Dealing with wounded Cape buffalo

[Rare Breed]

The Cape Buffalo is the DG animal that is hunted the most. It is not the most dangerous of the big 5 yet it accounts for many injuries and death to even Professional Hunters....
What are your opinions with regards to dealing with a wounded Cape Buffalo?
In particular rifle, bullet and caliber choice for the follow up...
I will post mine after some responses.

My first buff DR 450-400 NE. For my second I have and prefer my 500 NE DR shooting 570 Woodleighs

 

[TKessel]

I guess using a helicopter instead of proper trackers and a bit of fear is one of the differences between hunting in different countries?

Well said!

 

[Donnstar]

 

[WAB]

So IvW, you said you’d weigh in after some responses. Does four pages qualify?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Everyone likes to hunt "dangerous game".......unless it actually becomes dangerous.....
Watch YT, and you will see some clients and even PH's terrified of buffalo.
better to have a calm, cool PH with 450 or larger double I think.
this is very pertinent, as I am in the first stages of researching a buffalo hunt.
Have only a 375 and a 416 Rigby to choose from..............thanks to OP for posting
FWB

I have only shot one buff so far but have been there for four others. I buggared mine up and it needed a long tense followup. Three of the other four were down right there. One required followup but it was over within the hour. All were 375H&H.

 

[grand veneur]

So IvW, you said you’d weigh in after some responses. Does four pages qualify?

I don't understand what this topic is supposed to mean.

Should we demonstrate how little knowledge we have and how inexperienced we are so that the master can teach us afterwards ?

 

[IvW]

You have given yourself that title......

Each have their own opinions and entitled to it. Just as each have their own choice of firearm and bullet they prefer to use. Seeing as Cape buffalo is the most hunted I thought it good to get some thoughts what different hunters use and why...

If you dont like what I post, click on my name and the ignore button can be found at the bottom in the middle.....

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

You have given yourself that title......

Each have their own opinions and entitled to it. Just as each have their own choice of firearm and bullet they prefer to use. Seeing as Cape buffalo is the most hunted I thought it good to get some thoughts what different hunters use and why...

If you dont like what I post, click on my name and the ignore button can be found at the bottom in the middle.....

Well put

 

[grand veneur]

I assumed until recently that you were an PH.

None of us guests can have much experience with wounded buffalo and accordingly the answers. You should normally know that too and that's why one don't wait for the four pages to have very different and, as expected, not always professional opinions. One take part in such discussions as professionals and, if necessary, steer them in the right direction.

 

[IvW]

I assumed until recently that you were an PH.

None of us guests can have much experience with wounded buffalo and accordingly the answers. You should normally know that too and that's why one don't wait for the four pages to have very different and, as expected, not always professional opinions. One take part in such discussions as professionals and, if necessary, steer them in the right direction.

You make no contribution regarding the thread....which I never expected to jump to 4 pages in 1 1/2 days....yet you find it necessary to post a sarcastic and condescending comment directed at me personally....not sure what personal issue you may have with me but I guess that is your problem....

I will post my thoughts on the topic and it will be exactly that....my thoughts and experiences....All, some, none may agree or disagree that will be their thoughts and experiences and they can of course use what they want....simple as that.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

You make no contribution regarding the thread....which I never expected to jump to 4 pages in 1 1/2 days....yet you find it necessary to post a sarcastic and condescending comment directed at me personally....not sure what personal issue you may have with me but I guess that is your problem....

I will post my thoughts on the topic and it will be exactly that....my thoughts and experiences....All, some, none may agree or disagree that will be their thoughts and experiences and they can of course use what they want....simple as that.

I have enjoyed this thread and learn't a lot so far. I too was surprised by @grand veneur 's comment and just put it down to a bad day! Come on GV, give us your thoughts on what you would do on a buffalo followup, we discuss, we learn.

 

[VINOYASADO]

You have all the right not to be happy if your ph shoots directly after your shot, especially if that wasn't the arrangement.

I have had hunters require a back up shot immediately after they shot and still held off on my shot.

Not everyone is the same but when hunting with me you can be assured that I will not shoot unless we are in a dangerous situation. Any Buffalo with a well placed shot to the heart or lungs will go down after 100 to 250 yards and the blood trail will also confirm the quality of the shot. Simple rule, if there is a good blood trail, the shot was good, if not the shot was bad.


After determining that the shot wasn't good the decision should be made, do you as hunter want a buck up shot on first sight or only in a dangerous/charge situation? If the Buffalo charge EVERYONE SHOOTS....period.

Thank you!!

I was guessing that ii would be something that I could arrange beforehand with the PH

 

[FlowHamed18]

Because of not owning a double I would have to bring my .404 Jeffery.

But I would trust that lady without hesitating, especially with an experienced PH on my side carrying a higher .4xx or .5xx double....

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

This is the followup group at Save, clearly they enjoy their job.

 

[DWB]

Any wounded DG in South Africa is supposed to be reported to the police if not found in 24hrs if I remember it correctly.

Be as it may, I have been after my own wounded buffaloes twice, no PH (I am a citizen), and it does work your nerves, especially when the buff use the hippo tunnels as their hiding place!

I will gladly follow up with my 404, but I guess there's a reason I bought a 450 Rigby

Following up on foot is absolutely first prize if needed, but sometimes you have to ask yourself what do you owe to the animal and the others in the hunting party.

Also, aerial support sometimes just comes in to help locate the correct animal (eg after heavy rains) and then you're on your feet again.

Leaving a wounded buffalo in the field never to be found is something not to be taken lightly.

Have hunted with hounds countlessly, but never followed up wounded buff with them. But I understand they say if the dog finds the buff, the buff chases the dog, and the dog starts looking for its master, so choose a nice spot where you can shit, shoot or run

 

[Jäger_Ivo]

The time they tell you to start paying for a helicopter is the you should realize you buggered up and should have practiced more.

Hello, I have a general question. I am planning my first hunt in Africa. I am interested in buffalo hunting, probably a cow for the first time. I have been studying the forum for a long time, reading articles and watching YouTube videos...

How are hunters generally prepared for hunting dangerous game? Is the standard to train and study a lot, or do they just buy big bore rifles and plane tickets?
Everyone thinks that they did and prepared everything well, that's clear to me. But how do PH's see it?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

But I understand they say if the dog finds the buff, the buff chases the dog, and the dog starts looking for its master, so choose a nice spot where you can shit, shoot or run

Over a good dog this shouldn't happen. There is just no way that you will keep up with a good dog on a blood trail. Walking a dog on a blood spoor with a leash is pointless. All you do is keep bumping the animal.(plains game) A dog should be let go on blood, get to the animal and bay it. Once that animal jumps up, that dog needs to put enough pressure on it from behind to turn the animal and keep it busy, which gives us the chance to get closer and finish it off.
Without blowing smoke up our own pipe, being from the Eastern Cape, I honestly think that we, as an area, has walked the miles as far as hounds are concerned.
Hounds are a massive part of our hunting culture down here, from Bushpig with hounds, Caracal over hounds, Blue Duiker over hounds as well as the traditional Bushbuck over hound hunts, not to mention blood spoor hounds.
It always surprises me when I see these big dogs used as blood tracking hounds. We have found that these big dogs get killed a lot quicker compared to a terrier type dog. They are just too slow in terms of getting out of the way in these thick bushes of ours. They also overheat a lot quicker.
The thing with dogs on Buffalo are, you can go looking for him without a dog and possibly find him putting an end to the ordeal, or face a possible charge from an unknown location or direction.
Or, you can put the dog on, know exactly where the Buffalo is, and know 99% that you will be charged. This is a decision that you need to make.
Personally, I would like to know where he's coming from.
Its not the norm for a dog to run back to his owner once he's bayed. This is not a well trained dog. Dog should only come if he gets called, opening up the opportunity at a shot.
Normally, the Buff gets very agitated with the dog, and if he sees hunters, he'll come.

 

[DWB]

Thanks Marius.

Makes a lot more sense. This was what a dog trainer told a friend of mine who wanted to have a dog trained for his own farm. Maybe needs to contact another trainer

We are fortunate to hunt bushpigs over hounds on a continous basis, which as you say works differently to blood trailing.

Hell, the way I sometimes shoot, I should probably train my own dog a bit

 

[Desperatezulu]

My thoughts on the subject - as the hunter and not PH...

I use a bolt action for a variety of reasons: familiarity with the platform, better accuracy (for me), greater ammo capacity - I'm sure I could fire 2 rounds faster with a double but not 3 or 4. And in the back of my mind I have this in-extremis scenario of being separated from spare ammo (or someone else picks up the rifle if I've been hit) - an empty double is just a paddle, whereas 2 rounds left in the mag of a bolt gun could be useful if no spare ammo is on hand.

Use the same ammo that I know cycles - I use A-Frames. My rifle has always fed flat-nosed solids when I've trial-cycled it as vigorously as I can. But those flat noses don't fill me with confidence in a panic situation. I'd rather be sending an A-Frame in a charging buff's face than have a 'better' bullet that isn't feeding at the critical moment (if a solid is even better on buff?). Plus the same bullet means consistency in POA/POI. Of course for ele, which I have not hunted, a solid would be a requirement, so I'd have to make peace with my issue or use a double I suppose.

I use a scope in QD mounts - I'd probably rather use the scope for a follow-up just turned down to 1x. The scope has a red dot which makes for faster target acquisition for me. I have no issues using iron sights but the scope would be faster for me cos that's what I practice with. I am comfortable shooting with both eyes open at moving targets, courtesy of a lot of wingshooting. I wouldn't be against removing the scope if the PH wanted me to. QD mounts are more there in case the scope is u/s for whatever reason, then it can be removed in the field in seconds and fall back on the irons.

In the wounded buff scenario - keep shooting while the buff is in sight. which might not be possible in a herd scenario - I haven't shot buff in a herd before/yet. Keep moving within reason to permit further shots (i.e. 50-100m, not sprinting miles after the buff into the unknown). In my experience, that has brought things to a close.

I suppose if the animal is not down and has disappeared from sight, then it's time to take stock and reload to the brim! At least approach the site of the initial shot and gauge the quality of the hit from the blood trail and agree a plan of action. Give it a good 10-15 mins for the animal to hopefully expire and if not, for the adrenalin to wear off and for it to start to stiffen. If not already clarified, I would insist that all suitably armed members of the party are advised to shoot immediately on sighting the wounded animal. I have the same personal rule for PG - I request that anyone that spots game that I have wounded to take the shot, I want the wounded animal out of its misery asap. Obviously I'd like to be the primary shooter but getting the animal down overrides waiting for me to shoot if someone else has the shot. And even more so on DG - it's a risky time and safety trumps ego.

Dogs if available would be good but very few places I've hunted have had trained dogs for furred game.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Over the years, I’ve shot most of my Cape buffalo with a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. I’ve had to deal with 3 wounded ones till now. 2 of them were prior to ‘93 (back when using solids for follow up shots on wounded Cape buffalo was still the norm). After I started using the Federal 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw factory load, I’ve only had to deal with 1 wounded Cape buffalo since. And that was finished off with 2 frontal heart shots from the same caliber/bullet combination.

Now, if I were a white hunter… my ideal combination for stopping wounded Cape buffalo charges would be:
.505 Gibbs built by Joe Smithson on a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action & 600Gr Northfork Cup Point Solids at 2150fps.