Elephant charge in Zim
- Thread starter NickJ
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palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
Bloody hell. Brown trouser moment there!
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Not sure if that second charging elephant needed shooting. It looked as if it was stopping and then turning. Appreciate very short period of time to make a decision but usually with an off licence elephant it needs to be in single digit yards before shooting.
I have spent time with elephants when I was younger, I appreciate numbers need controlling, and that can bring in big money to a local economy. But not sure I would want to shoot one in the prime of its life.
I have spent time with elephants when I was younger, I appreciate numbers need controlling, and that can bring in big money to a local economy. But not sure I would want to shoot one in the prime of its life.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
x 2
Wow, I didn’t realise hunting elephant was legal, I had assumed that it wasn’t due to presumed low numbers and ivory legality.
I obviously know nothing about it, but I assume it is done for crop protection, meat and money for the local economy? Googling the subject brings up Orwell’s book and little else.
I obviously know nothing about it, but I assume it is done for crop protection, meat and money for the local economy? Googling the subject brings up Orwell’s book and little else.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
At the 1.42 mark I swear that elephant bull see`s the men behind him. He is very aware of them imo but doesnt seem too phased............
interesting watch regardless. Thanks for sharing
+1 I'd have hoped people, particularly in the hunting community, would at least take the time to look into things in a bit more detail and learn about something before making glib comments. Probably too busy murdering bambi to do so...
Fish in a barrel? Really?
Novice
Never heard of fish jumping out the barrel and trampling your carcass into the dust before
Also ... I’ll be first to say if that was running towards you and within 20yds and was intent on crushing my balls as said into the dust
I don’t know if I’d stand there steady!
[emoji3061]
Like many thing in life you won’t know until you experience it ...
Paul
Also ... I’ll be first to say if that was running towards you and within 20yds and was intent on crushing my balls as said into the dust
I don’t know if I’d stand there steady!
[emoji3061]
Like many thing in life you won’t know until you experience it ...
Paul
Frank Homes
Well-Known Member
It takes a lot of nerve to hunt elephants, get it wrong and you're in a life or death situation.
F
F
sikamalc
Administrator
People get really upset about culling Elephant. I can understand why if they are not aware of some of the facts.
Management of Elephant numbers in certain areas of Africa is critical. They can do an immense amount of damage. Trouble is they are more confined than they used to be 100 years or so ago, this then leads to issues. Botswana has a thriving Elephant population, however in other parts of Africa Elephant numbers have crashed, mostly due to poaching, corrupt governments and human pressure for land. This is where the real conflict starts and you see a nature reserve with Elephant numbers increasing but the environment does not produce enough to sustain them. Its a complicated issue that has produced a poaching frenzy in places, not helped by corrupt officials.
However there are places where Elephants need to be culled, and in this respect if managed properly can provide a valuable income for the local people, and a huge amount of protein in one go. The cow Elephant I took only had half a trunk, probably lost through a poachers snare. Non the less I did not keep the ivory or the skin. This was taken back to the game dept and sold. The profits of which were shared amongst the tribal land holders, the game dept and the government.
I would say over 60 people turned up to collect the meat, mostly women and children. A humbling experience when you see how hungry people are. Would I do it again, YES. Would I go out just to shoot an Elephant for the shear fun of it. NO.
I have been very lucky in life and my hunting career, I have had some great adventures. One day I must sit down and write a book, but time at the moment does not allow for it.
Management of Elephant numbers in certain areas of Africa is critical. They can do an immense amount of damage. Trouble is they are more confined than they used to be 100 years or so ago, this then leads to issues. Botswana has a thriving Elephant population, however in other parts of Africa Elephant numbers have crashed, mostly due to poaching, corrupt governments and human pressure for land. This is where the real conflict starts and you see a nature reserve with Elephant numbers increasing but the environment does not produce enough to sustain them. Its a complicated issue that has produced a poaching frenzy in places, not helped by corrupt officials.
However there are places where Elephants need to be culled, and in this respect if managed properly can provide a valuable income for the local people, and a huge amount of protein in one go. The cow Elephant I took only had half a trunk, probably lost through a poachers snare. Non the less I did not keep the ivory or the skin. This was taken back to the game dept and sold. The profits of which were shared amongst the tribal land holders, the game dept and the government.
I would say over 60 people turned up to collect the meat, mostly women and children. A humbling experience when you see how hungry people are. Would I do it again, YES. Would I go out just to shoot an Elephant for the shear fun of it. NO.
I have been very lucky in life and my hunting career, I have had some great adventures. One day I must sit down and write a book, but time at the moment does not allow for it.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
The point is that the 2nd one was a young bull. He was running in with his ears out and head up. That’s just bluff and bravado. And he was stopping at 15 to 20 yards. If he was serious about trampling the hunters his ears would be back and head down. But as I said in my previous post, the hunters on the ground don’t have long to make a decision. At 30 mph, it doesn’t take long to go from 20 down to 10 yards.
NickJ
Well-Known Member
I have hunted Africa but not elephant so am only an observer. All I can presume is that the PH's on that hunt were in the best position to make the decision to shoot or not. Also ranges are difficult to judge on video of course. Obviously if it was otherwise they would have lost their licences. Being Zim they would have had a Wildlife Service game guard with them I assume.
As for 'fish in a barrel' an elephant's brain is only about the size of a loaf of bread. Imagine hitting a rugby ball thrown at you with your rifle, and of course if you miss - unlike a ball the elephant will invariably kill you.
As for 'fish in a barrel' an elephant's brain is only about the size of a loaf of bread. Imagine hitting a rugby ball thrown at you with your rifle, and of course if you miss - unlike a ball the elephant will invariably kill you.
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I've watched that scene a few times
It did look to me as though that was a real charge but it is a really difficult judgement even sitting at a computer with endless re-runs
Looked like he paused to acquire his target, trunk curled back, head being lowered - that said, is seems that the decision to shoot had already been made when he brushed passed the legs of the other elephant
As for him being a large target - a brain shot is not a large target
I was taught to imagine a pole between the ears; then combine that imaginary line with center of head
As we all know the angle to vitals changes with animal's position - that is particularly marked when looking up at something 2 - 3 meters above you
That line between the ears is a reference point that prevents you from choosing a POI that is too high
That first shot looked too far left and I would suggest that the elephant fell/stumbled because it was stunned
As for whether he shot to soon - I wouldn't like to criticise - you got to have been there (as clearly some of you commenting here have) that creature fills your whole world when he is coming at you
It did look to me as though that was a real charge but it is a really difficult judgement even sitting at a computer with endless re-runs
Looked like he paused to acquire his target, trunk curled back, head being lowered - that said, is seems that the decision to shoot had already been made when he brushed passed the legs of the other elephant
As for him being a large target - a brain shot is not a large target
I was taught to imagine a pole between the ears; then combine that imaginary line with center of head
As we all know the angle to vitals changes with animal's position - that is particularly marked when looking up at something 2 - 3 meters above you
That line between the ears is a reference point that prevents you from choosing a POI that is too high
That first shot looked too far left and I would suggest that the elephant fell/stumbled because it was stunned
As for whether he shot to soon - I wouldn't like to criticise - you got to have been there (as clearly some of you commenting here have) that creature fills your whole world when he is coming at you
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