Elephant Hunting Today

11 April 2006, 11:59

Vaughan Fulton

Thank you Nickudu,

This is a good read. The author offers good realistic advice and guidelines. I do however wish to add that the ph with the lucky hunter who took the 101 by "98" lb Elephant (1999) also had another lucky hunter take a 115 lb Elephant (2003 and at the time the biggest in the last 15 years) both in Namibia.
The average for this area is 74 lbs in Nyae Nyae Conservancy which is the best average in Africa today and has been for a long time. Volker Grellman hunted this area from 1989-1992 averaging 80-90lbs.
The area was then closed till the end of 1987. La Rochelle then entered into an agreement with the conservancy wich was established and averaged 70lbs from 1998-2001. Kai-Uwe Denker was then elected by the conservancy in 2002 and is currently hunting this area and as mentioned averages over 70lbs.

Also Mahango park did have good Elephant taken in the mid 90's though this is not the case any longer. Elephants in the 50 -80lb category have been taken in the eastern areas over the last 10 years.

Another area not mentioned was kavango which borders the westernborder of Kaudom reserve and North Eastern boundary of Nyae-Nyae Conservancy (Bushmanland). Kai-Uwe Denker took the 101lb Elephant in this area and averaged over 60lbs over a 3 year period.

Namibia has not been seen in the same romantic light as East Africa nor mentioned when compared to Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe as Elephant destinations and is only lately being recognized

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.