KNP Elephant Management

[Royal27]

Sometimes finding solutions to difficult problems requires thinking outside the box.

I think this is a fantastic point. I will admit that at the start of this thread I was thinking "no hunting in Kruger." Seemed wrong. Now I'm asking myself why? Even limited hunts to fund culling? Wonder what the cost would be though? Meaning how many hunts would you need to sell to fund the culling?

Hmmm....

 

[siml]

So for example, they start allowing these "cheap elephant hunts" because the supply is high in knp. What effect will it have on land owners that have elephants on their land?

 

[Royal27]

So for example, they start allowing these "cheap elephant hunts" because the supply is high in knp. What effect will it have on land owners that have elephants on their land?

Match price or go out of business in the simplest form. And taking that further. Think what it would do to Zim if Kroger offered cheaper hunts than Zim, and you could export at least some?

 

[siml]

@Royal27 , not referring to money value, talking general elephant populations outside the knp.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Very interesting thread. Simon @Traditional Mozambique Safaris, how many elephant per day do you think a single cull team could take on average? And how much per day would that cull team cost?

 

[Royal27]

@Royal27 , not referring to money value, talking general elephant populations outside the knp.

Agree Simon. Why I think actual hunting would have such a small direct impact, even at extremely low cost. It all ends up being relatws though, both money and population control.

 

[siml]

Phil, I have heard talk before it wouldn't cost the knp a cent, it would be a contract to a company that would be interested in processing all the meat. I guess some of the park rangers would be involved in over looking the shooting and selection of which elephants.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Phil, I have heard talk before it wouldn't cost the knp a cent, it would be a contract to a company that would be interested in processing all the meat. I guess some of the park rangers would be involved in over looking the shooting and selection of which elephants.

I could see that. But I'd sure hate to see KNP essentially give away those eles. I wouldn't take issue with the meat processor making his cut if he's providing the people to handle the cull and remove the carcass, seems a fair deal on the surface. But if KNP could clear let's say at least $10K per ele in a commercial hunt and they could sell 50 of these per year, that's $500K. Seems that could fund a lot of anti-poaching efforts.

As far concerns go regarding the park being utilized for hunting also, it's already happening in the APNR properties. So I'm not sure why it can't happen in those parts of the park that have no or very few visitors.

 

[CAustin]

Five years ago the first outfitter I hunted with was offering roan at $12000 and sable at $10000. At that time I would not even consider taking either trophy as I didn't think they were worth that much. Fast forward 4 years and Pieter offered a Sable at a reasonable price...resonable to me that is. So I now have a sable being put on a pedestal mount. This year the reasonable offered price on a roan is there so I will hunt one. Supply has exceeded demand and thus the prices have come down to a point where hunting these animals is attractively priced.

I did say I wouldn't take an elephant if I could not export it. That however was before I took a bull at a price of around $40k.
Now if I got to SA this year and Pieter says he has tags for cow elephant with a day rate of say $1000 and the cow was say $3-4k I'd say let's go shoot a cow elephant. In fact I think I would take my son and have him take a cow as well.

How about this thought outside the box
So the authorities say culling must begin and outfitters are urgently needed to come and assist. Bring your clients ......charge them a day fee of whatever the going rate is....... $1000 or $1500...the hunter client pays the park $1-2k per animal to help with the culling for a day. Funds generated for the park and at least th

Simon you ask a good question about the adjacent land owners and what happens to them. Frankly, the APNRs and other near by farms that have elephant should get more permits. What should the number be.....I don't know but it should be a big increase over what it is today if for no other reason that the damage already done by the elephants coming out of the park.

 

[CAustin]

I could see that. But I'd sure hate to see KNP essentially give away those eles. I wouldn't take issue with the meat processor making his cut if he's providing the people to handle the cull and remove the carcass, seems a fair deal on the surface. But if KNP could clear let's say at least $10K per ele in a commercial hunt and they could sell 50 of these per year, that's $500K. Seems that could fund a lot of anti-poaching efforts.

As far concerns go regarding the park being utilized for hunting also, it's already happening in the APNR properties. So I'm not sure why it can't happen in those parts of the park that have no or very few visitors.

Exactly! Get something out of what has to be done!

 

[stug]

Short BBC video on Kruger Elephant Cull, reasonably old though 2013

 

[Jaws]

Hi Gents,

I'm new to this awesome forum. So I'll start with the Hi to all & thanks for the participation of your informative discussions.

I have just done a father & son Ele hunt on the border of KNP (9-12 March) in Pafuri.
It was my first Ele hunt, & gained massive knowledge on this forum about shot placement etc btw.

But back to topic.

Over the period we encountered plenty Elephant in the concession, mostly cows with calves, family groups of up to 35 animals. If I have to give a rough estimation there were more than 500 in the region. The concession we hunted was bordering the SANDF training area for around 30KM up to the road heading into KNP. The vegetation is extremely dense after the good rains with around 3-25M visibility. On the concession side, the vegetation seemed reasonable, but on the park side, beside fence damage, the vegetation is far more sparser.

I have to note that the animals in that region are extremely aggressive. Villagers surrounding the park were collecting Mopane worms & the kwela finch babies from the nests throughout the region. Charges & deaths are inevitable, not to mention elephants raiding crops & posing danger to the villagers guarding them at night
Understandably these people are setting snares & shooting at these elephants with anything they can lay their hands on. Not nearly the preferred scenario.

When these elephants head back (freely) to the park, they remain agitated when encountering humans. So I do not see the difference between culling / hunting inside or outside the park, perhaps just the greenies will have more focus on it if inside the park?

 

[CAustin]

Congrats on your hunt sir! I hope you will post a hunt report!

 

[Jaws]

Congrats on your hunt sir! I hope you will post a hunt report!

Thank you Kind sir.

I will be sure to do so when I've found some time to write, it will be a tough one if I look at the general standard of reports on this forum!

But the DG bug has bitten & I'm in the process of booking another one for April! perhaps I'll write about both.