Professional Hunter Michael Fell Wounded by Buffalo

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Read on Michael’s FB page that the buffalo that got him had been wounded by his client. Michael saw the buffalo at the last moment in some bush. Fired one shot, but the buff kept coming. As the bull approached, he got one more shot into the head between the bosses. This killed the bull but not before he got a hook into his thigh. The bull dropped and landed on him, but fortunately again the buff was done.

He hopes to be out of the hospital come Sunday. Fortunate indeed if that is the case.

Get well soon Michael, look forward to seeing you at the shows!
 
Prayers for a fast and uneventful recovery!
 
Do they have first aid kits along? You would think they could wrap up the wound.
 
Thoughts go out to Mike. I saw on his social media the story of the hunt and how he got one into it heading out of the thicket but it was turning towards him. Hope he’s back out there shortly, he’s hoping to be out of the hospital this weekend based on his post..
Wild West said:
Do they have first aid kits along? You would think they could wrap up the wound.
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Some do have them and Mike posted had a SafariMedic trauma kit. I’ve seen and read a lot of PH’s and even US outfitters are running them. The company was founded by a former Navy Surgeon who built a kit for his personal DG hunt and it evolved from there.
 
I’m set to hunt with Mike in November 2023. I think he’s going to be okay. He’s a tough bugger!
 
Wishing him a speedy recovery
 
Here's a message from Mike that he sent me on WhatsApp and asked me to share with you here. It's a caption from his social media of the breakdown of the whole ordeal.

"Overwhelmed by the support and messages from the hunting community, after my accident today. Thank you so much to everyone who reached out to help me and with support. Thank you to my loved ones for being so amazing.
We had just started a new 21 day safari yesterday. This morning my client wounded an old buffalo. We were following the wounded buffalo (with a single lung shot) for about 4.5 hours in thick riverine forest.
I suddenly spotted the concealed bull hiding in a nearby bush that was very thick on the part between us. As he broke out the back, I fired my right barrel into him. Turned out the bull was not running away, but coming out the back to charge at us.
As the distance was already closer than a few yards when the cantankerous bull reappeared into vision, I held from firing my left barrel until the very last moment to be sure of the shot.
As he lowered his head and horns to toss me, I fired down into the gab between his horns/ bosses (an illustrated in the pic).
All I remember was the sharp tip of that horn piercing my left thigh, as I held tight onto his horns with my arms, trying to prevent them from piercing deeper. The buffalo tossed me upside down and then succumbed to my shot and fell dead on top of me. Fortunately for me, the penetrating horn missed my femoral artery by 3cms and all the damage was mostly internal to my thigh muscles. Thank you at Safari Medic for the great trauma kit. Preparation was key to my survival.
My team at Bushman Hunting Safaris Ltd (and my trackers who carried me out of the bush) did an incredible job. Immediately having “Arusha Medivac” medically evacuate me from the bush airstrip to the Agha Caan hospital in Nairobi. It was all smooth as clock work.
In truth, only the lucky ones ever make it to hospital.
The surgeons were fantastic and immediately did CT scans, gave me general anesthesia and instantly operated on the penetrating wounds- to clean them up and put the thigh muscles back together. I will hopefully get out of hospital by Sunday.
As I look around the hospital, at the patients that are in far worse predicaments than myself, I realize how lucky I am.
Life is good and I thank my Guardian Angel (likely my deceased Mother in heaven) for keeping me alive today!!!"
 
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Update on his health as told by himself:

"Surgery was successful last night and they have it open with a cleaning veraflo therapy valve machine. Think the worst is over and I was lucky. Missed the femoral artery by 3 cms. Will be in hospital for about 10 days in Nairobi."
 
Scott CWO said:
I’m set to hunt with Mike in November 2023. I think he’s going to be okay. He’s a tough bugger!
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You won't go wrong hunting with him. The only professional hunter to have taken 3 hundred pounders in the space of 9 months well after the age of the hundred pounders is over!

Danny McCallum (his and my mentor) once told me that back in '98, Mike bought a land cruiser and drove all the way from South Africa to his house in Arusha with just the aid of a GPS to request for a position as an apprentice under him. Danny then said he had never seen that determination in any apprentice before and immediately took him aboard. Mike proved his worth and has always been a very hard working PH. Definitely among the top PHs in Africa today!
 
Flipper Dude said:
Damn. Unlucky, and extremely lucky. Always enjoyed watching him hunt with Shockey. Wishing him nothing but the best in his recovery
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Ahh yes, Michael looked very familiar from the pics posted by Jerome & now your comments “ … hunts w/ Shockey” connects the dots! I’ve watched & rewatched those episodes … they had a scary, super close encounter w/ a charging hippo from the thick stuff that Jim head shot just paces from them both!

Stay strong Michael & speedy recovery … we need your expertise in the bush!
 
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Glad to hear your surgery went well Mike. Praying for your speedy recovery and complete healing.
 
Same client who was with Mike during the Buffalo mishap shot this ancient lion today morning! This is a safari that will surely stand out to him!
IMG-20221027-WA0030.jpg
IMG-20221027-WA0031.jpg
 
Outstanding news on the surgery! We'll continue to keep you in our prayers for a quick recovery!
 
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