A first hunt report about a last Elephant hunt. I had told myself that I was finished with Elephant hunting after my last hunt several years ago. I suppose that most people who have hunted Elephant will agree that the hunting is a profoundly emotional experience. But that hunt simply did not work out as I had planned. I got my elephant but frankly the hunt was quickly over and I missed a side brain shot. I left that safari with the feeling that was not the way I wanted my last Elephant hunt to be.

Nov 1st a hunt was posted Kou Kuas Adventures on AR for an elephant hunt in the Bwabwata area of the Caprivi strip. An area just north of Botswana and a prime area for Elephant. It was very short notice but I decided to go. I contacted Emile Kierke the proprietor of Kou Kuas Adventures. Emile is a lifelong PH living and operating in Namibia. He has a tremendous amount of experience. With his and his wife’s help planning went very smoothly for such a short notice hunt.

The flight: I used travel with guns to schedule. Lufthansa Houston to Frankfurt. A lay over that allowed me to get a in airport hotel room, shower and sleep for several hours and then off the Windhoek. I was picked up in Windhoek and driven to Rundu. There Emile picked me up and the Adventure began.

Animals: I was simply amazed at the number and different species of animals observed on the trip.
Buffalo, we saw buffalo daily on the 10 day hunt
Sable
Roan
Herds of Impala
Duiker
Steenbok
Civet
Bat eared fox
Eland on multiple occasions , On one particular day we had a massive herd run right by us while tracking Elephant
Red Lechwe
Wart hogs
African wild dogs
Leopard seen in broad day light
Lions. There is a pride of lions that hangs out in the area around camp. They are not of quota and we saw them most days coming back into camp.
Monitor lizard
Crocodiles Hippo’s they are in the Kwando river just in front of the camp they are constant companions.
Elephants, lots of Elephants

Camp: The camp is brand new. Solar powered electricity. Cell phone coverage is great. I was able to call my wife every morning. Hot showers with propane water heaters. All in all just a great comfortable camp. The front porch on the Chalets sit right on the Kwando river. In the river there were always hippo’s noisily going about their business and usually croc’s quietly cruising by on their business and some times just sunning on the other side of the river. Lots of time buffalo would come for a drink. The camp is a magical place.

Guns: I am a gun guy but since this hunt was such short notice I elected to use the camp guns. The gun I chose to use was a CZ 550 that had been lightly customized. The action smoothed, Glass bedded, Trigger adjusted and a 1 x6 Leopold scope mounted. It was in 416 Rigby and the ammo was Federal Trophy bonded solids and Hornady DGX. It worked perfectly though out the hunt.

The Hunt: This hunt turned out to be exactly what I wanted it to be. Just before I arrived the first rains came. This dispersed the Elephants away from the river and the first day of hunting was not very productive. By day two Emile and his trackers had figured out the new patterns of the elli’s travel to and from the newly filled water pans and the hunt was on! Perfectly classic Elephant hunting. Picking up tracks and following. If there was a problem it was too many Elephants. The bulls were moving in groups usually 5 to 15. Groups of Cows calves and immature bulls were everywhere.

We spent a lot of time dodging cows. I got to experience something I have read about and had Ross Seyfried tell me he had have happen to him but I had never experienced before. We were walking across a relatively open area with scattered bushes when we walked up wind from a herd , about 20 to 25, cows calves and young bulls. The oldest cow in the group lifted her trunk like a periscope and tested the wind. She then began marching straight towards us. We moved cross wind for probably 75 yards and ducked into some brush expecting her march on past. When she got to where we were originally she dropped her trunk to the ground picked up our trail, turned and started trailing straight towards us. There was no doubt she was looking for us. That was an eerie experience. We ducked deeper into the bushes and beat feet out of there.

We were into Elephants every day. Emile’s patience was just phenomenal as was his work ethic. We hunted long and hard and I enjoyed every minute of it. How can you not! The African sun and air and the plants and animals. Walking with a rifle over your shoulder. Always before you the Elephants and THE Elephant. The one you came all this way for. Slipping in, close, watch the wind , watch your step, looking over the group and shifting a little to look past the rump of this one to try to see a glimpse of the ivory on the one on the other side of the group. The decision. The one is not here and back out quietly leaving them undisturbed. And so it went. Every evening was relaxing and I was tired enough to sleep well. I was also very grateful that at 71 I was still able to keep up.

A request came in that the game scouts were out of meat. So on the morning of the 4th or 5th day we took a morning to shoot a hippo and 2 impala. Shooting the 416 for that was a good chance for familiarization and confidence building.

On day 8 we picked up the track of a solitary bull. His tracks were the tracks of a not just mature but old animal. That was what I was looking for. Catching up to him was not easy but we did. As said before Elephant hunting has a emotional component. I knew before we even saw his tusks that this was the elephant that I wanted to harvest. I just had to do my part. At 18 yrds I was able to. Things had worked out perfectly. I always ask to spend time alone with any elephant I have taken. A time to be grateful to the animal, nature itself and the wonderful team that had worked so hard to make this happen. A time to be humbled to be in the presence of one of the most magnificent creatures on our planet . A time for some sadness at the death of the Elephant and for me a time to close , properly, a chapter in the book of my life that has meant so much to me. Will Africa call again? There is no doubt it will and as long as I can physically and financially manage I’ll probably head back but not for elephant.

I can’t say enough about Emile , his crew, operation and his amazing concession. I hope soon to go back to the Bwabwata.

Good hunting

Ernest

I am adding the photos for the hunt described above to help a fellow hunter out!

Great report. Thank you for sharing.

And a couple more photos!

Well done, proper lugs on that foot. I too have experienced my last elephant and can relate to your feelings. For your last bull, you did it right and will remember those times. Congratulations.

Thanks for the report, and congratulations!

Ernest,
Congrats again and your report was great. Glad you took my recommendation on Emile Kirchner. I have hunted with many fine Ph's but he embodies everything a Ph should be plus he and his wife are some of the nicest people we ever met. Great looking old bull there. Hopefully we can get a trip together to hunt with Emile. His concession looks stunning and chock full of game.
Wesley

Congratulations on a fine, old bull to end your elephant hunts!

Ernest,
Well done on another proper elephant safari... final one? I think I've heard that before. Time will tell. If it is, this one was done the right way. Kudos!

Great report!
Thank you for sharing

JCHB

I really enjoyed your report, well done and thanks for posting!

Thanks for all the kind reply's

Paging Doctor ELS. Report to the Pararescue Section.
What was your aiming point on Timbo? What range? How many rounds did you expend?
Cheers, old friend!

Great report, Doc. Wish I had been along for the ride. How was the Hippo Backstrap?

quote:

Originally posted by pjinterrogator:
Paging Doctor ELS. Report to the Pararescue Section.
What was your aiming point on Timbo? What range? How many rounds did you expend?
Cheers, old friend!

He answered those question in the report….

Nice ele, sounds like a great hunt in a beautiful place.

Well done!

I agree that it is an emotional experience when you finally complete the hunt.

I'm glad you shared your experience with us.

Thanks for sharing this report with us. Congratulations on a wonderful hunt, done right! If this truly ends up being your last elephant hunt, you finished on a high note.

Thank you DlS. I hope to go back to Africa again in the not to distant future and while I would not like to think that I will not see Elephants in the wild again I am at peace with elephant hunting.

good luck to you in your hunting and travels.
E