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I believe that answer is that the hunter's first shot broke the ball joint at the skull/neck junction. ...

My "autopsies" on two elephants that I killed which had similar reactions both revealed the broken ball joint, meaning the shot was just a bit too far rearward and/or a bit too low, depending on the elephant's head angle vs. the hunter's shot presentation.

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Good points and a probable explanation. The shots you mention are also why many experienced elephant hunters recommend shooting too low, rather than too high on frontal shots, as the ball joint or spine may be hit instead, if the brain is missed.

Obviously even if the ball joint was broken, the spinal cord was not as the tail still reacted to the fourth shot.

Nice bull too in your photo.

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But, remarkably, as we moved beside elephant to deliver a side brain insurance shot from maybe five yards, the elephant moved his head a bit to try to see us. Boy, did we all jump back!

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A "Capstick moment".