What make a trophy Buff.
1) wide spread and soft Boss?
2) narrow spread and hard Boss?
Or are they both trophy mat. Which one is preferd?

Controversial question ....there is only one correct answer ...

In the eye of the beholder

Regards, Peter

I too have been wondering some as to your question. I kicked it around a bit with my hunting friends and this is how it was precived. One friend said I view a trophy like a women.....certainly all will have their personal ideas what is the ultimate high stepping filly on the track.

Another simply stated that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

If it looks good to you and your guide says yes, and you take the animal.....its your trophy.

Paleohunter,

A trophy (of any animal) is the one with the best memories. I have an outstanding waterbuck that wasn't much of a hunt and it's nothing special to me. I have a sub-50" kudu that I could write a poem about. It wasn't a difficult hunt, but I have wonderful and vivid memories of it.

If, two years later, you can still smell the air and feel the sand under your feet when you think about hunting in Africa - then you have a great trophy.

Regards,

Terry

P.S. That ends our lesson on the Art of Zen Hunting

OK, In spite of the controversial nature of the question, I am gonna go out on a limb and say that it is borderline irresponsible to take a soft bossed buff. Now, I have friends who have done it and they were big animals but, from a conservation perspective, it just ain't right to me regardless of how highly it might rank in SCI. The Rowland Ward method of measuring is, however, quite a bit more responsible in this respect. Others might disagree with me and that's fine but I want an old bull with hard bosses and horns that are worn down to two little stumps. I want to know that my bull is well past his breeding years and maybe only has a couple years left on earth anyway.

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

Thanks guys I was just wondering. I have seen both versions and just wondered if there was a standard or not. I agree the trophy is the one with the best memeroys. My 1st buck was a little 9 point not a Boone and Crocket but he was my 1st and he is on my wall now and he will always be the best IMHO.

#1..massive looking and that means a hard boss.
#2..deep hooks.
#3..spread.
If it doesn't meet those 3 criteria, I will keep looking...the thrill and memory are in the hunt and that doesn't necessarily mean the kill....remember, you will never shoot large trophies if you shoot small ones and that means maybe going home without one.

I was on that hunt with John the Greek. The concession would not allow us to shoot the real trophy buffalo, the old battle hardened ones. I like the look of the older bulls sometimes called dugga boys.

Help out a neophyte here, please. What governs a soft or hard boss? Is it age only (as some posts seem to imply) or is there something else going on here? How can you tell when looking at a Buff 80 yards away, through a 4 power scope?
Thanks, Peter.