. Also, bulls will travel 3x the distance of cows - something to consider.