Elephant hunting

[Rare Breed]

Would it be better then if I’m more in this for the hunt and thrill in your opinion to chase a tuskless. Over a young bull? And at what size a a bull considered a trophy?

Do not worry about those things…experience an elephant hunt, cow, tuskless, small or large tusks, exportable or non exportable. I have found of all the animals in Africa I have hunted nothing for me beats the elephant. You will walk 10-20 miles per day an average of 14 days and will have earned the animal. Nothing like it!!!

 

[Rare Breed]

Thank everyone for responding you guys have my blood pumping lol it not often where the least costly hunt could be the most thrilling.
It’s seems like if you do a tuskless I get the maximum thrill with danger while also being able to do management for the species. Am I wrong in my thinking?

Also I saw that 375fox said you would get a better quality hunt (more game to see in nature) with a tuskless in Zimbabwe vs a bull. Would there be any other country’s that you guys would put high in the list if tuskless became my objective as a non exportable?

That’s not what he said. He is correct that in Zim in many village areas the only thing left is elephant. I have experienced this in some areas. The villagers have killed all other animals so only elephant are left. Tuskless or tusks elephants are all that is left. In other parts of Zim you will find plenty of PG and DG.

 

[Adam Stevens]

I appreciate guys mentioning the tuskless aspects. I too heard about probability of one pregnant at the time, just nice to hear about stuff like that before the hunt.

Same goes for "size" heard of a few tuskless taken that weren't what the hunters expected from hunting elephant. Again. Not a negative, but going in a client should have expectations of the experience.

I myself am at a crossroads similar. I hunted Zim in 2018 for a buff with Buzz. And planned to return for an Ele bull hunt with him when I could.

Life and kids and investments(or lack of) pushed my return. And in 2023 my government banned ivory importation.

Now. I finally have the means to go, and could book an elephant hunt. And the time available. And I'm in the same boat. Hunt a tuskless, a non export bull or a trophy bull and leave the ivory.

I'm leaning on the last two. I feel finding an old old bull or broken tusk is what I envision in my current situation

 

[Rare Breed]

Good examples based on my experience hunting elephants. About 3 to 5 hours out of Vic Falls in Zim pretty much very limited PG but elephant available due to villagers. In Omay North in Zim plenty of Elephant, other DG and plenty of PG…both in Zim, both extremely different

 

[Green Chile]

Elephant can move great distances in short periods of time. Around the national parks in Zim, there are often areas called CAMPFIRE (Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources). In those areas, most of the PG is gone in favor of raising cattle and so you have a few leopards eating cattle and then the elephants coming out of the parks to eat the crops grown in the CAMPFIRE area. Those are areas where you can often hunt ele for lesser rates than the better units in Zim that have more game, more protection, etc. and because they are better managed with anti-poaching efforts (often financed by the outfitters), they are priced higher accordingly. Also, areas that have high concentrations of elephant often look like they were saturation bombed by B52s due to the destructive nature of elephants. They destroy a tree just to eat a few bites then move to the next one. Those areas don't tend to support much PG.

 

[Killingtime]

Do not worry about those things…experience an elephant hunt, cow, tuskless, small or large tusks, exportable or non exportable. I have found of all the animals in Africa I have hunted nothing for me beats the elephant. You will walk 10-20 miles per day an average of 14 days and will have earned the animal. Nothing like it!!!

I’m discussing this hunt with my wife and showed her your post and she said so when am I going lol it sounds right up my alley!

 

[Killingtime]

Does anyone know if you can ask for a big tuskless or are all tuskless at the discretion of the outfitter.

Also are there areas that are known for having larger bodied elephants( like how zim is known for big leopard and Botswana has a smaller average leopard) is that a thing with elephant hunting area in your experience?

Sorry for asking so many questions I like to get as much info on ventures as I can. Thank everyone again. This thread has exceeded my expectations with the info and experiences of everyone. I had no idea that it was pretty unanimous that tuskless really were more dangerous or aggressive.

 

[375Fox]

Does anyone know if you can ask for a big tuskless or are all tuskless at the discretion of the outfitter.

Also are there areas that are known for having larger bodied elephants( like how zim is known for big leopard and Botswana has a smaller average leopard) is that a thing with elephant hunting area in your experience?

Sorry for asking so many questions I like to get as much info on ventures as I can. Thank everyone again. This thread has exceeded my expectations with the info and experiences of everyone. I had no idea that it was pretty unanimous that tuskless really were more dangerous or aggressive.

You’re not going to have daily opportunity at a tuskless to pick and choose. They can be difficult hunts to find a tuskless without a dependent calf and get a shot. You might get lucky and get an especially old one or extremely lucky and find a tuskless bull, but you are looking for any mature tuskless without a dependent calf.
I don’t buy into theory tuskless are more aggressive than other cows. It’s the hunting style. You’re hunting in cow herds (sometimes large) with calves. Bulls are in small groups or by themselves with no calves to protect.
Zambezi valley elephants are typically smaller bodied. Botswana/western Zimbabwe/Namibia are big bodied elephants. The tuskless trait is most common around Zambezi valley.

 

[Andrew62]

You’re not going to have daily opportunity at a tuskless to pick and choose. They can be difficult hunts to find a tuskless without a dependent calf and get a shot

@375Fox brings up a good point, when I was hunting in the Omay last year the PH stated that 3% of the elephant population in Zimbabwe are tuskless. Over the 10 days I was in camp I saw right at 100 elephants, 4 were tuskless.

 

[Green Chile]

@375Fox brings up a good point, when I was hunting in the Omay last year the PH stated that 3% of the elephant population in Zimbabwe are tuskless. Over the 10 days I was in camp I saw right at 100 elephants, 4 were tuskless.

I’ve heard that statistic for 20+ years and it seems valid from what I’ve seen and heard from others. How many of the 4 had dependent calves…maybe half?

 

[Andrew62]

I’ve heard that statistic for 20+ years and it seems valid from what I’ve seen and heard from others. How many of the 4 had dependent calves…maybe half?

You bring up another great point, 1 of the 4 had a dependent calf.

It would be interesting to know what the success rate on tuskless in Zimbabwe actually is. If there is just 3% that are tuskless, subtract those with a dependent calf, it’s kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack. Sometimes you gotta put in a lot of miles to find a tuskless.

 

[mark-hunter]

For those of you who have hunted elephants is there any real difference in the experience between a tuskless bull or cow hunt and a tusked bull?

I hunted a bull, which was in bulls bachelor herd.
I did not hunt tuskless.

Tuskless ele mostly refer to tuskless cows.
So, I can not compare.

I made research which I can offer:

As per most experienced hunters on the forum, tuskless hunting is most dangerous elephant hunt.
Cows are agressive, and protective in the matriarchal type of herd with other calves and cows. They have good smell on changing winds, protective, agressive.

Here is poll I made on forum. Take a look:

Thread 'Let's settle this! Africa's most dangerous?'

Oct 13, 2025

What are Africa's most dangerous in your opinion and experience? I had only 10 options for the poll, so I had to limit the number of choices, but with more options I might include other options as well (female with young, night situations, provoked or non-provoked, mating season etc). So feel free to add comments reflecting on those situations as well.

• mark-hunter
• Replies: 89
• Forum: Hunting Africa

• 

 

[Tanks]

As per most experienced hunters on the forum, tuskless hunting is most dangerous elephant hunt.
Cows are agressive, and protective in the matriarchal type of herd with other calves and cows. They have good smell on changing winds, protective, agressive.

Here is poll I made on forum. Take a look:

Last couple of years 3 experienced PHs I personally know quit hunting tuskless, they’ll let younger PHs hunt them.

After being charged multiple times by cows one year one of them said: “I am done, they have taken enough shots at me.”

 

[Josh P]

Where a given hunt is listed as exportable/non-exportable, does this typically apply to the ivory only, or does the restriction apply to the entire animal, skins included? (Or does that vary by case?)

 

[Killingtime]

You’re not going to have daily opportunity at a tuskless to pick and choose. They can be difficult hunts to find a tuskless without a dependent calf and get a shot. You might get lucky and get an especially old one or extremely lucky and find a tuskless bull, but you are looking for any mature tuskless without a dependent calf.
I don’t buy into theory tuskless are more aggressive than other cows. It’s the hunting style. You’re hunting in cow herds (sometimes large) with calves. Bulls are in small groups or by themselves with no calves to protect.
Zambezi valley elephants are typically smaller bodied. Botswana/western Zimbabwe/Namibia are big bodied elephants. The tuskless trait is most common around Zambezi valley.

Thank you for the information. Next year at DSC or SCI ( not sure which im attending yet) I’m gonna focus on a few outfitters to discuss an elephant hunt for the future was thinking 2029 but maybe moving this up to 2028. Was going to book a buffalo hunt for 2028 but I see where it’s not that different in price to chase a tuskless or broken tusk bull (not sure of pricing of those) So that may become my priority sooner rather than later.

I had no idea the percent of tuskless was so low. So that makes the challenge of finding one interesting to me. A broken tusk or non trophy bull is also very intriguing.

I’ve fed elephants( which was humbling when you realize how big they are) but never had any animal that big let along a herd of them trying to kill you so it certainly provides a level of challenge and finality that is interesting to me.

 

[Green Chile]

It is not unusual to back out of a tuskless situation because the odds are just not in your favor. You simply must have the right wind. If they catch your wind, there is a good chance that they move towards you aggressively instead of leaving. They know they have power in their numbers and they move confidently. Another thing is that cow charges seem to be more legit than bull charges. Bulls bluff knowing they are bigger than anything out there. Cows seem to commit more. What will scare the bejeezus out of you is wondering where that missing cow is. She may come in from the side silently and the sight of that will scare anyone.

 

[Killingtime]

Last couple of years 3 experienced PHs I personally know quit hunting tuskless, they’ll let younger PHs hunt them.

After being charged multiple times by cows one year one of them said: “I am done, they have taken enough shots at me.”

Do you believe that a tuskless is not worth the risk in your opinion?
Is there any particular way you would vet a PH on hunting tuskless or elephant I guess in general?

 

[Killingtime]

It is not unusual to back out of a tuskless situation because the odds are just not in your favor. You simply must have the right wind. If they catch your wind, there is a good chance that they move towards you aggressively instead of leaving. They know they have power in their numbers and they move confidently. Another thing is that cow charges seem to be more legit than bull charges. Bulls bluff knowing they are bigger than anything out there. Cows seem to commit more. What will scare the bejeezus out of you is wondering where that missing cow is. She may come in from the side silently and the sight of that will scare anyone.

I’ve been watching elephant hunts this morning and I notice with the tuskless charges the guides were quick to yell shoot but with the big bulls.. those giants would square up right infront of them and sometimes they would back out because the ivory wasn’t big enough. But the guide was definitely more calm with them.( it may have been that those guides had more experience but there seems to be in a few videos a bit of urgency in shooting in there voice as soon as the cow started coming.)

 

[Green Chile]

If you watch a number of these videos, you will find that the tracker often catches a cow coming in from another direction. The PH was focused forward and the tracker calls out and the angles change and the PH starts yelling and shooting. Those cows come in spooky quiet sometimes but at the last they come straight through the brush and don't go around it.

 

[deewayne2003]

Does anyone know if you can ask for a big tuskless or are all tuskless at the discretion of the outfitter.

Also are there areas that are known for having larger bodied elephants( like how zim is known for big leopard and Botswana has a smaller average leopard) is that a thing with elephant hunting area in your experience?

Sorry for asking so many questions I like to get as much info on ventures as I can. Thank everyone again. This thread has exceeded my expectations with the info and experiences of everyone. I had no idea that it was pretty unanimous that tuskless really were more dangerous or aggressive.

@Killingtime
On my tuskless hunt I told the PH that I wanted a large mature animal.

I turned down a smaller one on day 1, then turned down another the morning of day 2 and ended up killing a big one around 3:30pm that day.

By the time I killed my tuskless I had been within 30yds of 30+ elephant; getting up close to the herd and looking them over was my favorite part of the hunt.