Judging Elephant

[CAustin]

Jerome thank you for posting all if these great photos. It does help me to see that there are great differences. Some if the tusks look like they were seated a foot up into the jaw and others look like two feet in. Some are big around others are not. Your job as the PH on an elephant hunt is hard.

 

[K-man]

A question from an earlier post was about getting replica tusks - try mackenzie taxidermy supply. They have a great selection of ready made tusks but might not be exact to your animal. I saw some first hand and they were difficult to tell apart from the real ones next to them. and no, I don't work for mackenzie or own stock in them.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Information posted in the photo gallery by AH member classicsafari that I wanted to share here on tusks' nerves…

Tusks' Nerves of the 100 Pounder Elephant taken in Northern Mozambique.

We are really proud of our Argentinian client, Carlos E. who took this beautiful bull with matching ivory out of our Niassa Reserve Block B Concession.

The ivory has just been weighed and measured and we are happy to break the news that Kambako Safaris has finally taken that illusive 100 pounder.

Details:
Client - Carlos E, Argentina
PH - Jumbo Moore

Elephant left tusk:
Circumference - 21.5"
From the lip - 63"
Total tusk length - 93"
Length of nerve - 59"
Weight - 46.6 kg or 102.5 lbs

Elephant right tusk:
Circumference - 21"
From the lip - 62"
Total tusk length - 91"
Length of nerve - 53"
Weight - 45.4 kg or 100.1 lbs

Enjoy the photos. We would also like to point out that this bull was taken out of a group of 8 bulls. In the group was another bull with identical tusks. A 3rd bull with slightly longer tusks but thinner and then a single tusker (RHS) which was a bit thinner but at least 1 to 1.5 foot longer. With bulls like these still been seen, there is no other destination like the Niassa Reserve for truly magnificent ivory.

 

[ActionBob]

Absolutely incredible!

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks K-man! Very economical option.

What do you all think about this option?

 

[CAustin]

Wow Jerome! Those nerves are massive! Thank you for shoeing use these.

 

[Guépard]

Jaco, Jérôme, thank you !

 

[siml]

Jaco, has it spot on, diameter at lip in inches x length from lip to tip in foot. The tapering of the tusks also count a lot in the weight, you can see a thick tusk compared to thin. The nerve ending inside the tusk is always a bastard, you never know what you going to get inside.

 

[CAustin]

Simon,
Buzz Charltons video, which I've now watched 20 times, indicates that nerve is impossible to judge unless you are sure the elephant is very old. But he says length from lip to tip X inches around at the lip X .90 to allow for the nerve. Old elephant nerve is shorter right? Thus allowing ivory to thicken towards the tip!
I think I can judge the length but the inches around at the lip is going to be hard. But that's why I have Pieter.

 

[siml]

Nerve ending will stay a debate, genetics and age. Charlie you will just know when you see a decent bull and as you say Pieter is right there with you.



Roughly 2.5 foot tip to lip. x 16 inch(diameter) at lip = 40 pounds
15 inch = 37.5 pounds
14 inch = 35 pounds

This is a rough method we use as PH's to judge the weight of ivory. But you can never be sure of the nerve length inside the tusks.

 

[Ridge Top Ranch]

Does anyone have pictures of bull elephant with 20-25lb tusks? Thinking of non trophy hunt in South Africa.

 

[Ridgewalker]

The calculation helps a lot...until I look at the pictures.
Still great pictures and info!

 

[CAustin]

I think once you subtract for nerve this one will be close

 

[Ridge Top Ranch]

Thanks Charlie! I leave in a few weeks. Does anyone out there have more pics of actual 25lb or smaller? I am on a non trophy hunt.

 

[CAustin]

Sub 20# young animal

 

[Ridge Top Ranch]

Thanks Charlie!

 

[Scott CWO]

Does anyone have an estimate of the average circumference in Botswana?