Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa African Myths about big calibers.

JB
Given what the pronghorn buck was engaged in, or atleast trying to be engaged in, perhaps a lot of his blood was not in his chest....mystery solved?

Having shot only eight African animals and 58 U.S. pronghorns my sample size is small. All eight African plains game animals (kudu, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, blesbok, zebra, three impalas) were one shot kills from a 300 WSM shooting 165 grain TTSX bullets. All but one were complete pass throughs; I recovered one bullet from a facing away blesbok that traveled from the left hindquarter and stopped at the neck. It weighed 145 grains.

The U.S. pronghorns were killed with a variety of calibers and bullets from .257 Roberts through 300 Magnum, bullet weights 80 to 180 grains of various manufacturers and types.

I had pronghorns that dropped on the spot, and a few that ran more than 200 yards with both lungs punctured.

There is no way to effectively compare the "toughness" of one animal to another, but in my limited experience you can't say one continent's animals are any tougher or softer than another.

The first pronghorn I killed was a three legged one. The fourth one was broken and twirled around as it ran. It came over a rise, running parallel to a dirt road, so we decided to chase it in our truck.

We clocked it at 35 mph on three legs. I got out and shot it offhand at (probably) 200 yards. The guide said it was 600 yards but that was an exaggeration.

think your wife and mine would get along......she shot her very first mule deer buck in 2010 after a very long time as a doe serial killer.....several of us watched the long stalk through our spotting scopes.....Darla pops up 50 yards from the buck and drills it through the heart.....it kind takes a few shaky steps so she drills him again......half mile off through the spotting scopes we can see blood pouring out the off side.....the buck staggers a few more steps and stopped with its front feet wide apart moments from just dropping.....buck looks at Darla, then looks up the coulee.....and when he glanced back at Darla the second time she put one in his brain pan via his nose.....

we haul arse to get down to her and asked her why in the hell she drilled it in the face for......she said he was still on his feet and it was almost dark and she wasnt gonna chase a wounded animal in the dark.....we just shook our heads and told her he was dead after the first shot.....think the only pieces bone of any size left of the skull were the bases the horns were attached to but it was an adjustable rack....make it any width yah wanted

rattler,

They would indeed get along!

Luckily (or not) Eileen's shot didn't split the top of the skull. But other than making it easier to sling the skull-cap over one of the rafters in the garage, what difference does it make?

I am sure we're all going to get together sometime--and have a great time. We need to get up to Woof Point sometime, since we haven't been there in three years.

McKinneyMike,

Different fluid system.

If and when I go, I will take my Kimber Montana 300WSM, likely with 168gr TTSX for plains game.

I will purchase a 308 for the kids to use.

JG, you don't need to follow my logic. You can use whatever you like, just like anyone else.

When I'm asked by potential hunters this is the reply I give. I have an answer based on 20 years of experience and first hand events. Whatever anyone chooses is up to them. For those that want guidance and ask,..... this is my opinion. Decent consistent blood trails start at .308 diameter and go up from there. Your mileage may vary based on your experiences.

FWIW, Barbary Sheep are native to Africa.

Also, I've found mastering the big bores has made me a better shooter of all calibres, especially the smaller ones ie. 30-06,308,338 etc.

I do believe condition of the animal prior to the shot can make a big difference. An animal in full rut or one agitated and full of adrenalin can often take a lot of hits. JMHO

You forgot, " an animal poorly hit the first time, can take a lot of hits to finish."

You forgot, " an animal poorly hit the first time, can take a lot of hits to finish." [/quote]

Agreed, but then I consider animals poorly shot to be agitated in the extreme.

I'm well aware of that. Being a "super tough" African animal and all......both myself and my son have shot several (10 or so) aoudad with his 7-08 and core lokt bullets. I was going to make this a point and you screwed it up!

Sorry. I never would have intentionally done that to a fellow Texan.

I just think we have to be careful about getting too negative with any rhetoric that might be used to keep someone from being able to "justify" buying a new rifle.

Just saying.

That was Great!! LMAO

ok seeing as I started this thread and I am an African hunter, I'll bite: What is a Barbary Sheep?

It's no joke. The Barbary sheep are native to the mountains of North africa. We have a large population of this species free range in West Texas. We call the Aoudad down here.

I guess I'm just backwards, I like big rifles. On my plains game hunt I took my 375 H&H and my 300 magnum, I took a springbok and a warthog with my 300 and zebra, kudu, steenbok and gemsbok with the 375. I like the 375 and on my next trip for Buff and plains game all I took is my 375.

My next trip will be with my 375 as my light rifle and my 458 as my heavy.

I hope to go to Africa in the next few years. Call me old school if you want, but my gun of choice for Plains Game would be a Ruger Hawkeye African in 9.3x62. I would think most PH's would approve?

You bet, the 9.3 will make them smile