quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I have seen hundreds, perhaps thousands, of buffalo in the southern Selous.

All in one day.

Nowhere else have I seen so many.

It would seem that Uganda is tops followed closely by renowned Tanzanian concessions and Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe following close behind.

quote:

To me buffalo hunting is for the big old dagga boys in small groups away from the herd or cows..

Well spoken that man.

I would much rather find and hunt the old boys alone, or in their tight dagga boy groups of two or three.

The best I have killed, I have killed like that.

But I have killed old bulls in herds, too, and I will not give them back.

Ray,

Buffalo hunting is all good, herds or dugga boys. Hunted the Selous a bit early in a very wet year. The grass hadn't been burned -- we burned every day. You'd track a herd in tall grass the wind would swirl and they'd spook. Most unique sound I've ever heard as the herd took off. It starts low and increases to a cresciendo as the herd gains momentum but you don't know which way they are going and your visibility is about two feet. Sometimes they go away. Sometimes they come right by you. Fun stuff.

The long grass is where the surprised showed up the most in my life anyway..

I recall walking into an elephant leg while hunting buffalo, the leg was attached to an elephant, who went one way and I went the other...They ought to sell riding lawnmowers in such concessions! and then you have the Lions, they add to the rush quite well..Love that long grass.

Back to the Selous. My first experience with a female game scout. We tracked a herd of about 200 into the thick riverine stuff along a sand river.
Spent a few hours sorting the herd. They were close, very close. Nothing worth shooting. The game scout was miserable the whole time. Walking out, we bumped an elephant bull. He was rather vocal, but nothing really threatening, just throwing things and screaming. The game scout was incontinent at both ends. She quit going out with us after that.

Have had a truly exceptional female game scout since, so don't take this as a sexist comment.