JimboHunter1

I couldn't kill an elephant either.

Something else that I wonder about is how you would go about field dressing an elephant... Can you imagine what that would be like? I wouldn't even know where to start! It might just require a back hoe.

dick cress

I won't shoot something that I won't/can't eat.

bigbulls

What in the world is different between killing a deer, elk or moose and killing an elephant. There is nothing. They are all animals that people enjoy hunting and eating.

Would you kill a cape buffalo, or kudu, or gemsbok, impala? You most likley are not going to be able to import the meat and eat any of it any how. You get to keep the head (trophy) and the meat goes to the natives. An elephant will feed a heck of a lot of natives.

You guys don't think that elephants can get over populated? That is one of the major arguments that is on our side in keeping our hunting privelages.

That $13,000 per elephant will go a long way in helping the game managers keep fighting the poachers and the ivory black market as well as helping the local economy. $13,000 is a heck of a lot of money in parts of Africa and goes a long way.

As far as not being challenging, and only running 8 MPH, yeah right. An elephant will have absolutely no qualms what so ever crushing you like a cock roach and can do it faster than you can crap your pants. Think you can just walk right in on a bull elephant and stick it with an arrow? Think again!!!!!


Give me $13,000 and I will be the first one standing in line. I would jump at the chance.

Raymond van Halm

You are so right about that money, bigbulls.
They found out in Africa (and as well in other parts of the world) the fact that giving up animals for hunting or (if you like) meat processing, will have more benefits than taking land for argiculture. Wild parks are very succesful in breeding and keeping animals healty (and from extinsion).
However, its till controlled by humans.
So in this case where the over population of elephants is causing sickness and over eating of crops the amount of animals will suffer major problems in the nearby future.
We can make it a big problem shooting a elephant but what would we do if we have to face sick, hungry herds of them?
Would we send our crops to them? Would we go give them medication so they can grow even more?

I like elephants to. I like deer to. I like every kind of wildlife. And hunting, and meat on my plate, and have a good life and many more things....

JimboHunter1

The idea behind that statement is what the anti's can't get into their sick, little minds. So many people out there don't understand that hunters, in most cases, truly love the animals that they pursue. I have seen countless instances on the news where a game animal will be fighting for its life and will eventually be rescued by a hunter, and the newscaster will say something like, "And the animal was pulled from the pit by, you'll never guess who, A HUNTER!" What a bunch of BS.

Now, getting back to the original subject... It is important for each of us to evaluate the need to keep nature's balance in check the best we can and we should support each other even if we, personally wouldn't have an interest in taking a particular type of animal. One type of hunting is no more right or wrong than any other type of hunting. To each his own, in my book.

Jim

Swamp Dawg

No doubt, an elephant could kill you in a heartbeat under the right circumstances. The only knowledge I have of African hunts is of what I have seen on the outdoors channel. Maybe it is more challanging than it looks. But from what I have seen, they drive their jeep up to the animal, get out, shoot it get back in the jeep and drive away from harms way if necessary. There does not appear to be much sport to that. Again, maybe it is done differently, and I haven't seen it. If they can feed people with the elephant, thats great. I understand that they damage crops, etc. But if this is the case, why are they charging $13,000 to hunt these animals?

Brett/IL

Some of you need to do a little research before forming opinions on certain subjects. I have been interested in African hunting since I was a little boy and my father would read me books written about hunting both dangerous game and plains game. Since that time I have gobbled up every bit of info. I could find about hunting the dark continent. I have written many papers and given many speeches on this subject both for high school and in college. It is unfortunate that many people trust the media and the Discovery channel to form their opinions on such an important subject. I don't want this to turn into a "marathon" post so I will just throw out a few tidbits of info. There is not a DNR or any state agency in this country that comes close to managing funds as well as Africas Game Dept. As much as we would like to belive that our hunting dollars go right where they should in regards to improving our states for the enjoyment of our sport, I think we all know better. Almost every dollar spent in Africa by hunters goes to purchase more ground for game preserves or for heard management. As far as the "Why shoot an elephant?" goes, because they need to be manged just as any species that has reached or exceeded carrying capacity for that specific region needs to be. Why do some states have more liberal limits on certain game species than other states? Because the population of the species is higher in that area than the other. While most T.V. shows want you to belive that elephants are tetering on extinction it simply is not true. Yes, in some areas they have been poached to dangerously low numbers, but in others they are thriving and hunting is used as a way to maintain a healthy heard just like deer. Whenever an elephant is harvested, the norm is to contact the nearest village and have them come and butcher the animal on the spot to provide themselves with meat, nothing goes to waste. If anyone thinks that they are not one of the most dangerous animals walking the earth do yourself a favor and read a book titled "Death in the Long Grass" by Peter Hathaway Capstick. If you don't know who he was or never read any of his books you are really missing out. It all boils down the hunting methods. We could all set up a feeder in an open area, sit back with a rifle, and shoot all of the deer we wanted to. Instead, a lot of us choose to bow hunt for the challenge. The same goes for hunting dangerous game. Stalk within 50 yds. of a large bull elephant when you are miles from your jeep and I think you will gain a new respect for the sport. We also need to try to get past the whole "This aniaml is more magnificent than this one." mentality. I have a good friend out west who shoots cow elk for meat just as do whitetail does. He spends his time during the rut chasing trophy bulls just as I do trophy bucks. He dreams of someday having the time to come to Illinois to hunt "monster" whitetails, as I do of chasing "monster" bulls. The point, an "every day" animal to you may not be to someone else. I have talke to professional hunters in Africa who dream of elk and deer, yet think it is no big deal to shoot an elephant, cape buffalo, etc. If you had grown up in Africa, I seriously doubt the elephant would hold the same "mystique" it does now. I have never been to Africa, but I will go someday. I used to spend a lot of time with an older gentleman who went every year. The days spent in his trophy room, listening to his stories combined with my dads readings have fueled a tremendous fire in me. Well, this did turn into a "marathon' post after all, but it is something I am passionate about and feel that, unfortunately, many hunters don't know enough about.