Good for you Botswana

[BuzzH]

Stephen Hawking living to 76 years old, good genetics?

Oh sure, sure.View attachment 321508

Yeah, he didn't have tusks...

He would have made 90 if he did.

Well that and ALS.

 

[BuzzH]

Looks like a fag to me

That's real mature...

Clown.

Forgotten more about wildlife than you will ever pretend to know.

 

[BuzzH]

cant wait to post some dead coyotes and p dogs in a thread wholly unrelated and gloat about my success - hopefully on a friends ranch.

Youll probably still miss the irony.

The best pictures are when you find a cool old building to hang them on.

Was bored during Christmas break in College, did some calling and strung some steel. Never got serious about it.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

That's real mature...

Clown.

Forgotten more about wildlife than you will every pretend to know.

Gotcha Bitch GIF - Gotcha Bitch Bitch Stuck - Discover & Share GIFs

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tenor.com

 

[BuzzH]

Gotcha Bitch GIF - Gotcha Bitch Bitch Stuck - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

Just proving the fool you are, well done!

 

[Gellar]

This thread is entertaining.

Those of you that have eaten elephant, what’s it like? Do they taste like what they eat? I don’t know what they eat beyond being herbivores.

I want to see a picture of an elephant steak on your plate. I imagine them being marbled, but what is their size in comparison to an elk steak or a beef steak?

If an elephant weighs 10k, how much meat is there? 6-7,000lbs?

 

[Moserkr]

Will interrupt this roast to just share my opinion.

Trophy hunting is a good thing. Literally won over an anti-hunting tree hugger in a very civil discussion with this point - Trophy hunting generally targets the oldest male animals, not the young, and not females. As hunters, all animals we kill are trophies to us because of the memories. Hell, my few favorite hunts were when I tagged along with no tag, just for the experience. But a literal "trophy hunt" is not bad for the animals at all. It's just made to be the boogeyman of hunting in the eyes of people who do not understand it. Botswana seems to agree.

If we devalue hunting in Africa, they lose the money to fund their conservation of the animals. Then the poachers kill them far worse than a hunter ever would, animals suffer, the local people suffer who could use the animals meat and parts, criminals prosper. It amazes me that anyone can defend this reality.

Carry on.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

This thread is entertaining.

Those of you that have eaten elephant, what’s it like? Do they taste like what they eat? I don’t know what they eat beyond being herbivores.

I want to see a picture of an elephant steak on your plate. I imagine them being marbled, but what is their size in comparison to an elk steak or a beef steak?

If an elephant weighs 10k, how much meat is there? 6-7,000lbs?

We had some backstraps at the kill site, but they were tough. It tasted like a herbivore. I just put some over a fire with some spices I'd brought from home. It wasn't anything great because it was tough, but it was a fun novelty that we also did on my buffalo. I ate lion backstrap too, but I waited until camp because it needs to be thoroughly cooked. Again, a novelty, and it tasted ok, but it was a predator so not my favorite. My PH really liked hippo above all else, but we didn't kill a hippo.


At camp, we had elephant meat from the temples, which is some of the meat that is actual tender. They live pretty old, so even traditionally "tender" cuts are really tough. That was good meat and I enjoyed it. I remember it being good, but don't remember a comparable.

We stopped at the chief's hut to give him the trunk. I asked if it was considered a delicacy or something, but it isn't. It is just meat, but the tradition is that the it is the chief's cut. The social structuring isn't the exact same it was 150 years ago, I'm sure, but was still a neat tradition.

On the weight, I'm not sure how much meat. They took all the bones and even the guts. I'm sure they didn't eat the guts, but the intestinal tubes were eaten or prepared somehow. It was just a puddle afterwards. The skin was taken to be sold by the CAMPFIRE conservancy.

I took nothing from the animal, but still consider it my best "trophy," whatever that means.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I appreciate everything you do for Wyoming wildlife. Sometimes I agree with your opinions and sometimes I don’t. But on this topic, you are outside of your wheelhouse. One really cannot comprehend what a hunt is like over there until they actually do it.

Saying “hunting in Africa” is like to saying “hunting in North America”. painting with a very broad brush. Africa is a huge continent, with a lot of countries, and a very vast range of hunts and experiences.

Comparing a south African hunt to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, or Botswana is day and night different. About the only comparison is their on the same continent.

I did my first African hunt in a very remote camp in Mozambique last October. 12 hours by truck from the nearest city. Solar power in camp and extremely remote. It was probably the best Hunt I’ve ever been on. If I could hunt Africa every year I would give up hunting in North America. It’s just that much better over there.

I took a Cape Buffalo, a crocodile, and a few impala. I turned down opportunities on a few other animals as well. I did not go over there for a “trophy hunt“. I went for the experience, because I’ve always wanted to hunt Cape Buffalo, in a truly wild part of Africa.

I didn’t go specifically to help the locals, the wildlife, or anything like that. I went because I wanted to experience a classic tracking Buffalo Hunt in wild Africa. The benefit of meat and money to the locals, funding anti-poaching, and supporting wildlife conservation We’re great additional drivers to the trip. But not my sole focus. And that’s never been my sole focus even on Hunts in North America. I hunt because I enjoy the experience. I give away about 95% of all the game I kill every year. I enjoy hunting, harvesting, and butchering. I just don’t enjoy cooking. So I give it away to friends and family who do enjoy cooking wild game. No different when I’m in Africa and the locals eat the meat instead of me.

I am speaking specifically to the Hunt I did in a very remote camp. But until you see how the local villagers live you just can’t quite comprehend. The hunting concession helps employ them, builds infrastructure like the local school and dig Wells for the villages. The meat gets distributed to the villages and it’s one of the only sources of protein they have. It was very gratifying to kill my Buffalo on day 9 of a 10 day hunt after tracking buffalo 97 miles in extreme heat. Then seeing all the meat be cut and dried to help support the staff and their families through the off-season. My Hunt was the final one of the season.

I had such a great time and built great relationships with my PH, trackers, and game scout that I knew I needed to hunt with them again. I keep in touch with my pH regularly. I am booked with the outfitter for another Buffalo Hunt with the same crew October 2025.

I very much appreciated the friendships I made with my team on the hunt and I tipped them very well. Most clients do. They’re making more money working for the hunting camp than they would doing anything else. And just like guides in North America they seemed to love what they do. They’re very good at their job and they get paid well to do it.

I will be going on a tuskless cow elephant hunt in Zimbabwe this September. It is a hunt I’ve always wanted to do. It is a non-exportable Hunt and I’ll be taking absolutely nothing home. I am just doing it for the experience. And honestly, I don’t care if I get an elephant or not. Spending 10 days tracking herds of elephants, stalking in under 25 yards in thick bush and viewing each animal in the group looking for a tuskless cow (without a dependent calf), backing out and doing it all over again is really why I’ll be there. Pulling the trigger is just a very small part of the hunt for me. With this Hunt I’ll be supporting locals financially, the game department, anti-poaching units, and if I harvest supplying a lot of meat to locals as well. Additionally, the tuskless gene is present in about 3% of the elephant population. So by targeting tuskless cows, that helps keep the gene in check in the wild population. There are 2 tuskless cow tags on quota for the concession I will be hunting, which is 1,000,000 acres.

I could have booked a bull hunt instead. But I chose a tuskless cow because of the differences in the hunt. Hunting tuskless tends to be more high adrenaline in tighter quarters with larger groups of elephants. Cows are far more aggressive and more prone to charge. It can be more dangerous and overall more exciting, IMO. I could care less about the ivory or bringing a trophy home.

So my point is not all elephant hunting is about a trophy. For a lot of us its about the experience of the hunt. Not unlike hunting in NA.

Chase

Great post. Sounds like Moz was awesome.

You'll love the elephant if you liked tracking buffalo. Best of luck.

 

[Gellar]

We had some backstraps at the kill site, but they were tough. It tasted like a herbivore. I just put some over a fire with some spices I'd brought from home. It wasn't anything great because it was tough, but it was a fun novelty that we also did on my buffalo. I ate lion backstrap too, but I waited until camp because it needs to be thoroughly cooked. Again, a novelty, and it tasted ok, but it was a predator so not my favorite. My PH really liked hippo above all else, but we didn't kill a hippo.

View attachment 321517
At camp, we had elephant meat from the temples, which is some of the meat that is actual tender. They live pretty old, so even traditionally "tender" cuts are really tough. That was good meat and I enjoyed it. I remember it being good, but don't remember a comparable.

We stopped at the chief's hut to give him the trunk. I asked if it was considered a delicacy or something, but it isn't. It is just meat, but the tradition is that the it is the chief's cut. The social structuring the exact same it was 150 years ago, I'm sure, but was still a neat tradition.

On the weight, I'm not sure how much meat. They took all the bones and even the guts. I'm sure they didn't eat the guts, but the intestinal tubes were eaten or prepared somehow. It was just a puddle afterwards. The skin was taken to be sold by the CAMPFIRE conservancy.

I took nothing from the animal, but still consider it my best "trophy," whatever that means.

Fascinating, thank you.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

This thread is entertaining.

I want to see a picture of an elephant steak on your plate. I imagine them being marbled, but what is their size in comparison to an elk steak or a beef steak?

Here is a photo of a photo on my wall of an elephant backstrap.

I can't remember if the fat was marbled or not.

We had just put it there and taken the photo, then I think we lowered closer to the fire and let it cook while we worked.

 

[TexanSam]

When was the last time you had an elephant burger?

I'd like to try an elephant burger, those things are herbivores, they can't taste that bad

 

[sschultz]

When all US hunters bring back is ivory and feet for trash cans, pretty tough to call it anything else.

When was the last time you had an elephant burger?

Do you have any idea how many natives get fed from a elephant when one is shot

 

[TOGIE]

This thread is entertaining.

to say the least.

if really all started when a couple folks got their panties in a wad because someone didn't share their opinion.

for me, the joys of hunting are incomplete when i'm not bringing home coolers of meat, and that's my opinion, tha'ts how i operate. i'm not saying anyone has to operate like me. though it sure seems others are saying i have to operate like them. if you're one to enjoy going to south america and africa and having genuine hunting adventures that's awesome. i would even have fun doing it and I do see intrinsic value in that adventure.

but i'm never gonna book the flights, because i'm focusing time energy and money on different hunts. so woopity doo, i have a different opinion, get over it people and if you can't, gfy.

and i've gotta say, i've always very genuinely interested in trying elephant steaks and burgers. maybe someday, somehow.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

to say the least.

if really all started when a couple folks got their panties in a wad because someone didn't share their opinion.

for me, the joys of hunting are incomplete when i'm not bringing home coolers of meat, and that's my opinion, tha'ts how i operate. i'm not saying anyone has to operate like me. though it sure seems others are saying i have to operate like them. if you're one to enjoy going to south america and africa and having genuine hunting adventures that's awesome. i would even have fun doing it and I do see intrinsic value in that adventure.

but i'm never gonna book the flights, because i'm focusing time energy and money on different hunts. so woopity doo, i have a different opinion, get over it people and if you can't, gfy.

and i've gotta say, i've always very genuinely interested in trying elephant steaks and burgers. maybe someday, somehow.

View attachment 321521

You shared your opinion.

Buzz disparaged everyone who hunts Africa and declared that he knows the personal motives of everyone who has hunted Africa. Then he dug in with factually incorrect information about a continent he has never set foot in, an animal he has never laid eyes on and a subject he has zero first-hand experience with.

There is a difference.

 

[BuzzH]

You shared your opinion.

Buzz disparaged everyone who hunts Africa and declared that he knows the personal motives of everyone who has hunted Africa. Then he dug in with factually incorrect information about a continent he has never set foot in, an animal he has never laid eyes on and a subject he has zero first-hand experience with.

There is a difference.

Still waiting for you, or anyone else to explain how a country banning importing the hides, horns, ivory, etc. is going to negatively impact wildlife and hunting in Africa?

If it's all just about doing all this good for the locals, conservation, the experience, the wildlife, banning the importing of trophies shouldn't matter to the righteous client. They should go anyway.

Botswana is not going to make it illegal to hunt there if Germany, the US, France, Australia, England, etc. ban the import of trophies.

So, if the argument is that it's not about the trophy, and slapping heads on a wall, why would anything change?

Why the fear in admitting that nearly everyone who hunts Africa is doing it to bring home horns, hides, ivory, feet for trash cans, etc etc?

That's the motivation and if they can't bring those things back they won't go. Proving to me with 100% certainty, it's not about any care or concern a client has for the locals, the wildlife, or anything else that happens in Africa.

That's the point, quit making excuses and start being honest.

 

[jpcoll01]

Still waiting for you, or anyone else to explain how a country banning importing the hides, horns, ivory, etc. is going to negatively impact wildlife and hunting in Africa?

If it's all just about doing all this good for the locals, conservation, the experience, the wildlife, banning the importing of trophies shouldn't matter to the righteous client. They should go anyway.

Botswana is not going to make it illegal to hunt there if Germany, the US, France, Australia, England, etc. ban the import of trophies.

So, if the argument is that it's not about the trophy, and slapping heads on a wall, why would anything change?

Why the fear in admitting that nearly everyone who hunts Africa is doing it to bring home horns, hides, ivory, feet for trash cans, etc etc?

That's the motivation and if they can't bring those things back they won't go. Proving to me with 100% certainty, it's not about any care or concern a client has for the locals, the wildlife, or anything else that happens in Africa.

That's the point, quit making excuses and start being honest.

This thread was disappointing to read, and if I'm an anti-hunting person these interactions would make me very happy, but this is a fair point. If not being able to bring something home makes you not want to go and hunt it then that pretty much sums up the fact that the hunt is about the trophies. I am going next year to Africa for the first time. To be honest, I never wanted to go, but my Dad did, so we are going. We are taking the entire family and spending 7 days hunting, 3 days in Krueger and my guess is it will be a core memory for the kids of the family. I plan on bringing home trophies (skulls, horns, hides) and I can say our family likely wouldn't be headed that direction if we couldn't bring them home. We will eat what we can while we are there but the reality is that won't be a lot, I just hope someone uses it.

 

[Dave N]

Got any mounts on the wall @BuzzH ? Could have left it behind it was just "for the meat".

Your opinion isn't going to change and neither will anyone else's on this matter. Could we please just drop it and move on?

 

[seeth07]

Why the fear in admitting that nearly everyone who hunts Africa is doing it to bring home horns, hides, ivory, feet for trash cans, etc etc?

That's the motivation and if they can't bring those things back they won't go.

This is where you are truly wrong. You are painting the picture that everyone that goes to Africa is going there to bring something physical home. Banning the import of horns/antlers/hides/etc. will indeed reduce the interest and the amount of people traveling to Africa to hunt but it won't destroy the market and there will still be a line of people wanting to go. I know this is fact because in Argentina, they actually ban the export of all native species yet the vast majority of people that go there to truly get the Argentina hunting experience go there to hunt waterfowl, doves, capybara, puma and brocket deer - all species in which you get to come home with nothing.

 

[BuzzH]

Got any mounts on the wall @BuzzH ? Could have left it behind it was just "for the meat".

Your opinion isn't going to change and neither will anyone else's on this matter. Could we please just drop it and move on?

Sure I do, and either my family or I ate every scrap of meat off every single one of them. Same with all the cows and does I've shot.

I have left antlers and horns behind, what's your point? I'd still continue to hunt even if it was required to leave the horns and antlers behind.

Leaving the meat behind? Would take up golf, bowling, or knitting.