Elephant hunting
View 24 hunts View all hunts24 hunting trips from 12 outfitters starting from $12,400
Where to hunt Elephant
Elephants are the world’s largest terrestrial mammal and found in scattered pockets across sub-Saharan Africa. Elephants are split into three species, of which two are found on the African continent, namely the African Savanna Elephant and the African Forest Elephant. The more common of the two, the Savanna Elephant is more widely spread as the Forest Elephant is limited to the jungles of Africa. Elephants can be hunted in eight African countries, namely, Cameroon, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Botswana has the highest concentration of Elephants and now once again open for hunting after being closed for a number of years.
Price distribution
The following Elephant hunts include daily rates and trophy fees only: Botswana: Reopening in 2020 and prices are not available yet. Mozambique: Starting from a 10-day non trophy hunt @ $29,500 to an 18-day trophy hunt @ $44,000. Elephant and big game combos available. Namibia: A 10-day non-exportable trophy @ $17,750 to a 14-day trophy hunt ranging from $39,600-80,000 depending on tusk size. Tanzania: Full on 21-day hunt @ $46,670. South Africa: From a 5-day hunt @ $28,800 to a 7-day hunt for a plus 40lb trophy @ $65,000. Zambia: 10-day hunt @ $42,750 Zimbabwe: 7-day tuskless cow @ $14,650 to a 10-day hunt with a trophy of less than 30lbs for $22,600 and bulls with heavier ivory for $40,250. Leopard and Buffalo combos available. Note: Prices can vary considerably depending on the tusk size and length.
When to hunt Elephant?
Elephant hunting season is open year round in Zimbabwe and for the enclosed areas in South Africa. In Mozambique the season is open from April 1 to November 30. The Zambian hunting season runs from the beginning of May to the end of November. In Tanzania the hunting season is from 1 July to 31 December. Botswana’s hunting season runs from 1 March - 30 November. The best time to hunt Elephants is the dry season as these big beasts need to drink water on a regular basis and find food for the better part of eighteen hours a day. This forces them to keep moving in their search for food and water meaning that you will have a better chance of cutting the tracks of a large bull.
Hunting methods All hunting methods (10)
Traditional Savanna Elephant hunts are conducted on foot using trackers to find a good size spoor and the track the animal down. The starting point is normally a road or track and in some instances a watering point or salt licks. Make sure you have comfortable boots and plenty of water as it can take many hours of walking to catch up to an Elephant. Only once you have a visual will you know if this is a suitable trophy or not. If not the process starts all over the next day and the next. In many instances this exercise can be repeated up to 12 days in a row and in some cases you will even go home empty handed. Elephants are generally shot at close range so you will need to stalk in close to the animal always taking into cognisance any change of wind direction as Elephants have a great sense of smell.
Why hunt Elephant?
Elephant hunting is probably the toughest hunt you will ever experience in Africa. It’s a test of your endurance, patience and staying power to repeat the same long follow-up day after day. It can be the most frustrating and disheartening hunt until your trophy is down, then there is no bigger euphoria rush that you can experience on a hunt. Apart from the adrenalin rush of hunting these big beasts and the potential for you to become the hunted if an Elephant is wounded or meeting up with some angry tuskless cows in Zimbabwe, you will learn a lot about your capabilities and stomach to handle dangerous situations. The ivory is normally the prize goal of the hunt and has been for centuries.
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