I suspect this has been asked before, however, recent threads about the cost and unreliability of trophy shipments from the Dark Continent have led me to visit this again. Obviously with a PAC hunt you just get pictures, not tusks. Certainly a nice set (hopefully matching) of tusks, one on each side of the fireplace would look very nice, but for those who have done this, what is cost of doing this? Was it worth it? Now let's be clear, I don't want to kill an elephant because I want to feed the natives, neither do I want to do it because elephants kill a lot of trees and damage the environment. No sir, I would want to kill an elephant even if they didn't do these evil dastardly deeds.
Peter.

PAC or cow elephant is an economical way to get started elephant hunting. Then if you really like it, go back for a big tusker.

I like to think of it like this:

For $100K I can shoot 2-4 trophy bull elephant, depending on area, etc.

Or for $100K I can shoot 25 cow elephant.

Which would you prefer?

Well, actually, I was hoping for an option that cost less than $100K!!! Having said that, and being ignorant of elephant hunting, can one, on a PAC hunt, say, combine elephant with other DG eg. buff?
Thanks for the prompt reply!
peter.

Peter,

I was using a $100K total budget (over several years) only to illustrate that you can do a lot more elephant hunting for PAC or cows than for bulls.

Certainly you can combine elephant with buffalo and plains game. Buffalo tend to be expensive so it would probably push the cost of your hunt up by $9K or more. Ordinary PG can probably be added to an elephant hunt for just the trophy fees as long as you are shooting the usual plains game and not sable or nyala.

Check here for some specials:

http://www.cmsafaris.com/specials.htm

Peter
On my June hunt to Zimbabwe I combined the two.
I shot one Trophy Bull and 2 Cow Elephants.
This way you get the ivory from the bull and the fun of hunting 2 more elephants. A lot of bang for the buck.

I would prefer to shoot a trophy bull for about $50.000 all told or even $75,00...I have little interrest in shooting cows...Actually I think a 21 day trophy bull hunt in Tanzania is the way to go today...$36,990. plus $6000 trophy fee..

I like those long thinner tusks of Tanzania as opposed to the short thick ones of Zim....

Now those 75 to 90 lb. long thick ones of Botswana really get my attention at about $75,000.plus.....

Depends on the pocket book more than anything else...

The interesting thing about cows is that, by reputation, and from my limited experience, they are more agressive and dangerous than bulls. Just like lionesses. The males of both species would almost always rather run than fight. Not so the females.

But I have also read experts who say that one should never kill an old matriarch because doing so will destabilize the entire herd. That's not a problem when culling a herd, when all of the animals, bulls, cows and calves included, must be shot, but would be a potential problem on a cow only hunt.

I suppose as long as the hunter restricts himself to the hunting of dry cows without calves from the middle of the matriarchal pecking order, then cow hunting might be okay.

Ultimately Peter the question is which you would enjoy more:

1. A trophy bull elephant hunt for let's say $50K and then sitting in your living room staring at the ivory, or

2. Shooting a dozen or so cows for $50K or less, perhaps over 3 different hunts, or

3. Shooting one or two cows for $10K or $12K, or a PAC bull + hippo + croc in Mozambique for $10K and saving the rest of the money.

It's a good idea to try to understand a little about Elephants and Elephant behaviour before deciding whether you're going to hunt trophy bulls, PACs or cows.........Any fool can hunt an Elephant but you will elevate the entire experience immensely if you understand a little about what you're doing and why you're doing it beforehand.

Here's a short reading list that might help to get you started.

Elephant Memories by Cynthia Moss
Mahohoba & The Wildlife Game both by Rom Thomson
When elephants Weep by Jeffrey Masson
Silent Thunder by Katy Payne
Africa's Elephants by Martin Meredith

These few books will help you make an informed decision about how to go about choosing your Elephant hunt.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. Now:
500grains have you hunted with Charlton Mcullum? That link you sent me certainly piqued my interest.
450NE would you share with me the cost of your hunt for both the trophy and the cows?
Could someone please answer or guestimate my question on the cost of prep. (I guess it's not dip and pack) and shipping to the USA of a pair of, say, 40-50 lb. tusks?
500 grains, you are absolutely right about the "looking at the tusks". Not sure if that's what turns me on, or not. My European mounts from my plainsgame hunt I look at for a few seconds when I walk in the room, that's all, however, at odd moments during the day I find myself reliving moments from my hunt. That's what turns me on! Maybe the memories will fade with time.
Ray, some of us are just starting to climb the ladder. Anyway, I thought you had quit hunting!
Shakari, thanks for the reading list. I will hit the local library and see if the have any of them,
Peter.

Peter,
The trophy fee for a bull elephant in Zim is $10,000. For cows it is $2,000.
Contact Graham at www.hhksafaris.com

Every company charges differently, but (in Tanzania) as an example we charge about an additional UD$800 for Elephant dip & pack which covers not only tusks but also anything up to a fullmount.

Trophy fee on the Elephant is US$6600 including the community development fee and our 21 day 1x1 hunt is US&35500 inc charters and all the odds and ends.

........however, we don't offer any Elephant cow hunting whatsoever.

Peter,
I've hunted with Buzz Charlton, one of the partners of Charlton McCallum Safaris,as have several other posters on AR. I hunted both a bull and cow elephant with Buzz last July and can say with some conviction, that is was one of the finest hunting experiences I have enjoyed. Elephant hunting, in my opinion, is the pinnacle of any serious African hunters big game adventures! That said, I experienced a charge by my cow elephant that I stopped at a measured 16 yards. Adrenaline charged stuff, that! And one of the most exciting things I have ever experienced looking back. My bull was taken on the last day after miles of tracking and shot at 13 yards in jess so thick tetses flies couldn't move in the stuff...and though I took a shoulder shot and the bull ran 60 yards before finishing shots were administered, running my hands over MY ivory was a feeling I will never forget. I also can do it over and over in my trophy room. That smooth, cool alabaster reminds me of the hunt every time I see or touch it. So that said, I would shoot a bull. And do it now...prices are headed up. You may get a 50 - 60 pounder in the Valley with Buzz or Myles...but even if he is only 25 pounds, you will never experience a finer hunt!

Peter, please see your PMs.

Another option is a PAC hunt and replica tusks, I've seen some that look pretty darn good.

That way you have more than photos, but it still wouldn't do it for me. I won't even swap the cape from my kudu with a better set of horns that we did not get the cape for. To me It's not the animal I saw alive. If I ever go for elephant I want to be able to run my hands over those tusks back at home.