From the "Grizzly Attack" thread we mentioned in Dangerous Game areas that one should always keep your rifle close, even when you go to the bush to relieve your "burdens" so to speak.
We were in the Caprivi Strip, Northern Namibia 2001. It was hard hunting, we had been walking 15 plus and minis miles every day for 6 full, long, hot, dry days. Much of the ground was soft sand as well, made walking even tougher. This was also Pre-B&M days and I was carrying a 10.5 lb 24 inch barrel Winchester M70 458 Lott, from the Custom Shop at Winchester. It got bigger every day and heavier.
We had seen quite a few elephants, got surrounded by one herd, mock charged by a couple of irate cows, but had not seen a big bull.
On the seventh day the PH decided we would have a easy day, instead of walking our ass off, we would ride over to an area and check out a waterhole to see if any big bulls had visited, and possibly find some tracks. So off we go. We get to the waterhole, check all around, but no big bulls had been around. Lots of other elephant, but nothing worth going after. Back in the vehicle, and we decide to follow another road out, but going slow and having a couple of trackers lead the way on foot, looking for any big tracks crossing the road.
Sitting in the back, I felt that all familiar urge......I grabbed a roll of toilet paper, rolled off the back, told them I needed to sort some business out, I would catch up to them. Off I go! My only weapon to do battle, "roll of toilet paper"...................
I jump in the bush off the road, find a nice spot and proceed to relieve my burdens. I thought to myself "now would be a hell of a time for an elephant to walk by" kind of chuckled to myself at the thought. About the time I stifled that chuckle I hears something just off to my left and front, and "Oh Shit for Real", here comes a damned elephant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wind is blowing from him to me, he don't smell me! He is not aware of me, Elephants do not see very well, and if he continues on the path he is on, he will pass within a few short feet of me, and then he is going to notice me in not a good way, and way too close. I am talking if something is not done, he will be less than 10 ft before he catches me, With my pants around my ankles no less!
Not much time, he is ambling along, something has to be done! I decide the best action is to grab my pants, stand up, make a small jump to my left, just something to alert him to my presence but not enough to let him know what I am. He could be prejudiced, who knows? Grabbed my pants, more or less got up, but not full height and made the jump to the left!
Ears went up on full alert, like radar, Trunk up in the air searching for sent, startled he took a step or two sideways, trumpeted at me, and took off to my right in a full elephant trot! Whew, OK, that worked! I was some what relieved and figured to clean myself up and get back to the vehicle! I stepped off to where the elephant was when I made my move, it was 9 steps. A lot better than 9 feet which had I done nothing is about where it would have been.
Pulled myself together, went back to the road/trail really, and sure enough here is the vehicle backing up, they had heard the elephant trumpet. They had heard, asked about the elephant, but it was a young medium size bull.
We decided to follow up. Possibly this bull might lead us to something bigger. After about another 3 hours, it panned out, he did lead us to another herd, and one big bull. I gave the big bull a side brain shot at 30 yards with the 458 Lott, and it was done. The hunt that began with "encounters of the Poop Kind"
We were in the Caprivi Strip, Northern Namibia 2001. It was hard hunting, we had been walking 15 plus and minis miles every day for 6 full, long, hot, dry days. Much of the ground was soft sand as well, made walking even tougher. This was also Pre-B&M days and I was carrying a 10.5 lb 24 inch barrel Winchester M70 458 Lott, from the Custom Shop at Winchester. It got bigger every day and heavier.
We had seen quite a few elephants, got surrounded by one herd, mock charged by a couple of irate cows, but had not seen a big bull.
On the seventh day the PH decided we would have a easy day, instead of walking our ass off, we would ride over to an area and check out a waterhole to see if any big bulls had visited, and possibly find some tracks. So off we go. We get to the waterhole, check all around, but no big bulls had been around. Lots of other elephant, but nothing worth going after. Back in the vehicle, and we decide to follow another road out, but going slow and having a couple of trackers lead the way on foot, looking for any big tracks crossing the road.
Sitting in the back, I felt that all familiar urge......I grabbed a roll of toilet paper, rolled off the back, told them I needed to sort some business out, I would catch up to them. Off I go! My only weapon to do battle, "roll of toilet paper"...................
I jump in the bush off the road, find a nice spot and proceed to relieve my burdens. I thought to myself "now would be a hell of a time for an elephant to walk by" kind of chuckled to myself at the thought. About the time I stifled that chuckle I hears something just off to my left and front, and "Oh Shit for Real", here comes a damned elephant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wind is blowing from him to me, he don't smell me! He is not aware of me, Elephants do not see very well, and if he continues on the path he is on, he will pass within a few short feet of me, and then he is going to notice me in not a good way, and way too close. I am talking if something is not done, he will be less than 10 ft before he catches me, With my pants around my ankles no less!
Not much time, he is ambling along, something has to be done! I decide the best action is to grab my pants, stand up, make a small jump to my left, just something to alert him to my presence but not enough to let him know what I am. He could be prejudiced, who knows? Grabbed my pants, more or less got up, but not full height and made the jump to the left!
Ears went up on full alert, like radar, Trunk up in the air searching for sent, startled he took a step or two sideways, trumpeted at me, and took off to my right in a full elephant trot! Whew, OK, that worked! I was some what relieved and figured to clean myself up and get back to the vehicle! I stepped off to where the elephant was when I made my move, it was 9 steps. A lot better than 9 feet which had I done nothing is about where it would have been.
Pulled myself together, went back to the road/trail really, and sure enough here is the vehicle backing up, they had heard the elephant trumpet. They had heard, asked about the elephant, but it was a young medium size bull.
We decided to follow up. Possibly this bull might lead us to something bigger. After about another 3 hours, it panned out, he did lead us to another herd, and one big bull. I gave the big bull a side brain shot at 30 yards with the 458 Lott, and it was done. The hunt that began with "encounters of the Poop Kind"