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Cape Buffalo with a Knife
Cape Buffalo with a Knife
I guess you can bring a knife to a gun fight
http://dealerscorner.coldsteel...e-Heart-Safaris.aspx
The danger of civilization, of course, is that you will piss away your life on nonsense
06 May 2010, 19:58
OldHandgunHunterI think that I'll not try that anytime soon.
When you get bored with life, start hunting dangerous game with a handgun.
That is a bit of made up story - that the buffalo was killed by a knife.
If you watch the video clip in slow motion, you can see that the knife hardly goes in at all.
In fact, at one stage one can see that the knife stuck a rib and twisted down in his hands.
The buffalo died of wounds from the shots it had received earlier.
But, glad no one one got seriously hurt.
Saeed, I guess that's why you use a souped up 375, eh?

-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
I always recommend no more than two rounds in any rifle!
-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
No doubt the guy stabbing is brave, but not very smart did he really think that he would kill the buff with a Knife. very lucky they didn't get seriously hurt!
A couple of thick Dutchmen, a couple of pussy clients, some seriously poor shooting and a ranch buff hunt in South Africa-What could go wrong?
Why was the son tracking a wounded buff and away from the main party and NOT armed with a rifle? I know Cold Steel knives are badass...but damn that is confindence.
Perry
06 May 2010, 22:13
Gerhard.Delportquote:
Originally posted by PWN375:
A couple of thick Dutchmen, a couple of pussy clients, some seriously poor shooting and a ranch buff hunt in South Africa-What could go wrong?
Why was the son tracking a wounded buff and away from the main party and NOT armed with a rifle? I know Cold Steel knives are badass...but damn that is confindence.
Perry
Perry,
With all due respect.
I know Joe and his son's.
I would like to see you call Joe a thick Dutchmen to his face...
He was the World Heavy Weight Champ for close to a decade. His sons are as tough as nails...
A DG hunt went bad and they did what they could to prevent death or serious injury.
Would you walk in front of a charging Buff or would you run????
Gerhard
FFF Safaris
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www.fffsafaris.co.za Gerhard,
There is no doubt in my mind that both Joe and his son are very brave to do what they did.
But, that does not alter the fact that the knife had very little to do with this sad event. If cold steel want us to believe that their knives are good for killing a buffalo, they should arrange for smeone to show us how it is done.
I downloaded the video clip, and played it back very slowly. One can clearly see how little that knife did to the buffalo.
However, my hat is off to the man who used the knife.
06 May 2010, 22:48
Gerhard.Delportquote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
Gerhard,
There is no doubt in my mind that both Joe and his son are very brave to do what they did.
But, that does not alter the fact that the knife had very little to do with this sad event. If cold steel want us to believe that their knives are good for killing a buffalo, they should arrange for smeone to show us how it is done.
I downloaded the video clip, and played it back very slowly. One can clearly see how little that knife did to the buffalo.
However, my hat is off to the man who used the knife.
I understand the fact that the knife might not have had a lot to do with the death of the buff as we can only speculate how deep the knife penetrated as there are no photos of the wounds.
We both know that a Buff Bull's hide and rib bones can take a lot of beating.
The video was edited to promote Cold Steel after the incident and it is a heck of a video to use at a show...
But during the hunt things went bad and Zen did what he could to try and get the buff of his dad.
Gerhard
FFF Safaris
Capture Your African Moments
Hunting Outfitter (MP&LP)
Proffesional Hunter (MP&LP)
History guide
Wildlife Photographer
www.fffsafaris.co.za 06 May 2010, 22:50
Gerrypeters375After reading this thread I do not wish to hear any complaints if I choose to advise first time hunters to Africa to use a 243 Win. on Cape buffalo!

06 May 2010, 23:00
Jim Manionquote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
That is a bit of made up story - that the buffalo was killed by a knife.
If you watch the video clip in slow motion, you can see that the knife hardly goes in at all.
In fact, at one stage one can see that the knife stuck a rib and twisted down in his hands.
The buffalo died of wounds from the shots it had received earlier.
But, glad no one one got seriously hurt.
Unlike your polar bear hunt, where the brute was slain, from the accounts I have heard, with the rib bone of a walrus.
Can't wait to see the hunting report on that one!
SCI Life Member
DSC Life Member
06 May 2010, 23:02
CaracalYou have to be a brave man to stick a buffalo with a knive but as saeed said the knive didn't kill the buffalo. I wonder why his sons didn't carry a rifle?!
Probably run...from Joe. You make my point though. You don't see many MENSA members who earn honors for getting punched in the head. I didn't question their toughness or guts. Hell the kid deserves a metal for attacking a buff with a knife. But why didn't he have a gun?
Perry
quote:
But why didn't he have a gun?
Because he had a f@#$%*& knife!
06 May 2010, 23:28
Idaho SharpshooterIt's pretty easy to analyze the alleged shortcomings from here and now, sitting in front of a computer.
To me it boils down to a client who believes the 375 is plenty of rifle on Cape Buffalo, and someone thinking four rifles are better than three following up.
I'd be pretty proud of my son who would attack a buff that had me down with a knife.
That client would have given me his rifle, conscious or unconscious.
The worst kind of client to guide: small bore rifle and no testicles.
I took my Buffalo with my 450 Dakota cleanly. The next one will get a head on view of my Searcy .470 NE.
Rich
DRSS
You guys are correct! My mistake. I am ashamed of myself. I made too many assumptions from the presentation and the video. If there were more folks like the Villjoens in it the world would be a much better place. Bravery such as the father and son displayed should not be tarnished by second guessing from 8000 miles away. What do I know-I am a simple drunken Irishman. God Bless them all.
Perry
quote:
I understand the fact that the knife might not have had a lot to do with the death of the buff as we can only speculate how deep the knife penetrated as there are no photos of the wounds.
Don't let Saeed buffalo you. No telling what effect the knife had. It was better than nothing and it apparently got the buff's attention, which under the circumstances of his father being under the buff was a good thing.
-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
07 May 2010, 01:27
Aaron Neilsonquote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
It's pretty easy to analyze the alleged shortcomings from here and now, sitting in front of a computer.
To me it boils down to a client who believes the 375 is plenty of rifle on Cape Buffalo
Rich
DRSS
ISS - Come on now!!! The .375 is MORE than plenty for buff.
Aaron Neilson
Global Hunting Resources
303-619-2872: Cell
globalhunts@aol.com
www.huntghr.com quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
It's pretty easy to analyze the alleged shortcomings from here and now, sitting in front of a computer.
To me it boils down to a client who believes the 375 is plenty of rifle on Cape Buffalo
Rich
DRSS
ISS - Come on now!!! The .375 is MORE than plenty for buff.
It is unless you shoot it the foot, or something similar! Bigger guns help make up for bigger mistakes.

-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
07 May 2010, 01:38
Aaron Neilsonquote:
Originally posted by Will:
quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
It's pretty easy to analyze the alleged shortcomings from here and now, sitting in front of a computer.
To me it boils down to a client who believes the 375 is plenty of rifle on Cape Buffalo
Rich
DRSS
ISS - Come on now!!! The .375 is MORE than plenty for buff.
It is unless you shoot it the foot, or something similar! Bigger guns help make up for bigger mistakes.
Bill - Is that why some guys use BIG guns, because they are accustom to making big mistakes?
Aaron Neilson
Global Hunting Resources
303-619-2872: Cell
globalhunts@aol.com
www.huntghr.com quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
quote:
Originally posted by Will:
quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
It's pretty easy to analyze the alleged shortcomings from here and now, sitting in front of a computer.
To me it boils down to a client who believes the 375 is plenty of rifle on Cape Buffalo
Rich
DRSS
ISS - Come on now!!! The .375 is MORE than plenty for buff.
It is unless you shoot it the foot, or something similar! Bigger guns help make up for bigger mistakes.
Bill - Is that why some guys use BIG guns, because they are accustom to making big mistakes?
No comment!
-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
07 May 2010, 02:10
<Andrew cempa>While the video account is an ad for cold steel, the real story is the moral courage (and physical courage) of first the PH doing what he could to turn the buffalo from the client and then the son stepping up to do what he could for his Dad. The client with the DR did his part and probably was really to be credited for the kill in the end-6 rounds of 470 in the gut plus a few 375s in other locales.
Men risk much often with little more than a stick or a stone or whatever, to attempt the impossible against all odds.
THAT is the story. Should the sons have been armed? Should the client have been cold-cocked if need be, should the guy with the DR have done better? Was the PH overly confident? Should the PH have started shooting long before they got this far/ Maybe yes to all.
These men, even with all the errors that may have been made prior, during and after, fixed the problem, albeit with God's providential intervention, like the rest of heroes' exploits.
God Bless;
-------------------------------
Will / Once you've been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
---------------------------------------
and, God Bless John Wayne. NRA Benefactor, GOA, NAGR
_________________________
"Elephant and Elephant Guns" $99 shipped.
“Hunting Africa's Dangerous Game" $20 shipped.
red.dirt.elephant@gmail.com
_________________________
If anything be of note, let it be he was once an elephant hunter, hoping to wind up where elephant hunters go.
07 May 2010, 03:52
Dutch44What Andrew said, with much testicular fortitude!
Dutch
07 May 2010, 04:06
tygersmanAmazing video. No doubt those dudes are brave.
That is one hell of a knife. I kind of felt like he should pull it out of a stone or something.
Was Joe yelling "Shoot him!" as he was being pinned by the buffalo?
Zen did say he got in a third stab that was not shown on the video.
Maybe that was the poke that was angled forward enough to slip between the overlapping, armor-plating ribs?
Zen did claim to have stabbed lungs,
but the video sure looked like the knife bounced off the ribs.
Zen was backup PH to his dad, Joe so stated.
Where was Zen, rifle?
07 May 2010, 05:23
mauser93Damned thorny subject. Bravery of the participants cannot be argued.
This is that about once a year thread that addresses itself to something that I actually know about: custom knives. Been my hobby since the time of the invention of rocks and water.
In the extremely unlikely event that your life, or that of someone else, is truly in jeopardy and a knife might - MIGHT - solve the problem, damascus steel. Accept no substitute. Forget the arguments about how many layers. Damascus.
Viciously expensive. In a mortal situation, worth everty dime. 5-6 inch blade: put in in the buffalo's brain.
There is, of course, the small matter of getting into position to do that.
07 May 2010, 05:23
Aspen Hill AdventuresMen!

Entertainment at its finest.
~Ann
07 May 2010, 06:01
safari-lawyerThis was a fiasco. Lucky no one got killed.
Will J. Parks, III
Unbelievable, men amung men!
"There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark
07 May 2010, 07:55
ScopeBiteBZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAROOOO! to say the least
I would rather Boar Hunt for my Bacon!
Nothing better than a cluster-futz with a happy ending!
Glad everybody was ok, and good on the guys for doing what they needed to. Dad holding onto that buffalo is quite impressive, looked like a lion clamping down on the muzzle. I would have thought that a buff could toss that amount of weight but I guess not. Not to self, hold on like Hell until the troops arrive!
07 May 2010, 08:59
SGraves155In the bull-ring, a perfectly placed espada by the matador seldom brings the bull to his knees before a minute or so.
When the bull is down, or nearly so, either the matador or an official executioner piths the bull, often with a small dagger--puntilla. Of course they intimately know the landmarks to get between the skull and the first vertebra. The skills of one of those guys would have been handy in this instance.
Boar hunters who use knives usually stab as deeply as possible and low behind the front leg and pivot the knife about, trying to cut as much as possible.
Looks like a nice knife for this nearly impossible job, maybe particularly if a little different technique had been used.
07 May 2010, 09:09
Sevenxbjtquote:
Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
This was a fiasco. Lucky no one got killed.
+1
07 May 2010, 09:55
NakihunterAmazing episode.
Great comment from Ann!

On a serious note....
I would not like too many people carrying rifles around me in a situation like that, where one expects close encounters that could get messy.
The son was a back up for tracking & NOT as a PH. The other son was a camera man & so they did not have rifles. The group was similar to many others we read of on AR - 2 clients & a PH with 2 or more support staff (usually local Africans).
I would be interested in Ganyana's views here - should the PH have loaded a soft nose into his 458 Lott & not have to worry about hitting his son on the other side?
I would be happy to hunt with this guy as my PH - but not in SA ranch hunting....
Hats off to dad & sons.
"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
07 May 2010, 10:07
FutrdocI would like to see them kill a cape buffalo with a Donk. (Crocodile Dundee anyone?)
Andy
07 May 2010, 10:58
eagle27Under the circumstances the video man did a great filming job. I'll shut my mouth now and say no more.
It looked to me like there was very little gross movement of the Buffalo indicating its near demise.
If it had a pneumothorax (tensioning after time) from the very first shots, it would only take a prick from a knife into the lung to deflate it.
We didn't get to see the death of the Buff or the end of the drama so a lot remains unexplained.
No matter what the outcome, a family remains intact and that has to be a good thing.