Not addicted to hunting buffalo?

[375Fox]

I’ve been thinking about this since the discussion on scrum cap/broken horn bulls. All I ever read is how you will become addicted to hunting buffalo after your first hunt. I’ve been on two successful buffalo hunts both in free range areas and took great buffalo each time, but I’m not addicted to hunting them. The second hunt was to accomplish some aspects I feel I didn’t get on the first hunt and it did that. I’ll probably hunt more buffalo in future, but more because buffalo and wild areas often go together rather than to specifically hunt a buffalo. In Africa, eland, bushbuck, and warthogs get me really excited. I enjoy buffalo hunting, but not above other hunts. Anyone else not addicted to hunting buffalo after their first buffalo?

 

[mark-hunter]

I feel addicted to buffalo, just by planning my first buffalo hunt.
But, i did not hunt buffalo yet.

Out of curiosity, what were the additional aspects you wanted to accomplish during your second buffalo hunt?

 

[375Fox]

I feel addicted to buffalo, just by planning my first buffalo hunt.
But, i did not hunt buffalo yet.

Out of curiosity, what were the additional aspects you wanted to accomplish during your second buffalo hunt?

I should add I did really enjoy both my hunts, just didn’t create an addiction I see most people talk about. The first hunt was adjacent Kruger and just a little too easy. Lots of buffalo, mostly hunting spot and stalk from vehicle, tracking team didn’t regularly work for PH. The second hunt was in Zambezi valley and more accurately fit the description of a classic buffalo hunt with very experienced PH with tracking team that worked together many years, tracking from waterhole several miles, very alert and wary buffalo, taken at close range in thick brush.

 

[meigsbucks]

Sorry to disappoint you but…. There are a number of African animals that get me excited: kudu, warthog, bushbuck, eland, gemsbok and zebra all get my blood pumping… BUT, buffalo just do it for me.
I did a great PG hunt in Namibia, but in retrospect, it lacked a buffalo.

 

[IvW]

You should try tuskless elephant hunting....if that does not do it it for you maybe consider fly fishing......

 

[375Fox]

Sorry to disappoint you but…. There are a number of African animals that get me excited: kudu, warthog, bushbuck, eland, gemsbok and zebra all get my blood pumping… BUT, buffalo just do it for me.
I did a great PG hunt in Namibia, but in retrospect, it lacked a buffalo.

I honestly don’t see a lot of difference in hunting most species of plains game. The reason I listed those 3 was because it’s different hunting than the rest to me not that others don’t get me excited I just don’t see them as unique hunting.

 

[Nyati]

There is a hunter in Spain which has more than one hundred buffs.

He has the kind of money to support his addiction, unfortunately I don´t.

So one will have to suffice

 

[WAB]

I’m not as mad at buffalo as I once was. I guess I’d say that I am addicted to true tracking hunts in the bush

I’m currently driving home from another successful Coues deer hunt. Coues deer have the makings of a very serious addiction.

 

[mrpoindexter]

I am not addicted to hunting buffalo. I can quit whenever I want to.

I don't want to.

 

[mark-hunter]

So one will have to suffice

My perspective as well!

 

[mark-hunter]

You should try tuskless elephant hunting....

Under consideration after I get buffalo... so far, in the stage of "consideration at later point"... buff is priority

 

[Rare Breed]

I honestly don’t see a lot of difference in hunting most species of plains game. The reason I listed those 3 was because it’s different hunting than the rest to me not that others don’t get me excited I just don’t see them as unique hunting.

To me it is a combination of using a double rifle and having to get close which in my safaris for the most part PG just were not as difficult versus hunting buffalo. Just me

 

[grand veneur]

What does addicted mean?

I have shot more than one buffalo, and not only in Africa, but not because I'm addicted.

I go to Africa mainly because of big game hunting that can hardly be done on other continents nowadays. I would not travel to Africa just because of plain game. Instead of this I prefer a deer hunting in northern Europe or Asia, or an Ibex hunt in Central Asia.

 

[curtism1234]

I have not hunted them but I can see the potential letdown / struggles. You want to go on this hunt in large part of what you see on videos - not the full charges but him staring you down, the shooting him a half dozen times, he tries to get up and you drop him again.

Then you get there and may feel led around like a puppy for 90% of it, shoot it once or twice, it runs behind cover and dies. You are left saying, this is it? - even though the best case scenario occurred.

I think what someone builds up in their head (which is somewhat of a fantasy, a collaboration of the 100 tv shows spliced together) may not equal the reality.

But what the hell do I know

 

[mark-hunter]

I honestly don’t see a lot of difference in hunting most species of plains game.

The trick is to change the habitat. Swamp, savanna, mountains, rain forest, desert. And to try to get typical animal for the local area. Thats how I see it. Even the same species in different areas is different hunt.

 

[Tanks]

You should try tuskless elephant hunting....if that does not do it it for you maybe consider fly fishing......

Yeah, elephants do it for me, tuskless or otherwise. I am looking into doing some fly fishing in the off season though.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I dont really enjoy buffalo hunting. I have one and have hunted them on the side on a couple other hunts. I mean I could potentially get excited for maybe a Nile Buff or Savanah Buff since it is something different. Would pretty much take an old scrum cap to get me excited.

I do find myself longing to hunt a tuskless again, that was addicting.

 

[fourfive8]

I’m not as mad at buffalo as I once was. I guess I’d say that I am addicted to true tracking hunts in the bush

I’m currently driving home from another successful Coues deer hunt. Coues deer have the makings of a very serious addiction.

I know exactly what's up with hunting the little gray ghosts of the SW mtns! I was into Coues deer hunting long before it was a "thing". I could easily go DIY without having to draw licenses. Hunting them also meant being nearly alone in the field because not many were very interested specifically in Coues deer. Good old days I think. And yes, tracking buffalo is an especially rewarding way to hunt them and in many ways similar to hunting eland, wildebeest, zebra or kudu by tracking.

 

[375Fox]

I have not hunted them but I can see the potential letdown / struggles. You want to go on this hunt in large part of what you see on videos - not the full charges but him staring you down, the shooting him a half dozen times, he tries to get up and you drop him again.

Then you get there and may feel led around like a puppy for 90% of it, shoot it once or twice, it runs behind cover and dies. You are left saying, this is it? - even though the best case scenario occurred.

I think what someone builds up in their head (which is somewhat of a fantasy, a collaboration of the 100 tv shows spliced together) may not equal the reality.

But what the hell do I know

There was no build up or let down like you describe. I really do not want to be involved in a charge whatsoever. I just read the comments about buffalo hunting and am a bit surprised at the consensus every time. After hunting two buffalo and 6 Eland, I enjoy hunting eland a lot more.

 

[chashardy]

I am addicted, but maybe a little less so after getting my third, and biggest, bull in July this year. There is just a lot more "edge" to buffalo hunting and everything about the hunt is amped up several notches. I remember the first time I hunted buffalo. My PH and I had been hunting plains game for three days or so and had taken several nice animals. On those hunts it was just me with my 300 winmag and the PH with the sticks and a pistol.
On the morning we started our buffalo hunt, I switched to my 375 H&H double. The PH pulled out his 450/400 double and the tracker took the sticks and the three of us started tracking. I knew then that buffalo hunting is a completely different game. If I didn't know then, I knew about two hours later. I put the first shot into my bull, but it wasn't a fatal shot. We were now tracking a wounded bull and a second PH joined us as back up, carrying his 470 Nitro double. He walked to the side of us watching for a charge. Buffalo will lead you into the thickest bush he can find, then double back on his track and wait for you to pass. The charge will often come from the side, but not always. Fortunately we did not have a charge and were able to get the buffalo down after several hours of tracking. It's exciting and addictive.