Eland - Who Loves Hunting Them?

Eland..........one ton of fun!

I took mine in 2016 and my daughter took hers in 2018. Both with @GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS

1790790822465.png


1790790839798.png



1790790891082.png
 
Out of the 3 Eland I've gotten these are the 2 best, and 2 of the best tracking hunts I've ever experienced. Zimbabwe and Mozambique provide great opportunity for these giant antelope. Quite honestly, I enjoy hunting them more than about anything else, track and stalk, good times.
 

Attachments

  • Eland-Moz-2023.jpg
    Eland-Moz-2023.jpg
    157.3 KB · Views: 55
  • Eland-Zim-2022.jpg
    Eland-Zim-2022.jpg
    4.7 MB · Views: 61
One of my favorite animals on the continent... a few of mine.

Botswana
IMG_0353.jpeg


Masailand
IMG_3511.jpeg


Cameroon
IMG_0649.jpeg
 
I've always been a believer of bigger is always better in all hunting situations.

Your encounter and success are perfect examples of why my small gun on safari is a 416 Rigby. I have alot of Elmer Keith in me I guess.
Not to question your thoughts, but at some point, how big do you go? There has to be a point of diminishing returns.
For me, that’s where the .375 H&H seems to hit the sweet spot. The one obvious exception would be elephant, where a properly placed solid from a good rifle can still knock it down.
I recall another thread where someone mentioned using a .500 NE for leopard is OK. Well… at that point, I suppose we’re entering a rather different school of thought.
 
Out of the 3 Eland I've gotten these are the 2 best, and 2 of the best tracking hunts I've ever experienced. Zimbabwe and Mozambique provide great opportunity for these giant antelope. Quite honestly, I enjoy hunting them more than about anything else, track and stalk, good times.
Nice gun and Eland.
 
Man you guys have posted some gorgeous Bulls.

Congrats and curses to you at once.

Now I have an even worse itch for another Eland hunt.

I was never interested in hunting Eland until I saw a mature bull in peak condition. It’s a whole different species.

My last trip. In Chewore South I had opportunities at a giant roan, a very nice sable and a 100% all white Kudu. But never had the opportunity for an Eland.

Besides my Tuskless and my wife and my buffalo on quota. I really wanted to find Eland tracks.

Eland are right up there with tracking elephant and Buffalo for me
 
one of the hardest hunts for me. after two days of stalking on foot in thick brush, i was beat and just about didn,t go on the third day and even then by 11:00 AM i was ready to admit defeat. but the tracker said lets go alittle father and we ran into a group of five and as the wind was in our favor they walked right into us. one shot with a CZ 550 in .375 H&H at about 80 yards did the job.
 

Attachments

  • DSCN1347.JPG
    DSCN1347.JPG
    2.4 MB · Views: 65
Elands are an incredible game. A big bull can be absolutely huge but they can be so shy and sometimes, you don't see them in the thick bush while they are very close. Clicks made by bulls tell you are getting close to them and after a long tracking, it brings you a little additional pressure. I heard and saw once a big "cliking cow" but it doesn't happen very often.
Believe it or not, I was lucky to have hunted 47 elands so far. Most of them where shot on management hunts. I have killed cows and young bulls but of course, I have also shot some big bulls.
My first eland bull was shot with a .30-06 that I rented to my PH but I shot others with my rifles in .300 Winchester magnum, .375 Holland & Holland magnum and .458 Lott.
I'd like to hunt a Lord Derby eland one day but it's not the same price.
I was thinking to post another subject about elands, maybe next days ?
Here are some of my elands hunted across years.
 

Attachments

  • 6.jpg
    6.jpg
    413.5 KB · Views: 54
  • 13.jpg
    13.jpg
    236.2 KB · Views: 41
  • 12.jpg
    12.jpg
    450.1 KB · Views: 42
  • 11.jpg
    11.jpg
    404.3 KB · Views: 48
  • 10.jpg
    10.jpg
    370.8 KB · Views: 42
  • 9.jpg
    9.jpg
    263.2 KB · Views: 49
  • 8.jpg
    8.jpg
    281.2 KB · Views: 45
  • 7.jpg
    7.jpg
    292.7 KB · Views: 48
  • 5.JPG
    5.JPG
    351.4 KB · Views: 50
  • 4.JPG
    4.JPG
    380.9 KB · Views: 45
  • 3.JPG
    3.JPG
    220.1 KB · Views: 47
  • 2.JPG
    2.JPG
    340.3 KB · Views: 43
  • 1.JPG
    1.JPG
    393.3 KB · Views: 51
Great PG to hunt! Hunted them in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Nothing like getting behind San trackers for eland in the Kalahari sand. They are large and rival buffalo in weight. They can jump like a kudu and have tremendous stamina over distance. Don’t underestimate them- use good bullet and enough gun.

IMG_3185.jpeg
 
Love the Eland pics. Thanks to all who posted.
 
Mine was an add after the initial booking and I am eternally grateful I did. I cannot imagine going back to Africa and not trying for Eland, though I accept getting a bigger one is very unlikely.
20220910_090951.jpg

The liver was AMAZING!
 
My one and only so far, likes others have said tracking them is fun, actually was more fun and challenging than my buffalo hunt. Taken in Botswana with NKWE using my .375HH and 300 gr A Frame, one shot thru the bushes at 60 yards after an 8 mile tracking hunt
IMG_3951.jpeg
 
Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to harvest one yet. Been a couple times and it’s high on the list when I go back.

Congrats to all who have shared their success
 
Potting one at a waterhole or jumping off the back of truck to nail one after a short stalk isn't much of a hunt, but striking tracks at dawn and trying to walk down a big bull is one of the great hunts the continent has to offer. They can go vast distances, and are extremely wary.

This cape eland took two full days of following tracks.

View attachment 796093

Went to the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique the last two weeks of October hoping to take one of the big blue Livingstone's in the early rut. Did not come together until the final footsore day of a two-week hunt. Worth every mile of it.

View attachment 796094
I love the wood pattern on the rifle stock in that photo.
 
I'm fortunate to have taken two. One with my .45-70 Marlin Scout for camp meat, and a very big Livingston Eland bull with my .450 Dakota 76 (abstract photo below). He's in our living room (flat skin and horns).

My South African PH told me that some 10% of his clients' elands are wounded and never found.
Use (slightly more than) "enough gun".
I wouldn't risk it with any .30, even a Magnum. .35 Whelen minimum, IMO.

eland - abstract2.jpeg
 
I'm fortunate to have taken two. One with my .45-70 Marlin Scout for camp meat, and a very big Livingston Eland bull with my .450 Dakota 76 (abstract photo below). He's in our living room (flat skin and horns).

My South African PH told me that some 10% of his clients' elands are wounded and never found.
Use (slightly more than) "enough gun".
I wouldn't risk it with any .30, even a Magnum. .35 Whelen minimum, IMO.

View attachment 796484
Mine from 2025.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20250908-WA0041.jpg
    IMG-20250908-WA0041.jpg
    403.2 KB · Views: 37

Forum statistics

Threads
70,439
Messages
1,576,347
Members
170,552
Latest member
allamerican37
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Hornedfrogbbq wrote on Rhoyland4's profile.
Do you mind me asking what auction you are referencing? I'm not in the market for any of those rifles...just curious.

Frosty in Fort Worth
K_P wrote on Buckleyguy12's profile.
Good morning from Montana.

I'm looking at a post from 2018 where you were looking for a lefty Winchester in .375 H&H Magnum. I'm selling mine. My email is [redacted] in the event that you're still searching for a unicorn.

Best,

Kelly Palmer
Gents, if you book and pay your deposit before the end of this year , you can have the bigger cull package for the 2026 price! https://www.africahunting.com/threa...griffiths-safaris-starting-at-us-2-560.96285/
I am currently in Northern Cape scouting a hunting area, we will have lots of amazing hunting opportunities for 2027! I will post updated available dates soon!
 
Top