I too watched the show. First, Terry thanks for the heads up as many if us would have missed it not for you post. While we can all start bashing the shot (I cannot/will not as I have not hunted jummbo), I did think the overall piece was well done. At least we were not watching plains game being taken with a bow next to a water hole! A couple of questions...how big do you think the ivory was ( I thought around 35lbs per side) and how did the ele get into such a position when they approached (perhaps in the "script")? Nevertheless, one of the better shows on the Outdoor Channel. Terry, thanks again for the heads up.

I have it on Tivo and have watched it several times (including slow motion). When they first approach the downed elephant, he is lying slightly on his right side and propped up by a large bush (his left front leg is fully extended to the side). Then there is a scene where you only see the PH and client and the client puts a finishing shot into the ear of the elephant (you never see the elephant - only the PH and client as the client shoots). The next scene is of the elephant lying on his sternum with his left front leg folded underneath him. Unless the elephant was still alive and the client's finishing shot caused the elephant to move, it appears they positioned the elephant. Nothing wrong with that I guess, but I don't think we can assume the final position of the elephant is a direct result of frontal brain shot. The PH does appear to briefly point to a bullet hole on the front of the elephant (but this location looks to be too low to correspond with the client's first shot - so not sure if maybe the PH did get a frontal brain shot into the elephant).



It appears that the client got off 4 shots (don't know if any connected except for the first shot): 1) frontal brain shot; 2) shot to the side of the elephant immediately after the first shot; 3) PH takes off running (off camera) and client and tracker run around the tree and it appears that the client fires a third shot (client and elephant off camera) tracker reacts to the report of the the third shot; and 4) client's finishing shot to the downed elephant's ear (elephant off camera).



Just a side note, the client is using a modern Remington rifle (with no open sights) of unkown caliber.



Regards,



Terry



P.S.

This is why I would never video any of my hunts. All you would hear is me huffing and puffing into the microphone, followed by close ups of my big butt as I trundled off after the wounded game.

I watched it tonight and thought it was great! They had some very exciting footage. It really gets the blood pumping just at the thought of hunting elephants.

It looked like the hunters first shot was high, as evidenced by the bull not collapsing. He was so close and so tall. His second shot appeared to be a heart/lung shot, and the third, who knows. Once the bull was down, the frontal entrance wound looked perfectly placed. Just goes to show you how important it is to properly place the shot based upon distances and angle. It was a real eye opener.

Under these circumstances, I for one would want my Ph to help out. Not just to save my multi-thousand dollar trophy fee, but to prevent the probable loss and suffering of the elephant. I believe the PH has an ethical responsibility to do so.

I won't try and anylize it to pieces, I just really enjoyed the footage.

Thanks T. Carr for the original post, I woudn't have wanted to miss this for anything! I have been looking forward to it ever since your original post.

I am not trying to be critical of the hunter (God knows I have screwed up enough shots in my time), but I went back and did some more slow motion/freeze frame viewing (it's amazing how clear Tivo is compared to video tape). I'm 99% certain that there are two frontal brain shots on the elephant (whether the second frontal brain shot is from the PH or from the client's apparent third shot, I don't know). (I strongly suspect that the second frontal brain shot is from the PH and was not shown on the tape). There is a brief close up of the head of the downed the elephant. It clearly shows a bullet wound (with fluid/blood discharge) several inches below the first major horizontal wrinkle on the bull's upper trunk. I can also make out a bullet wound (no discharge) up between the elephant's eyes (several inches above the horizontal wrinkle and right where the client's first shot should be, based on slow motion review of the original shot on the elephant).



Regards,



Terry

Another interesting thing, while I was watching the frame-by-frame advance (super slow motion) of the initial frontal brain shot, you could see the elephant with his head slightly down. As the hunter messed with his safety, the elephant tilted his head back and took a step back from the hunter. It's obvious in slow motion, but in real time it was very quick. That tilting of the head would require the shot to be placed a little lower. Just shows how difficult a frontal brain shot can be.

Regards,

Terry

Does anybody know if this show will air again, I missed it both times. I really would like to see it, sounds intresting.......

T.Carr

Email sent, thank you very much!

Widowmaker416,

This is the second time this season (once a few months back) that they have broadcast the show, so I doubt it will be repeated. Email with your address and I will send you a VHS tape.

Regards,

Terry

I watched the show tonight. Something is MISSING! I agree with Terry, it sure looks like the shot is too high. It's a close shot and head is very high. I also thought from the dust that flew it was a little to the animals left, but in the final video from the front after it was all over I could not tell for sure, too short a time.

I would assume the 3rd shot was from the PH. No one is shown, you just hear the "bang". What is really puzzling is the perfect brain shot pose. Did he run a short distance from the H/L shot and stand? Therefore, allowing the PH a brain shot and the perfect pose. If the PH hit the brain as the elephant ran, then I don't buy into the animals position. I was surprised by the position of the trunk and that it appeared to be holding the head and tusks high off the ground.

Just my opinions and observations.