Poacher's weapons?

[Guy]

I've always read that poachers in Africa typically use AK-47s and heavy machine guns. I can see the heavy machine guns taking down elephants and such, but AKs? Can a 125 grain bullet traveling at such a moderate velocity actually penetrate deeply enough to take down a big critter?

[Redhawk1]

They shoot for the brain, the 7.62X39 will do the job.

[kciH]

I've seen some recordings of poachers taking elephant.  When they empty a few AK magzines into the beast it does die...eventually.  They saw the ivory off the animal before it is even fully dead in some instances.

[Qaz]

When most people think poachers, they think big, when in fact most poaching of game is of smaller species. I was under the impression that the wire snare is the weapon of choice. Quiet, deadly and cheap are what you want if you are involved in illegal activities.