quote:

Originally posted by kibokolambogo:

quote:

Originally posted by jeff h:
Only animal I killed on a charge was hippo
taken 2 hippo
had mock charge from buff
taken 3

taken 2 elephant had plenty of charges in the truck.

lion 1 no charges
leopard 2 no charges

Mock charge from a buff ?

YES. WE CHASED THE HERD AFTER WE BUMPED THEM.
RAN INTO THIS THICK STUFF FOUND A BIG TERMITE MOUND WHEN UP IT TO SEE IF WE COULD SEE THE BUFF.
THE TRACKERS WERE BEHIND US AND AS THE GOT ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE TERMITE MOUND TWO COWS BUSTED OUT OF THE BUSH AND STARTED UP THE MOUND WE BOTH ME AND PH RAISED THE GUNS TO SHOOT. THE TRACKERS FROZE AND THE COWS STOPPED. I CALL THAT A MOCK CHARGE

Looks like all those that wished to contribute to this pole have done so. The final results are:

buffalo

121 kills with 10 charges for a charge rate of 8.3%.

elephant

52 kills and 11 charges for a charge rate of 21.2%.

That means that based on the reported experiences of those membersresponding that you are 2.6 times more likely to be charged by an elephant than a buffalo.

Thanks to all that responded.

465H&H

1 buff hunt.. 0 charges..

3 ele.. 0 charges..

1 buff - 1 Charge
Was shooting a .470 NE double. PH said put two softs in his shoulder @ 35 yds. I did and he charged immediately. Buff at 10 yds and an empty gun. Had to side step him, OLAY!, got one round in the gun and shot him at 5 feet. Both PH's shot at him 4 times each. 7 fatal shots in all, he just took 10-12 seconds to die. It was a very exciting 10 seconds. From watching Mark Sullivan's video's I knew what I had to do, no suprise, probably saved my life.....Tom

I just returned from a safari in Tanzania about two weeks ago. On that hunt, I killed two buffalo and my father killed one.

My father's buff made a determined charge and only 9 shots from 3 rifles (all in about 5-6 seconds), were enough to keep us from getting hurt.

The buff was feeding towards us with his head bobbing around, and teh first shot (Dad's 416 Rem) went into the center of his chest from 18 paces. He then began to run in the direction that he was facing - right towards us. My dad and the PH (375 H&H) both fired. Now, he saw us and came full steam.

As I moved up into a position from which I could safely shoot, our PH hit him again which slowed him a bit and allowed me to hit him on the point of the shoulder from about 10 feet (416 Ruger). Had I been better prepared mentally, I'd have shot him in the head, but all my years of shooting game led the sights to his shoulder.

Luckily 5,000 ft lbs at an effective range of zero turned him and I then gave him two up the tail pipe as he went.

We followed up immediately. By the time we got up on him he was down, but he was facing back up the blood trail at us and he was on a little high point. He had run enough and was ready to fight it out there.

Thankfully, he expired before he had the chance to charge again.

My two bulls each ran about 30 yards and dropped. Follow up shots were given, but not needed.

All three initial shots were equally good - he who knows what makes one come and another not knows much more than me.

One buffalo - 0 charges.

WHY BUFFALO CHARGE!

I would say too like Shakari, it depends where you are and what you are hunting. I think that any DG animal will either run away or charge you if you surprise it within 30 or so meters, depending what it's comfort zone is, therfore habitat would probably also be an important factor too. I would bet that thick bush would result in more charges as opposed to open or sparsely wooded/thicketed areas. With buffalo in a herd, you are probably less likely to be charged than by say stumbling into a pair of old cranky dagga boys having a nap or a mud wallow, although cows can be pretty ferocious and depends on distance again and herd mentality! Buff herds will sometimes gang up on lions, and will see you as a predator too, but clapping your hands would probably send them flying if you were fairly far off or just the smell of you maybe! If you happen to bump into a buffalo that has an injury of sorts ie snare, lion or bullet wound, then you are probably very likely to be charged if the animal senses you!

If you are hunting elephant bulls in bachelor herds or alone, most are probably likely to scamper away if they happen to smell or hear you, but of those that do decide to charge, most will probably be mock charges. If you are hunting elephant cows, then I would say you are probably much more likely to be charged than hunting bulls alone, and the percentage of serious charges would probably also be much higher. You are also probably much more likely to be charged in the lowveld of Zim than the Zambezi valley and less more so in areas where hunting pressure is less and human conflict is remote.

... and so, in conclusion, you may get charged or you may not.

If the smell of cattle starts to become quite strong and ox-peckers start flying up and away a few meters in front of you....might be a good time to stop and smell the roses! I think Will hit the nail on the head there. Charges, they might or might not happen, too many factors to include but surpising a dangerous game animal at close range is not a good idea, more so if it is has a an injury or malicious predisposition against humans.

Havent experienced a charge from any dangerous game, but had a hairy experience with a wounded bushbuck. He charged at 8 meters and fell only one and a half meters from me with two 9,3 bullets inside.
Not something to brag of, but still. This little devil was serious!

So...

One bushbuck.. One charge.. = 100%
Thats dangerous huh

Sorry.. Yes, i know this was OT

5 Leopard
1 Ele
1 Hippo
1 Buff

No charges, Shoot straight the first time with the right caliber and bullet and all is well.

does it count if you where just out taking pictures??? if it does. pictures of 7 charged 1? when i stepped out of site ie. ran like hell out of elephant sight he turned an left the area. I changed shorts and went back to camp and it's not something you forget.

465H&H---Nice work on the percentages and likelihood of a charge from each species. Wouldn't you know it, just when you thought all the "data" was in, several more responses pour in.

Although not a scientific survey, I'd be willing to guess your findings are not too far off the mark, of what reality is. Once again, good topic that actually resulted in a nice ending.