Opportunity has knocked/ an offer not to be refused

[zip4644]

so, as I was happily planning away for my next trip ( family safari in 24, likely 10 of us, with KMG safaris) My friend, mentor, bit of a hero of mine says to me, if you want to come hunt I will take you and we will go to my favorite places to walk and stalk with your bow. I have decided to take him up on this offer and will be back for my third trip in three years this coming Sept. My level of excitement about the hunt is only surpassed by who is taking me hunting.....Gonna chase Limpopo Bushbuck and Kudu and a few others on foot with my bow. should be epic.....As a supper bonus my father in law (a very seasoned Africa hunter) has decided to be in country at the same time (finishing up his Dangerous 7) and wants to take my son (he's 11) for his second trip (he wants to dart an elephant and hunt a Hyena) so I am going to meet up with them and join in my sons hunt......should be one for the books.....

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Three generations hunting Africa together, life is good.

Lon

 

[R.M.C.]

Sounds like a plan!! Make sure you write a detailed report when you get back!

 

[TucsonFX4]

Sounds awesome. Time for me to get off my butt and get something booked for the family. I can’t wait to hear about your hunt.

 

[Tanks]

...(he wants to dart an elephant.....

Is this a thing? I had never heard of it.

 

[BRICKBURN]

You should be excited about your planned family invasion.
Walk and Stalk Bow hunting Bushbuck is great fun. Enjoy.

 

[Beck]

Sounds amazing, have a great trip

 

[TKessel]

Is this a thing? I had never heard of it.

Wondering the same?

 

[enysse]

Congratulations sounds like fun and challenging hunt!

 

[zip4644]

its a

Is this a thing? I had never heard of it.

thing new to me as well.

 

[DLSJR]

so, as I was happily planning away for my next trip ( family safari in 24, likely 10 of us, with KMG safaris) My friend, mentor, bit of a hero of mine says to me, if you want to come hunt I will take you and we will go to my favorite places to walk and stalk with your bow. I have decided to take him up on this offer and will be back for my third trip in three years this coming Sept. My level of excitement about the hunt is only surpassed by who is taking me hunting.....Gonna chase Limpopo Bushbuck and Kudu and a few others on foot with my bow. should be epic.....As a supper bonus my father in law (a very seasoned Africa hunter) has decided to be in country at the same time (finishing up his Dangerous 7) and wants to take my son (he's 11) for his second trip (he wants to dart an elephant and hunt a Hyena) so I am going to meet up with them and join in my sons hunt......should be one for the books.....

Zip, I intend absolutely no disrespect whatsoever, but if either you or your father in law would take an 11 year old after elephant, you’re out of your f*cking mind. And by that, I mean such a stunt (and that IS all this is as an 11 year old has no idea about elephants) is beyond irresponsible.

I can’t imagine any PH in his right mind would have anything to do with such a stunt. But if there is one dumb enough to go along with this stunt, I can easily imagine a game department suspending or revoking his dangerous game license. I can only imagine two scenarios where either of you would even consider trying this with a young kid. #1; neither of you understands how dangerous an elephant can be, or #2; you’re both out of your minds.

Seriously, you need to give up any idea of such a stunt! If you’re still not convinced, contact Zimbabwean PH Phillip Smythe’s widow to ask how life has been for her and their 3 small children since he was killed by an elephant while protecting his client.

I’m going to share something Roy Vincent (long time Rhodesian then Zimbabwean Game Warden turned PH for nearly 40 years) told me before my first elephant hunt with him. Roy said “Don’t ever forget that an elephant can hurt you worse on accident than nearly any other animal can on purpose”. Now I’ve only shot 2 elephant bulls, but in those 2 hunts I’ve been chased multiple times and charged by one bull that both I and Roy shot at 9 yards as he bore down on us. Not the place to have an 11 year old! With elephants, everything can go from calm to hell in a hand basket very quickly. There is not any 11 year old who can be expected to handle such an emergency and protecting him might get you or your PH killed in the process.

This idea to take an 11 year old elephant hunting is probably the worst idea I’ve heard in my entire life. If this offends you, I’m sorry but don’t be so incredibly stupid with your kid.

 

[Tanks]

...With elephants, everything can go from calm to hell in a hand basket very quickly. There is not any 11 year old who can be expected to handle such an emergency and protecting him might get you or your PH killed in the process.

This idea to take an 11 year old elephant hunting is probably the worst idea I’ve heard in my entire life. If this offends you, I’m sorry but don’t be so incredibly stupid with your kid.

I still want to hear about darting an elephant!!!

 

[DLSJR]

I still want to hear about darting an elephant!!!

No kidding! There've been lots of ‘green’ hunts for white rhino where a guy can dart one but an elephant is a whole ‘ other proposition. There’s a reason that many darted elephants are done by game department biologists shooting from helicopters instead of on the ground. I think it has something to do with life expectancy.

 

[Sue Tidwell]

so, as I was happily planning away for my next trip ( family safari in 24, likely 10 of us, with KMG safaris) My friend, mentor, bit of a hero of mine says to me, if you want to come hunt I will take you and we will go to my favorite places to walk and stalk with your bow. I have decided to take him up on this offer and will be back for my third trip in three years this coming Sept. My level of excitement about the hunt is only surpassed by who is taking me hunting.....Gonna chase Limpopo Bushbuck and Kudu and a few others on foot with my bow. should be epic.....As a supper bonus my father in law (a very seasoned Africa hunter) has decided to be in country at the same time (finishing up his Dangerous 7) and wants to take my son (he's 11) for his second trip (he wants to dart an elephant and hunt a Hyena) so I am going to meet up with them and join in my sons hunt......should be one for the books.....

This is so wonderful. Congratulations! What an amazing thing to have you Dad and your son all hunting together. Memories will be made to last a lifetime. Enjoy!

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Is this a thing? I had never heard of it.

I'm wondering also. My husband would love to hunt elephant but a trophy elephant is out of our price range.

 

[Tanks]

I'm wondering also. My husband would love to hunt elephant but a trophy elephant is out of our price range.

Shoot a tuskless elephant same trophy fee or a $1-$2K less than a buffalo.

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Shoot a tuskless elephant same trophy fee or a $1-$2K less than a buffalo.

Thank you! I will let him know.

 

[DLSJR]

Sue Tidwell, also have him look into an “own use” elephant hunt in Namibia. He cannot bring home anything other than photos (local village keeps everything) but it’s a deeply discounted bull elephant hunt and great experience.

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Sue Tidwell, also have him look into an “own use” elephant hunt in Namibia. He cannot bring home anything other than photos (local village keeps everything) but it’s a deeply discounted bull elephant hunt and great experience.

So would a tuskless bull and one of these “own use” bulls be about the same price do you think? He was actually planning a management elephant hunt in Namibia for 2024 (I’m assuming that is about the same thing as an “own use” hunt)….but unfortunately we decided we should wait another year. We have to plan and budget these things pretty far out. But it’s good to know our options. Honestly, I don’t care what he hunts. I just want to get back to Africa. . If only Oprah Winfrey or Jenna Hager Bush would choose Cries of the Savanna as their book club read. Then we might be able to come every year….PLUS lots more people would know how important hunting is to Africa. . It’s nice to dream! Thanks again for the info.

 

[DLSJR]

So would a tuskless bull and one of these “own use” bulls be about the same price do you think? He was actually planning a management elephant hunt in Namibia for 2024 (I’m assuming that is about the same thing as an “own use” hunt)….but unfortunately we decided we should wait another year. We have to plan and budget these things pretty far out. But it’s good to know our options. Honestly, I don’t care what he hunts. I just want to get back to Africa. . If only Oprah Winfrey or Jenna Hager Bush would choose Cries of the Savanna as their book club read. Then we might be able to come every year….PLUS lots more people would know how important hunting is to Africa. . It’s nice to dream! Thanks again for the info.

Sue, I’m guessing his ’management bull’ is likely an own use hunt. They can be had for around $17-21,000, all in, depending on area and PH. I’m probably going to do an own use hunt in a few years, but first have to get through some hunts I already have booked in several countries over the next couple years. Dan