Ladies and Gentlemen,

Pretty good website:

Safaribwana Buffalo Shot Placement

Regards,

Terry

Nice page, Terry!

I agree. Nice find, Terry.

-Steve

Excellant //

Couple more just to help out as well

Peter
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I noticed that they also discussed trophy quality. This is a link to a post by Saeed with pictures of some buffalo with nice bosses. I can always use more help in judging buffalo trophy quality.

I notice a difference in the shot placement of picture #1 and #3 above. From the look of the internal organs on #1, it seems like #3 will almost miss the vitals. Any experienced buff hunters out there know which is best? I'll be hunting buff in two weeks in Zambia and the advice isn't just theoretical as far as I'm concerned.

quote:

Originally posted by G L Krause:
I notice a difference in the shot placement of picture #1 and #3 above. From the look of the internal organs on #1, it seems like #3 will almost miss the vitals. Any experienced buff hunters out there know which is best? I'll be hunting buff in two weeks in Zambia and the advice isn't just theoretical as far as I'm concerned.

From Terry's link:

quote:

This is a perfect shot with the heart exposed as the animal steps forward. Take care not to wait too long, shoot as soon as the leg is placed forward otherwise you'll be too late.

Don't take my word for it, as I have not been there or done that, but I think if the leg is moved forward it changes shot placement relative to the leg as the heart is exposed behind it.

I agree with GL, there is somthing wrong with Peters pictures, either #1 or #3. I think #3 is back too far for the heart.................JJ

Number 3 above is, IMHO, slightly too far to the right. Shoot through to the opposite shoulder (right front) and it will be a good shot. If that buff's left front leg was extended out in front of him, then hitting just behind it would be correct. It looks to me like that the left front leg is straight and not extended. Wait for him to step forward with left front leg and put it right behind the leg and through the opposite shoulder.

In my limited experience, it is always (on side shots, especially when the buffalo is slightly angled) better to look for the opposite shoulder. If you concentrate on where to hit him based on his shoulder closest to you, then you may not notice the degree to which he is angled (either away or towards you). What looks like a pure broad-side shot may not be one. Look for his opposite front shoulder and that will give you an idea of where his heart is located.

Regards,

Terry

Guests

FYI pictures I posted are from Man Magnum magazine //

Peter

Look at the third and fourth pictures on the Safaribwana site. They appear to me to have the correct shot placement.

Also look at the seventh picture (oxpecker picture), I would move that shot slightly to the right. On the point of the right front shoulder so that it goes through the left front shoulder.

Regards,

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by T.Carr:
Look at the third and fourth pictures on the Safaribwana site.

Also look at the seventh picture (oxpecker picture), I would move that shot slightly to the right. On the point of the right front shoulder so that is goes through the left front shoulder.

Regards,

Terry

No argument here. Best I can tell, they were going for the leg-forward shot placement but didn't quite get it through to the artist.

Hey Guys

Are we not getting a BIT PEDANTIC now

Robertsons perfect shot is probly the OPTIMUM to go by /


BUT for what it's worth here is another skeletal too mull over.



Every publisher seems to have their own particular version to promote //

Essentially (WE ALL need to remember) these pictures shown ONLY give you a (general picture area) to aim for, and not a pin prick or dime to aim for ..

The first shot is or should be a SOFT so dont panic it will (take out the general surrounding area) therefore we can get into semantics and confuse everyone if we are not careful ///

Also the area can change very slightly if the animal is slightly angular, walking or stationary ... that is the joy of hunting

Just my opinion mind you

Peter

Looking at this heart/lung shot placement

I would move that shot slightly to the right. Look how the buffalo is not purely straight-on. You can see his left side and hip. Their shot placement would kill him, but it certainly (at least to me) doesn't look like it is taking into account the slight angle.

Regards,

Terry

I agree...I like the level they show you and the head is held high..

Mike

T.Carr

I agree with you 100%. IMHO, this shot is farther off than the #3 photo of the side heart shot. Both hind legs are to the right side of the front legs.

Mauser Rifle

I asked this same question a couple years ago and got beat severely about the head and shoulders, by a chicken shit Outfitter who is on my RED list. But God hates a coward!
I'll try again.
When your after buffalo, why not use a shot that will break bones, dropping it in its tracks? In Alaska, thats what we do with Brn Bear.
Why try for a killing heart/lung shot with the animal alive and still able to wreck havoc for a few minutes? If you hit the spinal column, he's on the ground. You can then go up and finish the job.
Is this impossible?
Maybe the spinal shot is harder
to make and the PHs figger the dude can hit the heart/lungs better?
Just courious.

Couple of Comments

Kevin Robertson, and I dissected a couple of buffalo with an artist called Grant Nelon. Kevin used the drawing, posted by bala bala, in his first book and in a magazine article. It is correct anatomically as far as I am concerned. To stop the organs moving arround, we even stood one up in a blast freezer and then halved it with a saw.

The high shoulder shot is a favourite of a few hunters, but very few PH's. If you know what you are doing the buff goes down instantly. If you don't and the buff runs off, you have a 50/50 chance of a "wounded and lost" buff on the clients fees at the end of the hunt.

A good tracker will be able to follow a lung or gut shot buff until you get him, but a fluffed high shoulder shot... The wound soon stops bleeding, offers no impediment to movement, and doesn't make the animal limp or anything else to aid tracking.

Personaly- I use that shot myself when the animal is broadside. I don't mind the client using it, just appreciate that it is an "all or nothing" shot.

For a charge, or if the animal is standing facing me, I like an "under the chin" shot to break the spine if the animal is facing me Head up, or an "over the head" shot if it is grazing or badly hit and coming with the head held low.

quote:

The high shoulder shot is a favourite of a few hunters, but very few PH's.

I used to take a pocket edition of Robertson's book on safari and every PH I showed it to said, "That shoulder shot is too high." I understand Robertson's logic in that he wants the disrupt the blood flow by hitting the "plumbing" at the top of the heart, but I have never met a PH who would recommend that shot.

Regards,

Terry