Zimbabwe Elephant Hunt Special 2014

[ActionBob]

Thanks guys! Wanted to get something up for you to see and hear about. I'll work on a report but where to start and stop? I will say it was an incredible adventure, not just a hunt. It was awesome, terrible, wonderful, awful, and great and I am thrilled to have experienced it! I was never really scared or frightened but that is probably just because of stupidity.

 

[Royal27]

Thanks guys! Wanted to get something up for you to see and hear about. I'll work on a report but where to start and stop? I will say it was an incredible adventure, not just a hunt. It was awesome, terrible, wonderful, awful, and great and I am thrilled to have experienced it! I was never really scared or frightened but that is probably just because of stupidity.

start at the beginning and stop at the end, with a LOT of stuff in the middle!!!!

 

[Wheels]

start at the beginning and stop at the end, with a LOT of stuff in the middle!!!!

+1

Great trophies. Especially the elephant. Congratulations.

Definitely looking forward to the report.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[enysse]

Congrats, those are some excellent trophies and probably great memories.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Congratulations Bob!

 

[gizmo]

An elephant hunt is definetly on my bucket list but I dont know if I could be happy with replica tusks. I hope one day this obserd ban will be lifted.

 

[ActionBob]

gizmo, I'm not going to be satisfied with replicas either.... But it was not a replica experience, it was as real as it gets and that is the thing that really counts in life.

I plan to get a complete replica shoulder mount made in the US but use the replica tusks cast from the real thing in Bulawayo.

After handling my tusks, you can bet I want the real ones! The thick solid feel is something I would love to admire regularly.

I told Ann "we'll just have to buy a vacation home in a place that lets us import them".... She just rolls her eyes at me LOL.

Seriously, I usually have several backup plans in mind. First off wait an see if the ban is lifted retroactively. If not, find a place to store the tusks where I might be able to go see them on occasion. And the house idea can still be on the plate.... Anything is possible and I learned a long time ago to never say never.

And finally, I took this opportunity to do my first elephant hunt. This does not need to be a one and done thing as long as I have the health to do it again. I may just have to save up for a hunt in a place where a bigger bull is likely and I can import the ivory. (although I think this area definitely has the "possibility" of bigger bulls).

 

[Wheels]

If not, find a place to store the tusks where I might be able to go see them on occasion. QUOTE]


Bob,

I bet you can find a number of members here that would be willing to let you store your tusks at their house! Surprised you haven't had any offers yet!

Not sure what taxidermist you are using but when I was stuck in this situation. (My bull was shot between Jan 1 and April 4th. USFW had originally backdated the ruling to Jan 1 before revising the rule to be effective April 4th) Cuan with TCI in Bulawayo said that I could leave the tusks in their vault indefinitely until we found out how things might be worked out. Not trying to speak for him but it might be worth contacting him if you want.

All the best

 

[ActionBob]

Hey Wheels, my tusks are going to TCI for the replicas and they did offer to store them, at least until we figure out what direction things are going. I have had a couple offers in RSA but first things first.

We visited TCI on our way to the airport... Cuan was not there but had a great visit. Quinn seems pretty tight with them as well. They seem to be a top notch operation and have some interesting things going on, trying new ideas for mounts and leather products as well as curios and artwork. Very willing to consider anything.

 

[gizmo]

I never thought of having them stored. That's a great idea. I am willing to bet it was the experience of a lifetime.

 

[ActionBob]

I am interested in experiencing many different areas and species right now, but if I ever settled into a favorite outfitter and location in Africa, I would certainly want to get the tusks to that location.

Gizmo it sure was! The all around experience with the CAMPFIRE unit and all the people, etc. It is a unique situation to watch the locals filet an elephant!!!

And we did not get a picture but a bit of a "Fred Flintstone" moment when they hauled off a rack of ribs in a donkey cart!

It brings things into perspective when the people on foot arrive first because they did not have to go out and round up the propulsion system for their vehicles!

 

[gizmo]

I bet, I can't imagine how amazing of a feeling it is to be in the presence of an animal that spectacular. The experience of that hunt and the moments leading up to the shot once your in close must be indescribable. I'd imagine it is quite the eye opener watching the local protein processing assembly line handle their business. I had a similar feeling of perspective while I was in brazil on the amazon. Seeing the way the natives lived in the rain forest was quite humbling.

 

[ActionBob]

Yea I really need to get a full report typed out... A couple subtitles could be "walking with elephants" and "close encounters of the buffalo kind".

On the final moments of the elephant hunt, I would say I was excited but not at all nervous. It was all in pretty slow motion and focused.... after it was down and we knew the other bull had moved off, Quinn relaxed and I was then nervous!

We got in close to elephants a few times. Even had one young bull "tracking" us, until he decided he was more interested in eating a bush. He was probably half the size of a big bull... But it is still an elephant!

 

[ActionBob]

103 total pounds of ivory.

 

[Royal27]

Love the ivory pics Bob!!!

Def a bull and and experience to be proud of. And no one can take that away!!! I couldn't be happier for you! I showed your original pic to a buddy the other day and told him what the ivory weighs. He figures the weight is about the same as the blacktail deer he shot last weekend. He is in total awe!!!!

 

[Velo Dog]

Excellent !

 

[billc]

That is some nice looking ivory for sure.I bet you are still reliving the hunt in your mind now.Great job

 

[R.Ezio]

Nice work Bob! I showed a friend at work the pic of you with your elephant, and said, " that should be me in that picture." Good on you for taking action, and seizing a great opportunity, as well as for taking a great bull.

Action is what separates guys with pictures of elephants, from the countless guys like me who just sigh and say, "nows just not a good time."

I just realized how fitting a handle like Action bob is!

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks guys for all the nice comments!

There is another nice old elephant living in one the areas we hunted. Quinn thinks he is well over 40# on the right and we got real close to him twice. He has about a foot broken off the left tusk but for a bull with "character" he would be a fine trophy.... And to me at least he looks old, getting a bit thin but he is big bodied. He was in a bull herd of between 23-27 (we could not see them all at once) and then another day the bulls were in with the cows an calves and must have been 40-50 and we got into a bit dangerous situation and backed out...... But these elephant are different as they live on Zim side.

If I wanted a deal on an elephant bull knowing this guy is there and that opportunity exists everyday for a real monster to walk over from Kruger, I would contact Quinn and see if he could squeeze in another last minute hunt. He is done for trhe season and has a wedding on the 13th and then Christmas, but wouldn't hurt to talk!?? Maybe cut a deal on a shorter day hunt and take your chances? You don't pay the trophy fee unless you shoot the bull.

I'm quite sure there is at least one tag left that will expire the end of the year. It might be a buyers market? There was a buffalo tag left as well when I left and I would have shot another if the opportunity had presented itself.

Best elephant Quinn has to date is 86 and 70 pound tusks! Kruger bulls were coming over almost every night (making them Zimbabwe bulls!). The trick was to still find them in Zimbabwe the next morning.

 

[ActionBob]

These guys are living there yet. Top photo is bulls, bottom is cow herd getting wind of us.