From what I have witnessed; At the shot they disappear like ghosts...
So true! they don't linger around or investigate a fallen comrade--they just scatter with the speed of lightning!
From a safe distance they will then talk to you in foreign languages and show you all types of hand signals! lol:thumb:
With our 'normal' baboon set-up for longer distances [.280 with special 150 gr hand-loads and a scope turned to max 6 x] about 400 m is the max distance that we feel 'safe' to give a reasonable chance for a kill shot, taking the swirling wind over that distance and also many times the mirage also into consideration.
With a better/more specialized rifle/bullet/scope combination, [and a lot of practice at these distances before hand ,600-1000 m] you can definitely push the distance envelope some more! [ I've done it a couple of times in my younger days!] But, as I've said, then we start talking specialization and expert long distance marksmen-ship. Not your average hunting rifle zeroed at 100 m [Bushveld conditions] or plains-game rifle zeroed at 200-300 m.[+ ?]
Baboon hunting definitely brings a different hunting aspect, skill and thrill/experience to the table , and once you are 'hooked' you will probably start to do the bank balance maths for a specialized rifle set-up!
There are certain places though where you can still hunt them at lesser distances if the conditions are in your favour, for example , when i were waiting in ambush with my spear on my recent warthog hunt, and before i started with the final stalk, some unsuspecting baboons out of a foraging troop came to within 22 m from me! I don't know if they would have stood still if i had a rifle with me and moved it to my right to took a shot!
As it was,it was a wonderful experience to have 'fooled' them with my camouflage till they were that close. It can be done with a lot of patience and luck and being at the right place at the right time!
To all my [overseas] friends who have not done so before--next time during your safari you must definitely give baboon hunting/sniping a try i! :thumb:
Good hunting!