As the time approaches I find myself thinking of all the different scenarios and some are more "far fetched" than others. There have been some references to wounded Buff (not due to the hunter) turning up and trying to vent on the guy that didn't shoot him in the first place.

My question is, has anybody here been hunting plainsgame (With a plainsgame caliber say in the .30 range, but specifically non DG caliber..) and come accross DG tht needed dealing with, either wounded or otherwise? I'm sure this will mainly revolve around Buff as I should think the Cats are more likely to just slink off.

Also what are the legal connotations of shooting a buff (say) with a non legal caliber when it isn't on your ticket? alsoo are you liable for a trophy fee? (Not the biggest consideration when you are gonna get trampled by a buff with a bad hair day I know...

Just curious,
FB

I've been very close to Buff, Ele, Rhino, and Lion while Plains game hunting. Didn't have to deal with them, although the Ele sure scared the crap out of us.

normally your PH will handle this

That is why I like hunting with a 375 H&H even when it is plains game. On a plains game hunt in RSA the PH didn't carry a rifle so it would all have been up to me.

When I am in an area that has DG I always carry a rifle large enough to handle any contingency. In most cases your PH will handle an emergency but Murphy has a nasty habit of of showing up in this kind of situation. You always have the right of self defence but your interpretation of what constitues self defence and the game departments may be different so it is wise to let the PH handle it. Normally, at least in Zim you do not have to pay a trophy fee for self defense but you can't keep the trophy unless you pay the trophy fee and it is on quota.

465H&H

This is a question that goes through my mind every time I hunt in dangerous game country whether that be Grizz country or Africa or where ever. I have never had a real close call with game but have tangled with Murphy on occasion and I feel very strongly that you can't rely on anyone but yourself when things go bad. South Africa usually isn't as complex as many other African destinations and it's unlikely that you need be concerned as much about dangerous game being about when plains game hunting. The argument for the 375 is sound as long as you're holding the gun when needed. I've never seen the logic carrying a 308 cal something rifle and one of the trackers carrying my 416 or 375. If it happens, the chances are if there's enough time to exchange guns there's enough time that the PH can sort it out or avoid the problem. I carry a 338, 9.3,or 375 in dangerous game country hunting plains game and don't feel under gunned. If I'm hunting dangerous game then I carry a appropriate caliber for that, usually a 416. I don't believe the 375 is necessaryily any more effective than a 9.3 or 338 with proper bullets, but that's just my opinion. I have yet to experince a close charge personally but based on bullet and caliber performance any of the three I mention will give a little extra power if needed.

Use common since, if your hunting plainsgame where Lions, elephant and Buffalo exist in numbers, then hunt with a gun that is capable of killing a large animal..A 338m 9.3x62, 375, 416 etc. are all great dual hunting rifles...

In most of RSA and some parts of Zim there is no need for a DGR..and the 06 is plenty...

I have on more than a few ocassions stumbled into a snared Buffalo, Lion or elephant that was sore and festered, whipped by another or had been shot, whatever, it happens you can rest assured..It happened the last two years in Saeeds camp with buffalo as I recall.

Like I said, just plain old horse sense is your best advise...

In 1999 I had 3 lions work the P.H. and my scent on a waterbuck stalk.Buddy of mine watched it from the truck.The lions got spooked when a couple of bufs got wind of us and spooked.The bufs ran past us very close,me with a .308.When we got back to the truck the P.H. pounded down 2 Lion largers and commented on how close that was.We also had a puff adder then a green mamba incident that had the P.H. goose pimply and pounding beers.I've been hooked ever since.

While hunting plains game in RSA, there isn't much concern of running into DG! However, I usually hunt plains game witha 375 H&H useing 300 gr Nosler Partitions, and have a hand full of Mono-lithic solids in my belt, if hunting in a DG area. The one time I was glad I had a big rifle was when we were following some Buffalo, and saw some nice wildebeast off to one side of the trail, and decided to try for a nice bull. The rifle I had was a 500/450 double, and my PH was carrying a Brno 375 H&H. While our attention was on the Willies, a lone Buffalo bull charged us from our left out of the bush, from only about 18 to 20 yds. Two shots from me, and two from the PH stopped the rush, at about 10 feet. I would have hated to have been armed with a 30-06 and the PH un armed in that little fracus. There was a well known American guide killed last year while hunting plains game, in exactly the same way my PH and I were charged. SOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo it can happen, but in RSA, as I said I wouldn't worry too much about it!

Poachers injure a lot of game every year. A snare does not discriminate dangerous game from the others so an encounter with an injured animal that can hurt you is remote but possible. We once found a beautiful black maned lion dead in a snare in Zimbabwe. You can bet he was one PO'd cat before he died. I have had elephants walk up on me in a leopard blind while holding a 30-06. I now take a 375 for plains game when dangerous game is around. Cheap insurance!

After an adventure with elephants in Zim while hunting wart hogs with a 300WM, I concluded that when in DG territory, you need to always have a dangerous game rifle. I am headed to Tanzania next week for a dangerous game and plainsgame hunt, and taking a 9.3x62 and 375HH. A big 'un is like your American Express Card: don't leave home without it. Kudude