Any of you know anything about the tradition of tying a knot in the hair on a buff's tail after it has been killed? My trackers wanted that done but I never had a chance to learn anything else about it....

There's more action if you do it before he is killed. That's all I know about the subject.

I vaguely remember that it is done to prevent the animal's spirit from seeking vengeance on you.

George

I don't know about that one, but the old tradition with elephants is to cut the tail off after you kill one. In the old days with the really large calibers this lead to some interesting experiences. On apparent brain shots, if the brain was missed and the ele was knocked out, there were instances of the ele getting up and getting away sans tail. This lead to a number of "tail-less" ele running around southern and central Africa at the time, old style solids being less than completely reliable in some cases .

Jim

Being inexperienced in killing Buffalo my first thought was that this is something you tell the new guy to do. He goes up and starts tying the knot right after the buff is confirmed dead, just in time to witness up close the bowels release with great force. Again I don't know that this actually happens with buff, but I believe it does with humans.

Sounds like a fun trick to play. No disrespect meant to established traditions, just my first impression.

...Well, if they were setting me up to receive the buff's last gasp, then no doubt I was positioned right for it!

I think you're supposed to use baby SNAKES to make the knot.

Russ

Spring,
Here in Zambia my guys tie a knot in an animals tail hair regardless of species. The belief is that if you dont do that, upon eating the meat of the animal you will get sick with a lot of stomach ailments.
It is to do with making sure the spirit is pacified.
I am not a believer of mumbo jumbo but then again I dont knock any of the bush lore.
Maybe ignorance is kind?????

Vengeance? Man, am I in trouble.

This is very true and I can attest to it.

I made the mistake of not tying a knott in the tail of the first buffalo I shot.

Ever since that time, each bull I see I have this incredible urge to just shoot it before it comes back and put a spell on me

Apparently, this is the only way one can avoid being haunted for the rest of his life.

Zambian,
It sounds like you have the answer to my question. Very interesting. The guys did act like this was indeed a thing I was supposed to do but never explained why.
I also found it so interesting how with every animal I shot the guys would act like it was Christmas Day as they carefully secured the stomach lining for their evening meal. The tenderloin be damned as long as there was some good rumen or tripe to eat! And since none of them ever got sick, I suppose we should appreciate that little hair knot that was tied...
Thanks!