Is this a 70 Pounder Elephant

[Sourdough]

I'm in search of a "scrum cap" elephant. 80+ years old, deep sunken head, huge deep wrinkles, huge body, torn up ears, busted off big diameter tusks, scars. That's my modern day dream elephant.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I was fond of using different units of measurement, to maintain the truth. (i.e. when asked how much the tusks weighed, I'd say "just around 120 third-pounds." It sounds much better in a British accent.) Of course, it's about the hunt, but if you're trophy elephant hunting (and ALL that's involved,) walk your boots off to find the biggest one you possibly can (or the biggest one w/ a broken tusk, in sad shape!) Keep away from the women and children o' jumbos-they'll get you in trouble every time! Find a PH that's also truthful about what you can expect in that particular area. What about a GMO hybrid of the African elephant crossed with Mammoth or Mastodon DNA?? RSA should be all over that! Yes, these are found fairly regularly in excavations...

 

[C.W. Richter]

I'm in search of a "scrum cap" elephant. 80+ years old, deep sunken head, huge deep wrinkles, huge body, torn up ears, busted off big diameter tusks, scars. That's my modern day dream elephant.

you might get a deal on one as an (tribal) "own-use" hunt in the Caprivi (you keep nothing but the experience, memories, and photos.)

 

[VertigoBE]

I'm in search of a "scrum cap" elephant. 80+ years old, deep sunken head, huge deep wrinkles, huge body, torn up ears, busted off big diameter tusks, scars. That's my modern day dream elephant.

80+ ??? I'm not sure there is one walking around of that age. They tend to be on their last set of molars by the time they are 50. Not sure an elephant would be able to spread that last set over another 30 years. Maybe in a zoo?

@IvW , could you chime in? Is there a reasonable chance to find 80+ year old elephant in the wild?

 

[WebleyGreene455]

I was fond of using different units of measurement, to maintain the truth. (i.e. when asked how much the tusks weighed, I'd say "just around 120 third-pounds." It sounds much better in a British accent.) Of course, it's about the hunt, but if you're trophy elephant hunting (and ALL that's involved,) walk your boots off to find the biggest one you possibly can (or the biggest one w/ a broken tusk, in sad shape!) Keep away from the women and children o' jumbos-they'll get you in trouble every time! Find a PH that's also truthful about what you can expect in that particular area. What about a GMO hybrid of the African elephant crossed with Mammoth or Mastodon DNA?? RSA should be all over that! Yes, these are found fairly regularly in excavations...

View attachment 520744

An elephant-mammoth hybrid of sorts may be eventually possible since they share something like 99% of their genome, but I'm not sure about mastodons. But where would you go for that? Darkest Siberia is kinda not the sorta place I'd wanna go...

 

[IvW]

80+ ??? I'm not sure there is one walking around of that age. They tend to be on their last set of molars by the time they are 50. Not sure an elephant would be able to spread that last set over another 30 years. Maybe in a zoo?

@IvW , could you chime in? Is there a reasonable chance to find 80+ year old elephant in the wild?

Nope 65 would be the max and not many in my humble opinion....they will normally die of hunger at about 55 or a bit more....
Many also die from injury caused in a fight with a younger stronger bull....

 

[VertigoBE]

Nope 65 would be the max and not many in my humble opinion....they will normally die of hunger at about 55 or a bit more....
Many also die from injury caused in a fight with a younger stronger bull....

Thank you @IvW,

on that note, do you know if the molars push forward only because the set in front is getting used up? Or will they push forward in any case, whether or not they are used up.

What I'm getting at, is if one were to feed an elephant from a young age only very soft foods, would this extend their lifespan far above normal age. Or will the steady progression of the next set of molars be inevitable?

 

[Scott CWO]

It is amazing to see the old B&W photos of 110 lb tusks! Those days appear to be over for (now sport) hunters. Here's a color photo from the site. Peter looks pretty happy! View attachment 520737

I know of five 100 pounders taken last year but yes, very rare.

 

[Scott CWO]

I will. Every time I've had someone tell me the weight of the tusks, I look around back for the KG stamp on them to much amusement. So many liars. Why can't you just be proud of the hunt and seek joy in the experience?

34.5 kg is a shade over 76 pounds weighed in camp. Debbie Peake’s official scale almost exactly the same for my certificate. Other tusk was 69.5 pounds.

 

[Scott CWO]

I'm in search of a "scrum cap" elephant. 80+ years old, deep sunken head, huge deep wrinkles, huge body, torn up ears, busted off big diameter tusks, scars. That's my modern day dream elephant.

I saw an absolutely massive-bodied old bull with both tusks broken off just beyond the lip in 2021 on my Botswana hunt but that wasn’t what I wanted on my first hunt. PH guessed he was about 60 and said they rarely live past 60.

 

[rookhawk]

I saw an absolutely massive-bodied old bull with both tusks broken off just beyond the lip in 2021 on my Botswana hunt but that wasn’t what I wanted on my first hunt. PH guessed he was about 60 and said they rarely live past 60.

A Zim PH of very good credentials, Vaughan Whitehead-Wilson, guided a client on a tremendous old elephant not that many years ago. I may botch some of the facts but here is what I think I heard.

1.) It had one visible tusk. That tusk I believe was 113lbs
2.) No one had seen this elephant before. It just strolled in one day.
3.) I believe the stump 2nd tusk that may not have been visible at the lip was around 50lbs
4.) The PH being an amazing human, started crying. The client (I believe a seasoned German elephant hunter) didn't understand the big deal. Vaughan obviously had just guided his client on the finest elephant the professional will see in his own lifetime.

You can't win the game if you don't have a ticket. You have to hunt a lot in the right places with the right professional.

 

[Scott CWO]

A Zim PH of very good credentials, Vaughan Whitehead-Wilson, guided a client on a tremendous old elephant not that many years ago. I may botch some of the facts but here is what I think I heard.

1.) It had one visible tusk. That tusk I believe was 113lbs
2.) No one had seen this elephant before. It just strolled in one day.
3.) I believe the stump 2nd tusk that may not have been visible at the lip was around 50lbs
4.) The PH being an amazing human, started crying. The client (I believe a seasoned German elephant hunter) didn't understand the big deal. Vaughan obviously had just guided his client on the finest elephant the professional will see in his own lifetime.

You can't win the game if you don't have a ticket. You have to hunt a lot in the right places with the right professional.

Yes, I think taking such an animal, even lopsided, would be very satisfying.

 

[IvW]

Thank you @IvW,

on that note, do you know if the molars push forward only because the set in front is getting used up? Or will they push forward in any case, whether or not they are used up.

What I'm getting at, is if one were to feed an elephant from a young age only very soft foods, would this extend their lifespan far above normal age. Or will the steady progression of the next set of molars be inevitable?

Elephants work through 6 sets of molar teeth during their lifespan. Each set lasting a bit longer than the previous. The last set starts moving in at about 30 years of age and lasts for a maximum of the first 5 sets combined so about 60 years for a wild elephant. Bearing in mind that they eat trees branches leaves and grass...a good tracker/ph can determine from the eleohant poop if it is an old elephant or not....same for rhino.....
I have no experience with captive elephant but the oldest captive elphant I am aware of lived for 81 years so I imagine the soft food did have the teeth last longer.....

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Little bit off topic, but since we are on Elephant, saw someone on FB claim that his "very experienced" PH from Zimbabwe told him that Nosler Partitions were fine for body and head shots on Elephants.

 

[rookhawk]

Little bit off topic, but since we are on Elephant, saw someone on FB claim that his "very experienced" PH from Zimbabwe told him that Nosler Partitions were fine for body and head shots on Elephants.

Ironic, since I’ve found them to be hit or miss on things like waterbuck and kudu.

 

[BeeMaa]

Little bit off topic, but since we are on Elephant, saw someone on FB claim that his "very experienced" PH from Zimbabwe told him that Nosler Partitions were fine for body and head shots on Elephants.

Whaaaat?!?!?!

Wait, is this you trying to stir the pot because you know how much I despise the NP? More than likely a FB "expert" making claims with no real experience or proof. Let's get more details than just "very experienced PH from Zim" before we start taking the solids out of our guns for elephant.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Ironic, since I’ve found them to be hit or miss on things like waterbuck and kudu.

Whaaaat?!?!?!

Wait, is this you trying to stir the pot because you know how much I despise the NP? More than likely a FB "expert" making claims with no real experience or proof. Let's get more details than just "very experienced PH from Zim" before we start taking the solids out of our guns for elephant.

Im trying to find the post. Almost fell of my chair.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

What concerns me even more is that he named the PH. Dammit, I have to find it.

 

[Tra3]

Little bit off topic, but since we are on Elephant, saw someone on FB claim that his "very experienced" PH from Zimbabwe told him that Nosler Partitions were fine for body and head shots on Elephants.

Did the person say how many Nosler Partitions? That might change the calculus.

 

[C.W. Richter]

An elephant-mammoth hybrid of sorts may be eventually possible since they share something like 99% of their genome, but I'm not sure about mastodons. But where would you go for that? Darkest Siberia is kinda not the sorta place I'd wanna go...

can get the DNA in the US. I would think some Quagga farmers in the RSA would be all over this!