I found this article on the web about lion hunting
http://www.man-eater.info/gpage4.html
This is the part of the story that sounds suspect or at least not explained very well
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But none of that explained what happened on a Kenyan safari in 1967. Hunter and author Brian Herne chronicled the series of events in his book, “White Hunters.” Veteran guide and hunter Henry Poolman took an experienced client out looking for the “Big Five” – lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino. Pete Barrett, the client, was a crack shot and experienced hunter. Both men packed formidable weapons: a .458 Winchester for Barrett; a .470 double rifle for Poole. Either weapon could take down an elephant and in fact they were often looking for elephant. Guides and bearers and scouts also carried a mix of weaponry, including a shotgun and a 7 mm rifle – the preferred weapon for lion at a distance.
They came upon a lion at relatively close range, and Barrett let loose with a 510-grain bullet. The big cat ran as he fired, however, and they thought they had missed. Then, when they topped a ridge, they saw the cat lying dead.
“Congratulatons!” Poolman said to Barrett, and at the sound of a human voice, the “dead” lion rose and charged Barrett.
Poolman then did what the white hunter code called for. He placed himself between the lion and his client and as the lion was upon him, blasted away with both barrels of his elephant gun, squarely striking the lion with both shots.
The point blank impact of an elephant gun slowed the lion hardly at all. It bowled over Poolman but did not harm him. The lion was after Pete Barrett. He caught up with the client, threw him to the ground and mauled him. Barrett gave the lion one arm and attempted to fend the lion off with the other.
Poolman could not find his rifle, lost during the charge, but barehanded came to Barrett’s aid. He pulled the lion’s tail, attempting to deflect its focus on Peter Barrett. Meanwhile, one of Poolman’s experienced gunbearers rushed forward with a 7 mm rifle and from a side vantage point, so neither Poolman nor Barrett were in the line of fire, placed three large caliber slugs directly through the lion’s heart and lungs as quickly as the man could work the bolt of the rifle.
The lion reacted not at all and shot through now with five slugs continued to maul Barrett. In the confusion, an inexperienced gunbearer took aim at the lion’s head as Barrett continued to pull on the animal’s tail. The 12 gauge buckshot missed the lion, perhaps because of the disorienting nature of the mane. But the buckshot struck Poolman fully in the chest, killing him instantly.
Just moments later, the bullet-riddled lion simply stopped and rolled off of Barrett, quite dead. The client survived the mauling, perhaps because Poolman’s first shots had broken its lower jaw.
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What sound "strange" is that the guide, accordingly with this story, squarely hit the lion at point blank range with 2 rounds of a 470 Nitro Express out of his double rifle.....and the Lion has been hit already with a 458 Winchester magnum slug, an other pachiderm rifle.
The 470 NE is an elephant gun propelling a 500 gr flat or round nose bullet at well over 2200 fps, generating almost 6000 ft/lb of energy at the muzzle.
The story says that the charged hunter survived the experience because the guide's first 2 470 NE shots broke the lion's lower jaw.
I'm not an expert in african hunting (or any hunting to be precise) but if a Lion (which is not that big over all and not a thick skinned animal) get a couple of 470 NE slugs at point blank in his face they should have almost cleaned his head off not just breaking the lower jaw....never mention the monstrous impact shock....
So what is your take on this?? Is it a believable story??
I know that an enraged lion is a terrifying creature and a wrong placed shot even out of a a 50 BMG problably will not stop him......but a couple of elephant rifle bullets at point blank in the head????
Regards
http://www.man-eater.info/gpage4.html
This is the part of the story that sounds suspect or at least not explained very well
========================================================
But none of that explained what happened on a Kenyan safari in 1967. Hunter and author Brian Herne chronicled the series of events in his book, “White Hunters.” Veteran guide and hunter Henry Poolman took an experienced client out looking for the “Big Five” – lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino. Pete Barrett, the client, was a crack shot and experienced hunter. Both men packed formidable weapons: a .458 Winchester for Barrett; a .470 double rifle for Poole. Either weapon could take down an elephant and in fact they were often looking for elephant. Guides and bearers and scouts also carried a mix of weaponry, including a shotgun and a 7 mm rifle – the preferred weapon for lion at a distance.
They came upon a lion at relatively close range, and Barrett let loose with a 510-grain bullet. The big cat ran as he fired, however, and they thought they had missed. Then, when they topped a ridge, they saw the cat lying dead.
“Congratulatons!” Poolman said to Barrett, and at the sound of a human voice, the “dead” lion rose and charged Barrett.
Poolman then did what the white hunter code called for. He placed himself between the lion and his client and as the lion was upon him, blasted away with both barrels of his elephant gun, squarely striking the lion with both shots.
The point blank impact of an elephant gun slowed the lion hardly at all. It bowled over Poolman but did not harm him. The lion was after Pete Barrett. He caught up with the client, threw him to the ground and mauled him. Barrett gave the lion one arm and attempted to fend the lion off with the other.
Poolman could not find his rifle, lost during the charge, but barehanded came to Barrett’s aid. He pulled the lion’s tail, attempting to deflect its focus on Peter Barrett. Meanwhile, one of Poolman’s experienced gunbearers rushed forward with a 7 mm rifle and from a side vantage point, so neither Poolman nor Barrett were in the line of fire, placed three large caliber slugs directly through the lion’s heart and lungs as quickly as the man could work the bolt of the rifle.
The lion reacted not at all and shot through now with five slugs continued to maul Barrett. In the confusion, an inexperienced gunbearer took aim at the lion’s head as Barrett continued to pull on the animal’s tail. The 12 gauge buckshot missed the lion, perhaps because of the disorienting nature of the mane. But the buckshot struck Poolman fully in the chest, killing him instantly.
Just moments later, the bullet-riddled lion simply stopped and rolled off of Barrett, quite dead. The client survived the mauling, perhaps because Poolman’s first shots had broken its lower jaw.
================================================
What sound "strange" is that the guide, accordingly with this story, squarely hit the lion at point blank range with 2 rounds of a 470 Nitro Express out of his double rifle.....and the Lion has been hit already with a 458 Winchester magnum slug, an other pachiderm rifle.
The 470 NE is an elephant gun propelling a 500 gr flat or round nose bullet at well over 2200 fps, generating almost 6000 ft/lb of energy at the muzzle.
The story says that the charged hunter survived the experience because the guide's first 2 470 NE shots broke the lion's lower jaw.
I'm not an expert in african hunting (or any hunting to be precise) but if a Lion (which is not that big over all and not a thick skinned animal) get a couple of 470 NE slugs at point blank in his face they should have almost cleaned his head off not just breaking the lower jaw....never mention the monstrous impact shock....
So what is your take on this?? Is it a believable story??
I know that an enraged lion is a terrifying creature and a wrong placed shot even out of a a 50 BMG problably will not stop him......but a couple of elephant rifle bullets at point blank in the head????
Regards