quote:

Originally posted by ChiefR53:
Hi Rich! Fun post.

I am the client that did not take the shot.

It's been very interesting and informative to read all your posts. Lots of experience on this forum.

I've replayed this in my mind hundreds of times, wondering if I should have asked Rich to go for the shot. I was steady on the sticks and knew where to shoot, but it's an all or nothing shot. The buff went from invisible, to the head up you see, to GONE in not too many seconds, not a lot of time to contemplate and converse.
I actually felt he was a bit closer than 30 yards!!
So, this is the one that got away. But he gave me a great stalk, a tremendous thrill and a great memory.

We had a lot of great stalks and good times on our hunt.
I later took a very nice old solid bossed Dugga boy.
Thanks Rich !!
Larry

.............That's hunting! I don't know anyone who has hunted anything that has not passed a shot and lost the only chance at a real trophy! However as you say it was an experience you will never forget, and that too is HUNTING.

Congratulations on a successful and rewarding safari!

.....................................................................

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

I know someone who actually shot an animal in the balls!

Now, now Saeed, don't start that one again.

10 days ago I shot a buffalo in the ass!

That was the only part I could see.

He dropped where he stood.

A Texas Heart shot Saeed, is not a bad shot! It can work well!

This is a perfect example of why the SAAM type training is so valuable. You should leave there, knowing your limits. This shot, is all bout knowing your limits - IT IS OK TO PASS ON A SHOT YOU ARE NOT OK WITH!!!! That is MUCH more ethical than tossing one out here and hoping someone else has a back up shot in the animal too. It's also OK to tell your PH "No, I can't take that shot with confidence".

Thats a damn nice buff. At 20 twenty yards sticks or not, I am taking that shot. At fifty yards, not with open sights, but scoped 375, for sure off sticks, I am shooting that bad boy. Beyond that, I am freezing, and hoping for a better chance. Everyone else has to make their own choices, based on their equipment and experience.

FWIW, I did shoot one that nice, laying on my belly, from prone position, about ten feet away, with a scoped 375. PH was going nuts when the bull was 80 yards away, then 30 yards out, "Mikee, we must do something shortly", ( walking towards us in the back of a group of twenty, in the grass plains of Chobe river bottom, my feet were in the Chobe). I did not have a clear shot way out there, kept him in scope all the way down to the river. But man, what excitement there was for all that! Bulls running everywhere after the shot, mostly (thankfully) away from us, watching the shot bull run and ready to put another in, when he stopped, absolutely pouring blood. A perfect ambush, almost well executed, but got the intended result.

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Schultz:
Hi All,

Interesting reading all your opinions...

And no sorry I do not have a photo of a brained buffalo!!!!

For those who do not know me I am a PH in Zim, I appreciate all your comments, firstly this bull I have been after the whole year and this was the closest we got to taking him and yes he is still alive!!!!

The range we were at about 30 yards, do I think this shot was possible.....YES very but like many of you have said if the shot is not right that will be one pissed off buffalo with nothing in his vitals.....

Did I trust the clients shooting, YES I did but at the time we got on the sticks the bull did not know we were there and as he was lying down in the grass I thought we would just wait for him to stand up for the "PERFECT" shot, well we all know what 'THOUGHT THOUGHT", the bull went from lying down to MACH 3 in a flash and that was the last time we had a chance at him that hunt.

Hindsight YES we should have brained him as I was confident and the client was confident but it was my call not to shoot and wait, and so I take responsibility for the call, but hey that meant we got to hunt buffalo more!!!!

One thing I will say and I know its hard to talk about every scenario but like many of you have said is to discuss things like this with you PH before hand, especially back up shots as we all know this can be a sore subject to some.

Cheers

Very interesting to hear both sides of the story when reading your post as the PH and Larry' as the client. As I said in my first post, if the client felt comfortable with the shot he should take it, I hadn't actually thought of the PH's input at this stage, something I have not really experienced, having shot Aussie buffalo but not with a 'real' PH and of course my decades of hunting in NZ have thankfully not involved guides or PH's, no reflection on them as a person, just a reality that we can hunt here free and unhindered over much of our country.

While there has been debate on the subject of PH backup shooting, not mentioning anyone in particular otherwise Saeed's heart rate will hit maximum, but I would certainly have no beef that after the first shot from me I would expect anyone else armed would shoot to anchor the animal. Maybe this is because our culture here is usually after the first shot on an animal, anything goes to deck it if it hasn't dropped to the first shot, especially if hightailing for the hills. Every animal deserves as quick a death as possible if it is going to be shot and holding back to not hurt a hunters sensibilities is not my or our style here. Obviously if a paying client clean misses then no need for a back up shot unless to stop a charge.