How many client hunters have been charged, and how many have been hurt or wounded while on Safari?

[Fatback]

We were in a boat hunting in the Caprivi. We got charged by hippos, more than once but there was never any real chance they could catch up with the boat. We did have one bump the bottom of the boat and that was a bit more nerve wracking.

Not in Africa but also involved a boat. We were hunting caribou in Nunavut and a grizzly had killed a caribou on the edge of a an island we wanted to get on to glass. He stood his ground and actually jumped into the lake and started swimming towards us a couple of times. We decided to go glass from and different vantage point.

 

[RR 314]

Thankfully the only charge I have faced was by a pissed off ostrich in the pasture immediately adjacent to the lodge while in the back of the bakkie. I managed to give it a swipe on the head with what I had handy. . . an empty Castle beer bottle.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Technically, I am guessing it may be classified as a charger. After all the "clown of Africa", the Black Wildebeest, did sort of, at first, come running straight toward us (PH and myself) after I sent a 168gr Hornady SST into his vitals at 100 +/- yards.

However, the closer the bull Wildebeest came toward us the more he veered to our left. It's head, eyes and horns were facing straight at us, while it's body maintained a forward running pace allowing it to safely pass, missing us by 20 or so feet.

Once the Wildebeest passed by us he veered to his right wanting to put as much distance between us and him. My second shot, a "Texas heart shot", sliced low along the inside the rump and ending its chest causing the Wildebeest to collapse beside a big boulder. Two more insurance shots and the hunt was over.

 

[Pablo]

Make no mistake about it. It's not revenge he's after. It's the reckoning.

Worked that Tombstone quote in there!

 

[Pirkan]

I just barely survived a charge by this ferocious beast when I hunted with tally-ho.

I also managed to get my ear caught on a bush while riding in the back of the bakkie and got cool little scar but that´s not important.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Thankfully the only charge I have faced was by a pissed off ostrich in the pasture immediately adjacent to the lodge while in the back of the bakkie. I managed to give it a swipe on the head with what I had handy. . . an empty Castle beer bottle.

Guess it was pissed because you didn't offer him/her a cold beer.

 

[Borderer]

Technically, I am guessing it may be classified as a charger. After all the "clown of Africa", the Black Wildebeest, did sort of, at first, come running straight toward us (PH and myself) after I sent a 168gr Hornady SST into his vitals at 100 +/- yards.

However, the closer the bull Wildebeest came toward us the more he veered to our left. It's head, eyes and horns were facing straight at us, while it's body maintained a forward running pace allowing it to safely pass, missing us by 20 or so feet.

Once the Wildebeest passed by us he veered to his right wanting to put as much distance between us and him. My second shot, a "Texas heart shot", sliced low along the inside the rump and ending its chest causing the Wildebeest to collapse beside a big boulder. Two more insurance shots and the hunt was over.

One of my best friends’ uncle was killed in similar circumstances by a wounded wildebeest

I know someone else who has the skull of the bear that ate his great uncle. Not sure what type of bear, but it was in India

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Make no mistake about it. It's not revenge he's after. It's the reckoning.

Tombstone, right?

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

2 Cape buffalo and 1 lion. One of the cape charges made contact with my PH as he was diving out of the way. I put 6 more into it after that. It was a reckoning for sure.

HH

You must have practiced the tactical reload to shoot that many times.

 

[Rare Breed]

This is perhaps a touchy subject, but this forum impresses me as a place filled with members who are not afraid to discuss difficult things. I'm curious to know how many here have either personally been hurt or wounded on Safari, or have knowledge or stories of hunters being injured or killed. Just kind of curious to know how often it happens.

The inquiry would include of course injuries related to adverse encounters with game animals, and would also include falls while hunting/hiking, vehicular incidents, drowning, snakebite, etc. This would not be meant to include things like having a heart attack or other medical event while on Safari. As a side note I'm curious how many have experienced a charge from a wounded animal, and also any who have experienced an "unprovoked" (non-wounded) animal.

I noted a recent comment about how sad it was to mark the passing of several PH's over the years (including one lost recently in a buffalo attack), and it made me wonder how often it happens with the hunters.

I was charged by my Lion, Elephant and Rhino but all turned out well

 

[375Fox]

I just barely survived a charge by this ferocious beast when I hunted with tally-ho. View attachment 629008
I also managed to get my ear caught on a bush while riding in the back of the bakkie and got cool little scar but that´s not important.

In all seriousness though the dogs around black settlements could ruin a hunt quick. One bite would result in a lot of rabies shots. I’m told they are very mischievous and to always keep an eye on them. I’ve had PHs been bit. I also had a farm hand bitten badly on the wrist by my PH’s dachshund on one hunt. He was warned to be careful around the dog if an animal was down but didn’t take it seriously. I’m sure he needed some stitches from it. I’d have to hold dog while setting up trophy photos or it would try to bite anyone black whether it knew them or not.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

If you hunt for 50 years (and counting) in Africa like I do, then you’re bound to face a charge now and then. But please, I don’t want anybody here to think that I go into the bush looking for charges. Nothing could be further from the truth. I love hunting but I also love staying alive and in one piece.

I’ve gotten charged by:
Leopard
Lion
Hippopotamus (the most and the only one in this list who charged at me unwounded)
Cape buffalo
Elephant (the one which came the closest to killing me and the only one where my white hunter actually needed to save me)


Interestingly enough, I haven’t faced a Cape buffalo charge since 1993 when I stopped using solids for them.

Hunting hippopotamus bulls on land in the sugarcane fields tends to be extremely thrilling but just as dangerous.

Hunting leopard over hounds (and formerly bushmen trackers) virtually always culminates in charges if you push him long enough.

I actually have the lion charge and one hippopotamus charge on video tape and if someone could please help me in uploading the video here, then I’d be most grateful. I also have the hide & skull of one leopard which I stopped with a shotgun while he was charging. I’ve uploaded the photo here in the past and am more than happy to provide it again.

I will venture to say that tuskless cow elephant and hippopotamus will win the awards for most unprovoked charges amongst African dangerous game.

@Hunter-Habib in order to show videos, you need to create a personal YouTube page or channel and upload the videos there. Then you can post a link to the video here. It’s a basic, simple 16 step process

 

[Happy Myles]

I concur with Hunter-Habib, if you spend 50 years hunting wild Africa you may bump into a problem animal. Interestingly, no one mentions animals wounded by poachers causing aggressive animal behavior. I have taken three Savannah elephant finding AK-47 injuries they caused me no problems. However, a forest elephant hidden in deep jungle knocked me down before I finished it off and it had several AK-47 rounds in it. I dropped a lioness at 10 feet she had lost a paw in a poachers snare. I have had only one buffalo charge out of countless Nyati killed. It had a battery terminal turned into a poachers bullet in its neck and the pain had made it very cranky. The leopard that mauled me was a problem cat I was required to kill . I took a risky shot and the cat moved just as I squeezed the trigger. That Chui was in lousy shape we decided it had got hold of a little poison. By the way I have taken a half dozen Leopard and set baits all over Africa for photographers and fellow hunters with only the one giving me any problems. He was more than a handful Thank you.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

This is perhaps a touchy subject, but this forum impresses me as a place filled with members who are not afraid to discuss difficult things. I'm curious to know how many here have either personally been hurt or wounded on Safari, or have knowledge or stories of hunters being injured or killed. Just kind of curious to know how often it happens.

The inquiry would include of course injuries related to adverse encounters with game animals, and would also include falls while hunting/hiking, vehicular incidents, drowning, snakebite, etc. This would not be meant to include things like having a heart attack or other medical event while on Safari. As a side note I'm curious how many have experienced a charge from a wounded animal, and also any who have experienced an "unprovoked" (non-wounded) animal.

I noted a recent comment about how sad it was to mark the passing of several PH's over the years (including one lost recently in a buffalo attack), and it made me wonder how often it happens with the hunters.

This is perhaps a touchy subject, but this forum impresses me as a place filled with members who are not afraid to discuss difficult things. I'm curious to know how many here have either personally been hurt or wounded on Safari, or have knowledge or stories of hunters being injured or killed. Just kind of curious to know how often it happens.

The inquiry would include of course injuries related to adverse encounters with game animals, and would also include falls while hunting/hiking, vehicular incidents, drowning, snakebite, etc. This would not be meant to include things like having a heart attack or other medical event while on Safari. As a side note I'm curious how many have experienced a charge from a wounded animal, and also any who have experienced an "unprovoked" (non-wounded) animal.

I noted a recent comment about how sad it was to mark the passing of several PH's over the years (including one lost recently in a buffalo attack), and it made me wonder how often it happens with the hunters.

On my first safari in 1983, I shot a cape buffalo through the shoulder and low through the heart. Too low. He heard me rack the bolt, and charged. The PH shot him in the chest and the bull veered a little. I gave him another just behind the shoulder as he went past. He tried to ambush us but the PH spotted.him and I put another round in his chest from the front. He went back in the brush and death bellowed. We snuck in and saw him through a little hole for n the trees and brush still standing. The PH had a clear shot and took it, knocking the bull down. We moved in and the buff looked finished. The PH circled and approached from the front. At about 10 feet the PH threw up his rifle, and the buffalo jumped to his feet. I brought my rifle up and the bull started to close on the PH. The PH pulled the trigger, and I heard what has been described as the loudest sound in all of Africa. The rifle just clicked. I was on buffalo shoulder, but decided to go for the neck where a book said the spine should be. I broke his neck and ended it. The PH's rifle had failed to feed up the next round after he fired the last shot and he closed the bolt on an empty chamber.

 

[towserthemouser]

On my first safari in 1983, I shot a cape buffalo through the shoulder and low through the heart. Too low. He heard me rack the bolt, and charged. The PH shot him in the chest and the bull veered a little. I gave him another just behind the shoulder as he went past. He tried to ambush us but the PH spotted.him and I put another round in his chest from the front. He went back in the brush and death bellowed. We snuck in and saw him through a little hole for n the trees and brush still standing. The PH had a clear shot and took it, knocking the bull down. We moved in and the buff looked finished. The PH circled and approached from the front. At about 10 feet the PH threw up his rifle, and the buffalo jumped to his feet. I brought my rifle up and the bull started to close on the PH. The PH pulled the trigger, and I heard what has been described as the loudest sound in all of Africa. The rifle just clicked. I was on buffalo shoulder, but decided to go for the neck where a book said the spine should be. I broke his neck and ended it. The PH's rifle had failed to feed up the next round after he fired the last shot and he closed the bolt on an empty chamber.

I believe I counted six rounds there.....

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I concur with Hunter-Habib, if you spend 50 years hunting wild Africa you may bump into a problem animal. Interestingly, no one mentions animals wounded by poachers causing aggressive animal behavior. I have taken three Savannah elephant finding AK-47 injuries they caused me no problems. However, a forest elephant hidden in deep jungle knocked me down before I finished it off and it had several AK-47 rounds in it. I dropped a lioness at 10 feet she had lost a paw in a poachers snare. I have had only one buffalo charge out of countless Nyati killed. It had a battery terminal turned into a poachers bullet in its neck and the pain had made it very cranky. The leopard that mauled me was a problem cat I was required to kill . I took a risky shot and the cat moved just as I squeezed the trigger. That Chui was in lousy shape we decided it had got hold of a little poison. By the way I have taken a half dozen Leopard and set baits all over Africa for photographers and fellow hunters with only the one giving me any problems. He was more than a handful Thank you.

I believe I counted six rounds there.....

I think that's right. Most exciting thing I ever did! After tge last shot the PH said "Oh this is just bloody great!" I asked him what he meant. He said, "Now you'll have to go back to the states and tell your mates how you had to save your professionals ass! (Pronounced " oss"). I asked if that's what I did. He smiled and said, "He was pretty broken up, I might have been able to stay away from him long enough to get my rifle working. But I'm awfully glad I didn't have to. I just love you Yanks that can shoot!

 

[cajunchefray]

On my first safari in 1983, I shot a cape buffalo through the shoulder and low through the heart. Too low. He heard me rack the bolt, and charged. The PH shot him in the chest and the bull veered a little. I gave him another just behind the shoulder as he went past. He tried to ambush us but the PH spotted.him and I put another round in his chest from the front. He went back in the brush and death bellowed. We snuck in and saw him through a little hole for n the trees and brush still standing. The PH had a clear shot and took it, knocking the bull down. We moved in and the buff looked finished. The PH circled and approached from the front. At about 10 feet the PH threw up his rifle, and the buffalo jumped to his feet. I brought my rifle up and the bull started to close on the PH. The PH pulled the trigger, and I heard what has been described as the loudest sound in all of Africa. The rifle just clicked. I was on buffalo shoulder, but decided to go for the neck where a book said the spine should be. I broke his neck and ended it. The PH's rifle had failed to feed up the next round after he fired the last shot and he closed the bolt on an empty chamber.

That’s the definition of the “Pucker Factor “. Glad y’all got it sorted out.

What rifle did the PH use that failed to feed?

 

[Bearbait1]

I was charged by a small male grizzly in Alaska. He seemed to be in good shape with good teeth. I looked all around for a kill he might be defending but found nothing. I guess he was just in a crappy mood. I had been false charged twice by bears and the difference is very apparent when they really mean it.

 

[Garrett89]

Had my ego bruised a couple times over there. That's about it so far

 

[Rare Breed]

Mine has been bruised over there before!!!