HopDoc,

No matter what their doing with the zoom and the lenses, you know its close when he has to step out of the way of the skidding very recently dead critter! Guys, the key to watchg MS DVD's is to turn the sound off!

Like 450NE No2, I've faced a bunch of bluff charges from eles. I don't find the ears a reliable indicator of whether the effort is a bluff or for real though. I've been involved in two for real charges, one with ears laid back, one with ears spread. But the eyes tell the story, when it is for real the hate is easy to see; the same look is absent with bluffs. BTW, neither of the two for real charges were preceeded by bluffs, the were both charges on sight, or smell or hearing maybe, but the began instantly.

Everyone wants to wait until the shot is sure, but remember, the shot is NEVER sure. None of us is perfect and we've all made better and poorer shots. The DR gives the opportunty for two very quick and so two very close shots, but you ought to be using enough gun in case the shot isn't perfect.

I've been told more than once that in Zim, 10yds is the limit for a self defense claim, outside of that and you have automatic trouble. How the elephant gets to 10yds has an impact on how much window you have. If the ele is standing at 15 or 20 and posturing, etc, and then decides to give it go, you have a lot of time since the ele will still be accelerating. If the ele crosses the 10yd line at top speed, less time. If its thick and the ele is unseen and already there when it comes, almost no time.

If the ele is coming for you, then there isn't a lot of relative motion, and it mostly elevation, but if the ele is after another in your party there can be quite a bit of relative motion because of speed and closeness.

Some of you have seen the following photo sequence of an for real charge where I stopped the ele at 7yds, as paced off after the event. Sorry if it bores you, I still get excited looking at the photos. My two attempted brain shots were both low, since I misread the ele's head position, which was lower than I'd ever seen before then. The PH, who shot after my two was also low. You could cover all three of our shots with a playing card. But I was using enough gun that a too low shot stopped her in her tracks and the subsequent shot got her to retreat. Just remeber, you cannot rely on being perfect! Use enough gun!

Here is the sequence, hopefully copied from my earlier post.

Thought I would add photos of the charge sequence that I recieved a bit ago from Dave Hulme who was the photgrapher for this great series.

She is coming!

PH Richard Tabor fires a warning shot over her head using one barrel of 470 when she is about here.

I fire first one barrel, which stops her cold but is low, and then the second barrel which is also low but gets her turning to leave.

I am reloading my double rifle in this photo. Rich Tabor fires his second barrel but he is also low.

I reload one barrel and get in a good heart/lung shot.

Rich has gotten in a heart/lung shot and I reloaded one again and get in a raking shot that runs the length of her left lung. I'm just lowering my rifle after the shot.

The quiet calm after the action.

Conitinues.

Until Dave Hulme, who has an awesome sense of humor, breaks the tension.

Tense follow up.

We find blood and put a tracker between us to guide us as we keep our heads up and eyes open for trouble. But we round a corner and she is dead.

We were not hunting this elephant, btw, but once we had to shoot we had to continue until the business was concluded.
Good fun, after the fact. A cold beer never tasted better. Richard and I were pretty quiet but Dave was really wound up and didn't stop talking for two days!

JPK