I just recieved a copy of Ron Thompson's book Mahohboh. To say I am impressed is an understatement. This is the one book that is a "must read" for any aspiring elephant hunter!

Just read it myself. He's probably had as much experience hunting elephant as anyone alive today - and quite a few close calls. A damn good read.
S.

I read it a couple of years ago. Since then, I havent been able to look at an elephant without trying to figure the proper angle for a brain shot.

I think Mahoboh is litteraly a text on elephant hunting. I agree, it is a "must read".

Geronimo

It's worth three times the price for the photos alone.

Yup,agree whole heartedly
Mahoboh is THE technical manual to read,on top of that it corrects a whole bunch of misconceptions about number of elephant that can be supported by available land resources.
On top of that its a pleasant read.
I am currently plowing thru the Trilogy of elephant hunting by the master: W.D.M. Bell.
Another very worthwhile read for any African hunter interested in the recent local cultures
not so much a technical help but a must read for any dreaming ele hunter.
These books are hard to get,I got all thru E Bay,just waiting.

This spring I had just read the book on the long ride. I was hunting by gohna re zouh for eles. & had the chance to meet one of the old game scouts who had been with him in the 60's. talk about coincidence.

I also think it's a great read and I pretty much agree with everything he says - but I also believe that there's a lot more to Elephants & Elephant hunting than is mentioned in the book.

At the risk of being controversial I'd recommend that any wannabe (or experienced) Elephant hunter should also read a few more books that explain such things as the social structure of Elephants & Elephant populations etc.

there's plenty of choice, but amongst my personal choices would be:

Coming of Age with Elephants - Joyce Poole
Africa's Elephant, A Biography - Martin Meredith
Silent Thunder - Katy Payne
When Elephants Weep - Jeffrey Masson & Susan McGarthy

All four books help explain the complicated jigsaw of Elephants & Elephant hunting & management and although it's just this man's opinion, I believe they should all be compulsory reading before any hunter is allowed to take an Elephant.

Any fool can shoot an Elephant, but if the hunter understands all sides of what he's doing before he does it, he'll appreciate it all the more...........

I never wanted to shoot an elephant until I read this book. I think the best part is the management section where he presents his case as to why we MUST kill the biggest males. Should be required ready for all bunny huggers

Not only the biggest males must be culled. That does no good at all.

Thomson makes it clear that entire family groups, bulls, cows and calves, must be culled.

That, plus the fact that this must be done in national parks, combine to make Thomson's prescription, correct though it clearly is, repugnant to the "bunny huggers," as you say.

There's a good biography on Mr. Thomson on this link.

http://www.conservationforce.org/organization/directors.cfm

He wrote a couple of others that sound interesting.

I'm in the middle of an phant book jag myself. Sanchez-Arino's(sp)Ivory (Amwell Press), Sutherland, Lyell, Some ele book from the Resnick collection, Marsh, and Stigand have melted into my brain recently. However, I half remember something and have a hell of a time finding where and in what book it was.

I was kinda drifting back to jaguar hunting again with Siemel's books sitting on the que.

Anyone with readable copies of old hunting, fishing books...Don't throw them out! Sell them to me. I'm working on the worlds largest personal library of fair to poor condition, readable, classic sporting books.

Thanks

Minkman