Wanted 70 lb Elephant

[reineke]

I would ask SSG Safaris, Zimbabwe, Nixon Dzingai. Their concession is at the Border of Ghonarhezou National Park in South-East Zim. I shot a 57-Pounder there at the first day of the hunt in 2008. I know about some 70 Pound-plus Bulls fron there. The outfit is marketed via Take Aim Safaris , Carl Knight- you find erverything about them through Carl!
Good hunting!

 

[IvW]

57lbs is a long way off 70lbs.....

 

[IvW]

Lets not have optical elusions about 70lbs plus elephant......yes yes you could bump into one in Zim....best current bet is Botswana.....
If you shot a 75 pounder and past up 65lbs...sure.....but that never happened and is not going to......
57lbs in Zim is the exception not the rule......

 

[rookhawk]

Lets not have optical elusions about 70lbs plus elephant......yes yes you could bump into one in Zim....best current bet is Botswana.....
If you shot a 75 pounder and past up 65lbs...sure.....but that never happened and is not going to......
57lbs in Zim is the exception not the rule......

If you're an American and can't import it, it never needs to be weighed up for the CITES paperwork. You can just lie to yourself and say it was 105lbs. Saves ya a ton of money.

But if you need importability, your ability to prevail a case-by-case import application with USFWS your options of operators that are likely to have the essential data for a compelling approval is very slim. I do not know if or which Botswana operators will be in a similar position. Certainly, the challenges of showing consistent giving, support, and employment for the local community is going to be hard to demonstrate when they could not earn any revenue for the past 7 years during the elephant ban in Bots.

So I go back preferring harvest of elephant #12345ABC when it is standing on Zimbabwean soil rather than hunting it in Eastern Botswana ninety days later. (this assuming Hwange race elephants are desired rather than the Krueger-Gonarazou race)

There are many very large elephants in Zimbabwe and I'm not aware of any data that shows that larger bulls are killed either individually or on the average in Bots versus Zim most years. Why the data isn't equally distributed for both countries, I cannot explain. (both have smaller race elephants as well like Bots Tuli Block and Zims Zambezi Valley)

 

[Scott CWO]

If you're an American and can't import it, it never needs to be weighed up for the CITES paperwork. You can just lie to yourself and say it was 105lbs. Saves ya a ton of money.

But if you need importability, your ability to prevail a case-by-case import application with USFWS your options of operators that are likely to have the essential data for a compelling approval is very slim. I do not know if or which Botswana operators will be in a similar position. Certainly, the challenges of showing consistent giving, support, and employment for the local community is going to be hard to demonstrate when they could not earn any revenue for the past 7 years during the elephant ban in Bots.

So I go back preferring harvest of elephant #12345ABC when it is standing on Zimbabwean soil rather than hunting it in Eastern Botswana ninety days later. (this assuming Hwange race elephants are desired rather than the Krueger-Gonarazou race)

There are many very large elephants in Zimbabwe and I'm not aware of any data that shows that larger bulls are killed either individually or on the average in Bots versus Zim most years. Why the data isn't equally distributed for both countries, I cannot explain. (both have smaller race elephants as well like Bots Tuli Block and Zims Zambezi Valley)

Where in Zimbabwe will you see 300+ elephants a day? Seriously, is there such an area?

 

[375Fox]

@Hunting Hitman I’m assuming you’ve gotten a lot of PMs in addition to this thread. Is what you asked for a realistic expectation anywhere outside of Botswana?

 

[IvW]

No.....

 

[Hunting Hitman]

@Hunting Hitman I’m assuming you’ve gotten a lot of PMs in addition to this thread. Is what you asked for a realistic expectation anywhere outside of Botswana?

Good Morning,
I have received a lot of information about different opportunities to hunt for 70 Lb elephant. As I am continuing to review and ferret out the different operations it does appear that the majority of the action is in Botswana or on the Zimbabwe side bordering Bots. The other area is the Gonzu area in southern Zim.
I appreciate everyone's help and will keep people posted as I take this journey.
Thanks,
HH

 

[IvW]

Forget about Zim for a 70 lb if you are serious Bots

 

[WilhelmM]

Forget about Zim for a 70 lb if you are serious Bots

Tjo, I like your persistence

 

[IvW]

Well you either know or you dont....how many 70 pounders came out of Zim last couple of years....

 

[WilhelmM]

Well you either know or you dont....how many 70 pounders came out of Zim last couple of years....

That's true

 

[WAB]

Well you either know or you dont....how many 70 pounders came out of Zim last couple of years....

I know of a couple but they were right on the Botswana border. If and when I can hunt for a big bull again it will be in Botswana.

 

[John Telford]

60 elephant license’s successfully auctioned off today for 6 concessions in Botswana for the 2022 season. So 10 in each concession area. Also 13 Leopard were raffled off to private Ranch owners so expect so feverish bidding from all the operators. I’m sure Hitman will get a hunt next year…

 

[rookhawk]

I know of a couple but they were right on the Botswana border. If and when I can hunt for a big bull again it will be in Botswana.

My PHs in Zim have very high quality elephant in the right areas. Definitely some of the same elephants that find their way into Botswana. In 2019, the last “normal“ season before Covid, they took three 70lb elephant. In 2020 and 2021 they only got one 70lb Elephant each year, but they didn’t sell out all of their quota.

As I said previously, when I was there a year ago the client the previous week took 3 elephants in the 60s.

They are out there, but there isn’t one around every bush.

 

[IvW]

Who is this PH?

 

[Scott CWO]

Where I went in Bots they got two over 80 pounds and three over 70 pounds this year. Their average was 67 pounds. Hard to beat that I believe.

 

[jpr792]

Looking for a 2022 package for 70 lb Elephant and 2 Cape buffalo for 2 hunters( 1 hunter gets elephant and Buffalo and the other gets just Buffalo). Other animals based on availability and a price list.

Thanks in advance,

HH

Hunting Hitman

Enjoy the planning process of your safari.

 

[Scott CWO]

One opening left with prime 2022 dates where I killed my bull.

 

[WAB]

Where I went in Bots they got two over 80 pounds and three over 70 pounds this year. Their average was 67 pounds. Hard to beat that I believe.

Didn’t you hunt with Herman and Steenie after you got your bull?