Here is my opinion, but I could bewrong! Just from the books that I've read about Africa, the meat from the elephants usually goes to the local villagers, with the best probably going to the Proffessional Hunter and the Outfitter putting on the hunt. I would assume that you can tan the hide, but it would be very difficult I would guess. I have a couple of taxidermy books, and JUST THE FORM for an elephant mount (full body) can be around $20,000!!! Then labor on top of that, you're looking at $30-50,000!
These books are written by guys that hunted there in the late 60's, early 70's, so things may have changed by now. I've also watched an elephant hunt on t.v., and I was thinking "What a joke! That looks so easy!" But since then I've learned that hunting elephant is VERY dangerous and you could easily end up flat as a pancake. If you're interested in elephant/African hunting and you like to read- I'd suggest books written by Arthur Neumann and Peter Hathaway Capstick, etc. I've learned a lot about Africa just reading those, plus they have awesome stories.
Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck, man.
__________________
Member of Team "REAPERS OF THE HARVEST"
My friends that have been on African Hunting Safari have taken small to large dangerous (Cape Buffalo) game and the meat has always gone to the locals... The way I understand it, some of the meat is difficult to stomach with our North American palet, but the locals are used to it...
In fact, African countries do not allow you to take any of the meat home. It has to be eaten there. The hunter and his outfitter do get some, but most of it goes to the guides and villagers. I guess the african guides find some animals entrails to be a delicasy and will start eating the guts when they field dress it. I hear elephant is edible. And I had one fellow tell me, (He is a millinaire who spends many months hunting everything on the planet), that elephant is the most difficult animal to hunt.
I also believe African countries require you to use a local taxidermist to mount your animal. Then they ship it to you.
__________________
I want to leave this world like my Grandpa . . .
Happy and asleep.
Not kicking and screaming like everyone else in the car!
I have a couple of friends who have gone elephant hunting, and My father has been. I've heard all of their stories and they are pretty much identical in detail as to what happens.
Hunting for elephant is very dangerous! But by all accounts the danger has just begun once the elephant is killed. It seems that the rest of the heard tend to surround their fallen member and defend them. Then once that has been dealt with you have to deal with all the natives that show up out of clear air. They want the meat and they don't have much patience. They are carring homemade knives, hatchets, and buckets.
The PH and trackers get first choice. The Trackers go directly for the entrails. The most priced piece of meat seems to be the anus and bowels. The slice sections of it out, scoop out the feces, wash it, and chow down!
The hunter, ph, & trackers have to preform "crowd control" to keep it from turning into a mob scene. While the Ivory, Ears, feet, etc. are harvested. Once they have what they want the literally run to the truck and high tail it out of dodge. The natives swarm the elephant and fight for there share. Apparently it doesn't bother them to kill or mame their fellow man for one extra bucket of elephant meat. Its survival of the fittest, kill or be killed, every man for himself scene.
__________________
"Well, If'n I had me a horse pistol like that.... I wouldn't be afraid of no bogger man." Rooster Cogburn
Elephant Hunting
