Peter Capstick question

I think anyone who ever thought about hunting Africa knows of him. I've read all of his books and enjoyed most of them. "Death in the Long Grass" is probably the best known. He was a great story teller, even if embellished a little, and that alone has some merit. Fun to read. He kept me on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion.

He states, in the chapter on elephants, that he had killed between 750-800 elephants. Is that true? He admits that he took no pride in cropping elephants, so wasn't bragging about it. That just seems like a lot of elephants. I can't even imagine firing a .458 Win. Mag. 800 times

Does anyone know if elephant cropping is going on these days?

Eel

It is a huge number today. It is probably not a huge number historically. Whether he actually individually pulled the trigger on that number, I would say even he admits not. He talked about those kills he was in on. If memory serves they include his hunted elephants, his clients elephants and totals from the cropping team he says he worked on in Zambia.

Cropping that occurred in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Current day Botswana and others from 1900-1980 turned up many who killed many 100s. As the human population exploded the Elephants were killed off to make room for the 100s of millions across these countries.
These are mostly cows and calves rather than bulls. Between the killing of crop raiders and the blunder that was the Tetse fly corridor slaughters, you had many shooters with big numbers. Big numbers of mostly cows and calves.

On the plus side, this time period turned out the most experienced dangerous game PHs Africa will ever see. Any PH born since 1970 never had the chance to gain the experience of the old timers. I think that may be one reason we have seen an increasing number PHs who get run over.

Many books have been written by these old timers or discussing these old timers and some are very good. Harland's books out of Rhodesia, White Hunters by Kerne out of Kenya and Tanzania. Ron Thomsons books (Rhodesia again). Many others but those would get you started.

You occasionally hear of small cropping projects argued about in different park areas like Kruger. As human population expands there will be fewer and fewer elephants to worry about. You no doubt have heard American ranchers or farmers bitching about wolves nipping a few head of this or that, or farmers complaining about deer or elk nibbling their crops? Imagine ranching in lion and leopard country or 2 dozen 2-6 ton elephant spending a night in your corn field.

Thank you for your incite Navaluk. The world is shrinking, and not always for the better I fear.

Eel

Elephant culling is still occurring in many parts of southern Africa. Generally not in as large a number as years ago, but it is still necessary. There are many parts of Africa with elephant numbers exploding, and eating themselves out of house and home (Botswana).
Culling hunts typically focus on the entire herd, maybe 20-50, where every elephant is killed, bulls, cows, and calves. Multiple shooters and more of a slaughter than a hunt, but it still must be quite an experience. Pretty hard to relate to sport hunting, however.
Many, many of the plains game species require culling annually in many areas as well. It is all part of proper management.
Bill

You should check out Capsticks book "The Last Ivory Hunter" Its about Wally Johnson. He has killed over 1000 elephants and estimates that only about 5% were cows 95% were bulls. Its another great Capstick book.

+1 Just finished The Last Ivory Hunter for the 2nd time. Makes me think I was born at the wrong time!