Judging Cape Buffalo

[Royal27]

I've read, and I believe that it is talked about in the judging buffalo thread here, that a true "world record bull" will always be a soft boss bull under the current scoring system. Which makes sense to me as bulls wear down as shown in these pics.

To me though, it is the age and character that makes them so cool. This is the buff in my avatar. I love his character, even though I'm biased.

1. Love the chewed up right ear - can imagine how pissed he was at something when that happened!!!
2. I'm left handed and he appeared to be left horned
3. He was getting "skinny" in his old age. Perfect time to take him after a full life

 

[Brent in Az]

I've read, and I believe that it is talked about in the judging buffalo thread here, that a true "world record bull" will always be a soft boss bull under the current scoring system. Which makes sense to me as bulls wear down as shown in these pics.

To me though, it is the age and character that makes them so cool. This is the buff in my avatar. I love his character, even though I'm biased.

1. Love the chewed up right ear - can imagine how pissed he was at something when that happened!!!
2. I'm left handed and he appeared to be left horned
3. He was getting "skinny" in his old age. Perfect time to take him after a full life

View attachment 38112

Nice looking Bull.

 

[Royal27]

Nice looking Bull.

Thank you!

He is my bull and the one i was meant to have. I followed a bigger bull for three days, who ended up with this Bull a couple of days later and stopped to stare at us all pissed off after I shot my bull. That was a tense few moments and the other bull was magnificent and measured 43 inches (ph got got him later in season). But I wouldn't trade my bull for that one ever.

Now if they had another license open and the PH and said I could take a double. Well... my wife would have just had to understand where the money went.

 

[Biddleman]

Love the old worn down, broken horn bulls. The helmet heads are just badass. True trophies. Screw the scoring system.

Royal that's an awesome bull. Can't ask for anything more in a buff. Well past his prime.

 

[Royal27]

Thanks Biddleman!!!

You nailed what buffalo hunting is all about.

Speaking of helmet heads. This was a bull that was on the wall in the camp. Would have loved to have seen him on the hoof...

 

[CAustin]

There are many bulls but this one is my bull. There are no others like him because the memory of his hunt is etched in my mind. He is only 40 inches but it wouldn't matter to me if he was 36 inches. He charged me and put up a tremendous fight! He should be on my wall within the next two months. Shipping out any day now. His boss was hard as a rock even though it had not fused in the middle. Nice drop and curl I think. I watched him throw one of his fellow mud boys with that left side of his horns with a 400 grain bullet already in his chest. One powerful beast.
I will hunt one of these again some day.....they do get under your skin.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Not so sure on this one.
View attachment 38097

I would say just a bit too young and I would have left him be. His face is just too narrow and durn near handsome, looks like a kid. Still lots of hair, no bald spot, no scars and the bosses still a bit thick. He had started to drop a bit, but wow I think this bull would've been very special if a few more years.


What say you, @Jaco Strauss and @KMG Hunting Safaris (Marius) of this keyboard PH's evaluation?

Edit: If you click on "View attachment 38097", you can see which buff Brickburn posted.

 

[Royal27]

I would say just a bit too young and I would have left him be. His face is just too narrow and durn near handsome, looks like a kid. Still lots of hair, no bald spot, no scars and the bosses still a bit thick. He had started to drop a bit, but wow I think this bull would've been very special if a few more years.


What say you, @Jaco Strauss and @KMG Hunting Safaris (Marius) of this keyboard PH's evaluation?

Edit: If you click on "View attachment 38097", you can see which buff Brickburn posted.

I thought the same thing Phil, plus the lighter gray along the edge of the boss. like you can still see where he is soft. I know nothing, but can guess!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I would say just a bit too young and I would have left him be. His face is just too narrow and durn near handsome, looks like a kid. Still lots of hair, no bald spot, no scars and the bosses still a bit thick. He had started to drop a bit, but wow I think this bull would've been very special if a few more years.


What say you, @Jaco Strauss and @KMG Hunting Safaris (Marius) of this keyboard PH's evaluation?

Edit: If you click on "View attachment 38097", you can see which buff Brickburn posted.

Not an old bull by any means.

 

[hunting4sanity]

I'm becoming more interested all the time in hunting a buffalo. Is a soft boss bull one where you see the hair going up into the bosses, as opposed to a distinct line between hair and horn? What can you tell me about these three pics?

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

 

[peras]

Hard bossed mature bull.

Very old bull

Not very wide but the bosses makes it a classic trophy.

 

[Upton O. Good]

I'm not a fan of great wide spreads on Cape buffalo, they look like genetic malfunctions to me. The classic deep curl, hard boss, battered helmeted, grey faced buffs are the trophies that catch my eye. Their heads and shoulders tell me that they're typically done with contributing their genetics to the herd, they bear the scars of battle with rivals and lions, and they seem to be crotchety in their old age. Kind of like me, I guess.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

At what age does a Bull achieve maturity, and a fully hard boss. Does the bull also achieve maximum width, and mass when he hits his prime age. Do those super wide bulls we see in pictures and videos, always have a hard boss, or could they still be younger bulls that haven't reached their prime.

Brent, Here are a couple of posts which will be of interest to you...
- Judging Cape Buffalo: http://www.africahunting.com/threads/judging-cape-buffalo.378/page-2#post-7068
- Cape Buffalo: Is the SCI Trophy Scoring System Wrong?: http://www.africahunting.com/threads/judging-cape-buffalo.378/#post-5855

 

[Brent in Az]

I'm not a fan of great wide spreads on Cape buffalo, they look like genetic malfunctions to me. The classic deep curl, hard boss, battered helmeted, grey faced buffs are the trophies that catch my eye. Their heads and shoulders tell me that they're typically done with contributing their genetics to the herd, they bear the scars of battle with rivals and lions, and they seem to be crotchety in their old age. Kind of like me, I guess.

I certainly agree on the Buff. I seem to get more crotchety, the older I get also.

 

[Brent in Az]

Thanks for the Link Jerome. Great info on cape Buffalo.

I appreciate everyone's photo's and input.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Here are some massive Buffalo…

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[KWALATA SAFARIS]

I would say just a bit too young and I would have left him be. His face is just too narrow and durn near handsome, looks like a kid. Still lots of hair, no bald spot, no scars and the bosses still a bit thick. He had started to drop a bit, but wow I think this bull would've been very special if a few more years.


What say you, @Jaco Strauss and @KMG Hunting Safaris (Marius) of this keyboard PH's evaluation?

Edit: If you click on "View attachment 38097", you can see which buff Brickburn posted.

Spot on pass and keep on searching...

 

[k9lawman]

Here's mine from Mozambique July 2015..PH estimated he was about 12 years old..40"

 

[edward]

lot of great bulls shown.

 

[Foxi]

this is the mine from last year.
The trophy is in Germany now.
When I get it from the TD, report is following.
Foxi