Most Dangerous Game (unwounded)?

[CBH Australia]

That's an interesting theory, I wonder

It’s off topic but interesting.
The movie of the Ghost and the Darkness about the the same story of those maneaters of Tsavo is a favourite and I read the book.
There are other theories that the Lions had other problems like issues with their teeth etc. a cyst in a tooth cavity? The information is online.
I have no desire to go vego and now I have reason not too.
On a tour of Pumba game reserve we were able to get out of the vehicle and observe leopards who were resting after eating from a fresh kill.
We were told they re unlikely to attack people as we are bigger but the guide had a stick in hand.

 

[TOBY458]

I think a few are missing the original question.......

Which one do you think is the most dangerous to hunt if the animal has not been wounded and why?

Most Africans get killed by hippo but this is not related to hunting same for crocs....Man eating lions and leopards also do not fall into this category.....

On foot hunting DG game the most dangerous to hunt that has not been wounded would be elephant cows and in particular tusk less elephant cows.....Why, because there will invariable be cows with young calves present, which makes them super alert and protective and you need to get into the herd, find a tusk less, determine that she does not have a dependent calf at foot and then get into position to take this specific cow among the others, then take the shot.....this is often where the danger can start, if the rest of the herd take exception to your presence and actions....

That is undoubtedly the most dangerous of the seven to hunt without a doubt....if in doubt book such a hunt and come and hunt one and see for yourself.

I'm looking at going on a tuskless hunt. Do you have any recommendations on who to book with?

 

[Jeffrey]

UNWOUNDED game the most DANGEROUS for HUNTERS: Lion by a mile, especially females. Elephant after that.

Wounded: Buffalo provide the most stats every year, but more Buff are hunted than other DG.

Statistically, Crocs and Hippos kill the most people, just not so much hunters.

 

[Major Khan]

Poton, that sounds reasonable to me. Many years ago when I bow hunted quite a bit, I would eat vegetarian for a month before the bow season started. I still believe it helped my scent signature out. I may be in fantasy land, but it seemed to help me get within my 30 yard range for my recurve. Took 7 deer with that old Bear Minuteman recurve.

Your tactic makes a great deal of sense to me , Ridge Walker. You must have had the deer very confused by your scent ( or lack there of ) and it must have had it's guard down.

 

[Dr Ray]

Number 8 would be women!

 

[wesheltonj]

Other then man, Polar Bear.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Other then man, Polar Bear.

Not many of those in Africa.

 

[Timbo]

I have found that two legged Whitetails are by far the most formidable.

Yes! Merciless and almost invincible - especially when accompanied by their lawyers in divorcing you!!

But seriously, my PH in Zambia told me that many don't bother reporting deaths from hippos and crocs - as it happens with such regularity, that it's almost regarded as just another part of daily life.

 

[perttime]

Not many of those in Africa.

But if you ever do encounter a Polar Bear, it is more likely to consider you a meal than a threat.

 

[Lancaster]

I have asked a few PHs and Guides over the years and for unwounded they say crocs - as mentioned above you rarely find the victim (vs with hippo) followed by hippo, then elephant (esp tuskless cows and bulls in musht.)

 

[BeeMaa]

I have found that two legged Whitetails are by far the most formidable.

Stick to the subject Toby.
The OP clearly stated UNWOUNDED.
Any woman who has been with the likes of you is certainly not unwounded.

 

[Cam Moon]

Ok, well I've read through this and have some thoughts as well. First is regards to Crocs and Hippos. I do believe that statistically they are responsible for the most deaths, but think about why.....
Where do you find Rhinos, Elephants, Lions, Leopards, and Buffalo? On a game reserve, in the park, on a hunting concession, etc. Not all over the place living alongside humans. Where do you find Crocs and (to a lesser degree perhaps) Hippos?
They DO regularly inhabit areas that people live in. Maybe this has the most to do with the statistics.
Next is the Polar bear. The "largest predator on Earth" looks at humans as just another food source. We're meat. However, the polar bear lives in a harsh environment that does not have a large number of human inhabitants. (Again statistics play a role) And yes, the Polar Bear doesn't live in Africa, but then the original poster didn't specifically ask about Africa. (No, he asked about 7 animals in particular!)
Cape Buffalo.... "Black Death"! Now there's one dangerous character. One bad hombre! But, to go with statistics again, I'd venture to guess that there are more Buffalo hunted than Elephant or Cats.
Rhino.... Like a big, prehistoric tank with an attitude! But not many of them hunted anymore either, so again with the numbers and statistics.
What made sense to me was the danger of hunting the tuskless cow Elephant. Actually being in the midst of the herd. So many things could go wrong, and so quickly! Now this isn't to discount the Cats... The thought of being shredded by one of those makes my hair stand up on end!
If the OP hadn't limited us to the seven animals, I'd have to go with the two legged Whitetail (or just women in general) but I think I should shut my mouth, before I myself become a statistic!

 

[johnnyblues]

The most dangerous to human beings - Hippo and Croc - by a landslide. However most of us won't be checking nets from a dugout or washing our clothes on a river bank.

I am convinced that the most dangerous for modern hunters is the Cape Buffalo. Seemingly every year a PH or two, tracker, or client gets hammered, shot, or gored hunting these big truculent beasts.

+1

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I have asked a few PHs and Guides over the years and for unwounded they say crocs - as mentioned above you rarely find the victim (vs with hippo) followed by hippo, then elephant (esp tuskless cows and bulls in musht.)

When I have asked PHs, the two answers that I have gotten are Elephant and Buffalo. Given the right (or wrong) circumstances each of them will go out of their way to hurt you. Craig Boddington says that a buffalo will usually behave like an elk (i.e., put distance between you and them) but there are times when they don't. That's when things get ugly.

While buffalo do kill and injure more hunters and PHs than elephants, there a lot more of them and a lot more people hunting them. So, it's hard to use that as the basis to draw a conclusion.

 

[Ragman]

Most people in Africa gets killed by Hippo, most hunters by Buffalo.

My tracker got charged unprovoked by a Caracal. Does that count?

Don’t forget that I witnessed you fight off a charge of a whole pack of warthogs!!!

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Don’t forget that I witnessed you fight off a charge of a whole pack of warthogs!!!

Haha..... Yeah, that was.... Uhm.... Interesting.

 

[Scott CWO]

I have found that two legged Whitetails are by far the most formidable.

Uhh yeah that species can be very dangerous but their life-mate can be worse in many circumstances!

 

[Scott CWO]

On a serious note, I would have to say that for African HUNTING, I agree with @IvW that tusk-less cow ele and then other ele hunts are the most dangerous. You are in close proximity trying to find that specific cow or trying to judge ivory.

After that, I would suggest close quarters buffalo when you are trying to get a specific bull from a group or a herd. In 2014, my hunting partner and his PH were charged by a surprised cow buffalo at close range. The cow badly injured the PH and my partner had to shoot the cow right off of the PH. He survived but needed surgery and several skin grafts.

Next, I would suggest lion on the ground or even in a ground blind near bait. Most of the lions I have encountered were not even scared of us AT ALL! We even had three 3-4 year-old males coming into our camp every night circling my bungalow that just had 3'x4' screen windows with curtains. Made for some interesting "sleep" with a radio, flashlight and loaded .458 Lott on the bed. The old stories of lions dragging villagers out of their huts at night certainly came to mind.

As for hunting crocs and hippo, I didn't feel it was all that dangerous taking a shot into the water or on the sandbar but you do have to make a great shot.

I also wasn't too worried about hunting leopard from a ground blind near bait and luckily I made a good shot in the daylight and we didn't have to track a wounded leopard.

All this being said, anything can happen. In the words of a close friend and fellow brown bear guide in Alaska who survived a mauling and was charged on other occasions, "If you hunt or guide long enough, you will run into an azzhole of any dangerous species that for some reason decides to try to take you out."

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

hey all

in my opinion the most dangerous game to hunt thats not wounded is "the one you are busy hunting" be it any of the 7, thats why they called dangerous game. every hunt should be approached in this way then there would be fewer incidents!!!!

regards

 

[Jaws]

Id say its circumstantial, but my vote goes to Elephant cows with calves especially if they have experienced predators (2 & 4 legged) before.

There was the big 5 then & the big 5 now, as the world evolved & human influence and other factors has affected the behavior of these animals, some are as good as domesticated animals now & some have turned for the worst, but typically any of the big 5 can be deadly & unpredictable when surprised or their fight / flight boundaries have been crossed.