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Thaba Nyati Cape Buffalo Hunt Report
July 2025
Over the years I have hunted Cape Buffalo across Southern Africa, including several places in Zimbabwe and in Mozambique. I got three fine, mature, hard boss dugga boys that any hunter would be proud of, but none of them taped over the “magic 40” inches in width. I was determined to reach that goal so I searched far and wide for a place that offered the best opportunity to bag an exceptional bull. I found it with Thaba Nyati in the South African province of Limpopo. It was a bit of a completion of the circle as Limpopo had been my first African safari for plains game in 2002. Thaba Nyati is a family-owned outfit and very well run.
They only take one party at a time and that guest has a complete modern house to themselves. Else serves fine food at every meal and pampers her guests. Marius runs the outfit and their son Walter is the PH. Walter knows every square inch of their farm. Although the thorn brush is thick, they have an extensive trail system that covers everything. I started talking to Marius about 18 months before the hunt with my requirements and he said they had a couple of old bulls that would fit the bill. Once there, it became obvious they had a great buffalo herd with over 600 animals and bulls of all shapes and sizes.
On a 7 day hunt we looked for 4 days until we came across one of the really big bulls. I was able to put a 416 Rigby round through both shoulders, but anyone who has hunted buffalo knows how tough they are. He picked up the right front and ran with the other 5-6 bulls he was with. We had great blood spoor at first, but with 150 yards it tapered off to drops. The wounded bull rejoined the others and Walter tracked them into the thick thorn. They threatened a charge so he had to back off. We tracked the wounded bull throughout the day, and the other bulls left him so he was alone. The thick thornbush gave the bull every advantage, and he moved every time we got close. At dusk, he went into some especially thick bush so we left him until the morning.
Walter knew the direction the bull was headed was towards a water hole, and he also knew the bull was about 100 yards off a road. We made a plan and Walter and I set up on the road as two trackers went in and bumped the bull out. When he emerged from the thornbush, our plan had worked and he was about 50 yards in front of us. I put two 650 grain 577 Nitro Express solids through his boiler room before he got across the road.
He made it another 15 yards and we heard that most wonderful sound – a dying bull bellow! Once we got there, there was no ground shrinkage – the bull taped 47 3/8”! My Cape Buffalo dreams were fulfilled thanks to the great crew at Thaba Nyati. If you have buffalo dreams too, you should seriously consider Thaba Nyati as they have a buffalo for every hunter and pocketbook.
July 2025
Over the years I have hunted Cape Buffalo across Southern Africa, including several places in Zimbabwe and in Mozambique. I got three fine, mature, hard boss dugga boys that any hunter would be proud of, but none of them taped over the “magic 40” inches in width. I was determined to reach that goal so I searched far and wide for a place that offered the best opportunity to bag an exceptional bull. I found it with Thaba Nyati in the South African province of Limpopo. It was a bit of a completion of the circle as Limpopo had been my first African safari for plains game in 2002. Thaba Nyati is a family-owned outfit and very well run.
They only take one party at a time and that guest has a complete modern house to themselves. Else serves fine food at every meal and pampers her guests. Marius runs the outfit and their son Walter is the PH. Walter knows every square inch of their farm. Although the thorn brush is thick, they have an extensive trail system that covers everything. I started talking to Marius about 18 months before the hunt with my requirements and he said they had a couple of old bulls that would fit the bill. Once there, it became obvious they had a great buffalo herd with over 600 animals and bulls of all shapes and sizes.
On a 7 day hunt we looked for 4 days until we came across one of the really big bulls. I was able to put a 416 Rigby round through both shoulders, but anyone who has hunted buffalo knows how tough they are. He picked up the right front and ran with the other 5-6 bulls he was with. We had great blood spoor at first, but with 150 yards it tapered off to drops. The wounded bull rejoined the others and Walter tracked them into the thick thorn. They threatened a charge so he had to back off. We tracked the wounded bull throughout the day, and the other bulls left him so he was alone. The thick thornbush gave the bull every advantage, and he moved every time we got close. At dusk, he went into some especially thick bush so we left him until the morning.
Walter knew the direction the bull was headed was towards a water hole, and he also knew the bull was about 100 yards off a road. We made a plan and Walter and I set up on the road as two trackers went in and bumped the bull out. When he emerged from the thornbush, our plan had worked and he was about 50 yards in front of us. I put two 650 grain 577 Nitro Express solids through his boiler room before he got across the road.
He made it another 15 yards and we heard that most wonderful sound – a dying bull bellow! Once we got there, there was no ground shrinkage – the bull taped 47 3/8”! My Cape Buffalo dreams were fulfilled thanks to the great crew at Thaba Nyati. If you have buffalo dreams too, you should seriously consider Thaba Nyati as they have a buffalo for every hunter and pocketbook.
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