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I think you and many others who don't care about the distance have been stripped already. Don't you know that you are supposed to be hunting DANGEROUS GAME! The fact that one has a rifle in his hands is immaterial  | |||
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I have only shot 2 Buffalo. One at 70 yards and one inside 30 yds. While the closer one was a more intense experience, I certainly don't feel that the longer shot was a lesser experience. I will take the shot presented regardless of the day. On my last hunt, a 2x1 hunt we spent 3 days getting my buddy's buffalo in the salt. The herd promptly moved out of the concession and I was skunked. Thankfully they had a tuskless on quota. Remember the story of the man who's house was flooded: when they came in a jon boat to get him, he refused to leave saying "My God will save me". Later they came by in a speed boat and implored him to go with them. Again he refused saying "MY God will save me". Finally as the water reached the roof a helicopter came and dropped a rope. Again he deferred saying "My God will save me". The water rose and he drowned. When he stood before God he said "My Lord why did you not save me?". She replied "I sent two boats and a helicopter, what did you want?". If you get a shot, take it. You may not get another. | |||
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Taylor stated something like 'get as close as you can and then another ten yards closer'. When I hunt by myself I like to get as close as I can and feel this reduces the margin for error and increases the senses when hunting with open sights. It takes some skill to get in close. I would then say I would probably pass up the 50 yard plus shot. But then again I am not a paying through the nose and time constraints are not an issue. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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Saeed, there is no shame in shooting dangerous game from a safe distance. Guilt maybe, but no shame. I am reminded of the the words of Shakespeare from Hamlet, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."  Mike | |||
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I think this is true with any forum where people are passionate about their hobbies or pastimes. For example….I belong and occasionally participate in two other forums, one for road cycling (bicycles) and another for a particular brand of automobile. It seems to me that 20% of the members make up 80% of the posts. And they have an opinion on virtually every topic, which is fine as there is a lot of knowledge and perspective to be gained by the casual enthusiast such as myself. However, being very passionate about the topic at hand, their viewpoints on "how things should be done" are at the extreme levels. For example, if you don't race, or track, or make a certain mod, you are not cool. It honestly lessens my desire to actively participate in these forums. Hey I am as guilty as anybody over the years, but I am trying to be cognizant of the fact that not everybody can afford xyz, or is into it as much as I, or is at the same point in the cycle where I am now (which will quite possibly be different in the future as my circumstances and objectives change). | |||
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. . . or perhaps they enjoy an engaging repartee. Mike | |||
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Elephant 100 yards and leopard a couple of inches and buffalo somewhere in between. All great hunts that I would not change a thing. Just make the shot!  | |||
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With Rich??? Or Shootaway??? | |||
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As Churchill said, "Never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man." Mike | |||
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 ____________________________________________ "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett. | |||
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As is usual for me I am curious. Everyone on here values the pursuit of Dangerous game as seemingly the most valuable of hunts. My curiosity is WHY do you hunt dangerous game? And if you hunt dangerous game why is it better if it is close. Danger is defined as liability to harm or injury. But there has to be more to it than the mere danger as driving an auto is probably more dangerous. So it is a 'feeling' we are trying to describe. How do you 'FEEL' when you hunt dangerous game? How do you feel different when you hunt dangerous game up close. Is this feeling akin to 'fear' and if so why is it to be desired? Is it pleasurable? Exactly what is it, this feeling you get. I am honestly trying to understand and not just writing this. To me fear is something to be avoided as it is a totally unpleasant feeling to me. Is it some kind of exhilaration? I have really not killed very much dangerous game in my 8 safaris I took 3 elephant,2 leopard,1 buffalo. So my experience is quite limited. All were taken well under 50 yards. One of the elephants was taken when the herd was actually on both sides of us but moving away. I have been afraid before so the feeling I felt at all these times was not fear. I cannot say it was exhilaration as that kinda means happy. I can say it was exactly the same feeling I got when I shot a Kudu or an Eland or a Quail or a Guinea. A feeling of great satisfaction for the accomplishment of the task I set out to do. Some great hunter has said if you are not afraid of an elephant you are lying or crazy. I think I can honestly say I am not afraid of an elephant. I have petted them observed them at close quarters fed them with my hand and not felt fear. Do I respect their capability to wreak havoc,you bet your life I do. I like to hunt elephants, they are the biggest thing out there and they are quick. Given the money and the health I could be happy hunting just them, but I could be almost as happy hunting Eland or Kudu. I am in complete awe of their size. The most disappointment I had on a hunt was for Buffalo. I was not really impressed by it at all except for the walking. Which was very much as they seem to just wander. As my Dad used to say about a goose - everytime he blinks his eye he wakes up in a new world. Buffalo wander the same.We followed a heard over 6 hours and it ended up 1/2 mile from where it started. So I wish I could understand what everyone feels about hunting dangerous game and especially why up close. SCI Life Member NRA Patron Life Member DRSS | |||
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True and funny !  | |||
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I agree with you. I have been close to dangerous game - finished a charging lion at 12 paces and had a buff die at 6 steps. I did not need that "closeness" at all. I would have preferred to shoot them at 100 yards. Heck, I do not like being close to horses as they are dangerous on both ends and craftiness in the middle. To each his own. If I ever hunt elephant, I hope it is a bit farther than 20 yards or whatever Ivan Carter does. To me, hippo is dangerous but no one talks about hunting them close. | |||
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I think you know how I voted Mike. Some people think if we choose to get close that we are just thrill seakers. That is not the case. For me, when I am close enough to smell him, to hear the flies, and to feel the buffalos presence it's an intirely different experiance. If I am going to shoot him at 150+ yards I'll just stay here in Colorado and hunt Elk. If I don't end up with a shot at a "mature" bull inside 50 yards after a long day of tracking it was still a great day of hunting. There is allways tomorrow. Bob | |||
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I plan to use a 108 year old double rifle along with my old geezer eyes (only half as old as the rifle!) so, yep, it will have to be within 50 yards. Paul Smith SCI Life Member NRA Life Member DSC Member Life Member of the "I Can't Wait to Get Back to Africa" Club DRSS I had the privilege to fire E. Hemingway's WR .577NE, E. Keith's WR .470NE, & F. Jamieson's WJJ .500 Jeffery I strongly recommend avoidance of "The Zambezi Safari & Travel Co., Ltd." and "Pisces Sportfishing-Cabo San Lucas" "A failed policy of national defense is its own punishment" Otto von Bismarck | |||
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I think if you've been lucky enough to shoot a few buffalo, elephant etc and have an idea you'll be able to do it again it is a whole lot easier to pass on a particular shot or a representative trophy waiting for the perfect opportunity. If you fall into this category I don't think it is fair to compare your personal limitation on what you will or will not do to the guy that might never have more than one chance to shoot any DG. If a client that's new to DG hunting asks me about what is a reasonable distance to shoot DG at I'm going to tell him to shoot if the PH thinks it's makeable and hunter feels comfortable with the shot himself. I think it is unkind and uncalled for to imply that a novice hunter has not hunted or has at least diminished his experience by not getting a certain amount of yards from his query before he shoots. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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As my African experience grows, I prefer to get as close as possible before taking the shot. I wasn't in the beginning prepared to pass up a trophy, distance be damned. But, as I have now taken a few, the last 3 being at or under 50 yards, I will be ready to walk away if I can't get to 50 or closer. | |||
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It's called an opinion . . . there is no right or wrong answer . . . and that is true whether the the hunter is a novice or an experienced veteran. Some like it up close, some not so close, some like Ford's, some like Chev's. Mike | |||
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Mike, We are all entitled to our opinions and my opinion is that it is not fair to compare what enhances the experience of a seasoned DG hunter to that of a novice. It's been 20 years since my first safari and I'm pretty happy just being in the bush these days. On my first buffalo hunt in '94 I was pretty anxious about just killing a buffalo. Not so much these days. I think my experience is pretty normal. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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I wholeheartedly agree with you Mike. We all do what makes us happy or comfortable. I have to agree with a bunch here, in that, it's the experience. | |||
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If I can ever afford one Cape Buffalo hunt, it is the 5th day of a 7 day hunt, and the shot is 70 yards I will take the shot because odds are VERY slim that I would ever get to do a second hunt. DSC Life Member NRA Life Member | |||
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No disrespect intended, but there are so many variables. I've shot four buff, at ranges of 7 yards to about 90 yards on the first shot. The one at 7 yards was sound asleep. Killed him an hour and 12 rounds later, both 458 Lott and 505 Gibbs.) (It's really hard to know where to aim at a supine critter.) | |||
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I prefer them close, but I will shoot at a distance if that is what I am given, especially if it is my only chance to hunt that animal. I think that I misunderstood your question to some extent- I understood this to be your only chance on your once in a lifetime hunt. I said shoot. Where I am at with buff, I don't need to kill one. If its a mature 38" bull, but all the closer I can get is 110 yards, I will probably pass. (obviously if we need camp meat or a bait, I shoot...) When I was on my first hunt, if I was told to shoot at 200, I would have with no concerns, although the PH would undoubtedly say no. | |||
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CRB raises an interesting point. I shot one buffalo bull across a river. No danger there, but we needed bait. Others have suggested that if the shot is not at halitosis range, there is no danger. That broad a statement ignores reality. Everything changes at the first shot. Second, my last buffalo may have been 140 yards away at the shot, but the nearest buffalo in the herd were inside of 20 yards. This was an old, hard, smooth-bossed bull, who was likely only with the herd because he was blind in one eye. I shot right over a young bull who was bedded less than 20 yards in front of me. No chance to close the distance. Did I miss out on the "experience" of being close to buffalo? Don't think so. | |||
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Personally, I think we all set our own standards. And experiences, plus adrenaline, add to the hunt. If you get a makeable shot and you, yourself, are happy with it. TAKE IT. You don't have to justify it to anyone. Much less us, a bunch of guys you don't know. We all do things differently. Some of us shoot Remingtons, or Blasers, or Winchesters or Mausers, or Double Rifles. The rest of us don't. Do what makes YOU happy. Just my .02 | |||
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Pago, You got that right! | |||
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+1 Mike | |||
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Interesting question. I am not sure that my rifle will even shoot that far. I know I definitely can’t see that far! Can we shorten the decision distance threshold? Shawn Joyce Diizche Safari Adventures P.O. Box 1445 Lincoln, CA 95648 E-mail: shawn.joyce@diizchesafariadventures.net Cell: (916) 804-3318 Shoot Straight, Live the Dream, and Keep Turning the Pages to Your Next Adventure!™ Website- www.DiizcheSafariAdventures.com Blog- http://diizchesafari.blogspot.com/ Twitter- http://twitter.com/DiizcheSafari YouTube- http://www.youtube.com/user/shawncjoyce Facebook- http://on.fb.me/gYytdn Instagram: diizchesafari_official | |||
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Mike, I go to hunt, not to specifically pit my wits against an animal. It is not a contest - how can it be, with a rifle in my hand?? I don't let the animal decide how he wishes to die. I have already decided to kill it. And I would do it the quickest way I can. It is immaterial whether he is at 10 yards or 300 yards. I have done it both ways. And killed each with a single shot. The actual shooting is only an end to an episode, which could have started minutes earlier, or even days earlier. I have jumped out of the truck and shot a buffalo. I have chased a specific bull for days before shooting him, or not. I have enjoyed all of these hunts, and feel absolutely no guilt or shame about it. The distance, or size, is immaterial. | |||
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Someone on here has as the tagline for their posts " no plans survive first contact with the enemy" or some such thing like that. This is much like that. It seems as if whatever rifle I pick to shoot a buffalo, it never works out that way. Tracked on specific buff two days, trying to get a shot, in pretty thick stuff, carried the double. When the shot finally presented itself, it was 90-100 yards, bang, bang, open sights, one step and a hop, fell over. Whole time I was waiting and watching that line of animals, was wishing I could swap to the scoped bolt gun, no matter, no time. I was MOST glad to have spent the time with the rifle and was confident at that range with it. Wouldn't have traded the experience on the track at all, sometimes it is just what the hunt brings, and you get to figure it out on the fly, or not. Maybe a slightly different question might be " are you more confident of your shot at less than 50 yards heading at you, or at 100 yards moving laterally?". It seems as if some here would answer that question a bit differently, than just what shot you prefer. Oh, and before anyone throws a sticky ball, this last buffalo, I shot it at 15 feet, from prone position, with a scoped bolt gun. No, that was not the original plan! But exciting and fun, and ready to go again! Master of Boats, Slayer of Beasts, Charmer of the fair sex, ...... and sometimes changer of the diaper..... | |||
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we on AR have seen some clients get their ambitions all mixed up with the limit of their real abilities, with their bravado close-in approach on Capebuff- reckless inept firearms handling, tragically resulting in a .458cal hole through the PH. Then you have people like alpha male M.Sullivan encouraging-fuelling that approach, accusing people of - not hunting, - but just killing, If ones shot on DG is taken at distance of more than 10 feet........how deliriously fukn' absurd is that? | |||
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I've killed 4 good trophy buffalo and none were easy to find - I shot each when a clear high percentage and safe shot was available. I considered myself lucky to collect the animal without incident. Distance of the shot was not even a consideration. | |||
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I suppose the answer may depend on what you have achieved before, how 'rich' you are (no disrespect to those who have good spending power), and in my case what culture you come from. My hunting culture and that of our country here is basically shoot what you want, when you want, and almost where you want. Your hunting prowess if you call it such is just how many animals you score on. The man who shot possibly the last ever moose in NZ is a respected name in NZ amongst hunters having at least scored a moose plus many thousands of deer as a culler and a couple of good trophy Wapiti bulls. We shoot pregnant hinds, stags in velvet, fawns generally whatever pops up and is shootable for trophy, money or meat to eat. So for me and buffalo, up close enough for my 404, but if the animal is one I want to shoot, then any range suits me within the limit of the 404. Likely the PH will only allow a shot on a standing animal so whats the difference 20 yards or 100 yards, thats just the luck of the stalk, the actual shot is much the same? | |||
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For the VAST majority of hunters, the reality is likely this... Inverse relationship between remaining days and acceptable shooting distance. Direct relationship between trophy quality and acceptable shooting distance Direct relationship between total hunt price/daily rates (for a given species) and acceptable shooting distance. Inverse relationship between the dummy variable titled "Have shot another member of the big five on the same hunt" and acceptable shooting distance on this member of the big 5. Probably a slightly less strong but also inverse relationship between variables titled "Have EVER shot another member of the big five" or "Have shot today's target species before" and acceptable shooting distance. | |||
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Me thinks it might be slightly better to confess pedophilia than having admitted to poking a buffalo at long range when it comes to AR. Jeff | |||
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Amen! I do not want to be within breathing distance. Things go sideways very quick in real close any the dangerous animal does not go down quick. The PH I had bongo hunting is now retired due getting hit by a bongo wounded in close. Take the shot you can make and enjoy! | |||
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Selfish behavior can lead to someone getting needlessly hurt. Something we should all endeavor to avoid. In all my hunting, the closest that I have ever seen anyone getting hurt was a friend's wife, who would not listen, who got too close to a blue wildebeest being loaded into the truck. The head was underneath, and it swung up as it was being pulled. The horn missed hitting her in the ear hole by a couple of inches! If it did, she would have been very serious injured. | |||
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Surely you are not suggesting that the majority of the people responding to the poll that express a preference to hunt up close and personal are selfish? That would seem a tad judgmental. Mike | |||
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Aren't we all? | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Poll: Dangerous Game Hunting Perceptions
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