How far can you expect to shoot an elephant?

[archeryblackdog]

Hello everyone:

I am leaving for Namibia in 02 weeks, in order to attempt to hunt my 1st elephant, for that reason I bought a few months ago a Markel double rifle in caliber .470 Nitro Express, (I already have .375 H&H Magnum and .416 Rigby both in double rifle, as well as bolt action 375 H&H Magnum) the story goes that last September I shot a Buffalo at 60 yards, poor shoot my fault and he left with a very stupid shoot, he would have recovered no problem, but you know, blood was drawn so that was my bull and I had to recover it, which I did (horrible experience) in that same safari I shoot a hippo on the run with the .375 H&H wounded, went in closed water body and he was recovered....

For the elephant hunt I wanted a proper elephant gun so I got a double .470 NE, thinking that in Namibia al elephant just was done at close quarter ranges, 30 yards or less (Which is what I have been training for with a Blaser Red dot counted in the double .470 NE since iron sights are difficult for me because I have bad eye sight). so I been expecting a shoot to be made at 30, 35 yards or less, but I just saw a couple of Youtube videos where elephants are shoot from a distance in one video of 140 yards and in the other 160 yards, something that I have not train for, those distances are not easy to shoot with a double rifle and much less a double rifle with a red dot in .470 NE by someone with poor eye sight.

so my question to you all, and will apreciaste your opinion; what is the possibility that I may have to shoot beyond 50 yards? and if so do you all think that a double shooting 500 grain solids will reach out as far as 100 yards?

Looking forward to you comments!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Tell your PH your limitations (limits) and stay within them. If you need to be within 50 yards get sneaky and get within 50 yards. That is typically the point when hunting Elephant.
Good luck with your hunt.

 

[VertigoBE]

I'm not even sure any self respecting PH will allow anyone shooting an elephant from +100 yards. Definitely not for the first shot.

I would expect average first shot distance on elephant to be closer to 25 yards, than 50 yards.

(you mentioned yards, not feet right?) so 140yards is 128meters.

second edit: I'd actually like to see those video's where someone was plinking at an elephant from 140-160 yards... smell's fishy.

 

[Tanks]

All but one of my elephants have been shot from 15 (charge)-35 yards. Longest shot was 55 yards. Even though I practice with my .500NE at up to 85 yards, on an elephant I would never take that long of a shot.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hello everyone:

I am leaving for Namibia in 02 weeks, in order to attempt to hunt my 1st elephant, for that reason I bought a few months ago a Markel double rifle in caliber .470 Nitro Express, (I already have .375 H&H Magnum and .416 Rigby both in double rifle, as well as bolt action 375 H&H Magnum) the story goes that last September I shot a Buffalo at 60 yards, poor shoot my fault and he left with a very stupid shoot, he would have recovered no problem, but you know, blood was drawn so that was my bull and I had to recover it, which I did (horrible experience) in that same safari I shoot a hippo on the run with the .375 H&H wounded, went in closed water body and he was recovered....

For the elephant hunt I wanted a proper elephant gun so I got a double .470 NE, thinking that in Namibia al elephant just was done at close quarter ranges, 30 yards or less (Which is what I have been training for with a Blaser Red dot counted in the double .470 NE since iron sights are difficult for me because I have bad eye sight). so I been expecting a shoot to be made at 30, 35 yards or less, but I just saw a couple of Youtube videos where elephants are shoot from a distance in one video of 140 yards and in the other 160 yards, something that I have not train for, those distances are not easy to shoot with a double rifle and much less a double rifle with a red dot in .470 NE by someone with poor eye sight.

so my question to you all, and will apreciaste your opinion; what is the possibility that I may have to shoot beyond 50 yards? and if so do you all think that a double shooting 500 grain solids will reach out as far as 100 yards?

Looking forward to you comments!

To me 50 yards for elephant is max. Part of the thrill is getting close especially with your DR. Leading up to my elephant hunt this past April I practiced at 50 yards into 25 yards. At both distances I practiced with sticks and off hand

 

[archeryblackdog]

I'm not even sure any self respecting PH will allow anyone shooting an elephant from +100 yards. Definitely not for the first shot.

I would expect average first shot distance on elephant to be closer to 25 yards, than 50 yards.

(you mentioned yards, not feet right?) so 140yards is 128meters.

second edit: I'd actually like to see those video's where someone was plinking at an elephant from 140-160 yards... smell's fishy.

The video that I am talking about happens in Botswana, is in you tube, searching for a nice trophy bull the spend 04 days chasing just to find small bulls with small ivory, they get to a group where there are a few 50 pounders but the ph, tell the hunter to wait, that he believes that further down the tracks there could be a better trophy so they keep on following tracks, until they get to a group of tuskers that are far away, they seen to 140 YARDS (not feet) and the hunter gets on the sticks and using a bolt action rifle, the makes a body shoot, the elephant runs about 100 meters and drops dead. they even recap the distance as being 140 yards. I stood there saying well I guess I need to mount a scope in the rifle and try to get kill by the recoil......

 

[Scott CWO]

The video that I am talking about happens in Botswana, is in you tube, searching for a nice trophy bull the spend 04 days chasing just to find small bulls with small ivory, they get to a group where there are a few 50 pounders but the ph, tell the hunter to wait, that he believes that further down the tracks there could be a better trophy so they keep on following tracks, until they get to a group of tuskers that are far away, they seen to 140 YARDS (not feet) and the hunter gets on the sticks and using a bolt action rifle, the makes a body shoot, the elephant runs about 100 meters and drops dead. they even recap the distance as being 140 yards. I stood there saying well I guess I need to mount a scope in the rifle and try to get kill by the recoil......

Don’t let one video change your plans. Plan on shooting your elephant at 50 yards or less. I shot mine in Botswana at 25 yards and that is the norm.

 

[sureshot375]

I have shot 3. All about 35 yds with a double open sights. I have been told this is on the long side of shots. I think most are 35 or under.

I think you might want to consider using the .375 with a scope instead of your double. Especially if you are going for a head shot.

 

[LP67]

For me a elephant " hunt" is getting close and then 10 more yards. Get the blood pumping and you make a quick decision on shot placement ( frontal or side brain) at a distance were things can go either way. Thats the very essence of elephant hunting.
Personally I will not take a shot beyond 30 with the double on elephant, thats me...........your 470 is vey capable of killing 150 yrd +

 

[Bert the Turtle]

29 yards for mine.

You aren’t obligated to take a shot. If offered a shot at 140 yards (odds are very low anyone would offer that shot), you can politely turn it down. And as mentioned above, tell your PH you are looking to take a shot at no more than whatever distance is your comfortable maximum.

 

[Green Chile]

The video you are describing (I haven't seen it) is a very unusual situation. I don't know a single PH (of many) that would take a shot that far on an unwounded ele. 50 yards is long distance on an ele hunt. My first ele was shot with iron sights but I could easily have made it with a low powered scope set on 1x and it would have been the smarter move. My last one was with an optic set on 1x.

 

[Sourdough]

Forget about what you see on YouTube. A good PH can get you in a lot closer than 50 yards, even in fairly open country.

 

[375Fox]

I'm not even sure any self respecting PH will allow anyone shooting an elephant from +100 yards. Definitely not for the first shot.

I would expect average first shot distance on elephant to be closer to 25 yards, than 50 yards.

(you mentioned yards, not feet right?) so 140yards is 128meters.

second edit: I'd actually like to see those video's where someone was plinking at an elephant from 140-160 yards... smell's fishy.

Here’s one. I only remembered because I was so shocked to see an elephant taken at that distance. South African PH with a local Zimbabwe PH it seems.

 

[375Fox]

I’m going on my first elephant hunt in 2 weeks. I was told to prepare for a brain shot at under 20 yards in Zambezi valley in July.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

On the one hand, 145 yards is quite far for elephant. On the other hand, if you are taking a lung shot, you’d have to be fairly incompetent to miss at that range. It’s a lot better than this travesty:

I think we can all agree that a hip shot at a departing elephant isn’t an appropriate opening shot.

 

[VertigoBE]

On the one hand, 145 yards is quite far for elephant. On the other hand, if you are taking a lung shot, you’d have to be fairly incompetent to miss at that range. It’s a lot better than this travesty:

I think we can all agree that a hip shot at a departing elephant isn’t an appropriate opening shot.

Pretty sure that that was not the intention of the PH.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Pretty sure that that was not the intention of the PH.

Based on the groan he let out at the shot, I agree!

 

[Hank2211]

My PH got me to about 15 yards (and still muffed the brain shot). I would want to be much closer than 50 yards before I would even think of taking a shot - not for accuracy (although that's important and closer helps obviously), but because getting that close to such an enormous beast is well worth the effort. Believe me, as you get close, you will feel something that those who shoot from 50 yards or farther will have never felt.

I would also suggest you follow Brickburn's advice - tell your PH what you want and expect. An experienced elephant PH will not only admire your desire to get close, he will also enjoy it as a test of his own skill.

Lastly, remember the best advice I ever received from a PH on hunting elephant. "Don't pull the trigger until you are 100% comfortable and ready. But once you do pull the trigger, keep shooting until the elephant is down and dead."

Good luck. I envy you!

 

[DieJager]

On the one hand, 145 yards is quite far for elephant. On the other hand, if you are taking a lung shot, you’d have to be fairly incompetent to miss at that range. It’s a lot better than this travesty:

I think we can all agree that a hip shot at a departing elephant isn’t an appropriate opening shot.

He says side brain shot and the dude shoots when he sees his ass. What a moron..

 

[Bert the Turtle]

He says side brain shot and the dude shoots when he sees his ass. What a moron..

What’s amazing to me is that he posted it on YouTube for all to see.