Good question, and I'll be glad to answer. Every last piece of meat is used, whether it is prime muscle, lesser quality tough sinew or even all of the internals. It goes for the camp, the workers, or the village they are from and the people they are supporting. Zimbabwe has the worst economy in the world right now, and we were told that just about every person lucky enough to have a job is supporting his entire family. Hunters dollars provide jobs, and the trophies provide food for all. My cow was about 9 feet tall at the shoulder, and they figured her at about 20 years old and 3 tons. That's a lot of animal. When we were done there was just a wet spot on the ground and all the grass and residue from the paunch. Elephant finger steaks are wonderful, by the way.
I work for hourly wages like most people on here at MM, and will never be able to pay a trophy fee for the ivory on a bull elephant. This type of hunt has been a lifelong dream of mine, however, and it was the only way I could afford to do it. My father passed away always longing to have gone to Austrailia-his health never allowed it after he had the time. He made me promise to not put off things I really had my heart set on. If it does not affect my wife, my children, or grand-childrens lives, I try to do what I know he would approve of. Takes a lot of saving, and driving a 25 year old truck and a work car with a quarter million miles on it, but you can get it done.
Zim is over populated with these great animals, and they are eating themselves out of habitat. Studies figure about 5% of the cows are tuskless. They would just as soon try to cut that gene down some, and offer affordable licenses for them. They are also incredibly aggressive, which makes for an exciting hunt (much more so than hunting single bulls).
It was a CITES animal, and I paid for a permit, so it is exportable. I got the tail to tan and hang in my trophy room, had the entire thing skinned in 4 panels to make leather, and took the ears to have a custom oil painting done on them of the Big Five animals. My 63 year old tracker made me a beautiful elephant hair bracelet. The memories are my trophies, and the other things just adornments for display. I will re-live this adventure for the rest of my days.
The wife says I owe her 3 vacations before I can even consider it, though, so we'll have to work that issue.
