How old is this bull?

[Justbryan]

Hard or partial soft? Does smooth mean soft? No hair loss. Will there be a lot of shrinking?

 

[Albert GRANT]

Wish I could say, but I have no personal experience. Interested to see what the rest have to say as well.

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/explain-to-me-cape-buffalo-horns.42037/

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/cape-buffalo-boss-help.44317/

In the end you will know after it is boiled.

 

[Justbryan]

I have read everything so too many factors. Those with experience offer a best quess and why.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I'm going to take a wild geuss and say between 42-60 months old , I have no experience judging Cape buffalo but have judged a large amount of cattle.

Given the large size of the horns without a lot of wear and the fact the growth plates in the skull are still touching that's my geuss. Just reaching prime for a breeding bull if we were dealing in cattle.

It will be interesting to see if I'm close or missed completely I've always wondered how judging cattle compared to buffalo.

 

[chashardy]

I tend to agree with Skinnersblade above. This is a beautiful bull from the standpoint of size, spread, curl and width of boss, and it doesn't look like it's had a lot of wear from rubbing or fighting. I'm guessing it's a breeder's bull raised by one of the many game ranchers in SA. (Many of the game lodges in SA acquire their cape buffalo from breeders along with some trophy sable and kudu. It's why the game in SA is so plentiful and of such good quality.) Doesn't make it any less of a mount and memory of your hunt, and you probably will get a little shrinkage in the taxidermy process. Congratulations on a beautiful cape buffalo.

 

[BWH]

Great genetics.... the body may tell more than the horns. However, I will go with 8-9 years old

 

[BRICKBURN]

The buffalo horn won’t really be shrinking per se. If you are thinking smaller bosses, then anything that is not hard and thick will be lost when it is boiled.

Has the skull been Processed yet?

 

[Ridge Runner]

Hard or soft, that's a nice buff. Congrats.
We await your hunt report.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Hard or partial soft? Does smooth mean soft? No hair loss. Will there be a lot of shrinking?View attachment 337150View attachment 337151

I'm guessing 5 years old give/take, but that's a swag. Bosses still look pretty thick and green and no hair loss. Face looks like that of a teenager, not an old man. Again, just a swag from a PH wanna be.

Jacques @JKO Hunting Safaris, what's your thoughts?

 

[Neil Molendyk]

If I had to guess, 7ish. Green bosses, no tip wearing yet, still has a youthful face. Doesn't appear to have any battle scars yet. Would have been a breeder in a year or so. But I'm certainly no expert. Lol.

 

[Justbryan]

It has been processed but waiting on documents and then probably waiting on shipping. I was guessing 7yrs. old. At 4200 lbs. He is a stud and I am just concerned about boiling process. One of my friends looks a lot smaller in person. It was probably about 7 yrs. old also.

Thanks. It is going to be back soon but until then I will fret a little.

 

[postoak]

4200 pounds?

 

[Royal27]

My guess is soft boss and young. Hasn't bred anything. Wouldn't be one to shoot in the wild. On a game farm it can be different though as they have bulls to breed and bulls to shoot. The shooters they want to turn as fast as they reasonably can in order to maximize profits.

4200 pounds?

Not great pics to judge weight from but I dont think that bull even weighs a ton. Assuming that two tons and change was a typo.

 

[Wheels]

Boss isn’t developed. Not hard at all. You can push in with your thumb. it is easy to see the line between the hard and the soft

Taxidermist should charge extra for the gallon of putty it will take to make the buff look mature after boiling.

hard to tell but weight is less than 1500 lb. probably closer to 1200. Like comparing an 17 year old man to a 30 year old.

I’m not trying to be rude. Just answering question.

 

[enysse]

I agree with @Wheels, I’m not sure of the weight. But having grown up on a farm. A bull that weighs a ton is absolutely huge!

 

[Wheels]

It has been processed but waiting on documents and then probably waiting on shipping. I was guessing 7yrs. old. At 4200 lbs. He is a stud and I am just concerned about boiling process. One of my friends looks a lot smaller in person. It was probably about 7 yrs. old also.

Thanks. It is going to be back soon but until then I will fret a little.

Hunting authors over the years have pushed the figure that a cape buffalo weighs a ton. In reality a large bull seems more in the 1600 lb range. Perhaps a monster weighs 1800lb. I would guess that most grown buff that are shot weigh around 1400-1500 lb. Perhaps in some places buff will genetically be larger.

I am not the best estimator, but I grew up around cows and cape buffalo also. Many of those posting will be better at estimating a weight than me so feel free to join in. @ActionBob probably knows weight of bovine better than most since he is around thousands every day. Bob, would you be willing to give an estimate of the buff in the OP?

 

[BWH]

I don’t think 2000lbs is out of the range for a truly large bull.

 

[Royal27]

hard to tell but weight is less than 1500 lb. probably closer to 1200. Like comparing an 17 year old man to a 30 year old.

Agree on the weight and great analogy on the age and maturity. This bull wasn't close to reaching its prime yet.

 

[Royal27]

I don’t think 2000lbs is out of the range for a truly large bull.

It isn't. Especially one that is fed alfalfa every day.

This isn't a truly large bull though. And candidly Brad, I think your age guess is WAY high too.