Ever wonder about the animal you are destined to take on the next hunt? What's he doing right now? Where abouts is he? What twists of fate shall come into play to ensure that He meets You on the day of reckoning? I hope my buffalo of destiny looks something like these guys:

Interesting question you have posed.

Actually, I have wondered for the past several months exactly what "my" kudu is doing - where he is - what's he eating, etc.

I fell in love with the kudu when I was about 10 years old - that would be 37 years ago!

Finally, next week I get to see him in the crosshairs. I even mentioned this to my wife this morning (and she is probably very tired of my "mentionings", the African drum beat music I listen to, the African articles I have her read, trying on the new Cabela's clothes - and I must say she looks great in nothing but a safari shirt!!!!!!!!. ).

OK, I'm back now . . .

If there was some way I could get a camera shot of the crosshairs on the shoulder just before the trigger is pressed . . .

I thank God for the opportunities He has given me in my life - even though I botched many of them up. I thank Him for allowing me to finally go to Africa even though I don't deserve it.

Ku Dude, my vote for your buff would be the third photo down. It's awesome!

I wish everyone the best.

JDS

[ 06-05-2002, 21:01: Message edited by: jds ]

Nickudu ,great pics i now see why the heavy arrow and bullets, it is the 3 inches of mud they have to go through be for they start to work that causes all the problems !!! buffdo have that look .------ herb

jds,
You mean something like this?:

Don't pull the trigger or you'll spend all afternoon looking for the bugger!

Aim a wee bit down and an 1/8 of an inch to the left. Especially because he's walking.

I was going to say it looks a bit high to me also but SkiBumplus3 beat me to it.

Good Hunting
Greg

Ditto high and right. One of the first thing that I naturally do when looking at an animal picture is focus on the target zone. About the same time, my trigger finger gets all fidgety. Funny that...

Very nice pictures.

Wasn't it Ruark that said the following about the buffalo?: "They look at you as if you owe them money"

It sure looks that way, judging theese picts.

Magnar

Guys,
I believe the kudu photo is merely a well centered promotional photograph, not at all intended as a guide for proper shot-placement.

Magnar,
I believe it was Robert Ruark who wrote those words. Most appropriate.

I don't know who wrote those words first but they were in Capstick's "Death in the Long Grass" Beautiful photos.

Nickudu-

OK, now you've gone and done it!!!!

I WAS able to sleep at night because I could only IMAGINE what it's gonna look like. When I scrolled down and saw that photo I felt a surge of adrenaline!

Man that looks cool!

Is there a bigger photo anywhere that can be used as wallpaper on a computer?????

Forget the question . . . I downloaded the one you posted. It's a little fuzzy but look fantastic on my Mac flat screen LCD!

Thanks

JD

[ 06-06-2002, 05:56: Message edited by: jds ]

Nick,

I hate to tell you this, but your buff ia at this moment being eaten by my lion. I guess you will have to start thinking about a different buff now . Don't worry however, as the new buff is bigger and meaner than the old one .

Oh by the way, thanks for fattening up my lion .

Oh, we can be such a CRUEL bunch!!!

JDS

Hi Nick,

Just looking at all those cute and cuddly buffalo reminds me why I really do love them so much.

Stay safe

Jim,
With your luck in the trophy department, it seems hardly necessary that he eat my buffalo!

jds,
It was a rather small photo. I'll see what I can do with it. I'll email it to you if the quality is O.K.

Hello Peter V.
You're still stateside? It must be tough to look at them but your buff is as good as any of these.

Photo N#5 and N#6, from above,....do they have still a soft boss, or does it just look like?
I never had the chance to see the difference between a soft and hard boss on a photo.
But n#6 looks real old, i�m just wondering about the space between the boss.

If i had a choice, i like to go for No.1, 3, 6 or 8

How can you see how old a buff is? I think by the curl, length of the horns(maybe broken horns show thatu have an old buff in front of u ) , boss......the whole body of the animal. But how different this things are by buff�s from different bloodlines or just regarding the geograhical point.


Cheers
konstantin

Actually that's a very good shot on that kudu as is except for the tall grass/light brush in the way of the shot. In some of the quartering pictures on the buffs, that horn crowds the good shot placement.

I'd have to agree with Zero, Skibum & Greg on this one, Leo. It looks as though 3-4" left and 4-5" lower would be my hold. You're so right about the buffalo horns, one must be careful.

Hey amosgreg,
do u know any good book about buffs and trophies, where you have a lot of pics drawings and so on,...?
I think for shot placement it probably would be "the perfect shot by K.Robertson"....but for anything else???
I think my trip down to Africa will probably take some years, but maybe i can use this time to learn everything that possible about buffs.
If i am on a trip on buff�s (or on game whatever it is) i like to have a good knowledge of buffs,social behavior and "trophies", and so can decide by myself if the buff is good or if the PH just shows me a young -not grown bull- ........

cheers
konst

Greg,

Obviously ear spread can vary a good bit, depending on age, genetics, etc., but I have been told by several PH's that average is about 35", with some bulls being down to 33". If you have more than 5" of horn past the eartips on each side, plus large bosses, it is ALWAYS advisable to check the accuracy of this estimate when the buffalo is on the ground . Normally the most appropriate accessory for facilitating this measurement is a small cylindrical metallic object of about .366" to .700" in diameter, which may be applied from a distance of 5 to 60 yards in an amount sufficient to make this measurement feasible .

Nice hint Mbogo ,
so maybe let us do a small scientific project, to measure up the horn spread by various buff�s.
Do you might know, who will sponsor us.
I mean it �s for scientific wellfare, our litle project

cheers
konstantin

Re the Kudu in the cross hairs, I agree it's not perfect but surely it's dead within 100yds from a lung shot?

That's approximately where I placed the bullet on my first kudu (maybe a little bit lower). He ran about 60 meters...

konst#1
Start reading EVERYTHING you can get your hands on
Seriously "The Perfect Shot" is a great book.
I as a bowhunter, read the copy a buddy had before I went last year and it was a great book with very good pictures.
You need to trust the PH's instincts as top what is good and what is great and what is marginal.
Part of your prehunt planning is to determine what you want as far as trophies are concerned. Do you want a "book" animal or do you want something that is representative? Then spend some time looking at what the area/s offer and don't book a hunt into an 40 inch area if all you will settle for is a 50 inch Bull.
You are paying and you are hunting and last you pull the trigger.

Last year the biggest thing that threw me was the size of the game. Being primarily a Whitetail hunter with Elk as a second, The Impala's really messed with my mind when it came to distances.
(Yes I know a scope helps but I havn't figured out how to mount that 3x9 on my bow yet )
They look like Whitetails but are smaller.
The first couple I misjudged the range by 5+ yards. Oh well, I got a decent one the last day of the hunt.
This year I am better prepared mentally (OK, I know that is up for discussion )

Hope this helps
Greg

I would absolutely have to go with Bull #1. He won't score well with SCI, but is still plenty wide (RW might still like him I think) and as old as the hills. I'm thinking a 400 grain X-bullet from my .416 about 6 inches below the middle of his left ear would be just about right.

JohnTheGreek