- Length
- 5 days
- Where
- Zimbabwe
- Party size
- 1-2 hunters
- Season
- March to September
The same ground, the same trackers, the same thirty-metre approach through jesse — at a significantly lower cost. You take an old bull of around 30lb a side rather than hunting for the biggest ivory in the area. For a great many hunters this is the difference between doing this once and never doing it at all.
What non-trophy means
An older bull past his prime, typically carrying broken or worn ivory, hunted on the same ground and in the same way as a trophy bull.
The hunt is identical. The tracking, the walking, the judgement, the moment in front of the animal — none of that changes. What changes is the animal you are looking for and what it costs.
Who books it
Hunters who want the experience of hunting elephant on foot in wild country and are not buying ivory.
That is a larger group than people expect, and in our view it is the most honest reason to hunt elephant at all. Several of our repeat clients have done this one twice and have no interest in the trophy version.
What to know
Five days rather than the longer trophy hunt, because you are not holding out for ivory and the right bull is a much commoner animal.
The rifle requirement is the same — there are legal minimums for elephant and they apply regardless of what the bull is carrying.
Import rules still apply and still need checking for your own country, even where the ivory is broken or small.
What you would be hunting
Every animal below links to its own page, where the trophy judging, rifle and season are covered properly. The figures here are the same ones we would quote you in writing.
| Species | A good trophy | Rifle | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant | 45 lb+ a side | .375 H&H minimum | Very demanding |
What is included
Your professional hunter, trackers and skinners, hunting vehicle and fuel, accommodation, all meals, laundry, standard drinks in camp, and field preparation of your trophies. We help arrange airport transfers, though the transport cost is for your account.
Not included: gratuities, trophy fees (including on any animal wounded but not recovered), dip and pack, shipping, taxidermy, charter flights, international flights and rifle rental. Each of these appears as its own line on your written proposal, so nothing arrives as a surprise. Full detail is on the what's included page.
On price
We do not publish prices. Trophy fees and government licence fees change annually, and a fourteen-day elephant hunt and a seven-day plains game safari are not comparable numbers. What we will do is send you a written proposal with the daily rate and every trophy fee itemised separately. Gratuities are never included and never expected; the tipping guide sets out sensible amounts if you would like to.
This is a starting point rather than a fixed menu. Most of our safaris end up as something between two of these.
