The big bull of your dreams is going away from you on the last afternoon you are out in the bush..do you or dont you offer the THS....edited read next post

Is it ok with the right calibre and if so what could be considered the right calibre for such a task.

Sorry Gryph, I only use that shot on already wounded game to anchor it. I would however take a spine shot if it was offered. I know the THS is a deadly shot when used effectively. I just dont like it as a first shot on unwounded animals. It is a personal choice with me. Others may not agree and find it perfectly acceptable. That is their choice and if it is ok for them that is fine. I just wont do it. I find something distastefull about it. Unethical? I dont know, it could be argued I guess but not by me. Those are very relative things at times. Whatever the caliber it has to be able to have enough penetration to basically go from end to end to ensure lethal hits on the vitals needed for instant results.

I will have to edit my post..i dont agree with it for every day happenings but the scenario is the bull of your once in a lifetime hunt situation where its the last day and its your last chance forever probably and you make the decision ..me? on that basis now i think i would go the stopper but i`m not so sure as to what the calibre is for that particular task.I`m sure that there are many on here that may have actually done it,mabe the boss has?

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:
I will have to edit my post..i dont agree with it for every day happenings but the scenario is the bull of your once in a lifetime hunt situation where its the last day and its your last chance forever probably and you make the decision ..me? on that basis now i think i would go the stopper but i`m not so sure as to what the calibre is for that particular task.I`m sure that there are many on here that may have actually done it,mabe the boss has?

As far as caliber I would go with a minimum of a 500 Jeffery. If it is your last night and last chance ever you would want to be able to anchor him double quick.

I don't care what Boddington recommends, following up a gut shot Buffalo with your Surefire would not be a lot of fun.

THS on Cape Buff requires a lot of penetration. Smaller calibres do this better than larger calibres. There are some requirements: You use a solid bullet that is known to penetrate in a straight line and you know exactly what you are doing. My first choice would be a 416 Rigby, second would be a 375H&H and third would be difficult to choose.

Under the circumstances you describe, would I take the shot on an ethics basis? Yes, because ethically, the only shot you should not take is the one that may result in the escape of a wounded animal.

IMHO I would never take a THS on the initial shot. The odds are too high that the buff will only be wounded. The follow up could endanger not only you but also your PH, trackers and game scout. IMHO that is NOT a professional way to handle hunting dangerous game.

465H&H

The Texas Heart Shot on a cape Buffalo is a wise choice as a second shot at a fleeing bull, after the first shot in the boilerroom. The sittuation described in the first sentence, the THS should be a requirement!

The sceene you describe in your question, is different, and is a shot I wouldn't take under some surcumstances. As long as the bull was within 50yds, and standing, unaware of my presence, and with a rifle I knew would pennitrate to the vitals,I'd take the shot. The above would depend, too, on how much daylight I had left, to find, and maybe finish the job.

The time I had left to sort this buff out, would be a decideing factor, not if I may never get back to Africa.

I see it this way, hunting has one giant flaw, you run out of time, you loose! Leaving a wounded animal to die a lengering painful death is not justified by whether, or not I get what I came for!

As have already been stated above, if one uses a bullet that will penetrate deep enough, there is no problems with THS.

The bullet shot into this bull was found under the skin at his shoulder/neck junction! It was a 300 grain Barnes X shot from the 375/404.

I would guess that any bullets like the GS Custom or our own Walterhogs, in addition to probably all those made of solid copper, would have the same performance.

AAH nothing like the voice of experience eh and with pic back up.. my voice carries no experience on any of these really big fellas but i`m sure that after all it is basically another animal(maybe super?) and if one go`s up a gear or two ( heavier calibre)and uses it for the THS it has to be within the realms of possibility although i would imagine its really for those that can actually aim right and shoot professionally something that a lot of hunters purport to be able to do but unfortunately cannot and that can be applied to hunters from all over the world hunting any type of game.

My next ask is can the 375 H+H be used safely to take the THS (on buff) factoring in that the hunter is accomplished in the art of placing a projectile with a heavy rifle surely? In plain speak has this cal with a heavy solid copper projectile got the goods for the THS on Mbogo?

I ask these q`s as one day !!!!!! and i`m positive that this is the place to get the right answers from those that have walked before me.

gryphon

I think if the buffalo is close, going away in fairly open terrain and you felt confident in your own shooting the shot would be fine. I killed one that way with a 458WM using a 500gr TBBC. One shot, 100yd. run, dead buffalo. The 375 certainly could do the shot but you will have a much smaller wound channel and maybe a longer follow up.

The THS is probably not the best option but properly applied it is very deadly. Every animal that I have used this shot on has expired in very short order.

Mark

gryphon,

I did the THS on a buffalo in Tanzania but I'm not as good a shot as Saeed!! I hit about 4" to the left, the bull went down a bit in the rear and turned broadside and I popped him again in the shoulder, he went only a few steps and was down. I was using a 416 Rigby RSM, 400gr Trophy Bonded solids. Either of the bullets were not recovered. I'd definetly take that shot again.

Gryphon,

In November of last year I saw a 416 rigby used on my escaping buffalo by my PH, Myles McCallum. We recovered the 410 grain Woodleigh FMJ under hide in his neck. The THS made him very sick and a blind man could follow the blood trail. (I had wounded him in left leg).

As Gerard said, a Lott probably wont penetrate as much as a 375 or 416, but I would certainly not hesitate to use the shot with a FMJ, or even with a premium soft point!

Ive got a picture of that bullet somewhere and will post it later.

Andy

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but I would certainly not hesitate to use the shot with a FMJ

That says it all ..i would tend to agree as if you dont shoot at all....well you aint ever gone get him

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:


As have already been stated above, if one uses a bullet that will penetrate deep enough, there is no problems with THS.

The bullet shot into this bull was found under the skin at his shoulder/neck junction! It was a 300 grain Barnes X shot from the 375/404.

I would guess that any bullets like the GS Custom or our own Walterhogs, in addition to probably all those made of solid copper, would have the same performance.

Saeed, was the the first shot on an unwounded bull?

Fischer,

This particular one was wounded and walking away.

But, I have taken similar shots on unwounded buffalo, and the shot anchored them.