Tips before going on your first elephant hunt

[Desperatezulu]

About the water situation... when doing physical activity here, I usually do not drink much during the activity, but will be like a camel coming to water, in the morning, lunch and evening and perhaps during a break. So not sure if I want to be carrying even more weight in water on me, or just have the trackers carry a few liters.

What if there's no water when you have your camel moment? And could dehydration and/or heat stroke have already set in by then? Are you in the best possible state to make a good shot?

A tracker or a guide will carry water. Which will be for the whole entourage, which might easily be 5 or more people. Everyone other than you will be more acclimatised to the conditions and will require less water than you. But not zero. Maybe they carry adequate water for an unexpectedly long and hot day and maybe they don't. You will be the most vulnerable person to heat stroke and dehydration - and you're the primary shooter.

Consider a scenario where you have a wounded ele that you shot at 2 pm after tracking it for 30km in 35+ degree heat all morning. Now the pressure is on to finish the job - everyone has been walking as fast as you can go, you're hot and tired and thirstier than Hemingway after a day out fishing. The 20l of water is now finished and you've covered another 15km at max speed. In any case the water bearer, as the least critical member of the entourage, has been sent to collect the vehicle (which is 30+km away!) knowing that darkness is not far away. A dehydration headache is setting in and your vision is blurring, the sun is setting and you can't see that well into the shadows as it is....and you come across your wounded ele ready for its last stand...

I exaggerate a little for effect but an extra 2-3kg of water in a comfortable small backpack that also carries a few of your other goodies is well worth the modest effort. In my opinion. If the weight really bugs you, you can engage one of the entourage to carry it in exchange for some of the sweets/candy you've got stashed in there

 

[VertigoBE]

Thanks @Desperatezulu !
I spoke with my PH, he told me there will always be sufficient bottled water carried by the trackers. And I should be worrying more about still being able to carry my rifle at the end of the day

So is there anything else that I need to figure out, or get clarified before or get organised for ?

Trophy handling for instance? If, cross my fingers, all goes well, what then?

Culinary recommendations?

other things?

 

[rookhawk]

Thanks @Desperatezulu !
I spoke with my PH, he told me there will always be sufficient bottled water carried by the trackers. And I should be worrying more about still being able to carry my rifle at the end of the day

So is there anything else that I need to figure out, or get clarified before or get organised for ?

Trophy handling for instance? If, cross my fingers, all goes well, what then?

Culinary recommendations?

other things?

Culinary highlights:

1.) Puff Adder (made from an eland colon stuffed with roasted onion, tomato, filet mignon, and a bit of organ meat.

2.) Guinea Fowl, Dove, and Francolin grilled on the brai with peri peri sauce.

3.) Impala liver schnitzel appetizers. Amazing.

4.) Zebra steaks, kudu steaks, impala steaks

5.) Jaffals. Minced meat in a circular bread pie you can carry in your hand or pocket. Great bush lunch.

6.) Biltong. Loads and loads of delicious biltong.

7.) Peri Peri Chicken. An afro-portuguese classic.

8.) Deep fried Tilapia from the local waters.

9.) Marrow bones on garlic bread. Truly amazing but must be requested.

10.) Various game stews.

11.) An English breakfast of huge proportions involving pancakes, bacon, and eggs. 20,000 calories or more. This is the dish you eat when you roll into camp fatigued, cold, wet, and at some very strange hour due to an overnight leopard hunt or an elephant hunt that resulted in arriving at camp at 2am-5am after dealing with the elephant.

12.) Boerwurst, traditional dutch-afrikaans sausages.

 

[rookhawk]

trophy handling:

You've already selected an operator so the majority of game handling is reliant on their skinner (your skinner is exceptional), the quality of their salt room (its good), and their prompt handoff to the taxidermist.

Three choices for how to deal with taxidermists:

1.) Andy Hunter is the go-to for dip-pack services if you're getting green hides out of the country.

2.) Collette's taxidermy in Bulawayo is excellent for whole trophies and also for curios and furniture. Vince Pegg is marvelous, their general manager.

3.) Trophy Consultants International (TCI) is the largest competitor to Collette's. I do not recommend them under any circumstances.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Culinary highlights:

1.) Puff Adder (made from an eland colon stuffed with roasted onion, tomato, filet mignon, and a bit of organ meat.

2.) Guinea Fowl, Dove, and Francolin grilled on the brai with peri peri sauce.

3.) Impala liver schnitzel appetizers. Amazing.

4.) Zebra steaks, kudu steaks, impala steaks

5.) Jaffals. Minced meat in a circular bread pie you can carry in your hand or pocket. Great bush lunch.

6.) Biltong. Loads and loads of delicious biltong.

7.) Peri Peri Chicken. An afro-portuguese classic.

8.) Deep fried Tilapia from the local waters.

9.) Marrow bones on garlic bread. Truly amazing but must be requested.

10.) Various game stews.

11.) An English breakfast of huge proportions involving pancakes, bacon, and eggs. 20,000 calories or more. This is the dish you eat when you roll into camp fatigued, cold, wet, and at some very strange hour due to an overnight leopard hunt or an elephant hunt that resulted in arriving at camp at 2am-5am after dealing with the elephant.

12.) Boerwurst, traditional dutch-afrikaans sausages.

I'll add my favorite one: Wildebeest Tenderloin pan seared in canned butter. Rare, of course. Best African bush meat of all time. Served with that spicy English mustard you find in most African supermarkets. And crispy potatoes.

 

[Happy Myles]

Oop[‘’;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;ll;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;lllllll;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;llllm

 

[xausa]

My first elephant involved a walk of about 100 yards. We drove up in early morning twilight to a sisal field and found him feasting on a sisal plant. He was making enough noise eating that he didn't react to the Land Cruiser. We were able to get very close to him, which was a problem, because taking a side brain shot, I failed to allow for the fact that I was aiming up at a fairly steep angle, and overshot the brain. I did stun him, however, and was able to put two more shots into him as he lay on the ground. My PH contributed both barrels of his William Evans .470NE, and the elephant obligingly stopped struggling to get up and died. When I complained about the extra shots from the PH, he pointed out that we were only a couple of hundred yards from the edge of a game refuge and had the elephant gotten to his feet and made it to the boundary , he might possibly be lost forever.

When the shooting ceased, we were left standing there looking at each other and the PH asked, "What did you think of the scream he uttered when you hit him with the first shot?". I honestly had not heard a thing, not even the guns going off. On the other hand, when I remembered to reload and opened the bolt, I found a cartridge in the chamber and two more in the magazine. Thoroughly confused, I looked down at the ground, and there were the three empty cartridge cases. I had reloaded automatically, thanks to countless practice sessions.

What followed was two weeks north of the Tana River in desert like territory and a lot of walking, none of which netted another shot at an elephant. Only when we were driving back to Nairobi and were flagged down by an aborigine, who claimed to have seen an elephant with very large ivory, did our luck change. The gunbearers went with him to look and returned grinning. The elephant was another solitary bull, this time with very large ivory. A certain amount of manoevering resulted in another side head shot, this time with the head thrown back while the bull reached for a tasty tid-bit above him in a tree. Again I failed to score a hit on the brain with the first shot, but knocked the elephant down and he never was able to get up again. The PH did not contribute to his demise.

Unfortunately the elephant had lost one of his tusks, which was broken off at the lip, but the remaining tusk weighed 94 pounds, and I was quite pleased with the day's work. I used my Krieghoff O/U double rifle in .458 WM, and with the correct bullet placement, it did the job.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

My first elephant involved a walk of about 100 yards. We drove up in early morning twilight to a sisal field and found him feasting on a sisal plant. He was making enough noise eating that he didn't react to the Land Cruiser. We were able to get very close to him, which was a problem, because taking a side brain shot, I failed to allow for the fact that I was aiming up at a fairly steep angle, and overshot the brain. I did stun him, however, and was able to put two more shots into him as he lay on the ground. My PH contributed both barrels of his William Evans .470NE, and the elephant obligingly stopped struggling to get up and died. When I complained about the extra shots from the PH, he pointed out that we were only a couple of hundred yards from the edge of a game refuge and had the elephant gotten to his feet and made it to the boundary , he might possibly be lost forever.

When the shooting ceased, we were left standing there looking at each other and the PH asked, "What did you think of the scream he uttered when you hit him with the first shot?". I honestly had not heard a thing, not even the guns going off. On the other hand, when I remembered to reload and opened the bolt, I found a cartridge in the chamber and two more in the magazine. Thoroughly confused, I looked down at the ground, and there were the three empty cartridge cases. I had reloaded automatically, thanks to countless practice sessions.

What followed was two weeks north of the Tana River in desert like territory and a lot of walking, none of which netted another shot at an elephant. Only when we were driving back to Nairobi and were flagged down by an aborigine, who claimed to have seen an elephant with very large ivory, did our luck change. The gunbearers went with him to look and returned grinning. The elephant was another solitary bull, this time with very large ivory. A certain amount of manoevering resulted in another side head shot, this time with the head thrown back while the bull reached for a tasty tid-bit above him in a tree. Again I failed to score a hit on the brain with the first shot, but knocked the elephant down and he never was able to get up again. The PH did not contribute to his demise.

Unfortunately the elephant had lost one of his tusks, which was broken off at the lip, but the remaining tusk weighed 94 pounds, and I was quite pleased with the day's work. I used my Krieghoff O/U double rifle in .458 WM, and with the correct bullet placement, it did the job.

View attachment 484763

Nice one. What load was the Kreighoff regulated to ?

 

[xausa]

Nice one. What load was the Kreighoff regulated to ?

I was shooting Winchester-Western factory loads using 510 grain solid bullets. Ostensibly the M/V was 2150 fps.

 

[375Fox]

Thanks @Desperatezulu !
I spoke with my PH, he told me there will always be sufficient bottled water carried by the trackers. And I should be worrying more about still being able to carry my rifle at the end of the day

So is there anything else that I need to figure out, or get clarified before or get organised for ?

Trophy handling for instance? If, cross my fingers, all goes well, what then?

Culinary recommendations?

other things?

Doesn’t sound like you are asking for purely academic reasons anymore. I just booked my first elephant hunt for 2024 this month too.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Really good, broken in boots. You might walk a whole lot, day after day. Don’t get to the last hundred meters exhausted, dehydrated etc.

and equal-quality socks, and inserts...most important part of your hunt in a mile-per-pound hunt!

 

[C.W. Richter]

Find the finest Estate lawyer and get your affairs in order...lol Elephants are the greatest motivators! I have taken the heart (even liver!) lung shots at weird angles, but the quickest and most efficient is to take the frontal or side brain shot. Read Kevin Robertson's book (and Karamojo Bell's isn't bad, nor Wally Johnson's the Last Ele Hunter!!!) Most use bigger bore, but I have to admit my son put an elephant down once using a running away lung shot with his .375 and 300 gr solids. The first shot (.416) got him, but my son's ultra-quick follow-up stopped him in his tracks! Liver shot ele at a really bad angle ran to the nearest water and piled over...The solid went through the entire (big) organ diagonally.

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

I was in Zimbabwe last year in October chasing the big boys last year. You're in for a real treat. There is truly nothing like being amongst them.

Couple of suggestions:

I created a "fake gun" to carry on long walks. Bought some pipe at the hardware store that was roughly the same size and weight as my gun. Wrapped it up in duct tape to try to make it look less threatening. Got some strange looks carrying it around in the suburbs but no issues.

Some reading - Boddington's Elephant! was pretty informative about the modern elephant hunting landscape, Tony Sanchez-Arino's The Last of the Few, (@grand veneur nice callout of Mr. Sanchez-Arino and his favorite cartridge. I saw his 500 Jeffery Improved at the DSC convention a few years ago), Bill Stewart's Elephant and Elephant Guns. Bill is one of the hunter's featured in Buzz's elephant hunting videos.

It was hot...really hot. 45+C/110+F. I learned my lesson getting really dehydrated in Namibia earlier. My PH there was also a triathlete and he used to add liquid electrolytes to his water. It is basically a salty brine concentrate and worked wonders for me. You can find eye drop sized bottles of it and they're very portable. Drink before you're thirsty to stay ahead of the dehydration.

My go to boots for years have been Russell Moccasins PH with the Munson last and flat sole. Allows for natural foot movement. I can wear these comfortably all day, they're very quiet as well. Pair with good wool socks (darn tough, smart wool, farm to feet). I also keep a blister kit handy although I have never needed when wearing wool socks with my boots.

Bring nice bottle (or three) of something special to share around the campfire. I usually bring good sipping tequila or mezcal because it is impossible to find in Africa and something a little different. Leave with your PH.

For anti-chaffing, I have used gold bond medicated powder (like a/c in your pants - heavenly, but it does have a strong odor) and body glide (basically a stick of deodorant that is slick and odorless).

As others have mentioned - build the muscle memory for quick follow up shots. I primarily do this with dry firing practice - shoulder fast, acquire target, squeeze, work bolt quickly without dismounting, squeeze again, cycle bolt again. An old PH once told me that you haven't completed your shot until you've cycled out the empty and put another round in the chamber.

I'll second the comment on savory pies for a great bush lunch - last night's leftovers put in a pastry shell were even better the next day.

Carry a small notebook for capturing thoughts as they occur. I do this and it helps me recall the details and emotions years later. It will also come in handy for you as you prep your hunt report

For mental preparation, I'd recommend two things: control the "controlables" and live in the present. Focus on what you can control (your preparation, your shot) and don't worry about any of the other stuff (flat tires, delays, weather, no animals). Live in the present moment to enjoy it for what it is. Don't get too caught up in regretting what happens (can't change it) or only look ahead for the next thing.

Good luck and enjoy the "theoretical" preparation. On of more enjoyable aspects of a hunt for me.

 

[Frederik]

I think beyond any reasonable doubt we are all behind you on this great adventure.
Yes, some of us are jealous have fun preparing it is very special.

 

[mark-hunter]

I haven't even contributed to this thread!

Ehm,.... this is what happens when you become celebrity on the forum!

(they think, you are participating in every thread)

 

[bowjijohn]

This might be obvious but when practicing with your firearm of choice prior to your trip, wear the kit that you plan to use in the bush

if shirt pockets catch when bringing your rifle to the shoulder or the strap of your daypack causes a problem with good shoulder contact/change of LOP and/or aim etc etc, it is better to discover those issues and sort them whilst still at home

One other thing I was always taught …

cycle the rounds you plan to use prior to leaving camp

rounds that have been dropped or exposed to previous recoil can be miss-shapen. Make sure the rounds you are going to use will chamber

this is something you need permission to do from the PH before running the drill

 

[BourbonTrail]

I think beyond any reasonable doubt we are all behind you on this great adventure.
Yes, some of us are jealous have fun preparing it is very special.

+1 and I just got back from hunting on Monday…

 

[VertigoBE]

+1 and I just got back from hunting on Monday…

You should tell us all about your adventure!

 

[BourbonTrail]

@VertigoBE , I’m working on it. The Cigar page has some teaser photos.

 

[rookhawk]

One more bit of advice. Don’t do a trip report and don’t confirm/deny if you were successful on this forum. The anti’s monitor it and would relish the opportunity to Dox you and to harass your government while tossing out baseless accusations to prevent you from importing your trophy.

Ignoring that suggestion, at least wait until you receive your trophy to communicate anywhere that you successfully harvested a trophy. At that point, the anti’s power to ruin your day is less.