A good soft bullet is best used for your first shot, because your first shot is almost always your best shot. Your second barrel should have a solid in her, you want more penetration on the second shot because the animal is more than likely cornering one way or another and your line of sight to the vital organs is now blocked by much more hide and muscle than was before.

A friend of mine did some hippo hunting with a .50 caliber machinegun last year while in Africa, you ever seen a hippo attack a Humvee? Didnt work out to good for the hippo!

Needless to say, the locals didnt mind. They ate it for dinner!