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Here in North America I was always taught that an animal that does not drop to the shot should be given some time before being followed up. Deer, moose, bear, whatever...if we didn't actually see it hit the ground we always waited at least 30 minutes, sometimes much more, before we took up the track. Sometimes the wait was an excruciating process, but we never pushed an animal too soon for fear of causing it to run much farther than it would otherwise go. I still follow this practice when hunting at home. Then I finally got to Africa, and I was a bit amazed at the standard procedure, which seemed to be to run pell-mell after any wounded game animal at top speed. I wasn't arguing...I trusted my PH's and did as I was told (when in Rome....) and this course of action seemed to pay off well. We even ran up on several critters that had dropped in their tracks. One of these, an impala, had been drilled from right front shoulder to left rear hip by the first shot, but regained its feet as we approached and needed a second shot to anchor it. I've often wondered if that animal would have simply expired quietly if we had taken a bit more time in our approach. When asked about this, my young PH simply said that they had tried just about every variation and permutation of every aspect of the hunt, and that this method had been found to be most effective. It seemed like a stock answer, taught in PH training school, to respond to almost any question that a client hunter might ask. I got a very similar answer to several other questions that I asked throughout my trip. What's the deal? Why the big rush? | ||
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Look forward to hearing the responses on this one. Great question! ______________________ Hunting: I'd kill to participate. | |||
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I'm no expert, but can only answer based on my own limited experience hunting African game animals. In my experience, speed of follow up has been slower than you describe, except in relatively open ground. If there's open space, whether it's DG or PG, we have rushed after, in order to try to get more lead into the beast as soon as we could. In thick cover with DG or PG, we have generally waited a short period of time before following. It's purely coincidental, I'm sure, but that period of time has usually been equal to the time it takes to roll and smoke a cigarette. The idea behind that short wait is to give the animal time to move off, but not too far, to where he starts to feel safe, or to where he is forced to hunker down, stiffen up and, we hope, die fast. If the animal is not dead when we find him, then at least he's calmer, or in the best case, stiff and sick, and thus easier to approach and kill. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Having not hunted Africa (yet).....I have my own theory. Here in the states we hunt property that is downright tiny compared to many of the places hunted on the Dark Continent. Our strategy of not pushing a wounded animal may be largely due to trying not to push the animal onto neighboring land. With that said.....if I have the opportunity to put another shot into an animal, I will almost always take advantage of it. _______________________________________________________ Hunt Report - South Africa 2022 Wade Abadie - Wild Shot Photography Website | Facebook | Instagram | |||
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We generally like to keep the animal in sight, just in case a follow up shot is required. That is why we normall follow the animal immediately after it is shot. We might wait a few minutes if we knew an animal is in a specific place, and we know he has been hit hard, and he is a difficult place to approach. An example. We shot a buffalo bull one time, and ran off into the late afternoon sun. We could see blood coming out of his mouth as he disappeared into long grass. We got to the edge of teh grass, and we tried to see where he might be. The PH had one of the trackers climb on his shoulder to get a better view. We could not see anything. We followed the blood trail, and found the bull lying in very dense grass. I put another shot into him, which was not necessary, as he was stone dead by then. better not take chances with mbogo. | |||
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Followed up two bears wounded by client hunters in the Bob Marshall wilderness in my youth with an experienced guide (I was the wrangler, assistant guide, and everything else). After we both put finishing shots in the bears, he taught me to light a cigarette, keep my rifle loaded and near, and throw sticks and rocks at them a couple of times to be sure they were dead. I guess he had once the misfortune to start gutting a stunned bear ...  Chuck Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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Where Africa is concerned, you should never say never and never say always. I was taught to be cautious and (if there's time) to wait quietly for 20-30 minutes after the shot.... and it works for me. I should say at this point, I have no veterinary knowledge and the next bit is my own layman's theory.... I'll be interested to read Lane's comments on this. If it was a killing shot, then the animal will obviously be dead close by and if it's not, then the animal will usually run a short distance and then turn to look back. If he's not pursued, he'll usually lay down and all the while he's laying down, he's bleeding out and getting weaker thus making the follow up safer, shorter and (in the long run) faster. If you run after him straight away, he'll be aware of it, become more adrenalysed, more inclined to run further and faster (and he'll always outrun you) and possibly lose you. Not only might this result in a lost trophy but also a wounded animal running round the bush wanting to stamp on unwary locals etc. There's also the chance that you may also be running into trouble in the form of very close encounters with other species such as lions, leopard or elephants etc..... or even smaller problems such as snakes and wart hog holes. Of course, there's times when those plans don't work. On Hooker's buffalo hunt in Uganda, we had to do the follow up fairly soon after the shot because we were losing the light. I'm glad to say the buff hadn't gone far (he shoots helluva well) and we had him pretty much loaded before full darkness. I should also say, the PH training academies and PHs all train this according to individual opinion. I was taught to be cautious and as I said, it works for me. I should also say that when we find the animal, whatever species he is, I ALWAYS approach from behind, with caution and with my rifle at the ready...... even the small ones can get up and kill you..... those horns are there for a purpose, not just to look pretty. If it's a big or dangerous game animal, I like to have the client put in an insurance shot before we approach. Bullets are a lot cheaper than medical bills or coffins. | |||
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i look at the animals reaction if he drops at the shot and the shot was aimed at the shoulder i run because he will get up. every situation is different and the terrain and vegetation is also a major factors. with the state of the bush with the rains that is so late this year there is areas where you cant see the ground the grass is so thick. there is a 1/2 meter gap between the grass and the trees. if a big caliber is not used(to get better blood trail and exit wound ) you might kill it but never find it "Buy land they have stopped making it"- Mark Twain | |||
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Like Steve I find hard and fast rules can be dangerous. But, generally, if I have a solid shot (or two) in the boiler room I will give it some time. If I feel the shot was not good and I can't slot it again from where I am then I will take off after it sharpish. I try to avoid any problems of this sort by getting so close that the chance of me missing what I am aiming at are as close to zero as possible. | |||
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I missed the great question? I read this as some adolescent spotty faced PH from Joberg running around a paddock with his triple two, spouting off to everybody what a legend he was in his lunch break. ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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The lad probably thinks he's a legend in his own lunch time.  | |||
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  ______________________ Hunting: I'd kill to participate. | |||
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Tough crib. | |||
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'my young PH simply said that they had tried just about every variation and permutation of every aspect of the hunt, and that this method had been found to be most effective' ROYAL KAFUE LTD Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144 Instagram - kafueroyal | |||
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I always run after wounded lion and wounded impala with equal fervor. That would be no fervor. ------------------------------- Will Stewart / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun. --------------------------------------- and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor Member, GOA, N.A.G.R. _________________________ "Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped “Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped. red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com _________________________ Hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go. | |||
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Geez!! Don't run after anything. They either run like hell or they turn and wait for you, even a little bitty bushbuck. Then it can be a case of 'too late she cried! ' Oh, of course no animal ever read the book on when he should expire.  SUSTAINABLY HUNTING THE BLUE PLANET! "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful, murder respectable and to give an appearence of solidity to pure wind." Dr J A du Plessis | |||
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north american game is sneakier than african | |||
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dam what a tough question there are no hard and fast set rules. some animals you can fallow fast and others you want to wait. plans game that you kno your going to be able to fallow without danger of lose. let them alone to bleed out and stiffen. lack of blood will make them weak put them in shock. some time an animal in shock will just lay there as you walk up to it. DG hammer lead into him as fast as possible. if time light and area allow let him bleed out if you can if not. take a deep breath check your ammo and safety PRAY and chase his ass down. Trust your PH's do what he tells you. in most case's with DG you'll live longer that way. JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION | |||
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Like Shak said, there are no hard rules that apply to all hunt sequences and as Fairgame has suggested, this can sometimes be the MO for an unseasoned PH. You'll find the "Run & Gun" technique employed less as the PH ages and as you become more efficient with the first shot. Besides the obvious explanations of heavy cover, boundary lines and the desire to keep an eye on wounded game, I think a lot of the running to followup a wounded animal is a result of the uncertainty of first shot accuracy. Maybe I should rephrase that to, the obvious inaccuracy of the first shot as well. Once a PH becomes comfortable with the shooting skills of his client the strategies employed after the first shot become let's say, "more gentlemanly and professional." Your PH might ask you, "How was your shot?" Sometimes he knows the answer because he saw the impact, and sometimes he doesn't know and is relying on you for an answer. If he's confident you executed a fatal shot there's no rush and no sense of urgency. You simply take your time walking up, finding blood and eventually recovering the dead animal. If neither of you are too certain, depending on the PH, you might set out quickly after the animal. But that's why they have trackers in Africa. Most PH's have confidence in their trackers to find ANY wounded game, eliminating the need to sprint after the animal immediately following the first shot. Most PH's also, JVM, get a sense right away how well a client shoots. That's detected at the range session upon arrival in camp. They size you up right away: How accurate of a shot are you? How well does the client handle his/her rifle? Do you appear nervous at the shooting bench? Do you fumble with the cartridges loading them into the magazine? First impressions go a long way JVM, convincing any PH if he's gonna have a hard or an easy hunt with a client, after he gives you the green light to "Shoot Him." By no means am I suggesting you shot poorly at the outset. I'm just trying to provide a well-rounded answer to the question. | |||
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On the last day of my first safari we spent the entire morning "chasing" impala. I missed one mid morning by hitting three branches, each one moving the bullet higher and away from the animal. My PH and the trackers spent over an hour running after that animal that wasn't even hit. Late in the morning we stalked another herd of impala. It was a long shot and there was a significant cross wind blowing but I thought it was doable. I hit the impala low in the brisket. The animal initially buckled some then ran off. My PH and trackers following at at a fast trot/run. I don't run as a rule because it makes a follow up shot nearly impossible. Stupid me, I ran with them and had one quick shot as a follow up. I told my PH it would be an utter waste of time to try to shoot after running for several hundred yards but I told him he was welcome to try and handed him the rifle. He handed it back and begged me to try, I did and I'm sure the round landed somewhere within the bounds of the country. Did I mention we didn't have shooting sticks? Long story short, we pushed that animal for over 4 hours. Everytime he stopped he bled hard but barely bled while moving. He was so hurt he couldn't go under or over a cattle fence. I finally suggested letting him lie down and die, well I may as well suggested a threesome with the PH's girlfriend. We never did see or get that impala, he kept moving in a large circle for those hours. The whole experience left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.......and of course on my next safari I wounded an impala.......but at least I got that one and it only took an hour. Alas, impalas seem to own me. My bottom line is let wounded plainsgame die. Dangerous game is probably a different itinerary. | |||
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jwm: Like KG I think you raised a very interesting question. For starters, I hunted black bear in Ontario (Nipissing district)and while I always was alone, of course, on the stand, was urged not to move after firing.(It happened that I killed several bears directly over the bait and the last one was found -by me- about 40 feet from where I fired and I had spotted blood when I came up)) I grew up in a different culture in upstate NY while hunting white tail deer. (Whether on stand or still hunting, "walking them up") It was to run immediately after the deer - for three reasons - to see which way he went and,secondly to see immediately (if I could see him) just how the deer ran to judge how badly hit -for example, a gut shot deer ran carrying himself low or a lung shot deer seemed to leap.The third and most important reason was to check the freshest blood of the moment.(Gut shot deer didn't bleed on the ground at all while lung shot deer threw frothy blood. The former meant a long chase while the presence of bubbly blood meant that the buck should be nearby so that I didn't have to be Daniel Boone,as a tracker, to find him. So far as running after game in Africa, my experience was one buff,one impala and one zebra. Running after the buff was not a good option if he was on his feet. The impala dropped on the spot and the zebra was wounded requiring a long chase. Yes, I have heard about the idea of letting white tails "stiffen up" before chasing. I always felt that a wounded white tail was already in bad shape and that if I pursued that he might not pick himself up to keep going. (They have a high adrenalin input but they really don't have a "do or die" attitude after the adrenalin "high" wears off -and it does within a few hundred feet and then they do give up. You raise an interesting question on which that I suppose any hunter will claim different experience. | |||
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Thanks to all for your differing perspectives on this. Michael Robinson and Shakari have described the thinking behind the slow approach exactly as it was drilled into me many years ago at home, i.e. give the critter a chance to slow down, relax a bit, stiffen up and hopefully expire. My PH for plains game was, indeed, very young, so much so that when I first met him I had some misgivings. He quickly proved to be extremely energetic and enthusiastic, very capable, eager to please and a pleasure to hunt with. It was the first time that I experienced the "fast" approach to downed game, and it came as quite a shock. I put my trust in him and, as I stated earlier, did not come to regret that decision. In no way did he present as boastful or conceited, and his answer to my question did not come across as condescending in any way. Frankly, reading back over my original post, I still don't think that I put that slant on it. My apologies if I did. The PH for the buffalo hunt was roughly my age (mid-50's) and he had obviously been-there-and-done-that. I never doubted his ability and still don't, and he also had us moving smartly forward to my downed buffalo. I've got to admit that it was much more exciting than just standing there and watching for him to get up again! Could that be part of it? A little showmanship to add even more spice to the experience? I don't think so...both of these men were 100% serious and focussed at the moment of truth, whether it was a buffalo or a springbok in question. If I ever manage to put together a hunt report on this trip, I'd welcome any comments from anyone here who may bother to read it. Thanks for all your input...and I still think the question is interesting. p.s. Michael Robinson...were you formerly MRLexma? And are you the Mike Robinson who hunted with Vaughn Fulton last year in the Caprivi? If so, I was sharing the camp with you and your son. It just clicked in when I saw your new handle on here. Hope things are well for you...say hello to Brian for me. John | |||
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I had one PH say he followed up immediately on plains game because of the heat -- did not want to take thirty minutes or an hour for the animal to die and risk the hair slipping. This was a response to my comment that an animal hit hard would stop and bleed out if not pushed but when pushed would just keep running. ------------------------------- Some Pictures from Namibia Some Pictures from Zimbabwe An Elephant Story | |||
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Hey, John! I had no idea! It's great to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and yours. I'm going to be seeing Brian tomorrow and I will let him know we connected and that you said hello. I didn't realize that Fred had you charging after that buff as soon as you had put him down. But it certainly worked out for the best, as your shot was a good one. The Caprivi is a unique place. Fred probably just didn't want you guys to have to recover that buff in four feet of water! Best, Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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If you know the first shot wasn't good, then you could on occasion be well advised to run after the game if you can keep it in sight, hoping to get in another shot. And as others previously mentioned, if the light is failing or the wounded animal is close to a boundary where you are forbidden to go, then run. Don't run where you can't see what you're running into. If you're comfortable with the shot, and there's plenty of light, no hurry. Steve "He wins the most, who honour saves. Success is not the test." Ryan "Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." Stalin Tanzania 06 Argentina08 Argentina Australia06 Argentina 07 Namibia Arnhemland10 Belize2011 Moz04 Moz 09 | |||
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I think it depends on the animal and the cover. With plains game, if the animal runs off it seems pretty unlikely you can run it down, so the slow, cautious approach seems best. With buffalo I've seen it done both ways. One very good PH that I trust (based on several safaris) would customarily run after buffalo, explaining that "after taking a bullet the animal may be confused, and if you move quickly you might get another shot before it gathers its wits and move off." Kinda makes sense...but a lot of equally good PHs prefer to wait. On cats, ain't no way I'm diving into the bush without waiting a little while and trying to figure out what happened! On elephant, it depends on the shot. If it's a failed brain shot, you better move fast, because the most likely result is you will never see that animal again! | |||
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I always everyones animals died with the first shot,no waiting,running after them, no 2nd shots needed even.. I think every situation is different and sometimes it pays to wait, and some times its not feasible to wait. | |||
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Growing up I also was taught to wait 20 minutes or so before following up a wounded deer in the Maine woods. That seemed to work there but now that I've been fortunate enough to hunt several different enviroments it often is not practical. In open country you often see the animal drop. When in Africa I just follow the PHs lead as he probably has a good reason for immediately following up or not. 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 grew up on the same philosophy. When very young and hunting whitetails along side my dad in upstate NY, we would wait until he finished a cigarette then walk to the spot of the shot. On my one and only safari (so far), we ran at lung-busting speed after I shot my Cape buffalo because, though he dropped and was lost in the long grass, if he go to his feet he would have been in the jess quite easily. Pop's buf was shot and dropped in plain site so no fear of running off without straighforward follow-up shots. Both kudu, all of the impala, pop's wildebeest and warthog - dropped and we sauntered up to each - no rush but no delay either. We did run after my blue wildebeest --- but that was because my PH and tracker were pulling a prank on me. NRA Lifer; DSC Lifer; SCI member; DRSS; AR member since November 9 2003 Don't Save the best for last, the smile for later or the "Thanks" for tomorow | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting approaching wounded/downed game...slow or fast
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