What PH to book an elephant hunt with?

[Cme1983]

Can’t like this enough ….

The other option is a border area like Sengwa where the hunter is hoping for a big bull to come out of Kruger. Conversely a border area along the Moz border that’s known to hold big bulls. All those saying Moz are hunting the other side, hoping for one of those bulls to stumble across the border but are too cheap to spend an extra 10-15K to hunt an exportable one. The OP should know in many instances this hunt can be a little more physically demanding than Western Zim due to the terrain.

I’d suggest the OP not try and holdout for a potential deal unless he’s don’t a lot of research to figure out the correct times to hunt that area. Not all end of the year deals or cancellations are a great bargain since many times it’s not prime time to hunt. This is demonstrated by @kpoynter comment about Mataingwe in the early season

Bill just PM the OP and introduce him to your PH. I mean he could take 3 bulls with his budget.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Bill just PM the OP and introduce him to your PH. I mean he could take 3 bulls with his budget.

Almost all his left over quota this year is in the Valley and isn’t what the op wants in terms of physicality. 35-40lbs reasonable expectations with a chance at bigger. He could do a double bull ele or Ele/Buff for well under his budget.

That outfitter now only has a single bull in Western Zim left for this year (well under his budget) but it’d be a fly camp. He’s got a different hunter coming in for 3 or 4 bulls on a single hunt. I believe all of next years quota here is sold to two hunters, so he’d be waiting for left over quota if the two hunters didn’t knock everything down on their two hunt. Given the OP’s age (not intended to be mean) waiting for a deal might not be in his best interest.

His other western Zim hunt option would likely exceed the OP’s door to door budget BUT would offer a solid chance at something exceeding 60lbs.

 

[Scott CWO]

not in USA and not into Europe.
But I wouldn’t care at all.
I hunt for the sake of hunting, not primarily for trophies.
If money is no object, assume that a large elephant will cost you over USD 1,000 per pound (as a rough estimate) and all the outfitters here will be lining up to take you on.
But if you have to work for your money—as I unfortunately do—then I’d go to Mozambique.
Elephants are plentiful there and can’t be exported (Mozambique doesn’t provide data on this), and it’s cheaper(could be) than some other countries
Today’s replicas are crafted so precisely and are heavy (you can check this at any hunting trade show) that only a professional can tell the difference.
Once they’re hanging on the wall, even the replicas are hard to distinguish.
A pair of 40-pound replicas costs about 600–1,000 USD, and you won’t run into any CITES issues.
Check out the Mozambique outfitters and professional hunters and ask for their advice.
AH member@ Valie Enslin from That’s Africa Safaris
is one of them and practically at home there.He is a very experienced man and
20 elephants he shoots with clients each year certainly won’t be enough.

you see the difference ?
View attachment 781640

Those are my tusks and replicas from Botswana. Debbie Peake did them. Quality of reproductions can vary from taxidermist to taxidermist.

 

[Nhoro]

I would suggest Botswana and Ziimbabwe. Zimbabwe I would suggest Western Zim, ie Hwange, Matetsi and surrounds although some areas can be mountainous. I would also suggest Nuanetsi and some areas of Save conservancy and South East Zimbabwe. In Save Conservancy, Sango ranch has lots of flat areas but Mokore is quite hilly. So up front negotiations with your PH is crucial.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I am not telling him to hunt Maswa or Enduimet for 200k….but… I damn sure might lol

This is probably a good time to mention, anyone doing a hunt for $200k gets to move to the head of the line to adopt me...........

 

[Rare Breed]

Those are my tusks and replicas from Botswana. Debbie Peake did them. Quality of reproductions can vary from taxidermist to taxidermist.

Scott who is Debbie with please? I have two bull elephant hunts in Moz for 27-28 non exportable and would like to use her. I noticed we cannot pm you directly
Thanks!’n

 

[AZDAVE]

@Cme1983 I had heard that he returned the concession due to unrealistic demands. He was taking about some of that during our hunt as a possibility.

My understanding he is hunting elephants in Botswana for his elephant hunt clients.

 

[Cme1983]

@Cme1983 I had heard that he returned the concession due to unrealistic demands. He was taking about some of that during our hunt as a possibility.

My understanding he is hunting elephants in Botswana for his elephant hunt clients.

You are 100% correct about him hunting elephant in Botswana.

 

[Wyfox]

Scott who is Debbie with please? I have two bull elephant hunts in Moz for 27-28 non exportable and would like to use her. I noticed we cannot pm you directly
Thanks!’n

Mochaba Taxidermy
Maun, Botswana

 

[WAB]

Well… first… awesome! You must do it so this is the right place to start
1) I wouldn’t do Mozambique as noted above first unless you don’t want the ivory
If not, great because it represents a “good deal” as the Ivory is NON IMPORTABLE
2) Zimbabwe (Western is flat in particular) and Botswana is IDEAL for you..
3) Budget… Budget depends on size you want… a 40 pound or so area… around 40k, 50-60 pound area… $60k. Also Western Zimbabwe is $60k. Higher end for Big Botswana Bulls…$80k+

However…. Botswana is likely your place for two or three reasons
1) Botswana is flat and very easy walking
2) Botswana is a lot more “spot and stalk” where you will generally not have to walk miles and miles. You will see lots of Bulls and you will mostly have short and pleasant walks
3) Botswana has hunts in numerous price ranges. There’s a AD right now you can see that’s perfect for what you want at around 50k. You can hunt from 40-50K all the way up to 85k+.

You also have the Caprivi Strip in Namibia but quality relative to price is not there IMO (and I’ve hunted all these areas FYI)
Price is directly relative to area and trophy quality and size.

My advice to you based on your comments… Hunt Botswana and don’t look back and go asap.
You will not regret it

Note: if you state your budget it will help with specific area and outfitter recommendations
For example, we could say to you….Talk to Tholo in Botswana as they control some 30% or so of the tags and numerous areas, But it may not fit your budget and be bad advice (like Moz is likely bad advice unless you specifically don’t want your ivory which you didn’t state)
Look at the AD here in Deals and Offers right now as example too

Great advice. Botswana or Western Zim will fit your needs. Stay away from the Zambezi valley if you want flat. Do your homework and make sure your outfitter is doing his as regards the import of your trophy. I would talk to the folks at conservation force prior to finalizing.

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott who is Debbie with please? I have two bull elephant hunts in Moz for 27-28 non exportable and would like to use her. I noticed we cannot pm you directly
Thanks!’n

Debbie is the owner of Mochaba Developments (Taxidermy) in Maun, Botswana. She has a vault to store ivory until approved to ship and also can make replicas while you wait. Since she is not in Mozambique, I doubt she could help you. It’s probably impossible to get your ivory from Mozambique to her.

 

[M70375!]

I hunted with Allen Becker in Botswana and I highly recommend him and he’s reasonably priced,like he told me, he hunts for the passion and not the money and he is a true professional and gentleman. I am out of state at the moment but I think you can find him on WhatsApp.
I also hunted with Tasala, which was very reasonable in price. You can’t bring the ivory home but a lot less cost both in time and money you can have Kanati Studios make replicas. They have a wonderful area in Mozambique

 

[WAB]

Debbie is the owner of Mochaba Developments (Taxidermy) in Maun, Botswana. She has a vault to store ivory until approved to ship and also can make replicas while you wait. Since she is not in Mozambique, I doubt she could help you. It’s probably impossible to get your ivory from Mozambique to her.

Debbie handled two shipments for me out of Botswana, but she is Botswana specific. Scott is right, she is unlikely to be able to help with Moz. If getting the trophy home is important I would be very wary of hunting ele in Moz.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Scott who is Debbie with please? I have two bull elephant hunts in Moz for 27-28 non exportable and would like to use her. I noticed we cannot pm you directly
Thanks!’n

Only a taxidermist in Mozambique can make actual cast replicas since the Ivory can’t leave the country. The government takes it after the hunt. If you find someone to do cast replicas in country I’d make sure you have them lined up before hand since the ivory disappears into government stores. I’m not aware of any well known taxidermists in Mozambique or any taxidermists there who offer cast replicas, but also haven’t looked super hard.

This means on Elephants unless you can find a taxidermist operating in Mozambique that does cast replicas your only option will be commercially available repro tusks. It’s unlikely the shape will match as well as size/weight and coloration. You’ll need to take LOTS of really good photos, and LOTS of measurements so the taxidermist can sand/shape the tusks and paint them as close to yours as possible. They definitely won’t look as good as @Scott CWO repros, or the ones coming out of Zim

The Moz outfitters sell you on a cheap Elephant hunt with the lure of “a big trophy bull at a fraction of the price” saying “you can have replicas made” but don’t tell you all the details and most don’t know to ask. Additionally for non elephant trophies many outfitters in Mozambique (especially the really well known ones in prime areas) do the veterinary treatments to cross the border and export their clients trophies to South Africa for D&P or Final Taxidermy.

Cheap Hunt, Cheap Taxidermy Solutions. Good news is you can make them however you want in size and weight

 

[TSALA HUNTING SAFARIS]

Good Day All

Wish the Op best of luck with his search.Great Outfitters with amazing areas out there and I am sure he will have great hunt.Great info from all on here , thank you.

Just a few points on hunting Elephant in Moz.We do get all the correct export permits for exporting from our area in Mozambique.US Fish and Wildlife won't import them , similar non importable into some European countries .We can legally export to countries like Russia , Mexico and some other countries including South Africa where you can send your tusks to any taxidermy to get replicas made and be stored for you.Good questions about exporting to Zim or Botswana.I will find out. Exportable Moz elephant hunts is not cheap or a cheap hunt and will rival the best Elephants hunts anywhere in Southern Africa in experience and weight of tusks.

Non Exportable elephant hunts are cheaper , but they are few and far between and dependable on a few factors.Non Exportable tusks we have to surrender to the local authorities.

Regards

Rouan

 

[Foxi]

Those are my tusks and replicas from Botswana. Debbie Peake did them. Quality of reproductions can vary from taxidermist to taxidermist.

Scott,
I saved this picture because the craftsmanship on the replica is amazing, and when I show it to some friends, they can't believe that some of them are made of plastic.

I hope you're not angry that I posted it without citing the source, but I couldn't remember who posted it—only that it was here on the forum.
Foxi

 

[Foxi]

BTW… why some of you guys keep recommending Shit like Moz because you don’t have or don’t want to spend the money elsewhere is honestly confusing to me.
The Guy doesn’t want this… I might do it… you guys did and are going to do it… great
But this is flat not what he asked for and he clarified he isn’t
He is also 70 and doesn’t want to be a mountain goat anymore either.
We have to listen to what people want and ask…. Not project our preferences outside that.
I am not telling him to hunt Maswa or Enduimet for 200k….but… I damn sure might lol
That’s not what Mitch asked from the group

My goodness, you sure have a harsh tone.
Having trouble with your wife, or did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?
A slightly more friendly tone isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

These days, any reputable taxidermist will tell you that they don’t need the original specimen.
Carefully measure, weigh, photograph, or digitize it, then send them the data.

I’m by no means stingy—if you can save USD 15,000, as some people claim, then go for it.
No, if money is no object, you might as well have yourself carried through the bush in a golden palanquin. Totally fine.
Anyway, there are quite a few show-offs and big shots among hunters.

 

[Tdruck]

I just shot one 2 weeks ago. It was added to my buffalo hunt and was for a management bull. I was in the SAVE valley of Zimbabwe.
I don't know how it works or what the quota is. We had to go to another block in the SAVE valley. The drive over wasn't fun but maybe that is avoidable?
I thought my elephant was pretty decent sized for what I way paying for. We saw some enormous bulls but my tag was for a management sized animal.
I got the full elephant hunting experience for non exportable ivory at a very very good price. PM me for me details. (I was told that my hide will be exportable.)

TD

 

[mitch4570]

Thanks to all for all your fantastic info on elephant hunts. I have heard good things and have watched a lot of videos about Buzz Charlton and also Dalton and york safaris. I am going to reach out to them. This will be for a 2028 hunt.

 

[kpoynter]

My goodness, you sure have a harsh tone.
Having trouble with your wife, or did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?
A slightly more friendly tone isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

These days, any reputable taxidermist will tell you that they don’t need the original specimen.
Carefully measure, weigh, photograph, or digitize it, then send them the data.

I’m by no means stingy—if you can save USD 15,000, as some people claim, then go for it.
No, if money is no object, you might as well have yourself carried through the bush in a golden palanquin. Totally fine.
Anyway, there are quite a few show-offs and big shots among hunters.

not harsh lol… just messing with folks (also known as busting balls) but also being blunt and honest (and correct)
I’m quite friendly lol….