Eland

[WY ME]

So, I'm thinking about hunting for an eland when I go to Namibia this spring and would like some advice on what I should look for/hold out for. I've never hunted them before, so I have no experience whatsoever. That being said I tend to be very picky and burn a lot of tags here at home when I don't find what I'm looking for and have no regrets doing that. I do it every year. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Tgood1]

Listen to ph. What I thought I wanted and what I shot was 2 different realities. I couldn't be happier with what he told me to hold out for

 

[chashardy]

Your PH will talk you through it. Basically your choice will be an old bull, more grey in color around the shoulders, big dewlap under his chin, and the thick hair on his face and thick but likely shorter horns from years of fighting and rubbing on trees--or a younger bull with longer horns and lighter hide color. Also, eland tenderloin is the best meat I have ever eaten. Better than beef tenderloin. So be sure the camp chef prepares some for you while you are in camp.

 

[Rare Breed]

So, I'm thinking about hunting for an eland when I go to Namibia this spring and would like some advice on what I should look for/hold out for. I've never hunted them before, so I have no experience whatsoever. That being said I tend to be very picky and burn a lot of tags here at home when I don't find what I'm looking for and have no regrets doing that. I do it every year. Any advice is appreciated.

I will tell you this. Just me…eland is the best eating African animal I have ever eaten. Wherever you go make sure you have the tenderloin and blackstrap

 

[buck wild]

Eland is more about the experience of tracking one than any horn characteristics etc. As noted by others, the age and forehead ruff are the "trophies" in this game.

 

[Red Leg]

Listen to ph. What I thought I wanted and what I shot was 2 different realities. I couldn't be happier with what he told me to hold out for

A free range or huge property eland hunt is one of Africa's great experiences. The traditional way to do it in Namibia is to find a set of tracks at a waterhole early in the morning and to walk him down. It is very similar to a buffalo hunt. My cape eland was taken after two demanding days of tracking. On the first, we were blown after six hours by a young satellite bull that winded us setting the whole group off toward Botswana in a cloud of clicking (you'll hear it) dust. The next day we spent around four hours on a track, and I made a free hand shot at a patch of shoulder in the thick stuff. He is both mature and a high SCI gold.

The second was a Livingstone from the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique. There we spent three full days following tracks, maneuvering around herds, and finally taking a tremendous old bull on the last day of the hunt. He also scores very high.

What you don't want to do is pot one of these magnificent creatures from a waterhole. Tell your PH you would love to try to walk him down. He will be thrilled.

 

[BeeMaa]

Bring your walking shoes because getting in close to one isn't easy. Looking for an "old rug head" on the forehead with worn down horns as others have stated.

Use enough gun or be ready to do a bunch of tracking. These are tough animals and can cover some ground even mortally wounded. My PH was happy I brought a 375H&H with 300 grain Swift A-Frames. Hit on the point of the shoulder with the first shot, followed up with another to the ribs and lungs...still ran 75 yards on one leg and no lungs.

 

[Tgood1]

More specifically what was pointed out that appealed to me was the well worn horns, the very brushy forehead and the "blue" shoulder. This eland was ancient and would cross the limpopo to Botswana with any pressure. I also hunted this exact same animal in 2018. If it matters I used .375 h and h 300 gr np

 

[Rell]

I’ve done a half dozen eland and enjoyed them all immensely. All free range and all stalked on foot. Second only to Buffalo and bushbuck in my opinion.

Use enough gun! They aren’t super tuff but they are large and heavily boned.

You can kill them with a 7x57 but I think 9.3x62 or a 375H&H makes more sense.

 

[Happy Myles]

Eland are great trophies. I encourage hunting them by tracking they can cover quite a distance and i enjoyed every minute of it. I have taken Cape, Livingstone, Patterson, Lord Derby plus a couple extra. All were one shot kills. I used my 300 Win Mag with either 200 or 180 gran bullets on all but my Lord Derby for which i used a borrowed 375. These hunts were scattered around Africa over many years. Some might feel the 300 a bit small but it was all I had at the various occasions. I borrowed the 375 in the Cameroon or the C.A.R. , as I recall. Air France decided not to allow me to take my own rifles at the airport. So i just got on plane and borrowed what was available in camp. I was very careful and confident or did not pull trigger if I was not sure of my shots. Wonderful animals.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello again WY ME,

Count me in with others here who suggest a good old traditional tracking hunt for eland, on a truly huge hunting area.
Do not fall for anyone wanting to host you on some tiny plot, for the purpose of shooting a half tame eland (or any game species for that matter).

Tracking eland through the African bush is one of the best memories that I have been blessed enough to have experienced.
I strongly recommend it to all hunters.
Also, in furtherance of the eland tracking experience, I suggest that you leave your tape measure at home.
It belongs right beside your hammer and saw.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and thank you for joining this forum.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[WAB]

I am addicted to tracking hunts in Africa. For me this has included elephant, buffalo and eland (a tracking hunt for a truly wild lion is a dream that wil probably never come true).

For me, eland ranks right there with elephant and buffalo. Hunted properly, you’re going to burn up some serious boot leather. They are very alert and will require considerable skill when you close the distance. I’d rather track an eland for days and fire one shot for a clean, than fill the Bakkie with other PG species.

 

[375Fox]

Everyone has given really good advice already, but one thing I really like about a big eland bull is you know it immediately. Kudu, sable, gemsbok every other big antelope you still have to judge, but a big eland is immediately apparent. I’ve taken 6 eland and 2 buffalo. I get much more excited about the eland and don’t think I will ever get tired of hunting them.

Here are photos of good eland from waterberg National park in north central Namibia.

Here is a photo from caprivi of my dream bull. Caprivi has the biggest body eland bulls I’ve seen anywhere.

 

[fourfive8]

Unanimous opinion... now that should be clue!

Same here, IMO, tracking eland is the best PG hunting there is in Africa. Not to be underestimated by any measure.

 

[Kelly G]

Also addicted to tracking hunts!
Botswana Eland, tracked and 1 frontal shot from 375 H&H - 285 gr. Grand Slam

 

[matt vejar]

Trust your PH-but if it has a big thick neck, monster shoulders and big dew lap- PH will says take him!!!

 

[WY ME]

Thanks for all the feedback you guys are getting me more excited about hunting eland. Up til now my favorite plains game animal is the kudu but that may change after this trip. The farm we're hunting on is just over 100,000 acres and not high fenced so it should provide for a good tracking hunt like everyone has been suggesting. I'm getting pumped. I'll be using my 340 Weatherby, probably with 250g Nosler Partitions.

 

[WAB]

Thanks for all the feedback you guys are getting me more excited about hunting eland. Up til now my favorite plains game animal is the kudu but that may change after this trip. The farm we're hunting on is just over 100,000 acres and not high fenced so it should provide for a good tracking hunt like everyone has been suggesting. I'm getting pumped. I'll be using my 340 Weatherby, probably with 250g Nosler Partitions.

That will do the trick. An A-Frame or Barnes would not be a bad idea with those heavy shoulder bones. You may not get an optimal shot choice so arm yourself accordingly.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thanks for all the feedback you guys are getting me more excited about hunting eland. Up til now my favorite plains game animal is the kudu but that may change after this trip. The farm we're hunting on is just over 100,000 acres and not high fenced so it should provide for a good tracking hunt like everyone has been suggesting. I'm getting pumped. I'll be using my 340 Weatherby, probably with 250g Nosler Partitions.

That will do the trick. An A-Frame or Barnes would not be a bad idea with those heavy shoulder bones. You may not get an optimal shot choice so arm yourself accordingly.

I’m with @WAB on this. Taking the NP (unbonded) to Africa to hunt a heavy boned animal like Eland is not the best idea. Highly recommend the Swift A-Frame, Barnes TSX, Norma Oryx or Federal TBBC.

 

[Ryan]

While I use the Barnes TTSX in my 30-06 I can honestly say there is nothing wrong with the Nosler Partition for an eland. Particularly a 250 grain 338 caliber. The 338 Win mag using the same bullet has been a standard brown bear round in Alaska for a long time for a reason. If you hand load it wouldn't hurt to use a bonded or monometal bullet, if you are using factory ammo keep using what works. I personally took my eland with a 300 Win Mag with 180 grain PMP soft point ammo. One properly placed shot brought it to the ground, another for insurance.

I too went after eland in Namibia, and left without one. They can disappear into the mopane amazingly well and if it's clear and kinda hot they can switch to mostly nocturnal activity. I saw a mature bull once in that hunt. The next time in the East Cape of South Africa worked, but that bull ducked and weaved into the brush amazingly well too. Don't let the size deceive you into thinking they're easy to find.