Elephant!: The Renaissance of Hunting the African Elephant

by Craig Boddington

Elephant hunting literature is rich and varied and has brought forth some of the most memorable writings on Africa ever. However, very little is ever written on modern elephant hunting. And strange as it may seem, many of the largest elephants shot in the history of Africa have actually been shot in the last fifty years. And while shooting a hundred pounder is now a very rare occurrence, it may fairly be said that the average weight of ivory shot on safari has risen and risen over the last fifteen years, bringing with it a period that might well be called the renaissance of elephant hunting. Craig Boddington has been fortunate enough to have shot elephants in some of Africa’s modern hot spots, including Mozambique, southern Tanzania, Botswana, and Namibia. Here is a book on how elephants are hunted today and where the best places are to find them. Included are stories about hunts that any one of us could experience

337 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 2013

About the author

Craig Boddington is an American hunter, multi-media outdoor journalist, author, outdoorsman, and retired Marine. He has been described as "one of the country's foremost authorities on African safari hunting" by ESPN and "one of the most experienced hunters of his generation" by Outdoor Channel.

Born in Kansas in 1952, Boddington's early big-game experience included pronghorn and mule deer in Wyoming, whitetail and mule deer in Kansas, and mule deer in Colorado. Considered to be one of the most prolific writers in the outdoor genre, Boddington has written over 5,000 magazine articles, including for the Boone & Crockett Club's magazine Fair Chase and for Safari and Petersen's Hunting. He has written 30 books on hunting and firearms. and has hosted six outdoor TV series, including Tracks Across Africa and The Boddington Experience.

Boddington has also been a featured speaker for numerous shows and organizations, including for the NRA's Great American Hunters Tour and Dallas Safari Club. His hunting expeditions have spanned all continents except Antarctica, and he holds numerous hunting achievements, including completing Africa's Big Five, hunting all nine principal spiral-horned antelopes, and holding the Capra Super 30, Ovis Super 20, two North American grand slams, and the North American Super Slam from Grand Slam/Ovis. Boddington stands out as one of two hunters reported to have taken all nine principal spiral-horned species twice. In 2017, he was named the recipient of the Weatherby Hunting and Conservation Award.