Botswana has the most elephants in the world which roam free. Numbers are disputed but conservation groups say there are around 130,000, though MP Kosta Markus believes it is actually closer to a 250,000.
He has tabled a motion in Parliament to reintroduce elephant culling in the country after a four-year ban.
The motion to lift the ban on hunting elephants has angered wildlife campaigners.
But Markus says the northern part of the country, where the elephants live, only had the capacity to sustain a population of 60,000 elephants.
"Elephants encroach into where people settle.
I'm proposing all elephants found in areas that are games reserves or national parks should be reduced.
I'm proposing all elephants found in areas that are games reserves or national parks should be reduced," he said.
"The only way is to shoot them.
Shooting elephants or hunting them is a form of conservation - that's the way to conserve."
He said that communities could have quotas and make money from trophy hunting - and this, in turn, would reduce poaching.
