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Originally posted by MJines:
Best wishes Skippy on your recovery, physically and emotionally. Glad that the Frontline Foundation was able to assist you in your time of need.

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Originally posted by bushfanatix:
My name is Chris ‘Skippy’ Burton, PH from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I got gored by a buffalo and here is my story…
I was hunting with Client friend, Craig Johnson, we were ten days in on an 18 day buffalo, crocodile, leopard hunt for Safaris De Mozambique. It was 2.00 in the afternoon of Monday 7th July 2014. Local villagers on the Panyami river, on the South Shore of Cahorra Bassa, Mozambique asked us to please help them with a problem crocodile that was attacking fisherman and raiding nets. Since Craig was looking for a trophy crocodile, we decided to go and look at the area. We paddled across to an island where we had been informed the crocodile was often spotted. We saw two big crocs so we decided to beach up river from them and stalk down by foot. When we approached the crocs, I swopped my rifle, for the shooting sticks with my tracker, Thulani. On closer inspection we decided that the crocs were not the offending croc and decided to return to the boat and try a different area. On making our way back to the boat, we were walking down a reed path, single file, with Thulani in front, myself next, Craig behind me and then the game scout. The buffalo appeared from a distance of approximately 6 foot infront of me, and immediately charged us. Thulani attempted to hand me my rifle, but the buffalo came straight past him knocking the rifle out of his hand and continued to head straight for me. I turned and ran up a different path and the buffalo followed. I ran about 20 yards and stopped as I was concerned about Craig and his whereabouts. On turning around, the buffalo was almost upon me and whilst trying to side step it, I slipped in the mud and fell into the reeds. The buffalo immediately started beating me with her head and pushing me around. I rolled over and tried to hold her horns and realized the only way out was to attempt to run, at this point I believed she was just angry as we had stumbled into her and startled her. I then decided to try and run and whilst turning over onto my stomach to get up, she hooked my upper inner right thigh with her horn and lifted me off the ground. I clearly remember looking down the length of her body whilst hanging upside down and seeing an open wound on her shoulder. I then realized that we were dealing with a wounded buffalo and she was not going to relent so started shouting for help. Thulani was trying to get out of the river where he had fallen and recover the rifle, and in the mean time, Craig came through and carefully took a spinal shot at the buffalo downing her immediately. She attempted to get back up, and he fired two quick shots that ended the attack. At this point, I would like to comment and thank Craig for finding me in the reeds, taking the shot and saving my life.
Once the buffalo was confirmed dead, Thulani tore off his T shirt, and made me a tourniquet and tied it to my upper thigh above the gaping wound. I was fully conscience and the team managed to get me back to the boat. My leg was badly ripped open, Once back in the boat, they paddled back to the vehicle where we radioed the main camp for assistance. The camp manager immediately dispatched a motorized boat to meet me and take me from the villagers boat. It was now just after 4.00. Basic first aid was administered at main camp and my medical aid, Aetna Global, was alerted. As there is only a bush airstrip in the area, it was too late for a plane to come in and fetch me, so a decision was immediately made to take me across the river to Zambia where Simon Roger, the owner of the hunting concession had already organized an ambulance to meet us at the harbor and take me to the catholic missionary hospital about 40 miles away. Simon’s 19 year old son, Justin, accompanied me to the hospital and ensured communication continued with my family and medical aid team. The ambulance trip from the harbor to the hospital was horrific, the roads were terrible, and this is when the worst bleeding occurred. Justin at one point, had both his hands applying pressure on the wound, and both his legs covering mine, trying to hold them down from bouncing all over. I had no pain killers and was in excrutiating pain. On arrival at the hospital, I was met by the catholic nuns who took me straight into surgery and cleaned the wound. They did the best they could, but it was a long night and the anesthetic drugs they gave me had a terrible effect on me. The air vac was arranged for the next morning and another ordeal of a road trip in the ambulance took us to the airstrip where the plane met us. Finally some good painkillers were administered and I woke up at Harare Airport. I was taken to St Annes Hospital where I was met by Dr Dakovick who took me straight into surgery. He too gave the wound a good clean, and applied drains and antibiotics to prevent infection.
I spent 9 days in hospital, during which time went into theatre once more to remove some dead tissue and clean up the wound. I then returned home, hoping that the flap of skin would reattach and heal. Unfortunately this did not happen and I returned to Harare and had the skin removed and I returned home for a few days to initiate healing and form scar tissue for the skin graft procedure. I then went back to hospital and had a skin graft done. They took a 5’’ x 5’’ graft off my good thigh and attached it to the wound. Sadly 10 days later this skin came off and the graft was a failure. It was an extremely painful procedure and I was so disappointed with the bad results. We made the decision not to go back for another attempt, but to rather do daily dressings and heal it naturally. This is progressing well, but as the wound is so large it is taking some time.
At this point, I would like to say that I was rescued once again… this time in the form of a very much needed financial donation from Dallas Safari Club Frontline Foundation. Whilst most PH’s have good medical cover, we are not all able to afford an insurance cover for injury and loss of earnings. This was sadly my case. Having a family of 2 boys, Tristan is 9 and Dylan is 7, my wife, Ashleigh and I were faced with a huge financial loss and a lot of stress and financial worry. The team at the Frontline Foundation have been so generous that myself and my family are overwhelmed and extremely grateful. The Frontline Foundation was formed by past Presidents of Dallas Safari Club, and was put in place to assist PH’s and other members of the safari industry that are injured during the course of working in the industry and the Board agree the candidate meet the required criteria. They are an amazing group of people whose compassion for people injured in the industry is going to be a great help to those in need. I for one can honestly say it has been a pleasure working with them and once again, the help has been nothing less than phenominal. Thank you guys once again.
A very important bit of information to keep in mind is that the Foundation is open to donations from all over the world, and for American Citizens it is TAX DEDUCTABLE! Please contact the Foundation on their Web Site – www.dscfrontlinefoundation.org Please guys make donations, big or small it truly does make a difference! Help the Foundation to be able to assist more people, just as they helped me and my family! It would be great to be part of such a hunting organization that looks out for each other. This is also a really good reason to join and become a member of Dallas Safari Club - an organization that truly does look out for all us guides. Thank you.

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Originally posted by shootaway:
I am sorry for your injury.I wish you a 100 percent recovery.Is this the Craig Johnson that hunts with his brother in law? I might have shared camp with him in Chirisa-where he shot an ale in the 50lbs size.Craig can be a good guy-lol.I am surprised he made a good shot on the buff.He did not seem to be interested in shooting rifles if I remember correctly.