Zimbabwe Elephant thoughts needed please

[Rare Breed]

Looking only at potential options please:
1. What is the average cost to have replica tusk costs of an elephant bull taken in Zim please by their taxidermy?
2.What are the odds, time and cost to have the actual bull elephant tusks and skin for Zim shipped to US?

thanks!

 

[Medicine]

PM sent

 

[R.M.C.]

Damn good questions, I wouldn't mind knowing now that you asked lol

 

[mark-hunter]

Interesting. I am following.

 

[MarkB]

I was one of the originals many years ago for fiberglass replicas, $500 and that included 5 sided big 5 carved mahogany bases. What costs are today? I would contact Wayne @NYAMAZANA SAFARIS, he is the guy to ask, not only for replica costs but for hunt.

As for question 2, no idea, I am Canadian and tusks were and still are fairly easy to import as long as paperwork on both sides is impeccable.

Still today my biggest regret is not paying the extra for export bull, I imported ears, why not his ivory. Peanuts compared to today.

I will watch responses as numbers will intrigue me.

MB

 

[elephantmaster29]

Looking only at potential options please:
1. What is the average cost to have replica tusk costs of an elephant bull taken in Zim please by their taxidermy?
2.What are the odds, time and cost to have the actual bull elephant tusks and skin for Zim shipped to US?

thanks!

I would like to know the answer as well

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Interested in these questions myself ?

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Very recently I got a quote of $1165 AUD ($785) to reproduce a set of tusks approx 30 pound, 43" long.

The second question I cannot assist with sorry.

 

[rookhawk]

Looking only at potential options please:
1. What is the average cost to have replica tusk costs of an elephant bull taken in Zim please by their taxidermy?
2.What are the odds, time and cost to have the actual bull elephant tusks and skin for Zim shipped to US?

thanks!

@Rare Breed Here's a bit of info for you.

1.) Replica Tusks - In-country replicas run about $600 at Collette's in Bulawayo for on-the-wall chain mounts. Mounts on wood bases you're probably looking at ~$1000. I have knowledge of people just "walking them through customs" on return. On a subsequent safari just bring them back as luggage. It probably will save enough in shipping to cover your flight on the next safari.

2.) For those that were part of the USFWS lawsuit, all the named plaintiffs permits for import were approved. (2016-era hunts). SOME of the permits from USFWS for Zim hunts in subsequent years up to 2019 have been approved. Other's from post-2019 have not been approved. The common thread for success is A.) Representation from ConservationForce ($2000 donation anticipated) and B.) That your operator/region/ph/concession has all the right data to provide and is willing to provide that data.

For successful importation, the operator really, really, really matters. You better be going with an operator that has operated that specific concession for 3-4 years so they can show investment in the local community, snares picked up, poachers arrested, game counts for DG and non-DG game year over year, numbers of elephant sighted YoY, etc, etc.

You can PM me if you'd like names of operators that are likely to meet those unbelievably strict criterion and in which regions of Zim. I keep a running tab of who's who and who has prevailed out of personal curiosity.

Final conclusion: Price you pay for exportable elephant or the size of elephant harvested has no correlation on the success of getting a USFWS import permit for the hunted animal.

 

[rookhawk]

Quick clarification and definition of what we should be speaking about here:

"Replica Tusks" does not mean "eh, looks about like a 40lb elephant". If you want generic replicas you can buy them online from taxidermy supplies. By "Replica Tusks" from Zimbabwe we are speaking of YOUR ivory, brought to the ZimParks office for official weighing, measurements, and having them stamped with the CITES numbers permanently into the ivory. Then, those specific tusks are reverse-cast into plaster and then made into perfect copies that include reverse casting of the serial numbers on the tusks, etc.

The prices I cited above are for this specific type of replica of an individual set of tusks.

Replicas of the type above could be displayed and since they are exact-replicas, the real tusks could be slid into the mounts/bases at a later date and the replicas discarded if one wished.

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Have a hollow, plastic, very-realistic set by the fireplace that cost me ~$250 several years back. Ironically, they are very likely Made in China (the primary cause of elephant poaching-for-ivory.)

 

[Rare Breed]

Quick clarification and definition of what we should be speaking about here:

"Replica Tusks" does not mean "eh, looks about like a 40lb elephant". If you want generic replicas you can buy them online from taxidermy supplies. By "Replica Tusks" from Zimbabwe we are speaking of YOUR ivory, brought to the ZimParks office for official weighing, measurements, and having them stamped with the CITES numbers permanently into the ivory. Then, those specific tusks are reverse-cast into plaster and then made into perfect copies that include reverse casting of the serial numbers on the tusks, etc.

The prices I cited above are for this specific type of replica of an individual set of tusks.

Replicas of the type above could be displayed and since they are exact-replicas, the real tusks could be slid into the mounts/bases at a later date and the replicas discarded if one wished.

Perfect as always Rookhawk and greatly appreciated! Yes your above definition with numbers is my definition of replica tusks

 

[shotgungibbs]

I will not be able to afford to hunt elephants, but this is an interesting thread!

 

[VertigoBE]

I will not be able to afford to hunt elephants, but this is an interesting thread!

If you can afford a decent plains game package safari in Africa, with a little bit of saving, you can afford an elephant hunt. Maybe not for the prime areas where the huge tuskers are, but elephant none the less.

 

[Jason Miller]

Quick clarification and definition of what we should be speaking about here:

"Replica Tusks" does not mean "eh, looks about like a 40lb elephant". If you want generic replicas you can buy them online from taxidermy supplies. By "Replica Tusks" from Zimbabwe we are speaking of YOUR ivory, brought to the ZimParks office for official weighing, measurements, and having them stamped with the CITES numbers permanently into the ivory. Then, those specific tusks are reverse-cast into plaster and then made into perfect copies that include reverse casting of the serial numbers on the tusks, etc.

The prices I cited above are for this specific type of replica of an individual set of tusks.

Replicas of the type above could be displayed and since they are exact-replicas, the real tusks could be slid into the mounts/bases at a later date and the replicas discarded if one wished.

So during this process is the real ivory stored somewhere safely in Zim?

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

For those interested
We meet the criteria that rookhawk so accurately described.
We have had one elephant approved.
Your original ivory is normally stored with taxidermy.
Our all inclusive price for elephant is $15,500.00

 

[rookhawk]

So during this process is the real ivory stored somewhere safely in Zim?

Yes. In a vault at the taxidermists.

 

[WAB]

The last time I was through Collett’s shop in Bulawayo they had quite a bit of ivory stored waiting for permits. It looked to be well taken care of.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Following this thread as well out of curiosity.

 

[putter97127]

......

Our all inclusive price for elephant is $15,500.00

Holy smokes 15500... That is a very obtainable hunt! Would tuskless be less? I've dreamt about hunting elephant, but the whole import to the US crap is off putting, but tuskless... It takes all the import crap out of the equation