Best Area for Hunting Elephant in Zimbabwe?

Hi there,

what hunting area do you consider is best for elephant in Zimbabwe? what time of the year?

I hunted in Mahenye outside of Gonarezhou 2 years ago in late October with Johnny Hulme of Zambezi hunters. Later in the year seems to be better in this area as elephants are moving out of the park for water at the Zim/Mozambique border. I was able to take a 78 pounder with 7' ivory. Johnny is a great PH who is a elephant hunting machine. He has enjoyed great success over the last few years in the area. Some people have gone home empty handed, but the area is almost a given for a 50+ pound elephant and a real possibility of taking something much larger. Check his references as the results speak for themselves.

Toslatso is also well known for the large elephant they take.

These hunts are not your typical tracking hunt. You are cruising the borders for elephants/tracks as they come out of the parks and hopefully find one. The time of year you go is important as feed and water will dictate movement.

Once I finish hunting the various antelope species, my game plan is to hunt buffalo and elephant every year.

BEST for big Tuskers, Tuskless, Priced, Satisfying hunt?

It seems that there are big elephants coming from a lot of different places in the last couple of years. SSG safaris hunts next to Gonarezhou national park. They have taken a 66, 70 & 101 pounder this year.

Alcornoque,

I think the best bet for consistent results on big bulls in Zimbabwe is offered in the Forestry areas around Hwange Park. September until the rains come can be exceptional there with clients actually seeing 100's of bulls on their safaris. The pic below is me with two sets off tusks taken by one client on a safari just previous to mine. They are 76#-77# and 78#-79#.

I hunted the Forestry area called Ngamo Sikumi in '07 and got my sable and eland that I was there for in 3 days and then left for the Save. During that 3 days the elephant hunter in camp looked over 64 bulls. Turning down 4-5 in that 40#-50# range as he was looking for something in the 60#-70# range.

Prices are not outrageous and the hunting is not physically demanding. If you'd like further information on this hunt please contact me anytime.

Mark

I was about to as about Ngamo Sikumi, because I heard that in the right time of the year you can find good big bulls in there.

But I heard you have to go there in the right time of the year to find those.
What is the best time to hunt in there? I imagine the best time of the year is at the very end of the season when the bulls leave the park looking for water.

Alcornoque,

Your exactly right. Late season is best in Ngamo Sikumi. I would advise a booking on the dark of the moon in October.

I heard you can hunt the elephant at night with the moonlight. However I prefer tracking them during the day.

Originally Posted by Alcornoque

I heard you can hunt the elephant at night with the moonlight. However I prefer tracking them during the day.

Alcornoque - well depends on what you want.

As mentioned above tracking them by day. A good tusker. A fair hunt. A good price.

I can do you a deal on a good elephant bull + a buffalo bull, 15 days = $ 35 000 USD including Buffalo and Elephant Trophy that incorporates all the above in it. The hunt would take place in the S.E. of Zimbabwe on the Limpopo River, the area is called Sengwe 1 and borders both the Kruger National Park and Gonarezhou National Park, minimum size on ivory is 60 pounds, and the area has produced 60/70/80/90 and 100 pounders.

best time of year, from now till end Oct mid Nov at the latest. 15 days of hunting you will get a good elephant of 60 plus pounds and a good buffalo of 40 plus inches plus a whole lot of good times in between, so it boils down to what sort of weather you want to hunt in, there are various factors that pull elephant into my area year round - so its all about the heat

If you would like more information and some photos and references please do not hesitate to contact me.

Originally Posted by Alcornoque

I heard you can hunt the elephant at night with the moonlight. However I prefer tracking them during the day.

Hunting at Night in Zimbabwe

National Parks Safari Areas
National Parks Safari Areas are land in more remote marginal areas, unsuitable for agriculture but ideal for game and hunting operations on a sustainable off-take basis.
• Trophy hunting may take place from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset during the hunting season.
• Hunting is not allowed at night and no hunting is allowed with artificial light.
...

Communal (tribal) Land
Communal (tribal) Lands are traditionally held by indigenous people. Government grants authority to local District Councils to assume responsibility for the management and utilization of the wildlife. With assistance from National Parks the council decides on a sustainable annual quota of animals to be hunted and offers them to safari (hunting) operators on a tender basis. The funds thus generated go to benefit local development, such as building bridges and schools and installing grinding mills, and also to compensate local families whose crop production has been reduced by marauding wildlife. This scheme is known as CAMPFIRE (Communal Areas management Plan For Indigenous Resources).
• On hunting designated Communal (tribal) Land, trophy hunting may take place within the hours of daylight during the hunting season.
• Hunting is allowed at night for nocturnal species such as Lion, Leopard, Bushpig, etc. and the use of artificial light and night vision scopes is permitted.
...

Alienated (private) Land
Alienated (private) Lands are held by individuals. Game hunting quotas are based upon what the landowner deems appropriate and subject to the approval of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA).
• Within the parameters of various wildlife protection laws, the landowner set the standard of what he considers ethical. The safari operator may also apply his own standard in addition to the landowner, if not the same person.
• Methods of hunting, such as bowhunting, handgun hunting, hunting with dogs for cats, hunting at night with artificial light are all permitted and at the discretion of the landowner.
...