How far did you track your buffalo?

[HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS]

How far did you track your buffalo?

I love my garmin watch i track the distances we walk, and its interesting to me and the hunters what it takes to hunt a buffalo in thick bush ,

Here below is typical morning on a buffalo hunt,

We guided a hunter from Norway on a buffalo hunt this week , it was a hard hunt but one for the books.

The hunter wanted a walking/tracking safari and he got a good one we walked and tracked 46 km (28 miles) on this hunt over 3 days to bag a massive old hard bossed bull.

Our main tracker was My old friend Danial and he was assisted by Sam and Jan who helped scout for us.

The hunter made a very difficult shot at 57 yards from the shooting sticks the buffalo was in some very thick bush and only gave the hunter a split second to make a shot after waiting more than 10 min for an opportunity.
One double lung shot from the hunters 458 lott using a 500 gr Hornady soft and the buff was down in under a 100 yards from where he was hit

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Walking/tracking safaris are my favorite kind because they feel like how a real hunt is supposed to be. Furthest we ever had to track would be 25 miles perhaps, over a course of three days. In my opinion, the best tracking safaris for Cape buffalo are to be had in Tanzania.

On the subject of how far they went after getting shot... the ones which I shot with .375 Holland & Holland Magnum 300Gr solid bullets (prior to 1993) always seemed to go pretty far before giving out. Once I shifted to Federal Premium 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws in 1993, most of them started giving out within 100-120 yards with a good double lung or heart-lung shot.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

We couldn't get closer as the ground in between us and them was about 130 meters. Then they lay down and had a nap for an hour or so. When they got up and started walking I took my shot, but it was too far back. It was now evening and the PH made the call not to follow up until the morning. We tracked for about 6 hours, but it was so slow the distance covered was only about 1.5km.

 

[HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS]

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We couldn't get closer as the ground in between us and them was about 130 meters. Then they lay down and had a nap for an hour or so. When they got up and started walking I took my shot, but it was too far back. It was now evening and the PH made the call not to follow up until the morning. We tracked for about 6 hours, but it was so slow the distance covered was only about 1.5km.

And distance covered before the shot?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

About 200metres. We spotted them from the road and crept in as close as we could get, bush to bush.

 

[Sideshow]

Following this with interest

 

[mark-hunter]

By now, I am tracking and chasing and planning my buffalo for at least three years!
Thats a joke.

This is good question, most interesting would be to know how far did you guys track your buffalo, and where?

 

[AZDAVE]

9 days and 125 miles

 

[Doug3006]

We tracked my Zambian Buffalo a morning and part of an afternoon the first day. Combined we walked a few miles I’d say. My Zimbabwe buffalo took just a bit longer. About ten miles over three days. They were four of the most wonderful days of my hunting life!

 

[gillettehunter]

Zambia and maybe a mile before we caught up to them.
Bruce

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

4-5 hour stalk in Zambia in 2021. I was so out of shape then. My lungs felt like they were on fire. Tracking after the shot was 5 minutes he ran 60 yards because I shot my buffalo in the neck about 45-50 yards away. It was an incredible hunt for sure.

 

[WAB]

Our last hunt in Dande my wife and I covered 100 miles in 9 days. We each took a buffalo and I added an old warthog. Tracking hunts are what draw me to Africa.

 

[VertigoBE]

Not a buffalo, but an eland, 3 days and 55km. In October (dry) heat of 35-40°C.

 

[PARA45]

Not a buffalo, but an eland, 3 days and 55km. In October (dry) heat of 35-40°C.

View attachment 610108

Nice tan

 

[VertigoBE]

Nice tan

Not a tan, a mixture of sweat, blood, ash and dust.

 

[Fatback]

We went about 2.5-3 miles on an island in the Kwando river in 2022. It was awesome. Only issue was there was no getting a bakkie to the buff, we were hunting out of a boat. Cut up and packed out like a western elk hunt. 2.5-3 mikes tracking in was a piece of cake. Toting buff parts 2.5-3 miles back to the boat no so easy. Was an incredible experience. Hope we can get a bit closer with a vehicle on the next one.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Not a buffalo, but an eland, 3 days and 55km. In October (dry) heat of 35-40°C.

View attachment 610108

Listen VBE, before it is too late, get a pair of the new Courteneys with the boxed toe compartment.

 

[Nyati]

During four days, in the hills of KWazulu/Natal

 

[Aaron N]

Not a buffalo, but an eland, 3 days and 55km. In October (dry) heat of 35-40°C.

View attachment 610108

Gotta love the thorns

 

[Safari Dave]

50 miles over 4 days...