ZIMBABWE: Elephant & Leopard In Zimbabwe - Cancellation Hunt Report

[David Spain]

PH tells me he is registering the ivory with Zim Parks on Tue. We will get official weights then and report back on it. Just for fun, guesses on the weight and see who gets closest? I will tell you that the shorter working tusk does not feel lighter than the longer one. I think they are close in weight. There is very little taper and the weight carries forward. Also the nerve pockets were small and the large head makes the ivory look smaller. I don't have measurements at the lip, etc but what would you guess?

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Assuming that the long tusk could be 68 inches long and 15

 

[David Spain]

Assuming that the long tusk could be 68 inches long and the lip circumference close to 15 inches I would say 45 pounds.
The short one around 60 and 15,5/16, so 42 pounds.
My prediction 45 and 42 pounds.
Pdta: sorry for my English.

 

[Wathe208]

46 and 51.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I’ll revise my estimate (they were shorter than I thought). Long tusk- 48lb, Shorter Tusk -46.5lbs Assuming 16” at the lip.

Also, great trip report and I really appreciate the details. I’ll have to remember to get CPSs for my 416 next time I buy reloading supplies. They look like real hammers. Congratulations on your magnificent trip.

 

[375Fox]

How was the camp you stayed at? Could you post a few photos?

 

[Green Chile]

Great question and I meant to show that earlier. I really liked our camp. It was basic, no frills but EVERY time we came back into camp I said, we're home! It was a tented camp with a good flush toilet (gravity feed) and hot showers (gravity feed also). Meals weren't fancy but were tasty venison, etc. We did have one luxury...ice for drinks! I was jazzed about that since it was so hot during this hunt. We went over one day to a different side of the concession that had the little chalets, swimming pool, etc. I was kind of happy to get back to our private little tent camp under the trees with baboons in the yard and elephants feeding at night.

 

[Green Chile]

 

[Green Chile]

 

[Green Chile]

One of the most important parts of any camp is the campfire area. I loved our early morning coffee/tea and we would hear the bees and baboons wake up. Then our evening drink before dinner around the fire to get the dust out of our throats. You guys know what I'm talking about...these are some of the highlights of hunting.

 

[Altitude sickness]

now that is a legit tent camp.

When you said gravity toilet. It brought back memories of a climbing trip in Nepal. And on the trek in to one of the peaks I ran into this gravity toilet/shower combo

 

[Altitude sickness]

Here is a typical tea house outhouse

 

[Wathe208]

now that is a legit tent camp.

When you said gravity toilet. It brought back memories of a climbing trip in Nepal. And on the trek in to one of the peaks I ran into this gravity toilet/shower combo View attachment 562230

No expert here, but I'd have personally appreciated the shower on the top....lol

 

[Green Chile]

Hah...shouldn't the shower be above the toilet!?!

 

[375Fox]

Great question and I meant to show that earlier. I really liked our camp. It was basic, no frills but EVERY time we came back into camp I said, we're home! It was a tented camp with a good flush toilet (gravity feed) and hot showers (gravity feed also). Meals weren't fancy but were tasty venison, etc. We did have one luxury...ice for drinks! I was jazzed about that since it was so hot during this hunt. We went over one day to a different side of the concession that had the little chalets, swimming pool, etc. I was kind of happy to get back to our private little tent camp under the trees with baboons in the yard and elephants feeding at night.

View attachment 562220

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I love that camp. I expect your meals for a little better too once you had that eland down. Best game meat in Africa in my opinion.

 

[Altitude sickness]

If you or I were building it. The shower would be on top. And they charged to use them.

 

[Green Chile]

Thanks. It was a cozy little camp and they asked if I wanted to move and I said NO! Another thing I loved was no other clients around. I just liked having quiet campfires and calm conversations without someone trying to tell us how good their shooting was, etc. I've shared a lot of camps with loud people and it always detracts from the experience for me.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Do you think that remote camp increased the availability of more mature animals?

Decades old Permanent camps obviously have a well used circle of habitat.

 

[Green Chile]

Yes I think so. We were over 90 min away from the permanent camp BUT that area had more water and more solar water pumps for bore holes. We had more elephants since they can travel so far every day for water and feed. Also, the elephants were digging in the dry river bed and getting their water that way.

 

[Green Chile]

The permanent camp had one cool factor...the waterhole directly below the chalets where you could watch PG, giraffe, etc come in all day long. That was pretty cool but you wouldn't hunt there obviously. It's a safe zone.

 

[PARA45]

Wow, what an amazing safari with a wonderful camp. Besides the ice, what a dream camp to be in. Well done.

Any issues with snakes, or other crawling critters around camp?