I like symmetry and a good, representative bull as well as the next guy, no matter the species.

For example, I'd kill an old scrum capped bull buffalo in a minute these days.

But I think that I feel that way only because I've been lucky enough to kill my share of good, representative bull buffalo, with moderately wide spreads and good curls.

And I have turned down several one-tusked bull elephants, even one as heavy as 60 pounds plus.

But if it ever came down to brass tacks between me and this old boy, he would go down!



He was photographed by a PH hunting in the southern Selous a few years ago. He used his cell phone camera to take the photograph, moments after his hunter told him that he would not shoot the elephant. He insisted on a two-tusked bull.

I spoke to the PH and he thought that the one tusk on this elephant would go over 100 lbs.

As far as is known, this bull is still out there.

Would you shoot him?

Question:
Would you shoot this elephant?

Choices:
No
Yes

 

Although I said I would shoot, it really depends on the situation.

If I saw him from the car, and it would be a gift, probably not.

If I had only seen the broken tusk, I probably would not proceed further, and let him be.

If I saw the good tusk, and shot before I saw the bad one, I would be perfectly happy, as he's an old bull with character.

If I saw both, I would think about it a bit and shoot.

That being said, if he was a 45-50# on the good side, and his bad tusk was 25-30, I would not be happy. I guess I am not consistent-

I seldom look a gift horse in the mouth... he is an old bull with lots of character who has spread his genes and he deserves better than to starve to death. I'd love to help him find elephant Valhalla!

Shoot, yes.

Need two tusks, not in my opinion.

In a heart beat.

That is a trophy bull, period. How about the hole in his ear? Just a beautiful old guy IMO.

one hundred pounder is better than two fifty's

I will take one Maserati over two Chevs any day. That bull would be going down if I came across him in the bush.

The PH would have a loud ringing in his ears from my gun going off! Would I shoot. YES!!!

If someone is that worried about appearences he can always have his taxidermist make a duplicate tusk. Personally I like the difference as it shows the trials and troubles thes old guys have to survive in the real world, and it makes an even more unique trophy.

No, I wouldn't shoot him. But only because I couldn't afford him.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
No, I wouldn't shoot him. But only because I couldn't afford him.

465H&H

Hell yes I'd shoot him.....and send the bill/trophy fee to 465H&H.

Mike,

This question reminds me of an article I read by Kai-Uwe Denker a several years ago. He and a hunter tracked down an exceptional bull in Bushmanland and despite the bull only having one tusk the hunter shot it. When it was all said and done, the hunter shot a "true hundred pounder", plain and simple. When I first read it my initial thoughts were why would he shoot a broken tusked bull, but it was hunted proper and it had a tusk of over a hundred pounds.

I've shot broken antlered whitetails and let walk broken antlered whitetails and other game. I guess one never knows until one is in the situation, but I would say that bull would hit the ground (provided I could afford such a situation).

quote:

Originally posted by bwananelson:
one hundred pounder is better than two fifty's

True, but two 22's are better than a 44.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Mike H.:
If someone is that worried about appearences he can always have his taxidermist make a duplicate tusk. Personally I like the difference as it shows the trials and troubles thes old guys have to survive in the real world, and it makes an even more unique trophy.

+1

SSR

Ready...Aim...Fire !

Hey Dave, how do those Le Chameau global trackers hold up to continued use? Size wise, do they run big or small?

I would shoot that bull OVER a bilateral 60 pounder!

QUICKLY!!!!

In a heart beat! What a beautiful old bull. He must be ancient the way his head dips in on the sides.

Mark

Would NOT hesitate , He is OLD & has Charecter , would Shoot him in a Heart Beat

Yep, shoot him!!!

I'd take him without hesitation.

I don't prticularly like true 1-tusked trophys. But he has a very respectable stump. If he had a lesser right tusk I don't think would shoot, but being old, with the right tusk of that quality, and a decent stump to boot, I'd take him without thinking twice about it.


I hope I run across him, or another like him one day...

I will never make it to africa, and if I did, an elephant would not be on my bucket list, but if it was, as someone else stated, I would shoot that old gentleman in a heart beat. He deserves the respect and dignity of a quick death at the hands of someone that respected his life.

Like nearly everyone else has already said, I'd shoot that bull without the slightest hesitation if I were so fortunate as to encounter him on an elephant hunt. He is a grand old bull, tons of character about him.

Better to own one Ferrari than two Fiats. Great bull!

Yes in a heartbeat. He is an ancient warrior, and showing signs of weight loss.
Wonder how many bullets he is carrying from over the years.

Mike

Yes, he is ancient. One of the oldest looking elephants I have ever seen!

It makes me wonder if he's still alive.

I also wonder whether the hunter who turned him down has had any regrets in the intervening years.

His PH told me that he did manage to take a decent bull several days later - one carrying around 45 lbs. per side, if I remember correctly.

Still, both of that bull's tusks together were probably lighter in weight than this old boy's single tusk!

That one tusk would look fantastic over my fireplace mantle.

In a heartbeat.

Dave

Shoot!!!!

From a keyboard I say no; If I was there I really don't know.

Grand old bull..yes ..Shoot!

I agree with the 92%.

Does this answer your question?


We had just about given up on finding a really big elephant (I already had a pair of 68-70 pound tusks) and were driving back to camp on the last day of a five week hunt when we were stopped by one of the locals. The tracker and the gunbearers left with him to see what he had found, and they returned grinning from ear to ear.

It was a tricky stalk, because of two askaris and because of the broken tusk, which had a nerve which was still festering, leaving the owner angry and restive, but I finally got a shot, and here he is. The one tusk weighed 94 pounds, and would have gone a hundred, had the nerve not been so big. Anyway, it now adorns my library wall.

The old guy was down to his last set of teeth, and would have likely starved to death, had our paths not crossed.

Congratulations, excellent looking bull.

OH Yassss,

and I would thank the good Lord above every night for such a chance. Just wish I had the money to go back and try right now.

What a tusk!

I have the scrum cap buffalo now I need a broken tusked elephant to go with it. I would rather have something with character any day. inches and pounds me nothing to me

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
I have the scrum cap buffalo now I need a broken tusked elephant to go with it. I would rather have something with character any day. inches and pounds me nothing to me

Hook, thats cause you dont hve many of either



SSR