Elephant Frontal Brain Shot Placement

[JHT]

Richard Harland

.458 Win. Mag.

 

[Tra3]

My experience was 25 yards, off-hand on a frontal brain shot. I used a .375 with a 300 gr solid. The bull turned directly toward us as the Ph was setting up the sticks. We froze. I had the gun close to my shoulder, but was a meter away from the sticks (we were approaching with the bull to our left. The Ph said “right between the eyes”, which was the perfect instruction. The safety came off and I sent a round as directed. The bull went straight down and no follow up was needed.

 

[IvW]

.458 Win. Mag.

Jaja and fresh ammo and he knew exactly where to shoot them and he had backup in the form of a tracker with a 450 Rigby double and for his own hunts and guiding he preferred his 505 Gibbs with 600gr bullets.....so blah blah blah...I never liked the 458 wm and never will for me serious elephant hunting is .500 business....

 

[JHT]

Jaja and fresh ammo and he knew exactly where to shoot them and he had backup in the form of a tracker with a 450 Rigby double and for his own hunts and guiding he preferred his 505 Gibbs with 600gr bullets.....so blah blah blah...I never liked the 458 wm and never will for me serious elephant hunting is .500 business....

Oh, I'm not a .458 Winchester Magnum guy. I'd prefer a nice .470 but my wallet prefers the .416 Remington.

 

[SRvet]

Can someone kindly confirm exactly which elephant hunting dvd (Buzz Charlton) that has been recommended and ideally where to get it

 

[zephyr]

Look for Hunting the African Elephant the complete guide Charlton McCallum Safaris
It has been out of print for a while I think you can find them used on Amazon

 

[Longwalker]

I'm a little confused. And glad to be alive. I studied Buzz Charlton's videos. ( wonderful learning aids ) And all the previous pictures and shot angles. They helped a lot as I prepared for my recent elephant hunt. But I didn't aim correctly when the charge came.

I'm reasonably experienced after a lifetime of studying animal anatomy ( I have a degree in Animal Science which included extensive veterinary anatomy courses, etc.) My family comes from a long line of butchers and we continue to process all our own game. I've been an enthusiastic and successful hunter for more than 50 years. I know my way around most animal anatomy both in theory and in practise.

We were unexpectedly charged by a bull elephant in very thick bush. We heard him coming, but he only became visible at 10 Metres. My experienced PH I both shot IN FRONT of the brain. I didn't think that was likely but apparently the bull had his head tipped so far down and his trunk so tucked under his chin that both our bullets, placed in the middle of the forehead, passed too low to hit the brain.

We lived to tell the tale. Thank goodness the simultaneous impact of a .470 Nitro Express and a .416 Remington bullet passing just under the brain had enough power to stun and stop even this very large bodied bull elephant and gave me a chance to reload.

During my hunt preparations, I didn't study shot angles of a bull elephant on the ground that was flailing around partially facing me with one tusk stuck in the earth. So yup, I failed that test.

The first picture is the bull where he fell from my perspective as I shot. Second is a viewer's perspective for distance scale. The third picture below shows numbers on the bullet holes in the bulls head. Alan's shot was #1. My first shot was #2 ( both were placed too low) then when he was on the ground, I shot 3&4 ( too high) and the finaI one, #5 that killed him. I know the exact path of the fourth bullet that I shot ( #5) at the bull as it tried to regain its feet, still just past touching distance. That one I actually had time to think about. It reached the brain and stopped proceedings quite effectively.

What I learned from the experience is to study, train, and build muscle memory as much as possible. You won't have time to think if unexpected things happen quickly. An unprovoked charge from a bull elephant is a very rare event. I didn't expect it to happen to me. So I was too confident, and I'm much more humble now.

 

[SRvet]

I'm a little confused. And glad to be alive. I studied Buzz Charlton's videos. ( wonderful learning aids ) And all the previous pictures and shot angles. They helped a lot as I prepared for my recent elephant hunt. But I didn't aim correctly when the charge came.

I'm reasonably experienced after a lifetime of studying animal anatomy ( I have a degree in Animal Science which included extensive veterinary anatomy courses, etc.) My family comes from a long line of butchers and we continue to process all our own game. I've been an enthusiastic and successful hunter for more than 50 years. I know my way around most animal anatomy both in theory and in practise.

We were unexpectedly charged by a bull elephant in very thick bush. We heard him coming, but he only became visible at 10 Metres. My experienced PH I both shot IN FRONT of the brain. I didn't think that was likely but apparently the bull had his head tipped so far down and his trunk so tucked under his chin that both our bullets, placed in the middle of the forehead, passed too low to hit the brain.

We lived to tell the tale. Thank goodness the simultaneous impact of a .470 Nitro Express and a .416 Remington bullet passing just under the brain had enough power to stun and stop even this very large bodied bull elephant and gave me a chance to reload.

During my hunt preparations, I didn't study shot angles of a bull elephant on the ground that was flailing around partially facing me with one tusk stuck in the earth. So yup, I failed that test.

The first picture is the bull where he fell from my perspective as I shot. Second is a viewer's perspective for distance scale. The third picture below shows numbers on the bullet holes in the bulls head. Alan's shot was #1. My first shot was #2 ( both were placed too low) then when he was on the ground, I shot 3&4 ( too high) and the finaI one, #5 that killed him. I know the exact path of the fourth bullet that I shot ( #5) at the bull as it tried to regain its feet, still just past touching distance. That one I actually had time to think about. It reached the brain and stopped proceedings quite effectively.

What I learned from the experience is to study, train, and build muscle memory as much as possible. You won't have time to think if unexpected things happen quickly. An unprovoked charge from a bull elephant is a very rare event. I didn't expect it to happen to me. So I was too confident, and I'm much more humble now. View attachment 530655View attachment 530656View attachment 530657

His head must have been pretty low down to miss low with those shots! Sounds like he meant it…. Thanks for sharing

 

[Longwalker]

The charging bull elephant was 5 meters away when we shot, and had tipped his head very far down as he prepared to crush us. None of the instructional diagrams or videos that I studied showed that possibility. Even Alan, who has guided hunters to over two hundred elephants during his admirable career, didn't quite get it right. I was unprepared for that, but that's the way it happened. As a result, I think it's very important to prepare, but unrealistic to assume you know exactly what to do in every theoretical situation. My unusual experience was something that cannot be reasonably anticipated or trained for. I suppose that what makes dangerous game hunting exciting.

 

[Nhoro]

I have studied many elephant skulls, pushing a piece of thatching grass through the ear canal and looking at the zygomatic arches etc. I can say with absolute certainty that the ear canal goes straight to the brain about 1" high and 1 " forward of centre. The spinal chord joins the back of the brain at an upward angle and is also a biggish target. The zygomatic arches or cheekbones are below brain level and start understanding the centre of the brain and end forward of the brain. So they Help you orient yourself and tell you if the elephant has his head down or up but they do not locate the brain.

I personally use the thick rib of cartilage of the ear to locate the ear hole as per Jerome's photos. Lastly, go outside your house and point at the single story roofline. Now look at the angle of your arm. That is an idea of the angle you will shoot at. A simple check of how much higher your hand is than your shoulder will show you how much lower you have to aim for 1 arms length. (About 3-4 inches) A big bull is even more than an armslength to the brain.

All of that said, I would say the earholes are a tech lower than vertigoBE's line and would probably have split the difference between one day and vertigo shots. Also that Ellie has just stopped and started lifting his head I would judge after a mock charge so aiming point is a little higher. Add in distance from the ellie and both shots could be right, vertigo at 30 m and one day at 10 m.

 

[VertigoBE]

I have studied many elephant skulls, pushing a piece of thatching grass through the ear canal and looking at the zygomatic arches etc. I can say with absolute certainty that the ear canal goes straight to the brain about 1" high and 1 " forward of centre. The spinal chord joins the back of the brain at an upward angle and is also a biggish target. The zygomatic arches or cheekbones are below brain level and start understanding the centre of the brain and end forward of the brain. So they Help you orient yourself and tell you if the elephant has his head down or up but they do not locate the brain.

I personally use the thick rib of cartilage of the ear to locate the ear hole as per Jerome's photos. Lastly, go outside your house and point at the single story roofline. Now look at the angle of your arm. That is an idea of the angle you will shoot at. A simple check of how much higher your hand is than your shoulder will show you how much lower you have to aim for 1 arms length. (About 3-4 inches) A big bull is even more than an armslength to the brain.

All of that said, I would say the earholes are a tech lower than vertigoBE's line and would probably have split the difference between one day and vertigo shots. Also that Ellie has just stopped and started lifting his head I would judge after a mock charge so aiming point is a little higher. Add in distance from the ellie and both shots could be right, vertigo at 30 m and one day at 10 m.

Hello @Nhoro,

thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and expertise on these matters. Would you be in a position to create a few pictures of elephants from different angles, and indicate your version of the best places to aim for, as well as the reference points you are using?

In these things, pictures are worth a thousand words.

Thanks a lot in advance,

V.

 

[Nhoro]

Hello @Nhoro,

thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and expertise on these matters. Would you be in a position to create a few pictures of elephants from different angles, and indicate your version of the best places to aim for, as well as the reference points you are using?

In these things, pictures are worth a thousand words.

Thanks a lot in advance,

V.

The thread on shot placement is really good and i wouldnt consider myself as an expert. And orienting the skull inside that huge head is the main problem. The front of an elephants face could be

The ear has a prominent ridge marked in yellow on my pic. The earhole is inside a slit about 4 inches long shown by the arrow. Please excuse the fat arrow, the earhole is about 2 inches below that thick ridge of the ear. So i would be inclined to shoot a touch lower than the green crosshair. But i reckon if you ask 10 people, you would get 10 slightly different answers. We all have to process a number of variables on a photo. I theorise that the closer your reference is to the target, the better.So my plan if i am ever charged is to pick up the ear ridge and shoot a little lower- imagining a broomstick through the earholes.

 

[Rare Breed]

The thread on shot placement is really good and i wouldnt consider myself as an expert. And orienting the skull inside that huge head is the main problem. The front of an elephants face could be

The ear has a prominent ridge marked in yellow on my pic. The earhole is inside a slit about 4 inches long shown by the arrow. Please excuse the fat arrow, the earhole is about 2 inches below that thick ridge of the ear. So i would be inclined to shoot a touch lower than the green crosshair. But i reckon if you ask 10 people, you would get 10 slightly different answers. We all have to process a number of variables on a photo. I theorise that the closer your reference is to the target, the better.So my plan if i am ever charged is to pick up the ear ridge and shoot a little lower- imagining a broomstick through the earholes.

I believe the picture shown is still too high a shot. Should be lower

 

[Nhoro]

Here is an elephant skull pic. You can clearly see the earhole and zygomatic arch just under it and curving forward. As I said before, the difficulty is 'seeing 'an aiming point which is 3 ft deep inside an animal using the surface to orient yourself.

 

[DieJager]

Confusing. This weekend watched Charlton McCallum's guide to elephant hunting which takes the Zygomatic arch as as reference point but @Nhoro do you mean that is not a reference point for the frontal brain shot or not for the side shot?

 

[Nhoro]

Confusing. This weekend watched Charlton McCallum's guide to elephant hunting which takes the Zygomatic arch as as reference point but @Nhoro do you mean that is not a reference point for the frontal brain shot or not for the side shot?

Not saying that at all. Just saying there are many ways to skin a cat and Charlton is far more experienced than me.If you look at the earhole, it sits at the back of the arch and just on top of the arch. If you can orient using the arch then that is great. The ear gives you another reference- one advised by WD Bell.

 

[IvW]

I believe the picture shown is still too high a shot. Should be lower

Correct too high for that posture...

 

[Nhoro]

Correct too high for that posture...

Just to clarify, are you saying the green crosshair is to high or the level of the red arrow or both are too high ?

 

[Rare Breed]

Just to clarify, are you saying the green crosshair is to high or the level of the red arrow or both are too high ?

At that posture I would aim left to right what is shown but take it down just below his eyes

 

[DieJager]

At that posture I would aim left to right what is shown but take it down just below his eyes

That would be my shot also and my understanding what would be a definitive brainshot.