I've never been elephant hunting, and probably never will. Mostly what I know about it is from what I read here.
I keep hearing about people being very close to elephants when they shoot.
Why is that. It seems like staying back 100 or 150 yds and shooting from a safe distance would be more prudent. Or is that not what elephant hunting is all about? I could understand that.
Just curious.

I have not hunted elephant to date, but when I do, I

will seek to be within 20 yards when I pull the trigger.

To me it's all about being quite close when taking the

shot. I see no point to shooting at a DG animal from a

distance that would prohibit that animal from reaching

me within say 10 - 12 seconds.

Where I shot my two elephants the nature of the cover and terrain dictated very close shots: closest 10yds, other 25yds

I have only shot 3 elephants so don't by any means consider myself an elephant 'hunter'. Given the money and health and a few less years I could happily spend the rest of my hunting days hunting them. I actually don't know WHAT the real attraction is. My 3 have been shot within 20 yards. With that big and dangerous a game animal,not to mention how expensive they are, I don't feel confident shooting at them with the size rifle I feel they require at much greater distance. I don't consider my self to be a risk taker or have any need whatsoever to place myself in a position of danger. Snakes literally scare me to death and I MEAN that in every sense you could take it. I don't even like to look at pictures of them so if danger and fear were the attractions to elephant I feel like I would do something about snakes. There is just something about elephants that makes you want to get up close and personal with them. Not being a a very good long range shot (can't judge distance with ANY accuracy and really poor at judging wind) I am reluctant to take ANY game animal shot over 100 yards. Elephants just present a special challenge, I suppose because of their size, not to mention their speed. I'm sure some hunt them because they are the most expensive. So be it.Wish I could pinpoint the attraction to hunting them but getting close just seems to be a PART of the equation and not the whole.

quote:

Or is that not what elephant hunting is all about?

That is it. It is what elephant hunting is all about.

Even at 50yds, an elephant is a curiousity, enjoyable to watch, but not much threat and not much adrenelin. It is different at 20yds and each step inside of 20yds it gets better.

And this is why many hunters are fully satisfied with "non-trophy" elephant hunts, non-exportable elephant and tuskless elephant hunts. If it was only about the ivory, 50yds makes more sense, along with heart/lung shots, if you have the shot opportunity.

JPK

If you fancy the thought of chasing a wounded Elephant for 15 or 20 miles, shooting one at 100-150 yards will help to give you an oppotunity to experience that adventure.

If you're lazier, like yours truly, 10-20 yard first shots make a LOT more sense.

Elephant hunting is best experienced as an up close and personal activity -- any other approach is a poor substitute for both man and beast.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not an elephant hunter! That however is not by choise, but by necessity, Fixed income wise. My total shots on elephant consist of two shots into the heart/lung area of a bull that belonged to a friend who botched a frontal brain shot at 15 yds. My shots were lethal, but not needed because my firend's second barrel found the brain from behind the head as he turned to run, droping him in a cloud of red dust.

The thing I think everyone here is saying to you is, "DANGEROUS GAME" hunting is BECAUSE it is dangerous, and no animal is dangerous from 150-200 yds away if you can see him and have a shot. Anyone can shoot ele out on the open veld, that is no accomplishment, but to make the very percise brain shot from 6-15 yds in tight bush is what "I" call dangerous game hunting, and not just elephant. You can add the very capable lion, Leopard, Cape buffalo, Black Rhino, or even Hippo on dry land, to the mix of DGRs as long as you are close, and he isn't asleep! Other wise what is the point?

I always assumed it was a holdover from the days when professional ivory hunters and game control officers were trying to make "big bags". They had to work their way right into a herd.

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
I always assumed it was a holdover from the days when professional ivory hunters and game control officers were trying to make "big bags". They had to work their way right into a herd.

That's true too but figuring the further away you are the more likely to wound which could be expensive for not much to show for it! Except for the "it's the hunt not the dead stuff" crowd!

Frank,

I think the first factor in why elephants are not shot at 100-150 yards is that you only occasionally have a shot opportunity at that distance in elephant country. Second and particularly if you want to try the brain shot you need to get close enough so you are pretty damn sure of making the shot. A wounded elephant can disappear along with your $14,000 trophy fee very quickly. If you are quite close on your first shot it will also be easier to put in follow up shots if necessary.

Now for me and I don't claim to be an "elephant" hunter any shot within 50 yards is plenty close enough. I shot my elephants at 30-35 yards. That was the distance that a good shot presented itelf and I can't for the life of me figure out why we should have gotten closer. It also happens on occasion in more open country that a 100 yard shot is the only one offered. I guess for some they would let that shot go if they could not get closer but I'm glad my client took such a shot last year. That shot netted him a very big elephant of over 70 pounds.

Mark

Mark - How many bulls have you shot?? The one in your pics appears to be a nice bull, how big??

Here we go again =) ..

I was close to alot of bulls under my trip last year some only a couple of yards away, i passed them all. The one that i wanted we found on day 10 i think, we found in open country it was 10 - 15 minutes to complete darkness and he were going in to some thick stuff - take the shot or let him go ?
Elephant clip (watch in HQ)

Aaron,

Just a couple. The one in the banner is 57x58. Elephant is one of those hunts like leopard that I'd like to do a lot of but my budget will only allow so much hunting and a new adventure in a new place most often gets the funding.

Mark

One of the biggest reasons that PHs take hunters in close to elephants is that usually it is easier to do with elephants then to get that close to buff or most plains game. When your close, lets say within 30 yards you are more likely to place your bullet in the right place and save the PH from a lot of headaches and heartaches if one gets away wounded. 12 to 20 yards is about perfect as you then will have time for a follow up shot if it charges and you have less to worry about as far as how low to shoot when you get really close say under 10 yards.

465H&H

Mark - "Funding", I hear that!!