Longwalker
AH elite
Memorable quotes about Cape Buffalo, heard while I was on safari:
"They look at you like you owe them money"
" you must place the first shot perfectly. A Buffalo, when they decide to charge, will not stop until you are gone or one of you is dead. You cannot discourage a charging buffalo with a non lethal shot as you can an elephant"
" reload NOW! The others are deciding what to do"
And this one, as we were driving the Landcruiser back to camp unarmed, after a post - hunt sightseeing and photography tour on the Chobe river:
" oh look, they're coming!"
We had driven past one last herd of buffalo that were beautifully silhouetted against the setting sun. We didn't even stop for pictures, it was too dark. We were well out, and going away, 150 meters or so from the nearest. Bumping along the grassy floodplain in first gear. Perhaps we accidentally insulted them. Perhaps they had been recently harassed by lions. Who knows. Buffalo don't need a reason to express their displeasure. Nelson, the assistant PH looked back and uttered those four words in a mix of wonder and concern as three bulls transformed themselves from alert, stationary observers to galloping, determined defenders. Or attackers.
Johann stomped on the accelerator, but the 6 cylinder Toyota diesel is not so good at accelerating in sand. Buffalo have very good acceleration. It took far too many long seconds, and third gear, until they gave up the chase. The last sight we had was of three indistinct but massive black shapes, dust swirling around their hooked horns in the gloom, coming to a stop as we pulled away.
A good memory.
"They look at you like you owe them money"
" you must place the first shot perfectly. A Buffalo, when they decide to charge, will not stop until you are gone or one of you is dead. You cannot discourage a charging buffalo with a non lethal shot as you can an elephant"
" reload NOW! The others are deciding what to do"
And this one, as we were driving the Landcruiser back to camp unarmed, after a post - hunt sightseeing and photography tour on the Chobe river:
" oh look, they're coming!"
We had driven past one last herd of buffalo that were beautifully silhouetted against the setting sun. We didn't even stop for pictures, it was too dark. We were well out, and going away, 150 meters or so from the nearest. Bumping along the grassy floodplain in first gear. Perhaps we accidentally insulted them. Perhaps they had been recently harassed by lions. Who knows. Buffalo don't need a reason to express their displeasure. Nelson, the assistant PH looked back and uttered those four words in a mix of wonder and concern as three bulls transformed themselves from alert, stationary observers to galloping, determined defenders. Or attackers.
Johann stomped on the accelerator, but the 6 cylinder Toyota diesel is not so good at accelerating in sand. Buffalo have very good acceleration. It took far too many long seconds, and third gear, until they gave up the chase. The last sight we had was of three indistinct but massive black shapes, dust swirling around their hooked horns in the gloom, coming to a stop as we pulled away.
A good memory.
Last edited by a moderator: