I was talking to a couple of guys after my basketball league the other night and we started talking about hunting. One of the fellas mentioned that his father went on a last minute elephant hunt last year, in September or October. He said his father went to Zimbabwe on a cancellation or discount hunt. He was not sure. Anyways, he said his dad shot a nice bull elephant that that was about 55pds. He said the whole hunt was under $20K including trophy fees.
My question is, can you hunt trophy elephant in the 50-60pd range for under $20K?

MC,

It might be possible if a client had cancelled his hunt on a very short notice loosing his 50% deposit on the daily fees for a 10 day hunt. We don't offer any trophy bull hunts that could fit that scenario but someone may.

In reality a hunt with a good chance at a 50# and up will go for $35,000-$40,000. People certainly will say that Old Joe shot a 58 pounder for far less but that is not the norm.

Mark

Thanks Mark,
That is what I thought. Somehow I need to get on waiting list if there is last minute elephant hunt. I could do the $20K, the $40K and the wife would not be happy.

By the way, I am back looking for a leopard hunt for 2009. I would like to book 2 hunts, one for myself and my father. Lets talk again.

I can offer PAC elephants in Botswana for a lot less.
However, you can't export the ivory.
I shot a good bull last year in Bots for £3,500.
All in.

If I were to hunt elephant. I would want to bring the ivory back.
Does anyone have a pic of a 50-60# elephant?

quote:

Originally posted by MotorCity:
If I were to hunt elephant. I would want to bring the ivory back.
Does anyone have a pic of a 50-60# elephant?

You can almost have your cake and eat it too. Enjoy a non-export PAC elephant hunt, and then have replica tusks made upon your return. Hunt for the trophy bull when $'s permit.

JPK

Get a reproduction cast of the tusks instead of the real ivory. You cannot see the difference. I do that with all of my antlered game now. I cut off the horns and use a cast of the skull, re-attach the horns and it looks great.

In Zim you could do TWO non-exportable PAC bulls all in for 18k with Buzz Charlton.

I'll be doing the repro tusks with a Caprivi bull next year.

Here is a 60x55# bull. The client was Daniel Marhic who hunted with Buzz Charlton recently in Ngamo.

One of my Zimbabwe PHs has a hunt available for 10 days at $750 per day plus a trophy fee of 11k, but trophy expectations are only 30 to 40 pound range.

The PH is a well known elephant hunter (Thys DeVries)who took the 100 pounder this year. This hunt is not in the same area, and is not being sold as such, but he does know his elephant and if he says 30 to 40 you can pretty much expect that to be the ballpark.

Regards,
John Barth
safaris@trip.net

Not likely that you can expect a 50-60 lb Elephant on a $20k hunt. You usually get what you pay for with Elephant hunts.

The cheapest Exportable Bull hunt I know of is $16,500 + 2% tax. That is for 30 lbs or less.

A hunt that averages 35-40 lb Bulls usually go for $24k +/-. It just goes up from there.

I have been fortunate to have hunted two bull elephants one a non trophy 30 lb from Zim and the second a lifetime trophy a 65 pound long ivory from the Selous.. I love elephant hunting period...
However I cannot see just killing a bull elephant... such a magnificient animal and not taking the ivory...

Mike

This bull was about $25K four years ago with Russ Broom. He was 57x60.





BUT I don't see how the experience would be much different whether the bull was 20 lbs. or 120 lbs. Don't get too hung up with ivory weight, do it for the experience. The tracking, sorting, getting close, the recovery, etc.

Kyler

You book in an area that normally delivers 30-35lb ele and get lucky. Had a client do that a few years back- got a 56lb ele. For what the operator was charging I nearly elbowed him out the way and shot it myself.

Booking an 30-35 lb ele hunt - sub 20K
Getting infront a 56lb ele - still sub 20K
See Ganyana elbow the client and shoot the ele himself - bloody priceless

Legends are made that way - you should have done it and become immortal

Any one have pics of 30-40#'s? I might have to change my leopard hunt for next year to elephant.

You would think with the problems in Zimbabwe right, and all the uncertainty that elephant hunting for under 50â€s would come down. I know when I was in Zim last year we saw a lot of damaged areas due to elephants, and the locals were complaining about to many.

"BIG, HEAVY" ivory would be great, but honestly, the true trophy is what you carry in your heart once you have hunted the African elephant.
I know people have been trying for years to describe the feelings a man carries with him after hunting elephants to no avail...and I am not going to even make an attempt to tell you how it feels, with my limited vocabulary and plebian writing style, but I can guarantee you this, if only this alone...
Once you have been there and done it you will carry the burden, the joy, the fascination, the realization of your actions with you in your heart and in your soul for the rest of your days, regardless of whether the ele carried 10lb ivory or 100lb ivory...
Best of luck to you,
Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Allout:
"BIG, HEAVY" ivory would be great, but honestly, the true trophy is what you carry in your heart once you have hunted the African elephant.
I know people have been trying for years to describe the feelings a man carries with him after hunting elephants to no avail...and I am not going to even make an attempt to tell you how it feels, with my limited vocabulary and plebian writing style, but I can guarantee you this, if only this alone...
Once you have been there and done it you will carry the burden, the joy, the fascination, the realization of your actions with you in your heart and in your soul for the rest of your days, regardless of whether the ele carried 10lb ivory or 100lb ivory...
Best of luck to you,
Brian

Here, here Brian!

JPK

We can do a trophy ele for $16K incl daily rates and trophy fee in Zim, here's how.

Something new: export option permits. We have 2 for Zim this season. Here's how they work. You book a PAC hunt 7 days @$500. Shoot a bull. If you decide not to export, $4K success fee. If it's a good one or a particularly memorable one, then you can elect to export the elephant AFTER it's shot. But trophy fee then jumps to $12,500. However, total for your hunt is still well under $20K ($16K).

Now for the bad news: this area is a PAC (farming) area. The best time to hunt is Mar and April. Last half of Feb and May are also OK, and May is a good choice if you are going to go on to do a buff hunt. So the prime season is pretty much done for 2008. Sept and Oct can also be successful for the ele in this area if it has been a dry year. It's worth a try but you should also book a leopard in case the ele are not working. The ele come in for water and also to raid the banana plantations late in the year.

It's night hunting for the most part. Hairy as all getout but the PH has done lots of these hunts and he knows how to pull it off safely. Basic tented camp. Leopard also avail in this area. Not much PG to speak of but there's some excellent PG on private land within an hour's drive from camp incl Sable.

We don't know if these permits will be issued again next year. We have 2 permits for 2008.

We MAY also be able to do a small exportable bull in Botswana for under $20K but the permits are a crapshoot. This is a May/June hunt.

Russ,
Thanks for the info. Not sure if night hunting for elephant is for me. I think hunting during the day would be exciting enough. I assume they turn on a spot light, and then you have a few seconds to shoot. Were any nice ones taken this year?

We listen for the ele from a ridge overlooking the fields where we expect them to show (based on reports from the farmers). Taking into account wind, we circle downwind on foot and approach in the dark. If you squat you can see them against the sky even if it's cloudy. Or if the moon is out you can see them clearly. Yes, we use a light once we are in position, although with a good scope with an illum. reticle, or a moon sight on your double, you can take the shot in the moonlight. Within 50 yards, sometimes a lot closer.

Sometimes if the ele have not been harassed, they hang around for the first hour of light. Or you can intercept them in the adjoining brush coming or going. Then you can take them in daylight. Generally speaking, to hunt ele in daylight you need to get into the concessions and then you will shoulder your share of the rather hefty concession lease payments...that is why the daily rates in these areas are close to $1K.

Due to heavy rains this year (ie plenty of browse), elephants were not coming in to the farming areas much in Feb and Mar. They started coming in April. Just spoke with PH, he says the place is hopping now. First client for 2008 cancelled due to Zim situation. He has taken one bull already, not my client. Two more clients going in May, both AR members. They will no doubt report their experiences here.

Dirk Rohrmann took one in this area last year..he reported on this forum if I recall. Another AR member took one in daylight last year. We took a total of 5 last season if memory serves. We could have taken a 6th in Sept with a client on a leopard hunt. He had a bad ankle and declined the oppy when it came up...didn't want to risk messing it up walking in the dark. A group of 5 bulls came in for water and wrecked a banana plantation, less than two miles from camp.

Based on prior years, and the unwritten rule that you take the first oppy on a bull, the tusks are generally under 30lbs. But if you do encounter a big one, you have the option to export it. We take a 40 plus every other year it seems.

To get back to the original question, you would have to be extremely lucky to take a 50-60lb ele on a $20K safari. And when Mugabe goes, look for hunt prices to go up sharply...as much as double today's rates.

Sounds good. Especially since I'm one of those two clients booked for May and I guess I'm the guy who shot the one in daylight last year. I leave on 4/30 so I hope there are a few left when I get there. The wait is the worst part.