Hundreds, and more probably thousands of elephants have been culled with .308 semi-autos.

The cullers are seasoned professionals who know exactly what they are doing, and believe me, they don't want wounded elephants running around.

Bell was not only a seasoned professional who knew exactly what he was doing, he was also an exceptional shot. It is absolutely pointless to criticize his method, when said method proved to be successful.

It is also absolutely pointless to try and compare Bell's method with what methods are advisable for occasional hunters. No matter how many books are read and re-read, no matter how many barrels of single malt are sipped around the fire or in font of a computer while debating the meaning of life and elephant hunting, today's visiting hunters in Africa are not in a position to gain the experience necessary to perform surgical shots under field stress conditions on elephant, buffalo, or other dangerous game - even if some of them would have the skills needed to learn how to do so.

Bell did what he did, and he did it well. Mr. John Doe-Smith on his first or fifth trip to Africa, in the overwhelming majority of cases, would be ill-advised to try and emulate him.

After all, if Mr. John Doe-Smith was a natural-born elephant hunter, he would most probably already be in the full-time elephant hunting business...