A while back, Norma had the story and a picture of this occurrence on their website. Anyone know where that can be found today?

Have a few friends who need to see it.

Ted

i will try to find it.
otherwise i will ask Don.

here is a good reading on the 9.3 Ted.

http://norma-usa.com/index.php/prod...188-cartridge-of-the-month-9-3x62-mauser

all the best.

Phil

Got the picture from another member, Phil. Now just need the story.

Thanks,
Ted

Don sent me that photo soon after it happened and If I remember correctly I asked if it was his 9.3 and he said it was not but was an issued .416 Rem. Maybe he will chime in here.

Found it!



Also found the email received from him confirming that it was his 9.3X62 he used. Thought I had lost it when I got my new laptop, but here it is.

Subject: SV: Don Heath hunting story
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2011 06:46:41 +0100
From: Don Heath <[email protected]>
To: Kenneth Skoglund <[email protected]>
CC: [email protected] <[email protected]>


Rifle- Mauser 9,3x62
Ammo- Norma solids

Dr Don Heath D.Sc.

Manager Technical Support

Norma Precision AB

S 670 40

Åmotfors

Sweden



+46 571 315 05

-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: Kenneth Skoglund
Skickat: den 3 januari 2011 14:54
Till: Don Heath
Ämne: VB: Don Heath hunting story



-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: Ted Wagner [mailto:]
Skickat: den 11 december 2010 20:41
Till: Kenneth Skoglund
Ämne: Don Heath hunting story

Good day, Kenneth, and greetings from the Yukon, Canada.

I have just read the exciting story on your website about Don Heath's
encounter with the elephant he had to kill. It is very well written.
However, some very important piece of information is missing that every
hunter would want to know: what caliber rifle was he carrying that day,
and what Norma bullet did he use?

Thank you for your time on this,
Ted

Holy crap, that is an awesome pic.

Thanks yukoner. Neat story.

Super!

Can you post a link to the story? Sounds like it will be a good one Ted.

Can someone post a much better picture from the article, I would love to capture it. Simply AWESOME !!!!!

That takes balls of steel. WOW!!!!!

Genuine Testicular Fortitude.......

I read the story on Norma's website, and sent the email to them after seeing it there. It is no longer on their site. Heath was guiding a photo safari when the elephant charged. Crazy stuff, eh?





Here's the picture in colour, but still not good quality.



I saw the original in much larger format somewhere, but for the life of me cannot find it now.

Ted

Slightly larger pic:




Side view just as the bullet exits:



Both pics from this article describing the incident.

http://portal.huntingclub.com/magaz...rge-unexpected-product-test#.VV_R4Eb-WUw

Wow, those are some impressive pictures. Thank you for sharing!

Apparently the young bull had mocked charged three times before. From the article:

"The first time he stopped at about eight paces, and then pulled himself up to maximum height trying to intimidate me with his size before backing off. He paused at about 12 yards and then came again, pushing the charge a little closer this time and kicking a fair-sized rock at me when he stopped before again backing off. On the third charge he stopped at only four paces. I stood my ground, kept shouting at him and finally walked forward and pushed him away. He grudgingly gave ground and moved off to the east at a brisk walk. " (bold and underline mine)


Pushing away an elephant?! Holy F***!!!

Looking at the size of him and the size of the elephant I'm thinking he must have some Fox Terrier in his bloodline.

I think I'd even have a beer after that episode.

By "pushed" I don't think Dr. Heath meant to imply he actually touched the elephant, but was using the verb as hunters do in "pushing" game by approaching it. Not that this takes anything at all away from the story. That man is absolutely as cool under intense pressure as it gets!

I peed a little bit just reading it.

Interesting encounter. Yikes!

Thanks to all who dug up the details and photos. Very cool nan under pressure,talk about a shot that really mattered.

GRF

Great story.
The old line about you can run but you will only die tired. If you tried to run you would be a grease spot on the ground, so your only choice is to stand and fire is so true in this case. Cheers NC

It is funny how stories change over time, both over repeated telling as well as in our own minds.
I thought Don said he was teaching a group of aspiring PH's elephant behavior in a National Park when the incident happened. He was intentionally "pushing" the elephant to illustrate their behavior when it decided not to play and Don let it get close enough that when he finally decided he had to kill it the momentum of the charge brought it close enough that one of the tusks broke Don's arm.

And I understand the Park officials were none too pleased.

Someone who will remain unnamed because I can't remember who it was - REALLY - told me that the most effective thing to do if charged by an elephant was to wait until he/she was at twelve feet and if still coming jump behind the huge pile of feces behind you. Of course we all know the punch line - I ask4ed how he knew that there would be a LARGE pile of feces behind me. He assured me that if that circumstances were as described the feces would be there!

Terry

Thanks for posting Jim in Idaho!

Perhaps they would have preferred the elephant hammered a bunch or unarmed tourists? Seems you just can't please some people! Often these people are bureaucrats.

I see he had a handgun on his hip. Does anyone know what make and caliber it was?

Having seen the photograph previously; learning that Heath used a .416 Rem. ruined several of my fantasies about me and my 9.3X62.

I've been quietly enjoying this thread and the pictures for several days, but I have steadily begun to feel a great disturbance in the force. Something is very wrong here and apparently it's up to me to correct it:

WDM Bell killed a bunch of elephants with a 7x57...

There, balance has been restored. Carry on with the current discussion about Don Heath and his elephant...

David

If you look at the post above with the email I received from him, he states that he used his 9.3X62 with Norma solids.

Ted

I heard the elephant was behind on child support and was none to keen to spend easter weekend in jail.

This is the idea that first spawned and hatched in my mind while in my single-digits: that a man with the rifle was a courageous and competent man, and that he and his intimate tool would act as one to perform acts of necessary force. This story exemplifies that idea. For me, hunting is still about gathering food, and also fits the narrative.

thank you, my faith in the gospel of the 9.3X62 has been restored.

I think Dan said he carries a properly stoked 357. I do know he is pretty handy with a pistol as well.

I was about to ask why the rifle recoiled so hard if it was a 9.3x62...My 9.3x64 is more powerful than the 62mm version and I don't experience nearly that much recoil.

A .416 would definitely explain the bent knee and high muzzle angle.

As would shooting up at an elephant's head. The bent knee looks like he may be starting to try to step to the side as the bull starts falling.

Don also isn't a big man, and the angle of muzzle looks like its around the top of the elephant's head. A 9.3x62 doesn't kick a vast amount, but it kicks enough to raise the muzzle some, exactly how much depending on the stock, load, etc.

Versions of this intention action are floating around. The salient point is that shooting an Elephant wasn't the intent. It became a neccesity. At two meters I suspect that a head on Brain shot from a 9.3x62 or a forty caliber solid bullet would work equally well. But a forty caliber would be more comforting in any unexpected and unpredictable life and death situation.

just learnt today that Don passed away.

Rest in Peace.

seriously? damn that sucks

Illness or injury?
Obit?

yukonphil,

That news is a real shocker. Any details?

Last saw Don at SCI maybe 2-3 years ago.

Amen!

There was an announcement over on Accurate Reloading site to this effect.

Amazing man, I would love to have a higher resolution photo to enlarge. The best I could do was about 8x10 and even then it had quite a bit of pixilation.

From africahunting.com :

In memoriam - Professional Hunter Don Heath passes away

Discussion in 'News & Announcements' started by AfricaHunting.com, Monday at 8:59 AM.

Famous Zimbabwean Professional Hunter Don Heath (1967 - 2015) passed away suddenly over the weekend in Sweden. My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

"I lost my footing on the broken ground and went down just as the elephant collapsed in midstride."

I tell things differently depending on who I'm speaking to. I try to speak to the listeners ability to understand.

For example, I'm currently working as a millwright in a large metal producing plant.
I describe issues differently depending on whether I'm speaking to another millwright, an electrician, or production guys. I often speak only of what's relevant to who I'm talking to.

And I also say things in different ways to try and illustrate different points being discussed.

I think everyone does this, at least to some extent.

And i don't recall hearing Don Heath's name before today, but regardless of how he told the story, my hat is off to him, or his memory as the case may be...