Kenya - Forest Elephants

05 August 2005, 15:56

Thought you guys would get a kick out of this...

Background: We have a 70 acre farm, that is surrounded on 3 sides by forest which links up to the Aberdares. It's at 8,700ft elevation and is very foggy this time of year. We've been having a lot of problems recently w/ elephants coming into our area, destroying crops etc.. Last year 1 killed a villager and KWS rangers shot 4 in our area last year.

Present: Our askaris wake us at 3am as two elephants have broken into our area, are next to our gardners house, in his little 50 by 50 ft maize patch and refusing to leave even when they blast their fog horns.

So my dad and I go out (definitely not 'using enough gun'!), my dad has a .308 and I have my great grandfathers single shot shotgun that he used while working on the east african railway.

We approach the area cautiously, as it is thick w/ fog, beaming our flashlights to and fro trying to find them. We can hear them but can't see them.

We get to within 25 feet and then see a large grey mountain rising up from the middle of the maize. I fire a shot in the air and it takes off like a train. Charging to our right and breaking through another section of fence as if it didn't even exist.

Talk about a good 3am adrenaline rush!

05 August 2005, 16:33

T.Carr

Mohanjeet,

You are a brave man. I am glad the elephant didn't take off in your direction or we would be reading your obituary.

Regards,

Terry

05 August 2005, 17:19

Charles_Helm

All in all, I think I prefer my alarm clock...

05 August 2005, 18:41

Wendell Reich

So, what did the rest of our AR members do last night?

It is funny to hear stories like that. I don't recall ever being awakened by an Elephant emergency here in Dallas?

05 August 2005, 18:46

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
I don't recall ever being awakened by an Elephant emergency here in Dallas?

Nope, just breaking glass on the front door, fires across the street (in front and on the side street at different times), car wrecks, drunks, late night/early moring parties, women whose boyfriends tried to throw them off a balcony, etc.

Maybe I need to get some more elephants in my neighborhood.

05 August 2005, 19:18

465H&H

Three nights ago I was awakened by my lab barking in the back yard around 2 am. I went to the door and saw him looking toward a garden shed in our fenced yard. I called him in to keep him from disturbing the neighbors and as soon as he ran past me brushing my bare leg in the process I got the unpleasant smack to my nostrils of strong skunk smell. I yelled at him just as he was about to jump on to the bed with my wife and ran him back out. The smell was strong enough in our bedroom that we had to sleep in another room. Luckily the smell in the bedroom was gone by morning and a dose of shower for me and tomato juice and vinegar for him solved the smell isssue. I think I would prefer the elephants in the mealies.

465H&H

05 August 2005, 19:41

carmelolisciotto

Interesting post.
I just left Kenya and when I was there I witnessed some very "outgoing" Elephant herds along the lines of what you described. I don't think I would have had the balls to go out with a shotgun... a "45-70" maybe hahaha

quote:
Originally posted by MoBrar:
Thought you guys would get a kick out of this...

Background: We have a 70 acre farm, that is surrounded on 3 sides by forest which links up to the Aberdares. It's at 8,700ft elevation and is very foggy this time of year. We've been having a lot of problems recently w/ elephants coming into our area, destroying crops etc.. Last year 1 killed a villager and KWS rangers shot 4 in our area last year.

Present: Our askaris wake us at 3am as two elephants have broken into our area, are next to our gardners house, in his little 50 by 50 ft maize patch and refusing to leave even when they blast their fog horns.

So my dad and I go out (definitely not 'using enough gun'!), my dad has a .308 and I have my great grandfathers single shot shotgun that he used while working on the east african railway.

We approach the area cautiously, as it is thick w/ fog, beaming our flashlights to and fro trying to find them. We can hear them but can't see them.

We get to within 25 feet and then see a large grey mountain rising up from the middle of the maize. I fire a shot in the air and it takes off like a train. Charging to our right and breaking through another section of fence as if it didn't even exist.

Talk about a good 3am adrenaline rush!

05 August 2005, 19:45

Hog Killer

quote:
Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
I don't recall ever being awakened by an Elephant emergency here in Dallas?

The only one I know of in Dallas who would get that call is NE 450#2. He gets all of the "fun" calls.

Hog Killer

05 August 2005, 20:03

Lhook7

That beats the hell out of my "racoon eating my dog food" story.

05 August 2005, 20:08

Wendell Reich

Hog killer,

I know, Some guys get to have all the fun ...

Now, I know all of you have run this scenario through your mind. If you tell me you haven't ... you are either lying or don't have much of an imagination.

You are at home (driving in your car, at work ... whatever) you happen to have your big bore rifle with you. Then you see it.

The Elephant that has escaped from the local Zoo. They need your help.

Tell me you haven't thought about it ...

05 August 2005, 20:10

MoBrar

You're right about that Terry! We were right next to a small wooden house..not that he couldn't have come through it but was a bit of a consolation.

don't think i'd have the balls or lack of brains to go in if it was just an open field : )

06 August 2005, 00:39

butchloc

kind of reminds me of a few years ago after a hunt my wife and I took one of the canoe trips down the zambezi. There were these 2 english women, who had traveled together much on the trip. In one of the camps the elephants had more or less taken over. The chalets bathrooms were open on top. We were sitting around the fire tipping one or two when we heard a blook curdling scream. Seems as one of english women was sitting on the john, when this big gray trunk came over the top and started smelling around the sink. I doubt that I'll ever see another women run that fast or scream that loud

06 August 2005, 02:29

invader66

quote:
Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
So, what did the rest of our AR members do last night?

It is funny to hear stories like that. I don't recall ever being awakened by an Elephant emergency here in Dallas?

It was Texas vs Oklahoma weekend 1971. I was Awaken by an Elephant at 3 am. Or was she a Warthog?

06 August 2005, 02:59

DrScott

We did have that gorilla get out of the Dallas zoo not that long ago. When people ask me why I have a 375 or 416 or 458 I remind them about the gorilla and say sooner or later an elephant is going to get out.
Scott

06 August 2005, 03:24

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by DrScott:
We did have that gorilla get out of the Dallas zoo not that long ago. When people ask me why I have a 375 or 416 or 458 I remind them about the gorilla and say sooner or later an elephant is going to get out.
Scott

They'll just call NE 450 No 2 again to "sort it out."

06 August 2005, 06:58

Cognac

Mo,

I just want to know where was Premo? Did the elephants get in his cabbage?

Tell everyone Tracy and I said Hi. We will see you soon.

David McNeil

06 August 2005, 09:40

Hog Killer

quote:
Originally posted by DrScott:
We did have that gorilla get out of the Dallas zoo not that long ago. When people ask me why I have a 375 or 416 or 458 I remind them about the gorilla and say sooner or later an elephant is going to get out.
Scott

Go to the circus when it comes to town and wait outside, maybe an ele will escape

It's the only way to beat NE450#2 to the scene.

Hog Killer

06 August 2005, 10:41

Honkey

The worst wildlife problem I ever had was a rattler bit one of my dogs when I lived in California (he recovered and is still with me today)
Up here in Maine last year a HUGE bull moose trampled and ate my wifes garden, unfortunatly it was out of season and I was not drawn for a tag anyway

06 August 2005, 14:47

MoBrar

Hi David,

Great to hear from you. You know Premo, he's smarter than me...was sleeping in a warm bed!!!

Too bad we didn't have your .500, especially as they came back yesterday at 7:30pm and had to get the trusty shot gun out again.

See you here later in the year. Everyone sends their regards to you & Tracy.

Mohanjeet

07 August 2005, 13:57

carcano91

quote:
Originally posted by MoBrar:
...

A very good story, Mohanjeet, thank you a lot.

These days, I would be more worried about having to shoot a rampant KWS ranger (cf. Tom Cholmondeley's case) than a forest elephant gone wild... sorry for the whiff of cynicism, it's just that the case did occupy my heart a lot recently.

Concerning the import of firearms to Kenya (in my case: competitive shooting), can you tell me how bureaucratic and how approachable the Central Firearms Bureau and esp. Stephen Ole Mpesha are?

We can take that to email if it be not of general interest.

Thank you a lot,
Carcano

08 August 2005, 07:08

NitroX

Mohanjeet,

The joys and experiences of living "in-country" I guess.

Provided they don't "flee" overtop of you, some experiences to tell the grand-children oneday. Hopefully they will still be able to enjoy such experiences themselves.

Good to hear the Aberdares still have enough elephant in them to raid the maize crops.