A PROFESSIONAL hunter (PH) with no experience on elephant at all would have practically no chance of successfully hunting them with clients. Even the tiro PH is probably capable of tracking an individual buffalo. Their hoofs are hard and the edges sharp and even in hard ground their weight ensures some degree of spoor. Tracking elephant is different. The pads of their feet are soft by comparison and keeping on an individual spoor, particularly when there is a lot of other elephant spoor about, is an art, so, to hunt them successfully a skilled tracker is a must.OK then, the inexperienced PH has employed a skilled elephant tracker – let’s look at things from the tracker’s point of view: It is likely that he will be effectively unarmed. Even if he is carrying the client’s rifle it is probable he could not use it to adequately protect himself in case of trouble. Let’s liken his situation to a ‘not-impossible’ scenario. Imagine yourself to be a qualified pilot who, for some reason, is compelled to take the back seat of an aircraft piloted by a pupil. A pilot who is not only about to make his first solo flight, but also a cross-country run. Doubtlessly the pupil would be capable of getting the aircraft off the ground and into the air and even finding his destination and landing safely. BUT, if before take-off for the return trip you see storm clouds brewing on the horizon I believe you could be tempted to do something sneaky – like letting the air out of one of the tyres!
Just as every good hunter will check out his rifle when he goes
