Call The Shot My 2021 Elephant Bull

[Altitude sickness]

Due to my very negative experience with a brain shot under poor conditions, I have become a supporter of heart shots for elephants. I shot two elephants this way with the cartridge 500 Schüler and in both cases they go down in place, similar to shot deers.

I have a total of one tuskless kill. I practiced for the frontal and side brain. Had it burned into my muscle memory. As soon as the first shot breaks, rack the bolt and shoot incase the brain shot didn’t work.

Well after many stalks and looking over a lot of elephant’s, the one cow that checked all the boxes. Mature, tuskless and no calf.

She was positioned in light tree branches at 20ish yards. so my PH said heart shot. The .505 Gibbs with .525 grain CEB solid hit the left leg went through the heart and hit the right leg. She dropped instantly.

So my vast elephant experience

Tells me there is a third shot that will drop an elephant if the angle is possible and the power and bullet allows.

Both front legs and heart hit and they can’t stand. It’s a much larger target.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I may not have got bone on the left leg. But I definitely hit bone on the right leg.

 

[Green Chile]

Side brain is one thing but frontal brain shots are very complicated and a very common presentation when they hear or wind you. In other words, not a good idea for many but commonly seen. If I was a PH, I would not allow them in most cases or I would be prepared to backup shoot immediately. I took a heart shot on my last ele and was pleased to see it drop quickly. I will be doing more heart/lung shots.

 

[sureshot375]

The video of the shot is below. Please ignore the music. I didn’t do that. Also, consider that I am to the right of the camera by a good bit so the camera angle is a bit deceptive.

There were 4 bulls spread out feeding. We checked the first bull, but he was too big.( there were size restrictions). We maneuvered around to this bull, and after some discussion I was given the green light. Although closer would have been ideal, this was the shot we had at 35 yards. There was no cover in between us and the bull. The wind was blowing strong and he had no idea we were there.

Like many of you here, I did not like the shot. He kept his head quartering towards for a long time. I waited. It was a little awkward. I could tell everyone was ready for me to shoot, but I waited. If I’ve learned anything in my years of hunting it is that there are times when it’s now or never, and there are times when you need to wait. This was a time to wait. Eventually he turned his head a little, but from my angle still not a pure side shot. For a normal side brain I would aim a hands width in front of the ear. In this case I aimed about a hands width behind and somewhat above the eye. Normal side brain this shot would be too far forward.

I center punched the brain with the exit behind the ear on the off side. You can’t tell from the video, but I put the second barrel in the chest as he fell. Although I a whole heard of armed individuals with me, no backup was necessary.

I hope this has been helpful or at least entertaining. A brain shot on an elephant can be deceptively difficult.

Elephant Shot Clip

Rifle was a Krieghoff .500/.416 with the standard iron sights.

 

[Green Chile]

Angle is even tougher to the right. Well done. Were you on the sticks waiting? What ammo in your 500/416 and were there any adjustments needed for regulation? I'm looking for the right loads for my Krieghoff 500/416.

 

[VertigoBE]

pe

The video of the shot is below. Please ignore the music. I didn’t do that. Also, consider that I am to the right of the camera by a good bit so the camera angle is a bit deceptive.

There were 4 bulls spread out feeding. We checked the first bull, but he was too big.( there were size restrictions). We maneuvered around to this bull, and after some discussion I was given the green light. Although closer would have been ideal, this was the shot we had at 35 yards. There was no cover in between us and the bull. The wind was blowing strong and he had no idea we were there.

Like many of you here, I did not like the shot. He kept his head quartering towards for a long time. I waited. It was a little awkward. I could tell everyone was ready for me to shoot, but I waited. If I’ve learned anything in my years of hunting it is that there are times when it’s now or never, and there are times when you need to wait. This was a time to wait. Eventually he turned his head a little, but from my angle still not a pure side shot. For a normal side brain I would aim a hands width in front of the ear. In this case I aimed about a hands width behind and somewhat above the eye. Normal side brain this shot would be too far forward.

I center punched the brain with the exit behind the ear on the off side. You can’t tell from the video, but I put the second barrel in the chest as he fell. Although I a whole heard of armed individuals with me, no backup was necessary.

I hope this has been helpful or at least entertaining. A brain shot on an elephant can be deceptively difficult.

Elephant Shot Clip

Rifle was a Krieghoff .500/.416 with the standard iron sights.

perfect shot, Waidmannsheil @sureshot375
you did good to wait a little more!

 

[sureshot375]

Angle is even tougher to the right. Well done. Were you on the sticks waiting? What ammo in your 500/416 and were there any adjustments needed for regulation? I'm looking for the right loads for my Krieghoff 500/416.

I used the Norma PH with Woodleigh solids. They shot great in my rifle. Mine was made in the 90s and regulated with the Krieghoff branded ammo which had Woodleigh bullets.

I have a newer rifle with ejectors that loves the Hornady ammo.

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

The video of the shot is below. Please ignore the music. I didn’t do that. Also, consider that I am to the right of the camera by a good bit so the camera angle is a bit deceptive.

There were 4 bulls spread out feeding. We checked the first bull, but he was too big.( there were size restrictions). We maneuvered around to this bull, and after some discussion I was given the green light. Although closer would have been ideal, this was the shot we had at 35 yards. There was no cover in between us and the bull. The wind was blowing strong and he had no idea we were there.

Like many of you here, I did not like the shot. He kept his head quartering towards for a long time. I waited. It was a little awkward. I could tell everyone was ready for me to shoot, but I waited. If I’ve learned anything in my years of hunting it is that there are times when it’s now or never, and there are times when you need to wait. This was a time to wait. Eventually he turned his head a little, but from my angle still not a pure side shot. For a normal side brain I would aim a hands width in front of the ear. In this case I aimed about a hands width behind and somewhat above the eye. Normal side brain this shot would be too far forward.

I center punched the brain with the exit behind the ear on the off side. You can’t tell from the video, but I put the second barrel in the chest as he fell. Although I a whole heard of armed individuals with me, no backup was necessary.

I hope this has been helpful or at least entertaining. A brain shot on an elephant can be deceptively difficult.

Elephant Shot Clip

Rifle was a Krieghoff .500/.416 with the standard iron sights.

Great write up, thank you for sharing the clip.