On my last Safari we had several false charges that stopped at 10 to 12 yards. They were very exciting. With ears flared out trumpting, dust kicked up etc. Some of these should be on my video, which I have not seen yet. I hope they turn out good as they were exciting and a lot of fun.
When hunting Ivory I will take whatever kill shot is offered. When hunting cows I do not think I would shoot over 10 or 12 yards, and a brain shot is the only way to go for me.
I also prefer to shoot my bulls up close as well.
I have brained one bull and 2 cows at 6 yards or less, another cow at 12 yards.
I shot my first bull, a 55 pounder at 120 yards, he came immediately for us, then brained him at @ 50 or 60 yards, even that was quite exciting.
Elephants up close are the ultimate trophy for me.
Nothing else even comes close.

I've only shot two elephant bulls so I'm no expert on how close a person can or cannot get. However, it doesn't seem to me that there can be a hard and fast rule about how close you can/should get.

With my first bull there were two bulls together and they knew we were there and didn't appreciate it. Could a person have gotten to within 10 yards? I doubt it, they would either have left or charged, poor end results either way.

The second bull was in a large herd and there was a cow with a calf close to our side. I settled on a 28 yard shot as getting in closer would have possible put us in a dangerous spot with that cow. Nobody wants to shoot a cow with a young calf, self defence or not. Doesn't seem right to create a situation where you need to shoot her just to be able to say you were 10 yards away when you shot.

Not saying a person shouldn't get closer, just that we can't all say you HAVE to be closer to truly hunt elephant.

Just my two cents.

Nothing says you have to get too close. Nothing wrong with 28 yards. That can be too close already sometimes.

I think Mark T has it right; the situation can dictate.

On one tuskless we were in thick bush and got within five or six yards of the elephants several times - and not every time was intentional, but the shot on the tuskless was either poor or too dangerous due to the location of other members of the herd. After working in and out of this herd for two and a half hours I finally got a clean frontal shot at 23 paces. And I was happy to get it. The closest cow was about ten yards away at the shot.

JPK

On one hunt we were tacking a cow herd to see if a tuskless cow was part of the group. We heard the elephants in front of us and the trackers made as trategic retreat behind the guys with the guns. We were in very thick jesse and going through the tunnels formed by the leafy green conbretum bushes. We steped past one lage bush and stopped cold, I think even my heart stopped beating to remain as quiet as possible. There was a cow facing almost directly away from us and within 3 paces of our position. We very slowly backed down the corridor and got out of there with out alerting her. The PH later explained that when an elephant turns around it plants it's hind feet and swings it's front feet forward. That would have put us with our noses touching her brest bone. I am definately sure that is too close.

Getting too close will happen if you spend much time hunting elephants in the Jesse. The closer you get the less time you will have to react if things go south. It doesn't make sense to me to deliberately put your self in that position.

So what do I think is too close? I feel comfortable approaching to 12 to 15 yards if I am carrying a double rifle in a stopping caliber. That means 450 and above. If I have a choice while carrying a bolt rifle I would add 3 to 5 yards to those numbers, although I have shot elephants at distances that ranged from 6 to 28 yds. I would also approach a single bull somewhat closer then a herd of cows.

It has been stated here that you can place your bullet better at 5 to 6 yards than at 15 or 20 yards. IMHO opinion if you can't place your bullet within 2 inches of where you intend to hit at 15 yards you shouldn't be taking any brain shot at any distance. For that type of hunter a heart/lung shot is by far the better option.

The discusion about Ivan Carter's tactics gave me an erie reminder of those used by Johnny Uys. Johhny used the same tactics to instigate and then stop the charge of a cow elephant. He used to perform this trick for tourists at Hwange Safari Lodge. He did it once too often and his clients watched a cow elephant bulldoze him to eternity. I sncerely hope that Ivan has better luck.

465H&h

When that elephant does a 180 you had better be the body length + the trunk away or be shooting fast!

According to the stories Uys was trying to stare down a cow when he backstepping and tripped in a hole. The moment of weakness was instantly recognized by the cow and that was that.

But mostly these dangerous situations are avoided because there is a PH there to help out. But don't bet your life on it.

I think that he had a method of stopping a charge by stomping one foot in front of him, putting his arms out and making noise. I read he was killed on a photo safari tour when he had stopped one elephant in this matter, another came for him. He tried to do the same thing with the second Elephant and put his foot into a hole of some sort which caused him to fall. Upon seeing him fall, Ele #1 resumed its charge and killed him. Apparently the whole time his clients were filming it because they thought it was part of the show.

Can anyone confirm this?

WHEN YOU are close enough to smell the peanuts on their breath,
or
close enough to hear the "other guy" wipe of his safety,
you are waayyy toooo close.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:
I think that he had a method of stopping a charge by stomping one foot in front of him, putting his arms out and making noise. I read he was killed on a photo safari tour when he had stopped one elephant in this matter, another came for him. He tried to do the same thing with the second Elephant and put his foot into a hole of some sort which caused him to fall. Upon seeing him fall, Ele #1 resumed its charge and killed him. Apparently the whole time his clients were filming it because they thought it was part of the show.

Can anyone confirm this?

I can't confirm it from any personal knowledge but that is pretty much the Way Thompson describes it in Mahohbo.


465H&H

quote:

How Close is Too Close?

I suppose that if the client cannot aim properly due to feeling he is too close, then indeed he is too close.