At least this topic is generating a lot of discussion. It is just beating a dead horse because we don't know all the sorted details. So to whack that horse one more time:

I hope the PH was mostly concerned with the safety of his client and not letting a wounded elephant get away. A muffed brain shot elephant can go a long, long way. And hunting concession sizes are not infinite and I can see an ele getting away wounded.

There are reasons to brain shoot an elephant and reasons to take a heart/lung shot, but as I have always said, pulling off a successful brain shot automatically eliminates the PH from the equation. But many times a near miss will drop an elephant anyway, which might have allowed the client to finish it off. Who bloody hell knows???

If nothing else, chaulk it up to a learning experience and know better the next time (hint, hint).