Why you dont want to hunt elephant..?

[mark-hunter]

I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think there is a lot to be positive about in the country for hunting.

A sad story in article you posted.
In my opinion similar scenario is happening in other wild areas.

 

[DLSJR]

I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think there is a lot to be positive about in the country for hunting. There are no new outfitters gaining areas and only a few of the existing outfitters put any investment into their areas. Most areas are in decline. There are too many people, too many cattle, and the poaching is intense. Also, their president is 92 years old and has been in power since the early 1980s. When he dies your guess on stability of the country is as good as mine. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see it adding up to a good long term future. If you want a LDE I’d go as soon as possible.

Here’s a good article for you.

The $200 Poacher vs. $50,000 Hunter: The Economics of Conservation

In Northern Cameroon, safari hunters now fund the last defenses protecting wildlife from poaching, poverty, and vanishing wilderness.

www.patrolling.org

You just explained my specific motivation to hunt Lord Derby Eland when I did in 2024. It’s not likely to last much longer and when it’s gone, it’s probably gone forever.

I’m very glad I went when I did. It was a great hunt for a great animal.

 

[Qc_BearHunter]

Unless your hunt in Limpopo you went on was you’re entire life savings and you have no more Cash flow…. Then you can most certainly save up and shot an ele.

Limpopo hunt 10-12k total.
Tuskless cow 5k with 8-10k in day fees!

You are only telling yourself that you can’t go hunt one!

Yeah...

I'm only telling myself I want to shoot another Buffalo..

 

[THAT'S AFRICA SAFARI]

Good day to the AH community.

I must say I really enjoyed reading this post.

It is always interesting to get a glimpse into people’s perspective of hunting one of Africa’s most iconic animals and one that invokes so much emotion under fellow hunters and the dreaded greenies.

Hunting is a great passion for me that’s probably why I chose it as a career, but if I must single out a specific hunt it would be elephant. I would hunt them every single day for the rest of my life. There are very few animals that has the impact on a hunter like an elephant whether its physical or emotional. Nothing about the hunt is boring whether it’s your first or your 10th. It’s an adrenalin rush from start to the finish and in my opinion something every avid hunter should experience.

I know cost plays a very big role and when one looks at the costs involved in hunting a trophy elephant one would think that it is out of reach for most hunters. But if you are willing to part with the exportation of the original tusks, non-exportable elephant hunts offer exceptional value. High quality replica tusks can be made to preserve the memory and display the achievement, while the hunt itself still contributes to conservation, local communities and wildlife management. For hunters who prioritize adventure, ethics, and affordability over paperwork and shipping, a non-exportable elephant hunt is a compelling and often overlooked option You can have the experience of hunting elephant for slightly more than what a buffalo hunt will cost you.

One thing I might add is that the quotas we receive does not have an influence in their numbers. Most of our hunting is done in the open system of South Africa and the set quota has no impact on the population. There is a lot of rumors of how many elephants there are in this Greater Area and I have a very reliable source that say that this park has over 40 000 elephants. If studies are correct and elephant population growth is 5% a year the annual take of should be 2000 just to keep it stable. With a reserve that can only maintain between 10 to 12000 this over population can only mean one thing, destruction of an ecosystem that must maintain and support hundreds of other species.

What more can you expect when people put the wellbeing (if you can call it that) of a single species above a whole ecosystem.

Hunters looking for an authentic elephant-hunting experience should seriously consider a non-exportable elephant hunt. These hunts are often a fraction of the cost of exportable hunts, yet the experience in the field is exactly the same, the tracking, the danger, the adrenaline, and the responsibility that comes with hunting one of Africa’s most iconic animals. For many hunters, the true value lies in the experience itself, not just what goes home in a crate.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hi @375Fox, what makes you say that "the window is closing fast on LDE"?

Poaching

 

[Philip Glass]

I live in South Africa and have had the most incredible hunting opportunities. However, there are some game animals I simply can't shoot; I just can't bring myself to do it. These include lions, monkeys, plus some others and, of course, elephants. I can watch these incredibly intelligent animals for hours. But to shoot one? Never, ever.

What I find most incomprehensible is when hunters from other countries come to Africa to hunt elephants. If a local ranger or farmer does it, okay, that's different. But a tourist? When someone asks me what the difference is between shooting a buffalo and an elephant, I start to wonder about the person asking…

I am wondering if you are on the wrong forum? So it's ok to shoot an elephant if it's a government employee and no one gets paid no conservation dollars generated? And it's not ok if I shoot it and pay tens of thousands of dollars. Same dead elephant.
It is the locals who have and are poaching African game out of existence! Foreign hunters are the whole reason there are any animals left! South Africa has gone from nearly all livestock and no game to recreating wild Africa. Hunters Dollars. Not hunters Rand!

 

[375Ruger416]

I am wondering if you are on the wrong forum? So it's ok to shoot an elephant if it's a government employee and no one gets paid no conservation dollars generated? And it's not ok if I shoot it and pay tens of thousands of dollars. Same dead elephant.
It is the locals who have and are poaching African game out of existence! Foreign hunters are the whole reason there are any animals left! South Africa has gone from nearly all livestock and no game to recreating wild Africa. Hunters Dollars. Not hunters Rand!

Philip, I must disagree with you here. If we cannot respectfully discuss these issues on our forum, then where? It is evident that we cannot discuss it with those who are driven by emotion.

I think this poster entered the discussion in good faith, and is working through some of the conflicts and emotions that the hunting and conservation of such majestic animals brings. I believe they even acknowledged later in the thread that there is some hypocrisy in their post.

 

[375Ruger416]

See post 214

 

[375Ruger416]

What more can you expect when people put the wellbeing (if you can call it that) of a single species above a whole ecosystem.

Hunters looking for an authentic elephant-hunting experience should seriously consider a non-exportable elephant hunt. These hunts are often a fraction of the cost of exportable hunts, yet the experience in the field is exactly the same, the tracking, the danger, the adrenaline, and the responsibility that comes with hunting one of Africa’s most iconic animals. For many hunters, the true value lies in the experience itself, not just what goes home in a crate.

I think you nailed it here!

I am only on my second safari this June to Namibia and am looking at my first DG hunt for 2027/8 as well as my first hunt to South Africa. I have yet to receive my taxidermy from my first hunt, but am already pretty much done with trophies. While I love the memories, we have limited space so I think I will largely do euro mounts and photo/video memories as I would rather spend the money on trips than trophies. Of course, any exceptional or unique animals may still require a shoulder or pedestal mount, but I realize I need to be selective. I may get some pushback on not doing taxidermy for a lot of/most animals, but what I love about hunting Africa is seeing and experiencing wild places and animals and helping to conserve them through hunting. Sharing the experience with like-minded people is core to the experience, not the trophies.

I recently listened to Gunwerks podcast looking back on 20 years of Gunwerks and Aaron Davidson said something that really resonated with me. He said that he has no interest in hunting alone. That hunting is a social activity for him and that it is all about sharing the experience. That is exactly how I feel. I hope I have the good fortune to experience the wilderness and some great hunts with some of you in the future.

Canada does NOT allow importation of ivory, but a hippo and elephant have made their way onto my list. While I have yet to take my first buffalo, I suspect it may become an obsession…

 

[Tanks]

I recently listened to Gunwerks podcast looking back on 20 years of Gunwerks and Aaron Davidson said something that really resonated with me. He said that he has no interest in hunting alone. That hunting is a social activity for him and that it is all about sharing the experience. That is exactly how I feel. I hope I have the good fortune to experience the wilderness and some great hunts with some of you in the future.

I would not go on a 2 for 1 hunt. Basically, you are cutting down your hunting time by half. Last elephant hunt, I shot my elephant on day 13 of a 15 day hunt. If I was with another hunter, one of us would have been going home empty handed.

Depending on the hunt I wouldn't even want another person in the camp even if they had their own PH. You'd have to co-ordinate and avoid the area they are in.

This is not a social deer camp at the UP.

 

[375Ruger416]

I would not go on a 2 for 1 hunt. Basically, you are cutting down your hunting time by half. Last elephant hunt, I shot my elephant on day 13 of a 15 day hunt. If I was with another hunter, one of us would have been going home empty handed.

Depending on the hunt I wouldn't even want another person in the camp even if they had their own PH. You'd have to co-ordinate and avoid the area they are in.

This is not a social deer camp at the UP.

Interesting perspective. You are much more experienced than me so I will certainly give it some thought.

On the other hand, different strokes for different folks. I think, in an ideal world, I’d like a shared camp with our own PH’s where each hunter had different goal animals.

My wife has expressed interest in going with me, which would be great but may not be possible. If not, I’d enjoy having another hunter in camp I think.

 

[hoytcanon]

Only one reason... PRICE.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I would not go on a 2 for 1 hunt. Basically, you are cutting down your hunting time by half. Last elephant hunt, I shot my elephant on day 13 of a 15 day hunt. If I was with another hunter, one of us would have been going home empty handed.

Depending on the hunt I wouldn't even want another person in the camp even if they had their own PH. You'd have to co-ordinate and avoid the area they are in.

This is not a social deer camp at the UP.

I’m of a similar mindset.

I prefer to hunt Africa alone, or maybe with one other close friend in camp, especially if it’s a first for them, but I do so knowing my hunt is taking a backseat to them and the enjoyment is seeing their first; wild Africa, first buffalo, first elephant, etc

Plains Game I’m a little more flexible on. I’ve done the large RSA Camp, private group, and alone. It was cool seeing so many first timers and their reactions to Africa but it brought a bunch of issues. Never again. Too much deconfliction needed on areas and it didn’t always work. I could tell there was a hierarchy within the PH’s picking areas, and jealousy from big spenders when other hunters killed something exceptional.

 

[Russ16]

I’m of a similar mindset.

I prefer to hunt Africa alone, or maybe with one other close friend in camp, especially if it’s a first for them, but I do so knowing my hunt is taking a backseat to them and the enjoyment is seeing their first; wild Africa, first buffalo, first elephant, etc

Plains Game I’m a little more flexible on. I’ve done the large RSA Camp, private group, and alone. It was cool seeing so many first timers and their reactions to Africa but it brought a bunch of issues. Never again. Too much deconfliction needed on areas and it didn’t always work. I could tell there was a hierarchy within the PH’s picking areas, and jealousy from big spenders when other hunters killed something exceptional.

I’m more along these lines. Although not just Africa I generally like to do most hunting alone. I can socialize other times.

My first trip to Africa is an exception. My brother is coming mainly because we dreamed about it together growing up. He mainly wants to watch me shoot my buffalo. But once that’s done he’s going to try for some plains game. Money isn’t an issue for him so he’s paying for his own PH the whole time whether he needs it or not. So we have maximum flexibility.

Some of you see my other post about trying to figure out an economical way to get my other brother on a future safari as he can’t afford it on his own. They are the only two people I would really want hunting on a safari with me. My fiancé as an observer would be as well.

 

[Odinsraven]

Currently organizing elephant.....would hunt them every year if I could. Buff no interest be like shooting Daisy the Cow.

 

[hoytcanon]

When someone asks me what the difference is between shooting a buffalo and an elephant, I start to wonder about the person asking…

This is more a statement about yourself.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have already "taken" a black rhino and mature male lion in the wild. The first was in Namibia and the second in Mozambique. The first we tracked and the second we stumbled upon. In both cases, I was carrying a .375 with a 300 gr TSX up the snout. However, the weapon I used was a camera. In both instances I was in pistol range. Like the elephant, I have no compulsion to actually shoot either.

View attachment 737652

In that case, I am the current world record holder of the #1 Typical Whitetail... because I saw him on my way to the grocery store.

 

[Woodcarver]

In that case, I am the current world record holder of the #1 Typical Whitetail... because I saw him on my way to the grocery store.

Think this is one of those "pics, or it didn't happen" things, lol

 

[Rumrunner]

My daughter loves elephants. Really don’t want to disappoint her so I decided I would not hunt them. I’m sure she would understand if one was a problem and needed to be removed. We both understand that for conservation the population needs to remain in check but I’ll let others do the hunting. Really just prefer not to spend the money either. My youngest granddaughter loves giraffes so they are off the table also. Although I have no desire to harvest a giraffe.

 

[mark-hunter]

I would not go on a 2 for 1 hunt.

How frequently does 2:1 hunt happen for elephant (or any other DG animal)?
I think this is very unusual. Havent seen many such offers.

I think that 2 hunters can share the same camp, but they will hunt on 1:1 basis.