from my understanding shooting a buff outside of 100 yards is like shooting a cow but get inside 50 yards and they get all pms on you. does a cape buff have any more resistance to a bullet than a bison? yes a wounded and angry animal with pissed off juice running through its veins will take a cns shot to stop but is it all a myth, magic or buff shit?

There is an excellent article in the latest African Sporting Gazette magazine on this very subject by Terry Wieland and it also includes a primer on the misguided notion(he calls it "stunt")of hunting Cape Buffalo with "vintage calibers" that I won't mention for fear of starting another "bush war."

Suffice to say, bison are different than buffalo, a lot different even though they weigh about the same if not more. Some sage and wise counsel. Personally, I've never taken a bison but if the opportunity comes along, I'll take it but it doesn't motivate me like Buff do. jorge

i've shot cape over 100 yards and bison. the ribcage on a cape is solid with overlapping ribs, not so on a bison. the thing is on a cape vs bison the attitude. Just like a black bear vs a griz. one is more vindictive than is the other. and incidently just because you shoot one beyond 100 yards, doesn't mean you failed as a hunter. at times that is the only opportunity and you still may have to chase him down and fire 8 more 416's into him before he decides to die

The black bulls, Cape buffalo (Syncerus kaffer) are definitely runts with an attitude and overgrown headgear when compared to a succulent and shaggy-brown Bison bison.

The cape buffalo ribs are heavier and overlap in an armor-plarted way that the bison lacks. The black bull is also genetically hardwired for combat with predators so much more prevalent in Africa throughout its evolution: lion and man.

A big bull bison with one broken hind leg could whip any number of Spanish fighting bulls in an arena, and that has been reported to have happened in the late 1800's, IIRC.

I have a feeling that the larger bison bull would be finished off quickly by a cape buffalo with its superior weaponry, armor and attitude.

Like a cow with PMS? No way.

I have had one shot kills on both cape buffalo and bison, with similar weapons at similar ranges (.416 Rigby and .404 Jeffery at 50 and 75 yards respectively, both with 380-grain bullets at just over 2500 fps from the muzzle, solid and soft respectively). They die about the same when shot correctly with the first shot.

Just kill your buff with the first shot. Buff, like anything else, can be killed with one well placed shot.

But many hunters have blown the first shot, and ended up getting badly gored, stomped and sometimes killed in the bargain.

Bison generally don't do that kind of thing, as a matter of policy.

Buff can and often will make a hunter pay in blood for sloppy shooting. That is just a plain old honest-to-God fact of life, and is why most of us buff hunters like to hunt buff.

ribs are ribs not armor plates though...you have a 50% chance hitting a rib on a bison. if you can afford $60,000 for a safari i guess that does not make you a good shot i guess...

Yes, ribs are no protection from a good bullet. Like MR says, shoot them in the right spot with the first bullet and they will hopefully die going away from you instead of coming at you.

i always thought hitting a rib was good for secondary projectiles for damage to lungs ect.

I've shot both. So has Bwanna. I my opinion, they're really not comparable in attitude, demeanor or in physical characteristics. I agree with RIP. I shot my bison with one of my .54 Caliber black powder rifles, using a 450 gr. maxi-ball that I molded myself, and 90 grains of FFG. The cape buffalo was shot with the bolt action .375, and then the double rifle in .470 NE to stop the charge.

well maybe we should caffinate the bisons water and then one day skip the coffee for a pissed off grumpy bison

I have never been charged by a cape buff although I have taken a couple of dozen. I have been charged by a lone old bull Bison and I can say that that was one teriffying experience. Bison may not charge as often but when they do believe me you will be impressed. Their hair stands on end and makes him look twice as large. His eyes actually glowed red and he hit a game proof fence about 10 yards from us bending the support steel pole almost to 90 degrees. Since I was unarmed it may have added to the terror. Don't underestimate a Bison charge.

465H&H

Never underestimate a bull of any bovine type when he is mad about something. I saw a very docile polled short horn bull that weighed a mere 1800 lbs try to run down the first horse he ever saw along with with my grandfather. My grandfather, a life long rancher, was surprised but avoided trouble because of the horse's speed. I was on foot and the bull was not concerned about me at all. He only wanted to kill the horse.
If you want trouble with bovines walk into a herd with week old calves accompanied by a dog.

I've been charged by a cape, not because of a bad shot it should have been dead it just didn't know it. Believe me you don't need a stress test for your heart it will be going like nuts make sure you are in shape. If you think you need to pay $60,000 for a buff hunt you are way out of line and are paying too much. I'm not saying get a bargain hunt just check out the price in another country. You don't need to be rich to hunt Buff just want to and get the best PH you can afford.

I will just say this, poke a hole in the wrong place on a big cape buffalo, and let him get into the long grass, go in after him, and then talk!

A good cape buffalo is lucky to weigh 1800 lbs, compared to a large Bison, that will easily go 2300 lbs, and I'd bet on the cape every time if they were put into a pen with a cow in heat, so they would fight. The bison would be in for a hell of a mauling,IMO.

Ribs are ribs, you're right! That is if the shot is a classic "side on" shot, then a good bullet will slide right on through like a knife through warm butter. Get a quartering toward you shot, and on the bison, the bullet will still slip right through the ribcage, and take out the liver at least, and a lung, and heart at best, but on the Cape Buff, the bullets tend to slide along those overlapping ribs, and go into the gut, then you have a problem.

A cape buffalo can be killed with one well placed shot on an animal that is undisturbed, the same for a bison. Usually with a shot on either when undisturbed, the animal will usually run to get away. If he is hit hard with that first shot he'll die in a short run, with no problem, but let them get hit with a wounding shot, and the bison and cape will still run to get away, but the cape buff will usually get into any tightest cover he can find, as quickly as he can, and wait for something to follow. The bison will usually either keep going till he gets to sick and simply stop, and lower his head and is easily put down with a walk up shot. The cape is far more likely to take you on when you get close to where he has decided to make a stand, and if he sees, or hears you approaching he will bring the fight to your doorstep, in short order. PHC said it best in one of his books!

"When the cape buffalo puts together a concentrated charge, your options have been wonderfully simplified, you kill him, or he will kill you!"

Mmm... Cow on pms?

Try a bison on angel dust... might become interesting!

quote:

hunting Cape Buffalo with "vintage calibers"

Here's a bison I shot with the "vintage caliber" not to be otherwise named on this site. He was on a dead run and when down like the Dances with Wolves scene. My cape was also a one shot kill with a .458 Lott, and believe me, I wouldn't have wanted to have the unmentionable caliber over in the Zimbabwean jess hunting those boys. [/IMG]

The bison was considerably bigger in body than the cape buffalo



The Cape Buffalo

[/IMG]

Fine looking bulls Bwanna!

Like 465H&H said, one does occasionally find a bull bison with a dagga attitude.

In 1994, IIRC, I was driving through Theodore Roosevelt Badlands in North Dakota with my wife, stopping to take photos of the wildlife. We spotted a huge bison bull, about 100 yards off the road, solitary. We stopped on the road, got out and I started walking toward him with the camera. Oops!

Just a few steps by me in his direction and he charged. I scratched off just before he hit the road, aimed at the tail of my Dodge. He continued after me at full tilt down the center of the road, pedal to the metal.

I swear that lone giant looked like 2 tons instead of one. I was scarred, warped for life.

Thus the .395 Tatanka and 500 Mbogo: "delirium bovinis" inspired.

A couple of miles down the road, I decided to go back and look for my wife.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:

quote:

hunting Cape Buffalo with "vintage calibers"

Here's a bison I shot with the "vintage caliber" not to be otherwise named on this site. He was on a dead run and when down like the Dances with Wolves scene. My cape was also a one shot kill with a .458 Lott, and believe me, I wouldn't have wanted to have the unmentionable caliber over in the Zimbabwean jess hunting those boys. [/IMG]

The bison was considerably bigger in body than the cape buffalo



The Cape Buffalo

[/IMG]

Bwanna, that is a beautiful Bison bull!, and the cape 's not bad either! Congratulations!

RIP: That's why photo TOURISTS get gored and injured each and every year in Yellowstone. Most of them want to get close to the "tame" and "docile" buffalo. Big, lone bison bulls and cows with young are the very worst. What were you thinking man?! Why were you going back and looking for the wife, when you should have been looking for the camera!? By the way, Bwanna's unmentionable caliber? Why, the one and only. . . 45-70!

Mac, thanks. The bison's hanging over my head as I type here. I'll tell you the shoulder mounts on those things are HUGE. Use Enough Gun has one square over the bed - his wife is a bit more understanding than mine!

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
Mac, thanks. The bison's hanging over my head as I type here. I'll tell you the shoulder mounts on those things are HUGE. Use Enough Gun has one square over the bed - his wife is a bit more understanding than mine!

I'd love to go back to the States just to take a Bison, they make bloody impressive shoulder mounts....

When you take a bison for a shoulder mount, what do you do with the back skin?

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
Mac, thanks. The bison's hanging over my head as I type here. I'll tell you the shoulder mounts on those things are HUGE. Use Enough Gun has one square over the bed - his wife is a bit more understanding than mine!

I'd love to go back to the States just to take a Bison, they make bloody impressive shoulder mounts....

They are impressive animals, and like Eland and Moose, they take up a lot of space, but worth the effort! We had a few Buffalo (bison) on or ranch in Coleman county, Texas,back in the late 40s, and they are hell on fencing, so my grandfather finally sold them to a man from Montana! You should have seen the rodeo that went on trying to get these things in the cattle truck!

You're right. They are HELL on fencing. I shot mine way back in 1993 (and before the advent of digital cameras and useful pics) out of a group of about 25 delinquents that were constantly breaking down the fences and heading north to parts unknown. The rest of the 200 plus herd had been sold to Ted Turner for his Montana Ranch. They had kept some back for hunters. Like Bwanna said, mine hangs over the bed. We couldn't sleep without him being there... The backskin was tanned and I have used it repeatedly for Cub Scout and Boy Scout ceremonies. It would make a great rug. I also had the penis stretched out and made into a very long buffalo penis cane with an old yellowed cue ball for the handle. The scrotum was made into a mountain man bag. The penis cane has been a real conversation piece, especially with the ladies.

Ok...you have to show a photo of the cane.

Ok. I'll pull it out of my closet and take a pic and post in the near future. I'm warning you, it's not very pretty, but it's the real thing with a metal rod running down the middle of it to keep it STIFF.

Bison are less hot blooded then Cape Buffalo although they can be harder to kill..Cape Buffalo are more agressive probably because they were chased by Lions all night and they can get pretty cross when choused for days on end...

I have shot Cape buffalo at over 100 yards, they take a big circle and get your wind and here they come, and they can cover that distance in a hurry..

In most instances all animals take a hit, run a bit and lay down and die, that is the norm for all of them..The Cape buffalo does this less than others, including the bison which keeps grazing after a hit, waits a bit and falls over, and on very rare ocassion he may take you on, and so will a Hereford bull for that matter, the closest call I ever had was from shooting a Charlais bull, that scared the hell out of me and ruined a new pickup before we got him dead...

My point is comparing wild animals is pretty much a practice in futility, you just never know.

quote:

When you take a bison for a shoulder mount, what do you do with the back skin?

When I shot mine, the taxidermist wanted some obscene amount of money to tan the thing, so I just told him not to worry about it. I think he wanted $800.00 or something just for the backskin.

quote:

I'd love to go back to the States just to take a Bison, they make bloody impressive shoulder mounts....

Mine is HUGE. It filled the entire back of the pickup when I picked it up from the taxidermist. For some reason it doesn't seem as obscenely huge on the wall as it did in the truck or on the floor.

UEG,
Thanks for noticing my stupidity, as a lesson for others. I have learned my lesson. "Use Enough Camera" next time, or Use Enough Gun, eh?

Meat, skulls and robes as well as the shoulder mounts, are more impressive with bison than any grouchy, runt cape buffalo.

RIP: Not stupidity, just a brief lapse in judgment. By the way, we're all very glad that you made it out alive and in one piece. A bison horn up the arse is not a very pretty picture. And remember, you can always replace the camera or the wife. . . . Use Enough Camera: New wife:

My eyes...my eyes! Is that a lioness?

Yes, one that has been in a SEVERE catfight!

Ouch! Is this the cow with PMS that boom stick has been looking for?