My first suggestion (and I don't know do-do about elephant hunting) is to walk five miles at a brisk pace (up and down if possible) every day for 6 to 8 weeks before you go.. wearing the same footwear (and occasionally the backup pair) that you'll be using in Africa.



Secondly, get some packets of electrolite replacement powder and every morning mix it with bottled wate and stick the salty-assed mess in a backpack along with your camera, at least an additional liter of plain water, extra shoe laces, moleskin and peanuts or some other snack in there, too. Stash some sunscreen in, also. One of the guys will be more than happy to put the pack on and tote it. WalMart here had a special on backpacks particularly suited (small and cheap) for the task for just $10.99... In additon to his tip, I left mine with the guy who carried it. Drink plenty of water at breakfast and lunch and regularly drink from your stash of "fortified" water during your long treks in the bush. If your pee gets really yellow.. drink more water!



Don't feel that it is macho to tote your rifle all the time. There is a fine, old tradition of someone carrying your gun. Let them do it some. They spend months walking across Africa and are as able as the antelope you'll see. It's not about competition with your PH and his trackers and skinners. You aren't expected to be Tarzan on your first safari. Furthermore, it is a badge of honor be trusted enough to carry a rifle. Ask you PH first, of course, but 10#'s will feel like 40 after 15K's. You're going to Africa to have a good time, not to win Survivor on T.V.



I think that Barnes solids will do you just fine. North Forks and others will kill the snot out of an elephant, too. I've used ammo loaded by John LaSala (Nickudu's neighboor and good buddy) for years and have found it to be utterly reliable and reasonably priced. He specializes in Barnes solid loads. www.safariarms.com



I think that I did right by not setting my sights too high by looking for a 60# bull my first time. Resign yourself that you will be hooked and will return again and again and shoot what makes you happy this first trip. Stalk an elephant, shoot him well and start saving for the next year. You won't be sorry and will have a calling to meet! Trust me on this one. I am very, very experienced in figuring how to get back to Africa.



Finally, heart shots work. Don't ruin your experience by missing a brain shot unless and until you study the anatomy of a bull's skull. At Matetsi there were three skulls for me to ponder. While I shot "my" elephant first in the heart, I was gratified to brain the fellow on the follow up with at an unusual angle. Several hours of pondering the cut-a-way skull made it quite easy.



Admittedly, the .375 is a minimum, but one that will readily do the job.. but, why don't you buy my .475 N.E. 3 1/4" double and take it? The price is right and I'll throw in 75 loaded rounds of Woodleigh solids and softs!



Will, who posts here, and others have much, much more experience than I do. If his, or their experiences teach different lessons.. listen to them. But remember, they are addicted, too, and who listens to monomainiacs!



Oh, yeah! If you are a digital camera user, buy the biggest memory card you can afford.. then buy a second camera and take 50 pictures of the elephant with each camera. It will take forever to get your trophy back and longer to get it mounted.... and in the meantime you'll need a picture fix or three. Shoot a whole roll of conventional film with the trophy, too... and then do it with another conventional camera. One of my cameras had a sweat drop on the lens and botched all its pics.. I'm glad I had two backups and wish I had three.

Sounds like you got it down pretty good...Use a good quality solid and your ready to go.....If you hand load then try a Northfork flat nose solid, but be sure and test them for feeding in your rifle before you go..If not use the Speer tungston solid in factory persuasion I guess they load it for the 375...I only use handloads so I am not all that familiar with factory ammo. Some factory loads use Woodleighs (Federal I think) and they are very good solids..

Brian

The Judge has given you excellent advice. I hunted elephants in June with HHK and shot 2 cows and one bull.

Unless you are very lucky you will do a lot of walking.

I would never bash a 375 H&H... but I would much rather have a 40 cal shooting 400 grain solids at 2100 fps.

I used my 450 No2 double shooting 480 Woodleigh Solids at around 2100 to 2150 fps and they worked perefectly.

Practice shooting your rifle a LOT offhand and kneeling. Learn how to quickly kneel and get a shot off.

I shot one cow at 6 yards and the other at 10-12 yards, both standing. I shot my first 2 shots into the Bull fron 120 yards kneeling as he was just about to walk out of sight.

When hunting Ivory you sometimes have to take what ever shot presents itself THAT YOU CAN MAKE.

Carry at least 20 rounds on your person and practice reloading your rifle fast.

You never know when a herd of cows might charge or you might be attacked by a tribe of natives with poison darts.

It did not happen to me but it did occur on nearly every Tarzan TV show.

First shoot him in the heart, that way he is yours as you will recover him sooner or later. I would never let anyone carry my rifle but thats just me, if the shit hits the fan your rifle will be in the dirt and the guy carrying it will be in a tree. I used woodleigh 300 grain solids by federal in my .375 and and they worked very well.

Thanks everyone for the advise. I have already started walkiing in the mornings and since the semester is over for me, I will be able to step it up a notch. I had planned on the shooting practice (mostly offhand) I will probably start in on that right after Christmas. For shoes, I have a pair of Courtney boots (think they are great) and was going to look into buying another pair when I landed in Country, but was going to try to pick up a pair of Russell boots, either the PH II or the Short PH, possibly at the Dallas show. As for rifle caliber, I am using what I have access to. Now given the option, I would like to use at a minimum any of the 500 nitro express caliber doubles, but... you use what you got!