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I asked this same ? on HA. Of you PH's or experienced bufflo hunters, what % buffalo hunts end in charges? I know that if the first bullet is placed right, the likelihood of a charge is very small. I am debating the 375/416 issue. Is the 375 enough or should I go ahead and get a 416 just in case? "D" | ||
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I always recommend the biggest gun you can comfortably shoot on Buffalo...I like a 404 or 416 myself, but I would shoot a 505 Gibbs if it didn't kick so damn hard...A 375 will work most of the time, but when things go bad, a bigger gun is well appreciated... ------------------ | |||
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Sorry didn't address the other part of your question...Charges depend on where you hunt and how much harrassment the Buffalo have been getting....I would say you get one charge in 500 kills or perhaps a 1000 depending on luck.... As I said at HA, its no great trick to instigate a Buffalo charge, but if you make a habit of it Murphys going to kick your Arse sooner of later, cuz sometimes a Buffalo just won't die.... ------------------ | |||
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DHunter, A friend of mine who has been a PH for 30 years has only been charged once! I have shot quite a few buffalo, and never been charged. One time we shot a bull out of three, they ran into the bush. About 100 yards on we saw them, and we had a bit of a confusion. The bush was very thick. I saw one bull standing. My PH did nto see him, but saw one lying down, while our camera man could see both. My PH said to shoot "it", and I asked him if it was the wounded one, which he said it was. I thougt he could see blood on his nose with his binoculars. Anyway, I shot teh one I could see - the one standing up. He took off, and I turned around to my PH. Suddenly, the one lying down got up - I think he had difficulty seeing us too. "Watch out! He got up!" I did not know what they were talking about, but as I turned, I saw this bull looking at us. I put a bullet in his forehead, and he dropped stone dead. We followed the other one and found him down about 100 yards further. I used the Barnes X 300 grain from my 375/404, and th bullet was found in his neck. ------------------ www.accuratereloading.com | |||
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Thought I would save lickilovac the trouble and bump this one to the top.  Hunting: Exercising dominion over creation at 2800 fps. | |||
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When I first read the post I thought Hmmm Ray is posting again, then I read the date.  Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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Great. Now everyone's in on it... | |||
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I don't know if the caliber of the gun is so important on the first shot, it needs to be will placed. I shot a buff with a .470 NE at about 40 yards, two softs in the shoulder. He turned and charged. I now had a $15000 club in my hand. The PH shot him four times with a .458 Lott in the shoulder. I had to side step him once. While he was turning to come after me I got reloaded and my last shot was at 3 or 4 feet and he went down. All this took about ten seconds. Get the .416 if you can shoot it comfortably. Rigby, first chose, Rem. Mag. second or Taylor if recoil is an issue. All are better than the .375 H&H in a tight spot.......JMHO....Tom SCI lifer NRA Patron DRSS DSC | |||
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Too funny Duckear! | |||
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It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it happens fast. Click below and you'll see what I mean. An Unintended Buffalo I learned a lesson that day. Always carry your own rifle. In the past, I'd sometimes let a tracker carry it. Never, again! I'm dang glad I had my .458WM in my hands or I'd be in a box. JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous. | |||
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Simple fact of life is: Buffalo do not charge unless seriously provoked. - Lars/Finland A.k.a. Bwana One-Shot | |||
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My first African hunt and buffalo hunt was in Zambia. We cut the tracks of a small heard of buffalo and decide to follow them. About a hour later we came upon the heard. The tracker spotted a good bull about 70 yards. The wind was in our favor so we waited for the bull to move broad side. Once the bull moved to the right position, I shot him with a .416 trophy bonded bear claw. I knew it was a perfect shot....you heard the bullet hit and the bull hunched up. The bull ran to the right into really thick jesse. The other buffalo cleared off to the left. When the other buffalo cleared and we moved onto the shot bull. He was standing there 30 yards in front of us. I could see the blood ozing out of his mouth. I shot him again with a frontal neck/chest shot and he dropped. We carefully moved in and I shot him on the ground 2X in the shoulder/chest point blank. The buff did not move, dead as dead gets. We all stood there admiring the buffalo...my first....a real joyous moment. And then all of a sudden, out of no where, a second buffalo charges from the thick jesse directly at me. My gun was empty at this point and I stood there frozen. Fortunately for me, the dead buffalo was between me and the charging second buffalo....he did not jump over the dead bull. Instead, the bull turned and attacked the tracker and nearly gored him(within inches). The bull then turned 90 degrees and ran back into the thick stuff. As quick as the bull appeared, he was gone. Like a ghost. This entire scene occurred in seconds. The PH yells to shoot, but I was empty. I asked the PH why he did not shoot, and he said he was afraid to shoot because he thought he could hit the tracker. It was tight quarters. Later I found out the truth was his gun was leaning on the tree and he was taking a piss. This incident could have been very bad. My excuse was that I was a rookie....but I should have known better. The PH let his guard down too. The staff got lazy and should have been keeping their eyes out for trouble. Lesson number 1: Always reload....always, no matter what happens. If you get one shot off...reload. If the animals is dead on the ground...shoot him again. Reload. Expect the unexpected. Lesson number 2: Always carry your gun. Be ready. Do not drop your guard. Lesson number 3: Discuss in detail with the PH before the hunt exactly what is expected of you after you shoot, the follow up, in case of a charge...ect. Things happen extremely fast. Be prepared. dale | |||
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I'm not sure I would agree with this. This is the fence that keeps the buffs out of the Shiawela Lodge area. This guy will run you down and kill you for no apparent reason. It takes a pretty determined buff to chase you for over 2 miles... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBRMSQ43AZc "Sleep When You're Dead!" | |||
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That was an interesting story, I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for posting it.  | |||
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Hah!  Sometimes they just won't tell you what pissed 'em off. 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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Dale W - the first bull I shot in Zim was a similar situation. Fortunately, he'd gone down in a thicket, and we only heard the bulls and the rustling on the other side (about 10 yards) and never had to shoot. We all had our guns up though and the PH was saying, "if anything sticks it's nose out of there, let him have it." I don't know if we were being charged or just if they'd come back to see what the commotion was, but I wasn't anxious to find out! | |||
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charges might be rare, but you won't ever convince Alan Shearing of that. BTW, got an Email from he and Rosie and he is well enough to start training in the Gold Mine business. Rich | |||
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A gripping story indeed! Thank you for posting your eloquent account. After reading it (and other similar accounts here) I am not so sure I am prepared to undertake an African Safari (although I have always dreamed of doing so). First, I do not believe I am brave enough to withstand the charge of a dangerous animal such as a Buffalo. Second, at my age I am not nimble enough to get out of the way. I think I will just keep on re-reading the great old Safari books as I fondly stroke my CZ African Safari .458 Lott rifle. "The stuff that dreams are made of". JP "Growing old is not for sissies" | |||
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I think you are selling yourself short. Hunters have shot buffalo from wheel chairs. I would say you are probably more nimble then they were. "Brave enough to withstand a charge?" I would guess 75% of the posters here don't know whether they are brave enough to withstand a charge, so you are in good company. If you have the money to hunt Africa, stop dreaming up excuses. Do it or drop it. Fondly stroke the .458 Lott, and buy a 375 H&H to hunt with. The PHs I've hunted with wish the great white hunters would stop bringing over guns they are incapable of shooting well. If you can shoot the Lott you can probably drive nails with a 375 H&H. Stop getting all starry-eyed over Africa, get off your ass and do it. You're not getting any younger. I'm not sure you really want an African Safari. I suspect it is just puppy love, or you would have done something about it by now. | |||
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Jamesicus, This is why you need to hunt Africa. You will not be disappointed. Have no fear. Just be prepared. And when you hunt Africa....be sure to add buffalo to the list. Book it now! dale | |||
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We had the same situation following a track in the long grass. We were hunting rations for a village when a buff jumped into the track. One shot from the 470 put it down. There was one behind it that jumped into the track. The second barrel put it down. I was reloading when the tracker hustled me back down the track. Turned out the herd came back to see what was going on. A charge? No. A bad place to be? No doubt. Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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Thank you for the reply, Dale. In retrospect my choice of words was not not very good -- I should have indicated trepidation rather than fear. James "Growing old is not for sissies" | |||
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All of the buffalo hunts I have been on have ended in charges. Lately, they have been very high. As much as $2-3,000 or more per buffalo. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Thank you for your most entertaining reply, Kensco. I read it out loud to Beverly ("she who must be obeyed" -- Rumpole of the Bailey) and we both had a good laugh. James "Growing old is not for sissies" | |||
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