Just wondering where the cognoscenti here think proper eland rifles start.
My guess is .300 H&H with a 200-grain Partition all the way to the .416s.
Probably, a .35 Whelen with a good bullet, or a 9,3 X 62 with same would be close to ideal -- or of course a .375 H&H.
I know eland have a reputation for being tough, and for being able to cover incredible amounts of ground even when wounded.
Love to hear some first-hand eland experiences. Got started on this topic after reading about Retreever's beautiful Namibian bull.

Two big bulls with a bow. Neither went more than 40 yards and stone dead. One with .375 H & H took one step Dead right there. My thoughts, they are big but overrated as hard to kill.

Larry Sellers

With time and good shot placement you could go down to 7x57 or so.
The only one I have taken was at that eland trot broadside at about 100 yards with a 375. He took more than one.

Although having never taken an eland, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot one with my 300 Win Mag and a 180 grain Barnes TSX. Matter of fact, I was prepared in June, as the eland come out of the Drakensberg Mountains but the eland didn't read the script that day!

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Just wondering where the cognoscenti here think proper eland rifles start.
My guess is .300 H&H with a 200-grain Partition all the way to the .416s.
Probably, a .35 Whelen with a good bullet, or a 9,3 X 62 with same would be close to ideal -- or of course a .375 H&H.
I know eland have a reputation for being tough, and for being able to cover incredible amounts of ground even when wounded.
Love to hear some first-hand eland experiences. Got started on this topic after reading about Retreever's beautiful Namibian bull.

Well Bill...

I guess you know I would say...

Here is a hint or "three":
1) bigger than.300 H&H
2)Smaller than .35Whelen
3)Shoots 300grain bullets..

Didn't Craig Boddington's daughter kill one with a 7-08, using TSXs?

Not athletic? I've watched them walk up to a 5 strand cattle fence until the dewlap is nearly touching, then jump over it from a standstill.
I've shot them with a number of calibers up to 375 H&H and never had one make more then 40-50 yds.

I killed my first Eland from about 100yds. He was browsing and totally unaware of our presence. One shot from the 375 with 270gr Nosler Partition and he went straight down and I mean STRAIGHT. All four of his legs went in separate directions. I have never seen anything like it. But I also wanted an old blue bull so on a later safari that was the goal. We found one and set up for the shot. It was a left rear quartering shot from about 50 yards. Again with a 375H&H with 270gr Partitions. The bullet struck a small Mopani about 6 yards from the Eland and as a result rather than boring thru to the lung/heart area it broke his left rear leg about 10" down from the hip. He took off with the herd. This was about 9am. In one of the most remarkable feats of tracking I have ever seen we tracked him all day and till it was completely dark. He was easy to spot when the sign was good as his left rear hoof was almost sideways. We returned at dawn to last sign and picked up the track and caught up to him laying under a tree at almost 10am. He was easily dispatched with another shot. He was in fact a very nice old Blue Bull. That's how tough they are. When he was butchered the bullet was found completely embedded in the leg bone which I discovered is solid. Leg was broken in 3 places from the bullet. Wanted the section of the bone with the bullet but ranch owner wouldn't sell it. Never used anything but 375 H&H on Eland so can't make a recommendation. I watched a herd of Eland that were running from us jump a ranch road from berm to berm like it wasn't even there. Fences were no obstacle that were under head high. They are a remarkable antelope. Plus they taste extremely good.

Jens, killing a big eland with a .333 Jeffery would be the absolute nuts.

They're not particularly tough animals (tough, as in 'tenacious of life'. In fact, as just-a-hunter pointed out, there's nothing tough about Eland on your dinner plate, either!)

As mentioned above, a clean shot from a 7x57 will kill them. It is however a HUGE animal, with proportionate bone structures. Given a 7mm, I'd be avoiding ANY bone heavier than a rib. Quartering-on shots are a matter of personal choice and conviction, but I honestly feel that a 180 or 200gr .308" premium bullet would be my 'bottom line'. From there, bigger and heavier is definitely better.

2c ain't worth much

I did a .340 Weatherby with 225 sierras. Shot was 280 yards. It stopped him. Put two more in him for insurance. Having said that, I would recommend at least a .338 with a heavy for caliber bullet or a mono metal. Heavy and slow is fine as long as shots are kept reasonable.

I hunted and brought down a wonderful Eland some seven weeks ago with a 7mm Rem Mag, 150gr Nosler ETips at 3,000 fps. Distance was 200 yards.

The first shot hit the lower right shoulder, shattering through the center of the big bone, through the ribs. That bullet was on perfect path to make the heart...but just plain didn't have the steam to get there.

Watching that Eland leap straight up is a vision I will never forget. Without running gear he made one step and crashed down into the thicket. I could see his head but had absolutely no acceptable follow up shot. We waited 15 minutes, watching him and seven of his herd looking about. They had no idea where we were.

He stood up at around the 15 minute mark turned to the opposite broadside where I put a second round into a high shoulder shot. With the running gear completely shattered he was down for good.

My PH, Craig Done at Leopards Valley had made a very telling comment just as we started stalking the Eland: "Eland aren't that tough if you hit them right. break a leg and a 2,000# mature bull just can't run. But if you hit him wrong it's going to be a very long day."

It took the recovery crew (18 guys in shifts) nearly four hours to bring him down from where I shot him on the mountain.

Thanks fellas. I think it was John Taylor who said an eland can soak up a lot of poor shots and go all day.
I have heard over and over that eland is about the best-eating antelope in Africa. Hope to find out someday.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Thanks fellas. I think it was John Taylor who said an eland can soak up a lot of poor shots and go all day.
I have heard over and over that eland is about the best-eating antelope in Africa. Hope to find out someday.

The Eland filet I had was absolutely wonderful.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Not athletic? I've watched them walk up to a 5 strand cattle fence until the dewlap is nearly touching, then jump over it from a standstill.
I've shot them with a number of calibers up to 375 H&H and never had one make more then 40-50 yds.

I've seen the same thing, jumped one fence from a standstill on the left side of the road and then bounded over another fence on the right side of the road. It was the most beautiful, graceful thing I have ever witnessed.

I carried a 30-06 a couple months ago and had Elend at sub 100 yards. If I would have wanted one I wouldn't have paused a second to tuck a bullet in ones armpit

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Thanks fellas. I think it was John Taylor who said an eland can soak up a lot of poor shots and go all day.
I have heard over and over that eland is about the best-eating antelope in Africa. Hope to find out someday.

ALL animals can give you trouble if the first shot is bad.

I have shot eland with different .270 wildcats, and some with different .375 calibers.

All worked.

Bullets placement is more important, as usual, than the size of the bullet!

I would have to respectfully disagree that an Eland cannot run with a broken leg. I absolutely KNOW that they can.

8x68S Barnes Original X bullets. 140 yards used my PH as a rest.

dRT

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
I would have to respectavily disagree that an Eland cannot run with a broken leg. I absolutely KNOW that they can.

Animals will go a very long way with one broken leg!

In fact, some of smaller animals can go a very long way with Two broken legs, of the break is no high enough!

If my SS 450-400 3 1/4 is done by February, I hope to see what a 400gr soft point at about 2400fps will do to one...

Rich

Interesting and timely. I shot one with a bow last week, 18 yard shot, through the heart. It died on the run at less than 40 yards. My PH said they are not very tough at all. I watched it being skinned and was really surprised at the thinness of the skin. I believe the skin was thinner than a white tail skin.

My PH told us once he had a Masai spear, and tried it in an eland.

It went completely through!!

He tried it on a Cape buffalo - it must have hit a rib, as it bounced off!!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
I would have to respectavily disagree that an Eland cannot run with a broken leg. I absolutely KNOW that they can.

Animals will go a very long way with one broken leg!

That go's for one lung also. I do not treat them lightly when it comes to underrating their tenacious, in fact I know of a few hunters that have spent many a mile following up after a not perfect shot with calibre's such as 416, 375 & 9.3mm. Not perfect but not all that bad shots too.
I my self have shot all mine with the 9.3x62 and hope to do it again shortly when we head inland from the coast in a few days.

My one and only dropped to a 250 gr Barnes X (the original) from my 9.3x62 in 2002. A rifle inspired by Ray back then and a great hunt booked through him as well.

I shot my first Eland with a 300 WSM and it dropped in its tracks. HOWEVER, all subsequent Eland that I've killed have been shot with a 375 H&H Magnum. If I shoot any more Eland it will be with the 375 H&H Magnum.

I think the prime time lies between 300 mag thru the 375.. I had a good friend take his Eland with a 7x57 and it went down with one shot.I have taken a cape and Livingston cape with a 9.3x62 and the Livingston with a 375,Ultra..I will say there is some differences between Elands..my Livingston was a good 300 to 400 pounds heaver than the cape...hard to not like a 358 win,9.3,358 Norma,338 win mag ect...



http://s26.postimg.org/qj43qqlbt/image.jpg

Smallest I ever used was .300 H&H with 220 gr. Hornadys, fine job no problem.
The balance of them, 7 I believe all with .375 H&H. No that's not right one in the Sudan with a 450x3.25 Nitro double and one in Tanzania with a .378 Wea Mag.
Never had to chase one, but I think I favor the .375 H&H. I used 270 Winchester bullets and 300 Hornadys
Darn fine eating that is for sure

I have killed my one and only cape eland bull with a .30-06 Springfield and a Sierra game king 180 gr.

One bullet in the shoulder at about 100 meters and it fell down stone dead. My Ph told me to shoot an other bullet in the heart to be sure but the first shot was perfect. I would have prefered use a toughest bullet but my Ph had only this load in his farm.

I have also killed an eland cow but with a .338 Winchester magnum and a Hornady Interbond 225 gr at 160 meters. The bullet was a little to back because when I shot, it started to walk. But we found it at 150 meters after my shot in the thick bush and I finished it off with a neck shot.

Two killed using a 300 Weatherby Mag w/180gr and 200gr Barnes tipped tsx

One killed using a 338-06 w/250gr Northfork

Three killed using a 35 Whelen Imp w/225gr tsx, 250gr Nosler partition, and 250gr Northfork

One killed using a 338 Win Mag w/250gr Swift A Frame.

Ranges varied from +/- 30 yards to just over 100.

Only the one killed with the 338 Mag needed more than one shot, as my first round was poorly placed too far back.

Recovered every bullet. Best bullet performance with respect to deformation and weight retention was with the Northforks and the Swift A Frame.

Taken yesterday in North Mozambique. Again with the 9.3x62 in some fairly heavy cover.

Nice trophy! It would have been better with open sights but still...

ozhunter: Outstanding!

I've been fortunate enough to take all the different varieties of eland and they've all died pretty quickly with the exception of this one pictured that gave me trouble and interestingly is the best trophy of them all. The obvious shoulder shot was taken as the bull quartered toward me steeply and just kind stayed inside without huge injury. If I had hit him just inside the should toward the brisket instead of on the shoulder the story would have read differently. We chased this one a long way on day one. Day two we actually found him in about 10 minute close by where we had left off the search the previous day. He was obviously sick but jumped up running full tilt. I could not see him and Neil Duckworth put in a 470 solid that knocked him down. I had requested that Neil shoot if he an opportunity to end the bull's suffering. When I got up to him he still had his head up and I put in three 270 gr TSX from my 375 before he expired. I don't know if this makes a big eland tough but they will provide you with considerable angst if you hit them badly.

Mark

I shot this one the same place Adam is at only a week earlier.
One shot in the heart from a 300 Win.

Eland can be incredibly tough animals. I just returned from a hunt where I took a great old blue bull and he took three shots from my 9.3x62 using 286gr Barnes X. All three shots were textbook heart lung shots. He hadn't read the textbook however. Went a long way then just layed down and took a long time to give it up.

If I were hunting eland, I would carry a 338 with 250 grain Swifts. I shot one at about 200 yards with a 375. Bullet (Trophy Bonded Bearclaw) flattened on the spine and looked like a silver dollar. He was down but needed a finisher. I have limited experience with them but all I met were tough, athletic and usually were moving.

All of the calibres work.

I would practice with whatever I intended to carry. First I would make sure that the rifle is accurate out to 300yards.

With a 338, a high-BC monolithic is good. The 225gnTTSX will work great. ... But you might prefer something bigger, see below.
With a 375, the same recommendation transfers into a 250gnTTSX or a 235gn CEB ExtendedRaptor, or a 250grain GSC.
With a 416, a 350gnTTSX has a .444BC. Alternatively, a CEB MTH_v11 is available with a .550BC.

Finally, on the eland rifle, are you ready to use the bullet on a buffalo?
Eland often require long walks and tracking, and a buffalo herd may cross your path with the eland long gone, so a little forethought is good.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
Taken yesterday in North Mozambique. Again with the 9.3x62 in some fairly heavy cover.

Hey brother, very nice Eland, well done, I'm leaving in a few days very excited, see you when I get back.