Botswana Elephants

[dchum]

What a great Safari. Safe and vey successful! Tell the people who your PH was! I think some will get a kick out of it.

 

[PaulB]

What a great Safari. Safe and vey successful! Tell the people who your PH was! I think some will get a kick out of it.

Thank you very much. My PH was a young man named Ebon, however...I did take my friend Mark Sullivan with me as he wanted to participate in one last elephant hunt prior to his retirement.

 

[bwanamrm]

Thank you very much. My PH was a young man named Ebon, however...I did take my friend Mark Sullivan with me as he wanted to participate in one last elephant hunt prior to his retirement.

Eben Van Heerden by chance?

 

[PaulB]

Eben Van Heerden by chance?

That sounds correct

 

[bwanamrm]

That sounds correct

Nice young man... hunted with him about five years ago.

 

[cwpayton]

Well done, as it should be, an ambassador of be ye reconciled.

 

[DieJager]

Waidmannsheil! Outstanding!

But to be honest you cannot write such a short story, per my understanding of forum etiquette you'll have to post at least ten installments

Just kidding but would love to hear more about this hunt and future endeavors.

 

[Scott CWO]

Well done and well told, Paul. I hunted next door in NG41 when Botswana reopened in 2021 and I recall the Mababe community people also being very excited for the meat. The butchering of the elephant was quite the ordeal with all ages participating. Your story brought back some great memories. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Jon G]

Wow! Congrats on the hunt and trophies. Elephant hunting is really something special

 

[VertigoBE]

Waidmannsheil @PaulB Very nice animals taken, and shared with the local communities.
Cheers,
V.

 

[David Spain]

Great bull. Congratulations. Botswana is an amazing place to take elephant of your dreams.

 

[PaulB]

Waidmannsheil! Outstanding!

But to be honest you cannot write such a short story, per my understanding of forum etiquette you'll have to post at least ten installments

Just kidding but would love to hear more about this hunt and future endeavors.

Thank you for the kind words. Truthfully, I’m always a little hesitant to share these adventures publicly, as I never want them to come across as boasting. Hunting has given me some incredible experiences, but the older I get, the more I realize the trophies are only a small part of the story.

As you know, this spring, I was fortunate enough to spend time in Botswana, where I took two old bull elephants and two Cape buffalo. The hunting was exceptional, but what stays with me most are the people, the landscapes, and the privilege of spending time in wild places that still feel unchanged by time.

The adventure is far from over.

Next Thursday I leave for Tanzania, where I'll be hunting Cape buffalo, dry-land hippo, Nyasaland wildebeest, and plains game. Tanzania has always held a special place in the imagination of hunters, and I’m looking forward to following tracks through country made famous by generations of safari legends.

From there, I head to South Africa for two weeks with my 14-year-old son. Of all the hunts on the calendar, this may be the one I anticipate most. He has his heart set on a Cape buffalo, and I promised his momma that we would pursue that dream in the safest and most responsible manner possible (I know SA isn’t for everyone, but I feel I control this hunt a bit better) . Watching a young hunter experience Africa for the first time is something no trophy can ever equal.

Then, on September 1st, I’ll return to Botswana—NG47—for another buffalo hunt and one final elephant bull. Few places on earth capture my imagination the way Botswana has and does, and I can’t think of a better place to close out a remarkable season.

The miles ahead are many, the dust will be thick, and if all goes well there will be a few stories worth telling when it's over. For now, I’m simply grateful for the opportunities, the friendships, and the chance to share these experiences with family and good people along the way.

 

[Altitude sickness]

No one sees it as boastful. We enjoy others hunts and stories.

 

[DieJager]

No one sees it as boastful. We enjoy others hunts and stories.

Second that. The best thing besides the people of course are the hunting reports. Love them and thanks for sharing. Waidmannsheil on your future endeavors and if you could share some things please do so.

 

[Gerry Addison]

Maybe I missed it, but was wondering who you hunted with in Botswana and can you tell me about the buffalo hunts? I'm seriously addicted to Buffalo hunting and always looking for a new place and a new country to hunt them in.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

well done on your hunt
and well done on being touched by africa
every operation should have that way of thinking, "spirit of excellence" is what i call it and how i try and live and operate my business
if evrybody operated like this with excellence, community, stewardship in mind...what agreat place we would be in

regards

 

[PaulB]

Maybe I missed it, but was wondering who you hunted with in Botswana and can you tell me about the buffalo hunts? I'm seriously addicted to Buffalo hunting and always looking for a new place and a new country to hunt them in.

My good friend Ryan Van Der Esthuisen lined the hunt up. I was in NG34, and the buffalo hunting was incredible. The body size and neck size were unparalleled. DM me and I can get you his direct contact.

 

[Kalthoff]

Getting to know the country and its people is the ideal motivation for traveling.

Your Elephant hunt served as the means to become acquainted with the locals by the age old approach of feeding and employing them.

You have accomplished much more than the hunt itself, the impressive elephant trophy is a welcome bonus on top of it

Congratulations.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Thank you for the kind words. Truthfully, I’m always a little hesitant to share these adventures publicly, as I never want them to come across as boasting. Hunting has given me some incredible experiences, but the older I get, the more I realize the trophies are only a small part of the story.

As you know, this spring, I was fortunate enough to spend time in Botswana, where I took two old bull elephants and two Cape buffalo. The hunting was exceptional, but what stays with me most are the people, the landscapes, and the privilege of spending time in wild places that still feel unchanged by time.

The adventure is far from over.

Next Thursday I leave for Tanzania, where I'll be hunting Cape buffalo, dry-land hippo, Nyasaland wildebeest, and plains game. Tanzania has always held a special place in the imagination of hunters, and I’m looking forward to following tracks through country made famous by generations of safari legends.

From there, I head to South Africa for two weeks with my 14-year-old son. Of all the hunts on the calendar, this may be the one I anticipate most. He has his heart set on a Cape buffalo, and I promised his momma that we would pursue that dream in the safest and most responsible manner possible (I know SA isn’t for everyone, but I feel I control this hunt a bit better) . Watching a young hunter experience Africa for the first time is something no trophy can ever equal.

Then, on September 1st, I’ll return to Botswana—NG47—for another buffalo hunt and one final elephant bull. Few places on earth capture my imagination the way Botswana has and does, and I can’t think of a better place to close out a remarkable season.

The miles ahead are many, the dust will be thick, and if all goes well there will be a few stories worth telling when it's over. For now, I’m simply grateful for the opportunities, the friendships, and the chance to share these experiences with family and good people along the way.

Congratulations on an amazing hunt, amazing trophies, and taking that rising bite on another hunt.

Have you decided what you’re taking on the other hunts this year? Using my WR 450NE in Mozambique was very rewarding, and topped completing the Tiny Ten for me.

 

[PaulB]

Congratulations on an amazing hunt, amazing trophies, and taking that rising bite on another hunt.

Have you decided what you’re taking on the other hunts this year? Using my WR 450NE in Mozambique was very rewarding, and topped completing the Tiny Ten for me.

That’s terrific.

fir my other trips, I’m taking:

Tanzania
450/400 NE sidelock Jeffery double (1921)
.318 Westley Richards bolt action Takedown (1908)

SA
500/465 Holland & Holland Royal double (1911)
John Rigby .350 bolt action (1913)

Botswana
John Rigby Rising Bite 500 NE double (1906)