I continually read about different hunting areas in Zim and having not been there, have trouble keeping it all straight. What are the premiere areas of Zim for the biggest bull elephants and at what season?

I believe the bulls with the biggest bodies are those found in the Hwange National Park and Matetsi areas. Ivory from this area can be heavy and tends to be thick and shorter than that found on the bulls from the Zambezi Valley. Another area that has produced heavy ivory is the Tsolotcho (wrong spelling, I know) area in the southeast near Gonarezou. Best times to go are early, February/March, or late, October/November.

David,

The Tsholotsho area borders Hwange National Park on its south east border. Are you thinking of Chiredzi (which has a border with Gonarezhou)?

But that is where the larger elephants come from, either around Hwange or around Gonarezhou. The Zambezi Valley is not known for its large tuskers.

Regards,

Terry

Every year elephants in the seventy and eighty pound range come from tribal areas bordering Chizzaria national park.

For clarification, I'm referring to the size of their ivory.

Doesn't that Tsholotsho area have quite a bit of low lying land with swampy (Botswana type) of stuff?? Who has hunted there?....and what PH hunts the area? I know Russell Caldecote from The Ultimate speaks very highly of that area! Thanks

I don't think the Tsholotsho area is swampy, certainly not like the Okavango Delta. The last I heard, Matupula Hunters hunted that area. As I understand it, one drives the road that borders Hwange looking for elephants that left the park during the night. You try to catch the elephant before he gets back to the park in the morning. I have even read some reports where they have hunted elephant at night. One guy said he shot his elephant at midnight.

Regards,

Terry

i took a 55# near ghanarezhou last year, there was a 67# taken there a bit latter and a 80# the year before. all with jumbo moore. the body size isn't as big as hwange, but I believe the ivory is larger and the hunting is definately easier

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
For clarification, I'm referring to the size of their ivory.

SBT

Tsholotsho has produced some spectacular ivory in recent years.

My ph has a elephant permit in Tsholotsho near Wankie National Park. He says the end of June would be good and they guaruantee 50lbs plus for around $30,000 including daily fees for 18 days and trophy fee for elephant.
Or he has one permit for 50lb plus elephant on Kruger border at Crooks Corner or Gatche.
Call me if you are interested. He is still in the States this week. 281-228-2533

SBT

Kazuma and Ngamo in the northwest have produced some very good ivory for Barrie Duckworth in recent years. 60 pounds seems to be attainable and 70-80 plus are taken on occasion.

Mark

Terry,

You're right! In any case, I am headed to Deka in October. I hope one of those big bulls makes an appearance.

From what I have seen in Zim, the big ones are like diamonds and can come from almost anywhere if we consider a 60 to 80 lb ele a big one. The Hwange and Gonareshou areas probably average heavier.

The Tsholotsho area isn't swampy but if your there in the rains expect hub deep gumbo mud.

465H&H

There are two different Tsholotsho blocks- North and South. Tsholotsho South has historically produced much larger bulls.

Pen DeVries hunted the area until 2002, and then his brother Thys DeVries of Lions Den Safaris began operating the area in partnership with Jack Andrews. Their head PHs are Doug Hidden, Calvin Nobrega and Thys DeVries.

In 2002 Pen DeVries won the Best of 3 Elephant Bulls Award from the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association. He also won the Biggest Bull award with a 90 pounder.

In 2004 Doug Hidden won the Best of 3 Elepahnt Bulls from the ZPHGA taking a 81 pounder, 79 pounder and a 65 pounder in Tsholotsho South. Their other PH Calvin Nobrega won the Biggest Bull Award with a 93 pounder.

We have not seen any other area in all of Zimbabwe that produces this consistently for big elephant in the last 4 or 5 years.

But as others have said, the bulls seem to be becoming more and more nocturnal when they come into the hunting area.

Also, we have witnessed the biggest bulls being taken in recent years later in the season- September/October and even early November.

Regards,
John Barth

Well....I just wish Russell Caldecot was reading this thread. I'm tellin' you, everytime he spoke about this area (Tsholotsho) his eyes would just light up. I think he has a personal PH friend who is hunting it. Anyway, he has told me on numerous occasions, IT IS THE PLACE TO GO. When I was in the Gwaii last year... another PH's place, (I believe his name is Frank Lau) was absolutely being torn to pieces by the Ele's coming out of Hwange. I would think with so many of the bore hole pumps kaput because of lack of petrol, and all around laziness and lack of work to keep them up and running that many more Jumbo's would be leaving the park for these areas to the south.

It is one of "The" places to go for big elephant bulls but not the place to go for a true elephant hunting experience. A couple of Zim PHs have told me that I would be disappointed in a hunt there. Hunting there amounts to driving up and down the park border looking for tracks coming out of the park. If tracks are seen the follow up is usually short. The other way to hunt is to sit at one of the few water holes and shoot one that comes out to drink. I read one story where the PH had figured out that when he turned on the bore hole pump the eles would come out of the park to water. One way to call elephants? Ok for others I suppose but surely not my cup of tea.

465H&H

465H&H is correct. I hunted this place with Jack last year for Non-Tropy elephant. It was my third time to this camp. Lots has changed in the last 5 year with that area. The Parks Dept was in the process of replacing the old park fence with a new electric one while were were there hunting. Jumbo was hard to find even at the water holes. I ended up taking a young bull about 45 miles from the park. It was a good hunt and we saw lots of elephant but since this was a non trophy hunt we were not looking for big ivory. Not sure how this new fence will change things, Jack seemed a little concerned. If the animals are not able to leave the park then his area is worthless. There is some nice ivory there but it takes some luck to find them on the right side of the fence. They tend to come out of the park at night and return befor day break. I was there in 2002 when the 90+ pounder was taken. It was a nice bull, shot about 300 yards from the park fence at a water hole. Same hunter took a very nice Buffalo too.