? For Those Of You Who've Killed Crocs With A Gun

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I've never killed one but very anxious next year. Yes I've seen all the videos the brain shot is difficult if not prone and with a very steady rest. I'm just thinking. In a perfect world if you were hunting a croc and he was broadside at 60 yards on a sand bank. Are you aiming for the brain or neck? You're using a .375 H&H

 

[375Fox]

I’ve only taken 1. I felt the brain was an easier shot to identify where to aim, but I also wasn’t particularly interested in the skull.

 

[MarkB]

I have only shot one, used my 375 with 260 gr accubond, shot behind the smile/neck. I think a safer shot, as they say with croc, expensive splash if you miss. I was also anxious, loosing a croc was always on my mind. Neck smile shot and all was good, remember to reload immediately and shoot again behind shoulder, I even put a third in as he was tail wagging on the bank.

Good luck, lets see what others have to say.

MB

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

When I do mine I hope to use my double, be really close and sure and then put in the second shot immediately behind the shoulder.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have only shot one, used my 375 with 260 gr accubond, shot behind the smile/neck. I think a safer shot, as they say with croc, expensive splash if you miss. I was also anxious, loosing a croc was always on my mind. Neck smile shot and all was good, remember to reload immediately and shoot again behind shoulder, I even put a third in as he was tail wagging on the bank.

Good luck, lets see what others have to say.

MB

@MarkB
My dad shot crocs for a living back in the late 40s in the Northern Territory. He always used the brain shot and had to get to them before they sank. He used a full wood military 303 with military 174gn ball ammo.
He said shooting them was the easy part but skinning 20 to 30 a day was bloody hard work. They were getting top dollar in those day but almost wiped out the crop population.
They have now recovered to the point they are almost pests again but you can't shoot them.
Bob

 

[Sarg]

I have shot a few of them, some I remember - in the brain on a 14.5 Footer but the bullet broke up on the skull , knocked him out & shot again through the chest 12.25 Footer in the neck killed him right there 8.25 footer through both shoulders facing into shore, died right there.

A monster the Farmer said was 5 meters off one of his Ankole cows in the river unfortunately never to be found by me, but I think 15 Footer .458Win just behind head to miss the cow in his jaws & another in the chest as he rolled over !

Some other problems crocs just to kill them, in the chest & not recovered in a few different country's .

 

[PeteG]

Almost all of the crocs I’ve shot have been brain shots. When close it’s easy, quick and hassle free.
that is, when the right shot presents itself.
for clients it’s easier to try position for a side shot so you can have a good look, and get in a shot behind the smile or the brain. Then the neck/chest if needed as follow up.
I’ve preferred smaller calibers, but as long as the client is confident and reliable, most above 7mm are good.

Biggest crocs I’ve shot have been with a 22h and 243win. Just because that was what was at hand and available when the problem cropped up.
My favourite shot I’ve taken a few times is from above and behind. Gives such a good view of the skull, although it needs a bit of adjusting to “see” where the brain is from that angle.

 

[Cleathorn]

These are always interesting discussions. I’ve shot a few crocs. When it goes exactly as planned, it can seem uneventful. Problem with crocs is, when it goes wrong, it becomes very eventful. Very quickly. I think I did a post/story on AH about a year ago about a croc hunt (Dumbora and Bad Choices) that went a little sideways.

My suggestion, plan to take the side shot behind the smile. Then practice a lot. Practice hitting a very precise target at 50-100 yards with fairly big guns. Laying down prone, shooting a 375 or larger and consistently hitting a target the size of a milk jug cap is actually harder than it seems. I’ve never shot a croc from a bench rest, so that recoil from a prone position off a backpack is a little different. Practice hitting that cap every time. Every time. Then when the opportunity presents itself, you are ready for whatever situation arises.

it is always good to have a plan. AH is a great forum to talk to experienced hunters and gather information, and formulate that plan. Over time, those of us who were 1st timers (god knows I used AH a lot for my first questions) become veteran hunters and our views likely changed. Mine certainly have.

I will be willing to bet that nearly every multi-safari veteran on here will tell you to plan for the hunt, and then be prepared to change that plan on a seconds notice to deal with whatever circumstances and opportunities actually present themselves. That’s where the practice pays for itself.

Plan and practice for the brain shot if that’s your preference, but practice and be ready for a side/smile shot if that’s what’s available. Or vice versa. But mostly practice. A lot.

The expression “it’s Africa” exists for a reason. An unfortunate number of hunts have gone sideways because the hunter was mentally prepared for a specific set of circumstances, and wasn’t expecting or prepared to deal with the changing circumstances. More than a few croc hunts have ended with the hunter and PH discussing the shot placement while the croc quietly slipped below the surface and out of the hunters life unnoticed. Get the image of that PH and hunter standing facing each other on the bank of a river discussing shot placement on a croc with no croc in the picture, and then plan to not be that hunter.

Lastly, bullets are not the expensive part of the hunt. Once you shoot the croc, wherever you choose to shoot it, follow up your shot with every bullet you have.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

I've never killed one but very anxious next year. Yes I've seen all the videos the brain shot is difficult if not prone and with a very steady rest. I'm just thinking. In a perfect world if you were hunting a croc and he was broadside at 60 yards on a sand bank. Are you aiming for the brain or neck? You're using a .375 H&H

I have always recommended a neck shot followed up by another or a shoulder.
It is simply put the most effective method and the shooter has larger margins for slight error.
Do not be afraid to shoot him again!
On a brain shot the skull cap is often blown off and part of your trophy is damaged. Apart from the fact that it is a much more difficult shot to make for the average shot.

Spine by a country mile. I have extensively hunted large crocs on Cahorra Bassa and would recommend this off the cuff.
Should the croc be lying on a less desirable angle wait him out.
There is NO. rush when hunting crocodile and care has been taken to provide a good opportunity by the PH.
By using this method I have successfully had clients kill well in excess of a 100+ crocodile and only lost 1 bull.
A member here wounded one about 6 years ago and we ended up killing him the following day in the exact same spot on the lake. I would be extremely hard pressed to change a method that has proven itself to be so effective.

Patience is a virtue.
My very best as always.

 

[mdwest]

My wife took one.. just under 14’… about 50 yards if I recall correctly… with her 35 Whelen… as @KWALATA SAFARIS describes, she and her PH were patient… took plenty of time to get into a solid prone position at a good angle… after she was in the prone with a good rest in place (my day pack), the rest was easy… a single stroke of the trigger and he was done…

 

[Fatback]

Patience kills a lot of animals.

 

[WyoBull]

My best friend and our wives are going this August for Cape Buffalo and Crocodile.
I am really excited for both species and have practiced a lot with my 375 H&H.

 

[Ridgewalker]

My report is on AH. PH said shoot 4” behind the smile, then through front shoulder, then through hind shoulder. Made the first two shots at 90 yards and he stopped me before I got the third off. One of my favorite hunts! 250 Barnes out of my 375 H&H MRC. You can see the croc on the bank behind the dead tree.

 

[375Fox]

My dad shot crocs for a living back in the late 40s in the Northern Territory. He always used the brain shot and had to get to them before they sank. He used a full wood military 303 with military 174gn ball ammo.
He said shooting them was the easy part but skinning 20 to 30 a day was bloody hard work. They were getting top dollar in those day but almost wiped out the crop population.
They have now recovered to the point they are almost pests again but you can't shoot them.
Bob

I can only imagine the remote areas your Dad saw and the stories he had. By the late 1940’s the crocs had already been pushed far from civilization.

 

[Sarg]

I can only imagine the remote areas your Dad saw and the stories he had. By the late 1940’s the crocs had already been pushed far from civilization.

He is talking about Australia, Crocs were shot right up to 1971 in the NT & 1974 in Queensland, there were plenty still even then but very smart & nocturnal mostly, even around Darwin & just out of town, now days full time Rangers & Trappers working to take out most big Croc in the Darwin Harbour & problem Crocs in Cattle country.

Actually the .303Brit was a illegal caliber in the NT with out a special permit, not that a lot of people kept to the law !

 

[jdemocko]

I’ve killed 2 crocs and both were neck shots. Pretty uneventful, shot them right behind the smile and then one through the lungs for insurance. I used a 375 H&H.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Always brain. I’ve shot crocodiles with:
7x57mm Mauser
.30-06 Springfield
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum

 

[Philip Glass]

Brain shots destroy the trophy. Here is how to shoot a croc.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Another great Philip Glass video!
When we got to mine about a dozen guys showed up to help load it. Johan (PH) walked around to the head which was facing the water. Suddenly the croc opened its mouth! Everyone cleared out! Pretty exciting! I slammed a cartridge into the chamber of my 375 just in case it moved! Apparently when you shoot the neck, it doesn’t kill it. It only immobilizes it. I put a 22lr through the brain and no troubles after that.
Still it was a few tense moments! LOL!

 

[The Engineer]

Shot placement is everything. I wanted a bleached head as a trophy so a neck shot was the only choice. I took a 14' plus with a 180gr Barnes out of a 300Win. Crock never moved.