Elephant, In search of 80+ pounds

I saw this on Facebook:

BOTSWANA EXPORTABLE ELEPHANT,
37.500$
Biggest hunting area in Botswana
Contact for more info
japie@serengetisafaris.co.za
+27636464900

50Gunner said:

dchum, thanks, I did take your grain of salt, added a thousand more grains sprinkled over the top of a can of beer, wow, this sort of hunt indeed demands investigative due diligence.

MLindsay, many Thanks for that info Sir.

GreenChile, you are correct Sir, the further I get into this discovery proves that without a doubt, am starting to concentrate more on the big bulls and maybe go after Lion later, finding truly great examples of both species on the same hunt will be near impossible.

Scott CWO, spoke with my guy again this morning via whatsapp, hearing more and more about NG34/35, I should really devote all time to finding a giant bull.

Hunter-Habib, Thank you as well, the guy that's working on putting together my hunt also spoke of his area in Southeast Tanzania, it is a good bit south of what was once called The Selous [Nyerere?], he did say it needed some work.

375 Fox, Thanks for the info on Kazuma, much obliged, looking more and more like Botswana for a shot at truly large tuskers.

Jason Miller, Thanks, is Namibian ivory exportable to the US?

Thanks again all for the information,
G50

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Yes, bulls from Nyae Nyae are exportable and importable to the States.

Scott CWO said:

For anyone interested, there are two donated auction hunts available in NG11 with a good operator. One is at DSC and the most recent bid I saw was $40k. The other one is at SCI and has not had any bids yet!? This area directly borders the Okavango Delta on the north side. They are taking some good bulls and a giant could come out of the delta at any time.

Another thing I am watching/waiting for is where will the lions on quota be offered? Very interesting, indeed.
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Will be interesting to see what they go for, but in my experience Auction prices don’t really matter til the last few minutes!

wesheltonj said:

I saw this on Facebook:

BOTSWANA EXPORTABLE ELEPHANT,
37.500$
Biggest hunting area in Botswana
Contact for more info
japie@serengetisafaris.co.za
+27636464900

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Most of the bigger bulls come from the smaller areas bordering the delta. Once you get to the outer areas, probably looking at 40-55 pounders.

wesheltonj said:

I saw this on Facebook:

BOTSWANA EXPORTABLE ELEPHANT,
37.500$
Biggest hunting area in Botswana
Contact for more info
japie@serengetisafaris.co.za
+27636464900

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go back and look again, all the pics the guy posted were from Zim, confirmed by several Zim PH's

If you go to that website, it's based in SA and I didn't even see any ele photos. No mention there of Bots that I found? I haven't looked at the FB page.

Scott CWO said:

Most of the bigger bulls come from the smaller areas bordering the delta. Once you get to the outer areas, probably looking at 40-55 pounders.

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As you know there are many places to take 40+ pounders. I took the biggest one we found that came out of Hwange but anything a lot bigger would be unusual and just pure luck. 50-70 is another level and 80+ is a completely different scenario. I wouldn't pay Bots prices for 40-55 and I would certainly look for larger than that in Bots...60+ for sure and hope to see a 70+.

Green Chile said:

As you know there are many places to take 40+ pounders. I took the biggest one we found that came out of Hwange but anything a lot bigger would be unusual and just pure luck. 50-70 is another level and 80+ is a completely different scenario. I wouldn't pay Bots prices for 40-55 and I would certainly look for larger than that in Bots...60+ for sure and hope to see a 70+.
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Yes, exactly. I was merely pointing out that the advertisement posted with a price in the $30k range is going to be a safari in an outer area, well away from the delta, and with much smaller bulls. I wouldn’t want someone to book a safari like that thinking they would have much of a chance of a bull going 65+ pounds.

dchum said:

They killed a 102 pounder just north in ng13!

I’m sure ng11 is just more of the same!!!

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Recent?

Safari1 said:

Recent?

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2 years ago - I consider that recent. Some might not

Scott CWO said:

The Nyae Nyae Conservancy in Namibia is doing well and averaging in the 70s. I’m headed there with a friend later this year.

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Envious!

There is probably no other animal that requires more research & due diligence than the hunt for big ivory. It’s not only where but also with whom you hunt and WHEN you should be there. Quite a few good areas have been mentioned but little has been said about when to hunt those areas.

NW Tanzania, Maswa North specifically, you want to hunt when the crops on the adjoining areas are close to harvest, October as I recall. The bulls come out of Serengeti NP to raid crops. Western Tanzania is producing some good bulls also. Personally, I want nothing to do with Ngaserai as it’s become something of a shitshow when Zidane Janbeck guides someone to a big bull in that block near the border. I hope to spend some time exploring what might be found the next time I hunt Madaba a couple years from now. The Selous was heavily poached 10-15 years ago, but there’s an area we are keen to explore as Alan Vincent has some intel it might hold something interesting. I think it’ll be a low odds but possible big reward proposition. The biggest problem with Tanzania elephant hunting is cost, it’s expensive even by elephant hunt standards.

Zimbabwe, the SE areas tend to be good early in the year while Kazuma is an October proposition because lots of elephants move in from Botswana then. But Kazuma may be a risk in the future because there are a large number of new farming areas developing on the Botswana side near Pandamatenga. They will have developed water and there’s a good chance elephants won’t move toward Kazuma and Matetsi as much as in the past. This bears watching closely. I’m considering Zim for a big elephant a few years from now (you have to book several years out to get best areas at best times) and I’ll rely on Alan Vincent to select the area and time, but I know it’s going to be early and near Gonarezhou. We spent a couple days in one of the smaller communal blocks last May, but just as Alan predicted there were no large bulls present that late. He’s killed some very nice bulls in that same area before, but in February & March when the local crops are close to harvest.

Botswana, the best bulls are mostly being taken early, April, or late from mid-September onward. Clive Eaton controls many of the best areas but not all. Divan Labuschagne has some nice options for a chance at a big bull if you hunt late.

Namibia has some great elephant hunting for big bulls and some excellent PH’s. Again it’s mostly later when the best bulls seem to be shot. My biggest interest here, however; is an own use bull hunt. Can’t bring home anything but memories and pictures but it’s a relatively affordable way to hunt older age class bulls.

Zambia has been producing some nice bulls lately from the Luangwa Valley but isn’t yet getting all that much attention. That may change in a few years if they keep producing more bulls like have been taken the last few years.


With all the foregoing in mind, from all commenters; an 80+ pound bull is still a very difficult and expensive proposition that rarely happens from just a single elephant hunt.

DLSJR said:

With all the foregoing in mind, from all commenters; an 80+ pound bull is still a very difficult and expensive proposition that rarely happens from just a single elephant hunt.

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So many great replies but this statement really captures the essence of our answers. You can say go here or there with a certain operator but it might take several trips to really accomplish it...or maybe you get lucky or maybe not. You also have to be willing to pass up good tuskers to find a great one. That's really hard to do if you have put all your resources into one hunt. Are you willing to pass on 70 pounders?

Green Chile said:

So many great replies but this statement really captures the essence of our answers. You can say go here or there with a certain operator but it might take several trips to really accomplish it...or maybe you get lucky or maybe not. You also have to be willing to pass up good tuskers to find a great one. That's really hard to do if you have put all your resources into one hunt. Are you willing to pass on 70 pounders?

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Depending what someone is willing to pay and lengths the outfitter is willing to go to, there are some methods that would highly increase the chances at a huge elephant. I’m not sure I’d agree with all of them though. I’d prefer to rely on some luck and choose the best area at best time for a classic hunt.

Green Chile said:

So many great replies but this statement really captures the essence of our answers. You can say go here or there with a certain operator but it might take several trips to really accomplish it...or maybe you get lucky or maybe not. You also have to be willing to pass up good tuskers to find a great one. That's really hard to do if you have put all your resources into one hunt. Are you willing to pass on 70 pounders?

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No, I would not pass on a 70 pounder. My best bull is a 58, so I’d happily shoot a 70 something bull, even the very first morning. However, if I’m fortunate to take such a bull in the future and am then hunting where bigger bulls are found, then I’d set a higher bar and look for something even better.

I've been fortunate to see some really good bulls in my lifetime, bulls from the 80’s to comfortably over 100, but never when I was hunting elephants. They were either in parks like Kruger & Tarangire or areas where elephants can be hunted but we were hunting other game. Just being near these big bulls is a privilege, but there is a difference between watching them with a camera or binoculars in hand vs a rifle with the intent to take that Bulls life. Big difference.

The area my wife and I hunted in namibia last year we saw one bull in the 70-75Lb range but you are getting into rare air at 80 and above.

AZDAVE said:

The area my wife and I hunted in namibia last year we saw one bull in the 70-75Lb range but you are getting into rare air at 80 and above.

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What area was that?

50Gunner said:

NG34 Botswana or Kazuma Zimbabwe?

Thanks in advance.

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Of those two....NG34

While I don’t have the money to pursue a dedicated hunt for a bull of this caliber, I spent a considerable amount of time researching elephant hunts and areas before my 2023 hunt, and continue to because the idea fascinates me. I agree with many of the other posts, it’s not just area or Outfitter/PH dependent, but it’s time of year and weather dependent.

Furthermore something I haven’t seen is the number of hunting day. To stack the odds in your favor you need to consider a longer hunt. It’s possible to kill one on a 7-10, or 14 day hunt as many have demonstrated but you’re relying on a big bull being present when you’re there. If your hunting for 21+ days your odds dramatically improve since it’s a numbers game. Several of the hunters chasing big old bulls annually, will buy tags in multiple areas/countries and hunt for 30, 45, or 60 days during prime dates, often jumping back and forth between them as local intelligence comes in. This is where some of those short notice and cost effective opportunities in Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe come up.

If I had the money (I don’t) and was buying a single tag and going in a single hunt dedicated to a giant bull over #80 or bust hunt my first choices would be Tanzania then Botswana. As mentioned there are some politics/emotions involved with hunting certain parts of Tanzania. As of late they’ve consistently produced the biggest bulls, especially in a small border area, but there are other areas in Tanzania consistently producing big bulls. They’re just not producing multiple #100’s in the short time that other area has.

Next I’d look at Botswana. Just know the characteristics of the ivory is typically when comparing Tanzania to Botswana. I’d look around the delta at certain times of the year. There are a few names already mentioned who’d be my first calls, but there’s are a few others.

Zim offers an opportunity for the lowest possible barrier to entry while still maintaining exportability. If it’s on your list and you want a big bull I’d consider around Gonarezhou, Kazuma or Mataingwe. Time of the year and rain/water levels will 100% impact where you hunt and your chances. Historically, for the best success on a giant in Mataingwe the use of a spotter was employed which adds to the cost.

A sleeper not mentioned is Namibia. There are several areas of Namibia where bulls cross from Botswana to Namibia and vice versa. Time of the year and water/food levels will very much impact this hunt just like Zimbabwe.

While not presently exportable Mozambique holds some opportunities at big bulls. Like Tanzania there were huge issues with poaching in the past and as a result their age class has been impacted. That said border areas along another countries national park like Gonarezhou or Kruger can offer the opportunity at a giant bull wandering back and forth.

Lots of great advice being given and intelligent discussion.
1) Kazuma is definitely NOT the place, although a good place to kill a 50+ and maybe 70
2) Western Zim has some great Sept and Oct high quality hunting but not what you are looking for as stated
Basically it’s Botswana with a tiny handful of operators (Clive already noted)
It’s Eastern Namibia with probably two outfitters only
It’s also TZ with just a couple of spots and $$$$$$$$$!!!!!

I’m going to be hunting all of the above in next 3-5 years….
We will see a couple of spots reopen that haven’t been hunted which will be interesting and we will see some elephants mature into this age class hopefully from good management
When Botswana reopened was the best time in years…