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RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

Don't really understand why someone would doubt the ethics or effectiveness of taking elephants with a bow. It has been done many times, and while some animals have been shot by backup rifles most expire quickly, and all expire quickly that have been hit well in the vitals. Part of the challenge/attraction of the experience is the risk associated with an animal that could crush you in a blink in those moments before death. I think for some people, it is a perfectly acceptable and challenging thing to do. For most hunters though, the risk/cost/challenge would be far to great and they would never think twice of trying. Knocking a fellow bowhunter for attempting to harvest ANY animal, especially animals that are outside their own abilities to chase is childish. That would be like squirrel hunters telling deer hunters they were foolish or unethical to hunt deer! Sure, if you chased deer with squirrel gear... but there are bows, arrows and broadheads designed to take elephanst and other large dangerous game that makes that type of hunting just another facet of our great sport.

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

The elf in Lord of the Rings didn't have a problem killing the elephant with a bow, but he use like 3 arrows in one shot. :D

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

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The most common shot taken on elephants today is NOT the head/brain shot. It still remains behind the shoulder, aiming for the heart and lungs.

Really? This was the first site I came accross and I don't even know how outdated it is but it does reiterate what I've heard firsthand from a guy who just got back (last week) from a 21 day safari , and yes , elephant was one of his trophys. He's also got the inside scoop on a few of todays archery celebs who failed to mention the backup shots required to put their elephants down. By this time next year , you and probably alot of others here will be able to talk to him about it in person if your interested in coming to the fox valley to visit one of only three wildlife museums of it's kind. ;)
Scroll down to shot placement.....http://www.african-hunter.com/elephant_part_1.htm

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And I'll reiterate what Rich Baker and others here have posted for you, which you tend to ignore. A bow setup with a KE of 105 lbs or more is an effecient means of killing an elephant.

I haven't "ignored" anything. A bow setup with 105 ftlbs of ke is sufficient for killing an elephant , if you place your arrow exactlywhere it needs to go. There's much more room for error on a whitetail kill zone than a elephant. What you seem to ignore is the fact that the overwhelming majority of bow shot elephants require a finishing shot from a high power rifle , most after a dangerous and sometimes long tracking job.

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And hunting elephants is an effecient means of managing that species' populations.

Totally agree! Using a rifle is still called "hunting" isn't it?:eek:

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Listen man, I've spent three months hunting and guiding in South Africa, I've also attended Professional Hunting classes.

Really? What part of South Africa and for who? What type of game? Three months is a pretty short time to become a big game guide in South Africa.[&:]

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

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ORIGINAL: moonglo

There is no doubt that an elephant can be killed with a bow. But when Chuck Adams writes that after his experience with an archery elephant hunt that he would not do it again and that due to the angle of the elephant's ribs that it makes it difficult to get good penentration who am I to argue. His elephant was finished off with a gun also. Of all the hunters out there he is by far one of the most pro archery. If and I say if half of all bow shot elephants have to be finished off with a gun then it is not an ethical way to hunt them.

I'd like to read what Chuck has to say about it also. Do you have any links or know where I can find it?

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

I don't think it would be that hard to kill an elephant with a bow. Personally, I would want an ATV, and then after I shot the elephant with the bow I would haul ass away lol. I would definitely practice speed shooting, so I could take my time on the first arrow, and then send another arrow zipping through the vitals real fast.

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

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They follow up with a rifle for the safety of the hunter! Even with a perfect shot an elephant can still have enough time to kill the hunter. Theyput a brain shot to instantly put the elephant down to decrease to danger.The shows that I have seen explain the process of elephant hunting.

Wrong! The first thing an elephant does when shot is turn and run. The videos your watching are white washing this "bowhunting" video with the danger factor to justify finishing it off with a rifle.

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

What is the point of hunting dangerous game with a bow if you are going to take the danger out of it with a rifle or rifles? I feel the same way about people that hunt bear with a bow and have someone back them up with a rifle. If you are willing to use the rifle, just use it in the first place? Never made sense to me.

I'm not going to argue the ethics of hunting elephants though, I don't know enough about it to make an educated arguement.

Paul

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

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ORIGINAL: BOWFANATIC

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And I'll reiterate what Rich Baker and others here have posted for you, which you tend to ignore. A bow setup with a KE of 105 lbs or more is an effecient means of killing an elephant.

Hate to chime in on peoples beliefs, can't say I really have any about elephant hunters. I would say I would be against it, but many a good point has been brought up on how the hunters fund the preservation... so I'm convinced, if I ever have a spare 60 g's, I'm there...[&:]
You say a whitetail has more room for error...agree but that is per animal size. An elephant still has a larger heart and lungs, so in theory a bigger target is an easier target.

Tim

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

BOWFANATIC, Chuck Adam's experience with elephant archery hunting was in an issue of the North American Hunter magazine about maybe one year ago. It was a very interesting article and it discussed taking dangerous game with a bow. I was rather surprised by his view of shooting elephants with a bow given archery is what he is known for. I don't know if you can search the archives of the magazine to find it or not.

RE: Elephants w/ a Bow?

Hey rdy2hnt, I was not making any judgements on, or as bigbulls put it, codeming anyone. Did'nt mean to upset you butcan't I have my opinion on this? The last thing I look for is contriversy (SP) when I'm on this site so let's not let this get out of wack.By the way I've learned much from reading these posts on this subject. Before I forget, at least a Whitetail has sense enough to run!;)