Eland Hunting in Zimbabwe

The Common Eland is Africa's largest antelope and one of the most impressive trophy animals on the continent. A mature bull can weigh up to 2,000 lbs and stand nearly six feet at the shoulder, yet despite this enormous size, eland are remarkably agile and athletic. They can clear a six-foot fence from a standing start and sustain a trot that will exhaust a tracking team in a matter of hours. Zimbabwe offers excellent eland hunting across the Save Valley Conservancy, Bubye Valley Conservancy, and the Matetsi region, with healthy populations of large-bodied animals that produce outstanding trophies.

An old blue bull eland is one of the most coveted trophies in African plains game hunting. As bulls age, their body colour changes from the tawny-brown of youth to a distinctive blue-grey, and the heavy dewlap beneath the chin grows progressively larger. The horns become worn and thickened with age, losing the sharp tips of younger animals but gaining the heavy, bossed bases that indicate a truly mature bull. A twelve to fifteen year old blue bull with a massive dewlap, worn horns, and that unmistakable blue sheen is the target of every serious plains game hunter visiting Zimbabwe.

Eland hunting requires serious physical fitness because these nomadic animals cover enormous distances daily. A herd of eland may travel 15 to 25 kilometres between feeding and watering areas, and the tracking can involve gruelling walks through open woodland and scattered bush under the African sun. Patience and endurance are the key requirements, as the stalk itself can take an entire day from first spoor to final shot.

Eland meat is widely regarded as the finest game meat in Africa. The flesh is well marbled, tender, and has a rich, slightly sweet flavour that is superior to beef by most accounts. Eland biltong (dried cured meat) is considered a delicacy throughout Southern Africa, and many hunting clients specifically request eland for the meat value alone.