I was using a map of California today, happened to see the city of Needles, and was reminded of Elgin Gates. Began to tell my wife about him, what little I know, and realized how little that is. I recall my father saying he believed Mr. Gates came from (or had)oil money, and that allowed him to be a world class trophy hunter. But I've never really known much about him.
He was kind enough to answer some correspondence from me a bit over 20 years ago, dealing with my trying to work up some loads for a 30/378. He really was quite a guy, and though I have books about Jack O'Connor and Elmer Keith, I know too little about Mr. Gates.
I'd be interested in some resources to learn a bit more.
I have a book that Elgin Gates wrote TROHY HUNTER IN AFRICA. It covers some of his experiences in African hunting during the 60's. My copy is recent and the last copyright is 1994. Safari Press may have copies.
I believe some of Egin's trophies were thought to be not quite as big as he said but the pictures in the book bear out the fact that he shot some very big animals.
Posts: 13088 | Location: LAS VEGAS, NV USA | Registered: 04 August 2002
Hi. I have recently got the first book by gates "trophy hunter in asia". I have only got half way through it. but it is an very interesting read. But I read it with some sort of doubt, because all his luck is to great to be true. but then again the photoes of his bags!!! But again this book is a wery god read and in several of the chapters he are hunting with HIH Abdoresa. It also contains his fabules hunt for Ovis ammon poli.
Posts: 91 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 March 2002
I first read about Mr. Gates when I was a teenager in the 70's. He was a feature story in the annual Archer's Digest publication. Mr. Gates was hunting lion and buffalo with a crossbow. He used a stickbow for other game. It was a great story that got me interested in African hunting.
Posts: 9535 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 23 July 2003
He was also quite a speed boat racer in the 1950's, I seem to recall. He had a lot of influence in the early days of pistol silhouette and, again testing my knowledge of old reading, really, really liked the .300 Weatherby.
My impression is that of a really competent, very rich guy who spent his money and his life doing some really neat stuff. One could certainly have picked a worse life to live.
Shockey's show on Outdoor Life CH, has featured him, in "The Big Ones" section of his program. Best I can place and no doubt a small characture is he was well traveled with a Weatherby in hand. Just a glimpse into a life.
Elgin was first a developer in California, and got into the speed boat racing until he'd won everything, then went to a trap shoot, got interested, but didn't like the idea of a bunch of military "spoiled brats with multi thousand dollar guns paid by the taxpayers" winning everything, so he bought a pair of 870's and set out to prove that an "old man with a basic gun" could trim their pants, and he did, winning several world championships with the 870's! When that got boring, he started handgun shooting and was one of the "original" shooters at the first American handgun silhouette match in Arizona, along with his oldest son. Recognizing the potential for serious competition, he worked hard at getting IHMSA (International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association) going, and ran it for several years from his retirement home in Idaho Falls.
As a hunter, he along with a few of the "originals", took just about anything that could be hunted and had one of the largest trophy rooms in North America until a fire wiped it all out in the early 70's. That hit him hard and he virtually quit the hunting, although there wasn't much left to take. He was one of the first Weatherby Award winners. If I remember, he died in his 60's about 1988. He was survived by Dolly, his wife, and 2 sons.
Which son is posting on the Dan Wessons, Robbie?, who worked with his Dad on "The Silhouette", the largest distributor of the original Dan Wessons in the 80's?
When Craig Boddington was a young man he met and was befriended by Elgin Gates at at a shooting event in Hawaii. He said Gates loaned him a fine shotgun so he could shoot. In his own words Boddington said he will always have a soft spot for Elgin Gates.
That said Boddington admits in his book Where Lions Roar that Gates had three trophies (which at the time of entry were new records for Mozambique) pulled due to doubts about their origin. According to Gates the kudu, nyala and sable he entered as new records were all taken in one safari in Mozambique. The trophy that threw up the red flag was the 56" sable. Three all time records in one safari was sure to raise some eyebrows but a 56" sable from mozambique was just too hard to believe.
I have two of Elgin's books in my library, Trophy Hunter in Africa and Trophy Hunter in Asia. They are both excellent reads. Check www.trophyroombooks.com in the Amwell section for 1st editions of the Amwell copies or when your in Dallas look up Bob Harper. He is the gentleman who has all the videos and books at his booth (and usually a huge crowd watching the videos). Bob may have a trade copy for less than the Amwell copies which run a couple of hundred dollars apiece. Good Hunting!
I knew Elgin very slightly while I was on the USAF Clay-Pigeon team and I while I like the "spoiled brats" reference let me set the record straight....we all used our own shotguns which at the time Elgin was shooting were well under a $1,000 even for a new MX-8 which I bought and paid for out of my Captain's pay of less than $800 per month. Ammunition and travel expenses were, however, paid for by the taxpayers of the U.S.A. (which I see you are not) and to all of them I say "thank you very much". Perhaps you can start another thread for them to thank me for my years of service in a variety of places that did on occasion involve shooting but I can assure you it wasn't a clay targets with my MX-8....until then I will be content with my disability pay.
The only "spoiled brat(s)" I am aware of on any service team were on the US Army team and his name was as I recall Randy (Gates)...now this is all 20 to 25 years ago but as I recall both Randy and his brother were on and off the team (as enlisted men) several times for a variety of reasons.
As to Elgin's shooting ability, he shot Rem 1100's (not 870's) with Anton stocks and was quite a good ATA shooter and in all fairness he was also quite good shooting over "wobble" traps which were a very weak substitute in the early '70's for shooting over a real International bunker. He was "especially" good at shooting over a wobble trap where the vertical interrupter was turned off. I do not recall Elgin ever winning any well-attended shoot especially where the Service Teams competed...either over a regular bunker or a wobble trap.
Posts: 4360 | Location: Sunny Southern California | Registered: 22 May 2002
the "spoiled brats" reference let me set the record straight....we all used our own shotguns which at the time Elgin was shooting were well under a $1,000 even for a new MX-8 which I bought and paid for out of my Captain's pay of less than $800 per month. Ammunition and travel expenses were, however, paid for by the taxpayers of the U.S.A. (which I see you are not) and to all of them I say "thank you very much". Perhaps you can start another thread for them to thank me for my years of service in a variety of places that did on occasion involve shooting but I can assure you it wasn't a clay targets with my MX-8....until then I will be content with my disability pay. 
