I would very much like to hunt elephant and it’s a goal I’ve envisioned for years. I’m recently back from my first safari Zimbabwe 2011 and while on that trip, I had regrettably come to the conclusion that I’m not ready for elephant.

My first elephant experience happened the first morning of my trip, and it gave me a whole new respect for this animal. I was thrilled I’d be in an area where I would frequently see elephants and couldn’t wait to see one up close and on foot. That morning we were mock charged by a young bull while stalking an impala; my PH shouted him down and he stopped at no more than 15 yards from us. I guess you could say it scared the ?&#t out of me and made me question whether I wanted to ever get that close to an elephant again… I remember two thoughts crossed my mind when that bull started coming - 1) I’m carrying a 375 loaded with softs and 2) I don’t have elephant on license. You can watch every video and read every book out there, nothing can prepare you for the feeling you get when an animal that size decides that you’re too close. The last thing you want to feel when you’re hunting DG is a lack of confidence like I felt on that morning in September.

Now that I’m back home, the fire is starting to burn again. I’m hooked on Africa now, and the thoughts of elephant are creeping back into my brain at random times throughout the day.

A few thoughts have crossed my mind… Can I overcome the “fear factor”? If I choose to hunt elephant, will my mindset be different from what I’ve experienced since elephant would be my targeted species (I’d be properly armed and mentally prepared)? Do I need to simply trust my PH, since he doesn’t want to get stomped any more than I do? Do I need to hold off on elephant for now… make a few more trips for buff and PG and slowly work up my comfort level around elephants? Was the lack of confidence that I felt during the mock charge experience created by the thoughts in my head at the time (knowing I was undergunned and could only fire in self defense)?

I’m a firm believer in “You can make more money, but you can’t make more time”, so I’m struggling with this as we get closer to show season and booking time for my next hunt. How about some opinions from those of you who have hunted elephants and know what it’s like to get up close…

Should I hold off on making a dream come true, get more experience around these animals and then make a decision about hunting one?

or

Should I take off my skirt and feel confident that if I book a trip, I’ll prepare myself properly and be able to make the shot count if I’m given the opportunity?

Question:
Elephant hunt - now or later?

Choices:
Book an elephant hunt now… You can make more money, you can’t make more time.
Hold off… get some more experience, and then follow your dream.

 

Everybody is afraied of dying before battle - after the fight is when you know if you had what it takes or not!

That's how I do things, but as Dirty Harry used to say...

"A man has got to know his limitations"..

What a damn question? If it is any help, a properly directed, properly constructed 500gr projetile, tends to make most jumbos quite weak at the knees.

As the Nike commercial says..."Just Do It"!!!!

Book the trip. No cure like doing it.

Jeff

Go for it.

I have filmed a few Ele Bull hunts and Cow hunts and my confidence grew and grew the more i did. If you book an Ele Bull hunt you are more than likly going to track and come face to face with quite a few Eles before you find the one you want. Unless your really lucky and kill a big tusker on your fist day. So like me you shoud become more confident in what your doing So i say book now!!!

I say go for it. I think you already answered your question in that you are thinking about them everyday. Whether you know it or not, you're already hooked.

You will do fine once you take to the bush with proper solids and knowledge that you are after Jumbo.

I believe that the most fear I've ever had was riding my Harley on I-285 during morning rush traffic in Atlanta. I guess if I crashed, forty or fifty cars would have run over me before anyone could stop. What an idiot I was.

I suggest you get on a bike and put yourself boxed in by 4 tractor-trailer trucks at 80 m.p.h. and you'll think elephants are a cake walk.

Kidding aside, isn't the fear (and dealing with it successfully) one of the primary reasons why we go?

Book now. A semi may run you over next year.

Go hunt an elephant.

Opus72 , first let me make it clear I’m not an elephant hunter! However, as PHC would say “I’ve been in on the KILLING OF” an elephant and seen several others killed up close by friends! So, if this is not an opinion that you were looking for then simply skip it, and go forth!

Having said that, I voted GO NOW in the poll, because I see absolutely nothing different than being up close and personal to any dangerous animal, and with that I have some experience. I think you will be OK once you are armed properly and the ele being your main target! I think if you stop and think about the happening that caused this doubt in your mind! In that case you were not properly armed, and surprised by the elephant while you mindset was on something that is not dangerous (IMPALA) and loaded with all soft ammo in a rifle that is considered minimum for ele by most, even though thousands of ele have been killed with a 375 H&H, but I would say very few with soft point ammo in a 375 H&H!

What ever you decide, time is important, and passes a lot faster than most realize! You don’t want to be at the end thinking “I WISH I HAD…………………………” I could enlighten you on that subject being in my 75th year of life

…………………………………………………………..

I've been close to elephants with a 375 and close to elephants with a 458 Lott. I felt much better with the Lott. One less thing to be concerned about. Do it now. Explain your concerns to your PH and he can gradually acclimate you to being close. Good luck!

Do it now. I went after dreaming about doing it for 57 years. It was my lifelong dream come true. It is scary and that iis part of what makes it so special. It is probably best that some of that fear stays with you as you MUST respect the danger trhat animal can bring to a hunt. Research well, be properlyy gunned and practice with that rifle and you will be fine.
I think of my elephant hunt every day - it will be a lifelong memory I am sure.

My vote, give it a go you will do fine.

That said, I thought your comments about the sense of inadequacy you felt in having a .375H&H in your hands was interesting. I know there are many that say a .375H&H is all you need, proper shot placement, blah, blah, blah. I think carrying a bigger rifle is important for two reasons. One, you get a greater margin of error which is important at 15 yards (you might be surprised to learn that despite what you read on AR that perfect shot placement on an elephant at 15 yards is not always the case). Two, having a bigger caliber gives the hunter more confidence and I think more confidence translates into being able to make a better shot. Now I will shut up and let those that undoubtedly know far more than me comment on why a .375H&H is perfectly adequate, it is the biggest caliber most folks can handle well, shot placement is all that counts, Harry Manners used a .375H&H on all his elephant, Bell used a 7x57 on all his elephant, someone once heard about an elephant that was killed with one shot from a pellet gun, . . . .

Mac, I appreciate your advice. I sought out opinions from those who have hunted elephant simply to reduce the responses from those who haven’t been to Africa and either stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night or watched the most recent episode of TAA. I figured those who’ve hunted elephants, would have a better comprehension of what I felt when that bull decided he didn’t like us being so close. I agree, any dangerous game qualifies; my first impression of buffalo could have been just as intimidating had I been out chasing francolin with a .22 and stumbled across a snared dugga boy.

Todd, you’re probably right. I’m already hooked.

Will, I’ve enjoyed reading your reports and wish you luck on your next trip but, Roll Tide!

Mike, I love my 416, but maybe I should visit the Heym booth this year and step it up a notch.

if you can stand up to a pissed off wife----you got enough balls to hunt eles---lol

nothing more dangerous than a pissed off wife!

Yes, you already have the fire. My caveat is to start preparing now. Read Richard Harland's book on hunting elephant. The new Boddington book is good, too. Watch Buzz's video. You will be ready, though plagued with self doubt when the time comes.
Physical preparation is important, sure. Mental preparation is more important.
You've been to school, elephant hunting is post-graduate work.
I often think of the Bror von Blixen quote in Mike Jines' signature. I'm scared to death of them. I can't wait to go again.

Go Go Go

Read my sig line - tomorrow may never come.

Prepare starting today - you can never be too ready.

Oh and Judge - know that story well having been there done that on teh BQE while on my ironhead

BUT

Even that wasn't as scary as when I accidentally found myself on the Manhatten Bridge roadway in the rain and fog on my Cannondale road bike (bicycle) as 18 wheelers whizzed by at 60mph. I am sure not one of them ever saw me ...

I LOVE hunting Elephant --

But, that said, one should never, ever start in a Lion track until he's absolutely, 100%, certain that he wants to find the Lion. Same goes for Elephant.

Do it when you're ready and not before.

I agree completely,should do it when you are good and ready,I am going on my first DG hunt in a few weeks,I am not full of bravado,yes I do not feel invincible,fear is a good thing to have,makes one more careful,

quote:

Originally posted by OldHandgunHunter:
I LOVE hunting Elephant --

But, that said, one should never, ever start in a Lion track until he's absolutely, 100%, certain that he wants to find the Lion. Same goes for Elephant.

Do it when you're ready and not before.

I agree with Marty's post as well. I think Buzz's Elephant hunting video is some of the best training you can get, short of being in the bush with a PH and around Elephant. Watching that video a couple of times will have you visualizing shot placement for the brain on every picture or painting you see. By the time you get in front of one, your PH will just need to fine tune your reference points.

One other thought. Book with a PH with a lot of elephant experience. The fear is a lot easier to manage knowing that you have the best "fixer" available if things head South. I've hunted them with Buzz twice, and will again in 2013. CM Safaris has a lot of combined experience, a few others do as well. I am comforted hunting them with someone who is somewhat of a specialist.

I've got Buzz' video. Watched it probably close to a dozen times. Boddington's new book arrived a couple days ago, just haven't been able to get too far through it yet. Harland's book has been on my list.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
... Now I will shut up and let those that undoubtedly know far more than me comment on why a .375H&H is perfectly adequate, it is the biggest caliber most folks can handle well, shot placement is all that counts, Harry Manners used a .375H&H on all his elephant, Bell used a 7x57 on all his elephant, someone once heard about an elephant that was killed with one shot from a pellet gun, . . . .

Yeah, that made me spew my tea...

quote:

Originally posted by opus72:
I've got Buzz' video. Watched it probably close to a dozen times. Boddington's new book arrived a couple days ago, just haven't been able to get too far through it yet. Harland's book has been on my list.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I appreciate it.

I spent a lot of time with those three items - they were a big help to me.

When you hunt them a good PH will make you comfortable (relatively anyway) around them. Unless you are super lucky and kill the first one you track you can expect many encounters and the PH will use those as oppertunities to get you comfortable both around them and with the shot. Go to Bots and get a big'un

Ron Thomson's book Mahohboh (which is once again available in print) is another great resource. Read Richard Harland's book Ndlovu, Ron Thomson's book Mahohboh and watch Buzz's DVD and you have done all the classwork you need, then the field work begins on shooting, etc.

I found that hunting elephant is the finest hunting I've ever done. I have also learned over the years that fear is your friend, but you must learn how to manage it and use it to your advantage.

Having said all of that, Oldhandgun Hunter give very sage advice.

If you contemplate your navel long enough, and if you are not impaired in your perceptions by any in a lengthy catalogue of mental maladies, you may eventually see and understand that it is, in fact, your belly button.

What you do with that profound immensity of human knowledge is, of course, up to you.

quote:

If you contemplate your navel long enough, and if you are not impaired in your perceptions by any in a lengthy catalogue of mental maladies, you may eventually see and understand that it is, in fact, your belly button.

Hear hear....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

Oh hell, just go. Having the total experience of 1 tuskless cow ele, just do it. If it makes you feel any better, I killed her with a Ruger no. 1, 375 H&H mag.....


Mad Dog

First elephant I shot I used a 375H&H. Lost him on a missed frontal brainshot. The elephant got up and ran off. Next one I used 470NE got him but did not feel any SAFER for use of the bigger round just more determined to get him. 3rd and last I used a 416Rigby felt confident it was enough. It was but he ran quite a ways longer than the 470NE. Did I feel fear ? I really don't know as I was too busy concentrating on the shot. And that is an honest answer.

quote:

Originally posted by opus72:
Mac, I appreciate your advice. I sought out opinions from those who have hunted elephant simply to reduce the responses from those who haven’t been to Africa and either stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night or watched the most recent episode of TAA. I figured those who’ve hunted elephants, would have a better comprehension of what I felt when that bull decided he didn’t like us being so close. I agree, any dangerous game qualifies; my first impression of buffalo could have been just as intimidating had I been out chasing francolin with a .22 and stumbled across a snared dugga boy.

Todd, you’re probably right. I’m already hooked.

Will, I’ve enjoyed reading your reports and wish you luck on your next trip but, Roll Tide!

Mike, I love my 416, but maybe I should visit the Heym booth this year and step it up a notch.

I think Mac's advice is as valid as anyone who has hunted ele's maybe even more so. He is much older than most of us and offers a perspective many of us don't have...yet. But someday we will all look back and wonder what if we did this or that differently?

Opus72 -

This is a serious topic, not to be taken lightly, IMO, and one I did not rush to answer.

Please consider the following:

Everyone who has responded to your question has NOT hunted Elephant and of those that have, not all have faced a charge. Most who have hunted Elephant have probably only done so once.

You need to consider all replies with some degree of skepticism. I killed my first Ele, who did charge, with a .375H&H back in 1998. I came home and immediately bought a bigger gun; a .416Rem. I killed my last Ele two weeks ago with my .458Lott. That gives you an idea of my position on caliber for Ele.

I have hunted and taken all African DG. I've also shot and been shot at by humans and been friends with and an instructor to many hunters, Marines, soldiers and cops who have done the same. One common denominator is that none of them felt fear during the charges, firefights and armed confrontations. What they felt was a complete sense of calm, tunnel vision and the knowledge of what exactly they had to do to stay alive/win. These exact sentiments were repeated to me again two weeks ago when my partner took his first bull Ele with the last round from his magazine by making a frontal brain shot during a charge at a distance of only a few feet. And this after using the immediate action drill to clear a jam he caused by short stroking a round which also cost him 25% of his available magazine load. He was amazed at his physiological and psychological responses. I was not surprised. BTW, he had attended the SAAM big bore/DG course a few months before our departure, where he learned the immediate action drill which saved his life.

There is no accurate prediction of human behavior in a critical incident, but one can train and prepare to respond. The better trained an individual is, the better the likelihood of his being successful at the moment of truth.

I hope you find this thought provoking and that it provides you an answer to your question.

I never thought I would want to shoot an elephant. I wanted to hunt buffalo and all the other big game in the world. I like big guns and big game. Two years ago I got the chance to shoot a tuskless elephant and when the time came it charged full steam ahead and I took a frontal brain at 15 yards. Hooked that is an understatement. Last year I went on a bull elephant hunt and frontal brained a nice bull. 46 and 47 lb ivory and long. Now all I want to hunt is elephant. I like getting up really close and you can do that with elephant. 15 yards is too far of a shot. When I die I want my ashes spread under a big tree where elephants enjoy the cool shade.

Sam

LionHunter,
Thank you for all the thought that went into your response. Point taken.

Brett - You're welcome. Try the SAAM DG shooting course.

Sam - Yeah, Elephants can be addictive. That's why my new .458B&M rifle is scheduled to arrive in another two weeks. More Elephants!

I have killed two bull elephants and not been scared. I was too tired or there wasn't time.

The first one, I shot, hit it badly, and it ran away. When we came up with it, it charged out of the bush though in an oblique direction. Being exhausted, with people running around in front of me, I shouted at the PH to shoot it. He missed the whole elephant twice! We recovered it the next day, dead.

The second one we tracked about two hours and I shot it as it was moving across an opening in the bush. Incidentally the first one was with a .458 and the second one with a .375.

My only mock charge, by a young bull, was over before I fully knew what was going on.

The only time I was scared was when we were going to a blind to sit up for lion, which had been hitting our bait. Later, when I had shot a lion which had run into the long grass, not knowing whether it was dead or if we'd have to follow up, and two other lions refused to leave the area and let us get down from the stand, I wasn't scared at all.

Altogether I am more scared of lions than elephants.

Three days ago I returned home from my first elephant hunt. I shot 2 bulls both with my Ruger 416 Rigby. The first one at 15 paces and the second one at 11 paces. This was my first dangerous game hunt.

My advice to you is go elephant hunting as soon as you can.

This was the best hunting experience of my life. I am already planning my next elephant hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Opus72 -

This is a serious topic, not to be taken lightly, IMO, and one I did not rush to answer.

There is no accurate prediction of human behavior in a critical incident, but one can train and prepare to respond. The better trained an individual is, the better the likelihood of his being successful at the moment of truth.

In my opinion, you need to train until every action in connection with shooting becomes instinctive. This does not require a lot of fancy equipment or training courses. You can start in your living room by holding your empty rifle in the "ready" position, identifying something in the room as a target: a light switch, a door knob, something definable and discreet. Then shoulder your rifle and look down the sights. The sights should be lined up on what you are looking at. If they are not, then practice until they are. This holds equally true with open sights, receiver sights and scopes.

Load some dummy rounds for your rifle. Practice dry firing at a mark and working the action from your shoulder, then replenishing the empty magazine without looking at it. When you are totally confident with this exercise, take it to the range with live ammunition. If you have a mildly recoiling rifle of the same description as your heavy rifle, practice first with it. If not, then practice with light loads, preferably with cast bullets, to reduce cost. Whe you can put all of your shots in a 9" pie plate at 50 yards, then you should have developed a feeling of confidence which will allow you to go on "auto pilot" when confronted with a dangerous situation. You will have trained all the pertinant muscle groups to behave in a certain way, and falling back on that training is the best way to deal with a threatening situation.

I have killed four bull elephants, six Cape buffalo, one black rhino, a lion and a leopard. In every case, including one totally unexpected charge and one broadside running shot, my "auto pilot" took over and did the job for me. I was so busy that I had no time to be frightened.