Hunting Elephant in Matesi should I Upgrade to Trophy

S

Shaw

AH veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2024
Messages
126
Reaction score
174
Location
Tolar, TX
Hunted
Namibia, South Africa, Canada, Mexico
Have Management Bull booked for 2027 in Matesi in Zim. but I can upgrade to trophy for $5k is it worth it in that area?
 
When people say Matetsi is should only refer to the safari blocks. Particularly South Africans now are marketing all adjacent areas as matetsi when it isn’t. Which area are you hunting and when?
 
ECA I believe. April/May haven’t locked date down yet. I want to avoid rains in march
 
Shaw said:
Have Management Bull booked for 2027 in Matesi in Zim. but I can upgrade to trophy for $5k is it worth it in that area?
Click to expand...
What is their definition of a trophy?
 
I’d learn more about where you are hunting and how much area you actually have access to. ECA is on the outside of the matetsi units and comprised of different farms. For $5000 though, I’d choose the exportable option. Just remember it’ll be another $3000 to have a service process your import approval to US after that.
 
For $5K…. Personally I would…
As noted there will be additional cost like Conservation Force.
But I would always want the ivory in general (but I have also left it behind on a management hunt)
 
Shaw said:
ECA I believe. April/May haven’t locked date down yet. I want to avoid rains in march
Click to expand...
Those blocks are not Matetsi blocks. The actual Matetsi Safari Area blocks are numbered 1-7. The community blocks surrounding the actual Matetsi blocks may not have the quality of bulls that units 2-3-7 and other blocks bordering Botswana, like Kazuma, have. Be careful and really do your research.
 
Trophy size 35-50+ possibly. Management is 30# and under.
 
.

Would you be happy with a 30 lb trophy bull ? What I am saying is what if you pay the extra $ 5 thousand & you see nothing bigger than say 30 lbs, would you shoot that as a trophy & feel happy? If you are keen to have the ivory back home for the extra $s plus shipping etc then its a no brainer. But if you are hoping that the extra $ 5 thousand will get you from 30 to 50 lb, then I would err on the side of caution & ask more questions! Do you have to make the call in advance or can you decide on the day?

.
 
Shaw said:
Trophy size 35-50+ possibly. Management is 30# and under.
Click to expand...
If you’ll be hunting on one of the community blocks outside of Matetsi, I think you’ll find most likely 30-35, maybe 40 as top end with very low odds of bigger. Bigger is possible but very unlikely. However, it sounds enticing when someone selling a hunt says “50+ possibly”. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with hunting one of these blocks as long as you know what you’re in for. If you’re not too concerned with the size of the ivory it might be a hunt you’ll enjoy. But if the size of the ivory matters, I’d consider other options.

Is this hunt being sold to you by a Zimbabwean? Or a South African? In Zim it matters as only Zimbabwean’s can be your PH.
 
I am a realist I know 50# would be a slim to none chance, my first Ele id be happy with a 40#, I will have a bunch more question when we discuss dates in a few weeks.
 
tomahawker said:
One way to guarantee a chance at a something is to not have a tag.
Click to expand...
This seems to be very factual from my experience. @Shaw you should ask why your hunt is being sold as a Matetsi hunt? If they weren't up front about that, then to me, it seems their "upgrade fee" is basically giving them 5k for the same hunt. I would hate to see you get burnt. Please listen to the guys on here that know those areas (I don't know the area at all), it will serve you well. Good luck.
 
It's surprising how different the average ivory weight is, in the various blocks in and around the Matetsi area, particularly given that the area, while large by any standard, isn't particularly large for roaming elephants.

However, for whatever reason, average weights do differ, and often by a material margin. No one is lying to you if they say that 50 lbs + is "possible", but you should focus on averages rather than possibilities, especially since you won't have unlimited time to look over many elephant.

I shot a 55 pounder in Matetsi Unit 2, but the larger bulls tend to be in the Kazuma area (which just happens to belong to the same people as Unit 2). Kazuma is more expensive to hunt than Matetsi, reflecting this fact, but it's a lot cheaper than Botswana, and the elephant cross the border at will.

If you'd be happy with 40 lbs, and you have a reasonable amount of time, and both you and/or PH are patient, the should be doable in this area.
 
DLSJR said:
Is this hunt being sold to you by a Zimbabwean? Or a South African? In Zim it matters as only Zimbabwean’s can be your PH.
Click to expand...
That's exactly how it is.
The South African often has the clientele, while the Zimbabwean has the license or the block. That's how I've seen it happen with acquaintances from time to time.
It wouldn't bother me in principle, but getting references from both of them would be very important to me.
 
Foxi said:
That's exactly how it is.
The South African often has the clientele, while the Zimbabwean has the license or the block. That's how I've seen it happen with acquaintances from time to time.
It wouldn't bother me in principle, but getting references from both of them would be very important to me.
Click to expand...
It doesn’t bother me in principle, but it does bother me in practice. Most areas advertised by South Africans are marginal areas. A big component of Zimbabwe’s bad reputation is from South Africans offering hunts they shouldn’t be through non-reputable Zim PHs that wouldn’t have ability to sell those hunts otherwise, especially after land seizures post 2000 time frame. If a South African actually partnered with a Zim PH and spent time and money to develop an area I wouldn’t be opposed, but it seems they are typically pretending to be the outfitter when they are really just an occasional agent. There are a few that are upfront they are acting as an agent and give their clients options, but overall doesn’t appear that way. I have a lot more respect for PHs that will make recommendations for who I look into in a different country rather than the PH that automatically says I can take you there.
 
375Fox said:
It doesn’t bother me in principle, but it does bother me in practice. Most areas advertised by South Africans are marginal areas. A big component of Zimbabwe’s bad reputation is from South Africans offering hunts they shouldn’t be through non-reputable Zim PHs that wouldn’t have ability to sell those hunts otherwise, especially after land seizures post 2000 time frame. If a South African actually partnered with a Zim PH and spent time and money to develop an area I wouldn’t be opposed, but it seems they are typically pretending to be the outfitter when they are really just an occasional agent. There are a few that are upfront they are acting as an agent and give their clients options, but overall doesn’t appear that way. I have a lot more respect for PHs that will make recommendations for who I look into in a different country rather than the PH that automatically says I can take you there.
Click to expand...
100% Spot-On and exactly why I asked that question. Caveat Emptor.

If I’m hunting elephants in Zimbabwe, I’m booking directly and hunting with a Zimbabwean. And for me at least, it’s a relatively short list of PH’s among the Zimbo’s.
 
I've hunt Matetsi ECA in the beginnig of aprli this year. Total lack of shootsble bulls. I had a contract for 35+ bull, but in the ECA we didnt find a bull at all exept of a cery young one. The are in my opinion is highly poached. For 10 days i saw only few impalas, one kudu and one honey badgger. The last two days ive hunt in unit 3 for un additional charge of 6000$ and manage to kill 29 pound bull. If you plan to hunt there please be careful not to hunt with Elphant Trail Safaries and PH Shingi. All of the time the beg for more money, camp was very bad and the trucks were basicly scrap. A friend of mine was scamed that he can hunt a leopard in that area, but he never had a chance to have a cat. With that lack of antilopes there is no chance to have cat there. He didnt see even a track despite the fact that we made more then 10 baits.
 
I’m currently in Zimbabwe. Sitting with two very experienced Zimbabwe PHs around the fire last night and talked about this thread. I said “35-50 pounds in ECA”. And they said “maybe 25 pounds”

I’d be wary from youve said so far
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

... and 1048 more.
Total: 154,683 (members: 1,098, guests: 153,585)

Forum statistics

Threads
69,778
Messages
1,556,422
Members
165,076
Latest member
zabalriechar1985
 

 

 

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

S
Schaapen
Member of the South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association
•••
S
supergrizzly wrote on AZDAVE's profile.
Dave, I could use both of them if still available. I just picked up a new .22 mag and a .22 pump that they would be perfect on.
•••
Dawgdave
Dawgdave
IMG_1471.jpeg
•••
M
MHYOUNG 375 wrote on DLSJR's profile.
Dan who is C. W. Richter? He seems to not be a fan of myself!
•••
M
MHYOUNG 375 wrote on DLSJR's profile.
Who's this C. W. Richter? Seems to have a chip on his shoulder.
•••

Share this page

 
Top