The stuff dreams are made of . . .

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25 February 2012, 20:03

safari-lawyer

The stuff dreams are made of . . .

I'm reading "Lives of a Professional Hunting Family" by Gerard Miller.

The book chronicles Gerard's career as well as those of his father and his mother, one of two women to hold a full PH license in Tanzania and Kenya. It's worth buying if you like reading about the good 'ol days. Also worth getting if you like seeing pictures like this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.

25 February 2012, 20:12

Molepolole

Looks like a good read, Will. That must have been quite an amazing gene pool they had there, the one behind him isn't exactly a runt either!

25 February 2012, 20:12

Sevens

I like my bolt guns, but this would be a time a double would be nice so I could get the buffalo in front and in back.

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25 February 2012, 20:36

ledvm

quote:
Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
48" ???

Gerard says 53.

I could buy that!

25 February 2012, 20:49

Aaron Neilson

quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
quote:
Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
48" ???

Gerard says 53.

I could buy that!

Absolutely NO doubt he's over 50"!! Figure a big bull's ears down like that, are roughly 34" wide on average.

Aaron Neilson
Global Hunting Resources
303-619-2872: Cell
globalhunts@aol.com
www.huntghr.com

25 February 2012, 21:31

MikeBurke

Beautiful buffalo.

He is everybit of 53 Plus.

My biggest was 49" and that one appears to be quite a bit wider.

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http://www.safariarts.net/

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25 February 2012, 21:52

JLarsson

quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

Absolutely NO doubt he's over 50"!! Figure a big bull's ears down like that, are roughly 34" wide on average.

If those ears are 34" tip-to-tip, then that bull is close to 70" outside spread.

I cheated. I used a ruler.

I'm guessing those ears aren't 34" rather than that buff being 70".

Jon Larsson - Hunter - Shooter - Reloader - Mostly in that order...

25 February 2012, 22:05

Grafton

quote:
Isn't the one behind it a little soft?

Perhaps..but when you get them both mounted the big one will look much bigger next to it. Two of the same size will have everyone thinking they are all that big.

Plus, when you shoot the first one, the bullet will go through and wound the second one and he will charge you and then you can drop him at four yards...now you have two nice buffs and a good story....you are just not thinking these things through Frostbit

SAFARI ARTS TAXIDERMY
http://www.safariarts.net/

25 February 2012, 22:30

Aaron Neilson

quote:
Originally posted by JLarsson:
quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

Absolutely NO doubt he's over 50"!! Figure a big bull's ears down like that, are roughly 34" wide on average.

If those ears are 34" tip-to-tip, then that bull is close to 70" outside spread.

I cheated. I used a ruler.

I'm guessing those ears aren't 34" rather than that buff being 70".

Obviously I can't say for sure on this one.

But I think if you measure enough of em, you'll find an average ear tip to ear tip spread, when their ears are down in that position - is roughly in the neighborhood of 34", give or take.

Aaron Neilson
Global Hunting Resources
303-619-2872: Cell
globalhunts@aol.com
www.huntghr.com

25 February 2012, 22:50

safari-lawyer

quote:
Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
an average ear tip to ear tip spread, when their ears are down in that position - is roughly in the neighborhood of 34", give or take.

Yep.

LORD, let my bullets go where my crosshairs show.
Not all who wander are lost.
NEVER TRUST A FART!!!
Cecil Leonard

26 February 2012, 03:20

larryshores

Will:

I was on a charter plane with Gerard in 06. It was very entertaining to hear his stories. He is a nice guy. I would love to hunt with him.

26 February 2012, 05:23

JLarsson

Measuring again, if those ears are 34" tip-to-tip, then that buff has a spread of 72" or more. If the ears are 34" outside spread, then he's still a good 68".

A monster, no matter how you look at him.

Jon Larsson - Hunter - Shooter - Reloader - Mostly in that order...

Michael Podwika... DRSS bigbores and hunting www.pvt.co.za " MAKE THE SHOT " 450#2 Famars

26 February 2012, 10:22

tysue

The buff could have a small head. I saw one at the Sheep foundation convention last week, and it didn't go over 26" ear tip to ear tip. I saw a mounted buff at Elmer Keiths and his DID have a wide face, etc. Bet the one at Elmers, was 20" wide across the face. Huge..

26 February 2012, 12:18

leopards valley safaris

quote:
Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
48" ???

Gerard says 53.

+1 well over 50

Dave Davenport
Outfitters license HC22/2012EC
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dave@leopardsvalley.co.za
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26 February 2012, 12:19

leopards valley safaris

quote:
Originally posted by bwana cecil:
I wouldn't shoot either of them. I'd have buck fever so bad I couldn't hit the ground!

27 February 2012, 19:04

fujotupu

quote:
Originally posted by larryshores:
Will:

I was on a charter plane with Gerard in 06. It was very entertaining to hear his stories. He is a nice guy. I would love to hunt with him.

Spent the entire day with him yesterday at a motor rallying event on the outskirts of Dar - refreshed our memories on the hunts we did together. We both agreed that the buffalo you see in his book are by large a thing of the past; anything over 48" today is quite a feat.

28 February 2012, 19:28

safari-lawyer

quote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:
Spent the entire day with him yesterday at a motor rallying event on the outskirts of Dar -

I read that Gerard was quite the rally car driver as well.

28 February 2012, 20:16

fujotupu

quote:
Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
quote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:
Spent the entire day with him yesterday at a motor rallying event on the outskirts of Dar -

I read that Gerard was quite the rally car driver as well.

28 February 2012, 20:19

fujotupu

Was, and still is though hunting remains his top priority and is a family affair - his daughter took a 44" buffalo several months back.

29 February 2012, 00:10

Thunder Head

We both agreed that the buffalo you see in his book are by large a thing of the past; anything over 48" today is quite a feat.[/QUOTE]

Just out of curiosity, whats the main reasons for them being a thing of the past?

I have walked in the foot prints of the elephant, listened to lion roar and met the buffalo on his turf. I shall never be the same.

29 February 2012, 00:18

465H&H

I measured several Zambezi Valley bulls for spread of the ears and came up with 32" tip to tip.

465H&H

29 February 2012, 00:30

BaxterB

I'd take #2 before #1 if I had the choice. I really like those square-topped, sharp dropping horns versus the smooth-topped but wider ones of the first buff. Hopefully a friend would be at my side to shoot him out of the way so I could get his brother.

29 February 2012, 13:07

Bwanamich

quote:
Originally posted by JLarsson:
Measuring again, if those ears are 34" tip-to-tip, then that buff has a spread of 72" or more. If the ears are 34" outside spread, then he's still a good 68".

A monster, no matter how you look at him.

Maybe it is a Mt Buffalo variety?

"...Them, they were Giants!"
J.A. Hunter describing the early explorers and settlers of East Africa

hunting is not about the killing but about the chase of the hunt.... Ortega Y Gasset

29 February 2012, 13:28

fujotupu

quote:
Originally posted by Thunder Head:
We both agreed that the buffalo you see in his book are by large a thing of the past; anything over 48" today is quite a feat.

Just out of curiosity, whats the main reasons for them being a thing of the past?[/QUOTE]

Similar to the 6+ yr old lions - shoot too many and the numbers thin down

01 March 2012, 02:28

bwanajay

I have stayed at Gerards home, on the farm, before and after safaris with him several times. He has a dam nice collection of heads himself. He also has a huge collection of african hunting books, as well as videos of clients he has guided over the years.
He is a hell of man and a great P.H.

01 March 2012, 03:15

JLarsson

quote:
Originally posted by Bwanamich:
quote:
Originally posted by JLarsson:
Measuring again, if those ears are 34" tip-to-tip, then that buff has a spread of 72" or more. If the ears are 34" outside spread, then he's still a good 68".

A monster, no matter how you look at him.

Maybe it is a Mt Buffalo variety?

Well......maybe a SMALL one...