Tusks sold at Texas auction

[Hogpatrol]

Botswana needs to ship 20,000 live elephants to Washington, D.C. and farms in VA and MD.

OT, a few years back in a vault in RSA, I had my hands on 15 kilos of rhino horns. Was told they were worth $950,000 U.S.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I’m just thinking that a resourceful person could use this as a way to fund a portion of an elephant hunt. I personally think having the actual ivory would be very special, but it is an option.

This thinking is part of what makes elephant hunting controversial among non hunters and anti-hunters.

As @Scott CWO states, current ivory and CITES permits makes the sale of Ivory damn near impossible. My guess (from seeing other sales) is these tusks belonged to someone who passed and their wife/kids were downsizing their trophy collection. Buyers from the other auctions I’ve seen tend to be restaurants, lodges and tourist cabins looking for decor.

 

[leslie hetrick]

i have friend who use to pick up any animals mounted in good condition at flea markets-yard sale-ads in the papers-word of mouth to sale to several sporting restaurants chains for their decor. he told me he made alot of money doing it.

 

[JimP]

I worked in a high end ski resort area here in Colorado. You wouldn't believe the mounts that were purchased for decoration or ego only. One home had a huge brown bear that stood a good 10' tall on it's hind legs. While I was working in the home I asked the owner about it thinking that I was going to hear a good tale of the hunt.

Found out that his decorator had purchased it for him.

 

[wesheltonj]

I worked in a high end ski resort area here in Colorado. You wouldn't believe the mounts that were purchased for decoration or ego only. One home had a huge brown bear that stood a good 10' tall on it's hind legs. While I was working in the home I asked the owner about it thinking that I was going to hear a good tale of the hunt.

Found out that his decorator had purchased it for him.

Yeah, I went to a function and there was a full lion mount. Asked the owner about the hunt, he said that his decorator bought it. He said he has never hunting anything.

My wife is already asking me who buys mounts for after I die. I hope there is still a market for them by then.