Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa What would you use to hunt Cape Eland?

Going back to Eastern Cape after Eland and Nyala. I used my 300 RUM with 200 gr. Accubonds on my plains game hunt this spring. Someone suggested the 375 H&H for Eland. I have one but is this necessary? Your thoughts please. Kevin

I returned from the eastern cape a little over a month ago. My friend in camp used a 308 win with 165's (forgot what bullet) for the entire safari including an eland he took.

Your 300 will do fine. I'd take my 375 H&H but that's just because I love shooting it.

^^^^^^

That.

Whether you shoot it with the .375 or .300, shot placement will be key.
Saying that, the .300RUM should be more than enough.( If you shoot it well)

All the best for your trip! Who are you hunting with in the Eastern Cape?

Best Regards,
Marius Goosen

The 300 RUM will be plenty and like Marius said, shot placement. Of course spend more money on good ammo to save money on lost game.

Then again why would you come here without a 375?

Woods1126,
Pieter & Marius know what they are talking about, both gave me great info when I was planning my African trip.
With that in mind, last year (in the Eastern Cape) I saw a hunter in camp take 2 Eland, he was using a 30'06 with 180gr ammo; both were one shot kills.
I hope this helps a bit.

I shoot that exact same cartridge combo and in my opinion it is hard to beat for anything of Eland size & down.

Having said that, I used my PH's 30.06 with 180 grain Norma Oryx ammo in Africa on over a dozen animals of Eland size & down (plus a giraffe) and was well pleased with its performance.

Shot placement is key.

The last one I shot went down to a TSX from a .338 Winchester. They are a large animal with heavy bones, Keep that in mind when selecting a cartridge/bullet combination. Also, eland, IMO, are the best eating in Africa.

A very big thank you to all for the good inforamtion. I am pretty confident with the 300 RUM. I shoot it quite well and often. I hand load to keep costs down. I practice out to 300 yards. I like the Nosler Accubonds, killed 7 animals this past spring and all were 1 shot kills. We recovered just two bullets. One from the Kudu (shoulder shot) and one from the Bushbuck,(face on shot). The Kudu we found the bullet on the opposite side under the skin and the Bushbuck we found the bullet under the skin on it's rump. All the others were pass throughs. All and all I think they do well for penetration. Also, the bullets recovered were 162 grains and 150 grains respectively with expansion was picture perfect. I have'nt measured them but they look around .50 .

Pieter, I am going to bring the 375 because of what you said! I don't shoot it that bad either.
KMG, We are going back to Mankazana Safaris. Frans Busshain is the owner. He treated us well there and I think, we would found a "home" away from "home".

Thanks again for all the input. Kevin

This, excepting I would use a TTSX

If you have a choice between a 300 Mag and a 375, you should use the 375. I have a choice between a 375 H&H and a 45-110 Sharps. I would choose the 45-110.

Your .300 will work just fine, plenty of eland are killed with .30-06 class cartridges each year. That being said, you are not using too much gun if you use something in the 9.3x62mm/.375 H&H class.

As other posters have mentioned, shot placement is critical. This is something that is easy to mess up with an eland, just because it is so big.

Sounds like you have it figured out - if it were me, I'd take a .330 Dakota with 225 grain TTSX...

The .300 if fine, but how often do you get to hunt with the .375??

Took eland, zebra, and kudu with a 30-06 shooting 180gr. partitions...

I apologize for the same old advice - I hunt and shoot everything bigger than a pronghorn with the .375 H&H. It is foolproof, I really KNOW the trajectory of my loads and have proven it with one shot kills at over 400 yards from a casual rest - 385 yards from atop a fence post and 430 yards sitting behind a fallen tree - and yes I do believe the old saw - Beware the man with only one gun, he probably knows how to use it. Works for me - bet that it would work for you.


Terry

I took an Eland with an 06, and 165gr Nosler partitions, and 59grs of IMR4350..hit it behind the last rib on the left side, and found the bullet in the right shoulder. Was trotting away from us, and continued for probably another 50 yards and went down. With todays better bullets, I was in East Cape two years ago, shooting Ttsx in my 308, and took every thing with that. With the better bullets, NABs, partitions, Ttsx, I don't see any need for anything bigger than the 06. Like I said, last two trips took a 308. To me, the 300Ultra, and such too much gun, and not needed. Hit it correctly, and it's done.

Ok, I'm bringing the 300 RUM for the trip main gun and the 375 just because . SO... My 375 kinda likes those barnes TTSX 250 grainers. I can keep them around 3"-5" at 300 yards. Any thoughts on that combination?

Ghost, Your very right on all points. I just like shooting the BIGGER ones. Maybe I'm trying to compensate for something else?? Kevin

I used a .338 Winchester Magnum with 250-grain Partitions on my Cape eland, and it worked great--even when the first one went in sideways, due to hitting a thin thornbush branch very close to the eland. (The second bullet went all the way through.) A hunting partner took an equally good bull with a .300 Winchester Magnum and 180-grain Accubonds a few years later. The AB didn't exit, for those who think that's important.

Also have friend here in Montana who did a Cape eland cull hunt with a 7x57 and took around 30 animals, but only one was a big bull. As I recall he used 154-grain Hornady Interlocks.