Cost to Hunt Elephant

[grand veneur]

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Here’s a Kruger bull I photographed near Letaba that had very impressive tusks. He wasn’t that old so may still be alive as that picture was from 2009. If he is, I’d love to see him now. If he’s still alive his tusks would be something very special.

A strange appearance for a savanna elephant bull. Reminds me of a forest elephant, although there cannot be any in Krüger NP, or a cow.

 

[DLSJR]

A strange appearance for a savanna elephant bull. Reminds me of a forest elephant, although there cannot be any in Krüger NP.

No, he was definitely a Savannah bull. The only forest bulls with ivory like that would have come from Sudan, CAR or Ethiopia. As I recall I believe this bull was likely over 100 pounds as even though the thickness wasn’t unusually heavy I thought he had close to 5 feet outside the lip.

 

[grand veneur]

No, he was definitely a Savannah bull. The only forest bulls with ivory like that would have come from Sudan, CAR or Ethiopia. As I recall I believe this bull was likely over 100 pounds as even though the thickness wasn’t unusually heavy I thought he had close to 5 feet outside the lip.

A forest elephant can be ruled out in the Krüger NP, but are you absolutely sure it was a bull?

What one can see between the hind legs on the picture is not convincing regarding the sex.

 

[DLSJR]

One final very big tusker…

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get close to this bull I photographed in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. Very big ivory and it was thought this bull may have traveled in from Ngorongoro. Again, he’s an older bull judging from his sunken temples.

 

[DLSJR]

A forest elephant can be ruled out in the Krüger NP, but are you absolutely sure it was a bull?

What one can see between the hind legs on the picture is not convincing regarding the sex.

Uhh, yeah it was a bull. He had a dick, it’s just not visible in that picture. Some experienced PH’s I’ve shown that picture to thought he was comfortably over 100 pounds.

 

[Philip Glass]

Please pardon my lack of knowledge on the subject but I would appreciate clarification and opinion on why I can find a "tusked" 10 day ele hunt for 75k and yet another for 22k ?
I've never been to Africa and only know what I read (here mostly). Some day I would like to go there and experience safari, plains and dangerous game--I do find all the options to hunt so many different species in so many different places under so many different circumstances quite confusing. Please comment on this also if willing but primarily why/how could there be so much difference in an ele hunt ? One is advertised here on the forum and one on the worldwide web and has a 3 letter organization name (I don't think I'm suppose to mention/name "outside vendors")
Thanks, will read with interest.

There is a big price difference based on the historical size for area or actual size of the ivory on the bull. There are non-exportable bulls as you mention in the twenties, small bulls (30lbish) that are exportable for a bit more, and big Botswana bulls with 60+ pound ivory that are in the $70k-$100k or more range.
And then there are tuskless cows that have been around $5k.

 

[wesheltonj]

Amboseli NP: