Yes, in a charge situation, they are made of flesh, blood, and adrenalin!! That's the secret ingredient, and its not specific to African game.

It is a big part of the reason why a leopard, for instance, might not be stopped by a shotgun with anything less than a CNS hit, and how do you guarantee that with shot pellets?

I believe the popularity of shotguns for this line of work lies with their gun-fit, pointability, fast second shot, and lack of elaborate sighting encumberances. Funny how that describes most double rifles, too!

If I had to take a shottie against a wounded cat, give me Brennekes rather than buck-shot any day!