We Finally Got The Phantom Buffalo Bull!

[Inline6]

Damn nice bull!

 

[Still alive]

Very nice story. Thanks for sharing

 

[Tra3]

As a bit of additional information to this fantastic animal: I hunted with PH Louw Lotter just before this Buffalo was taken. We also hunted the Waterburg plateau, but for eland and giraffe. Waterburg is an amazing place. Imagine a 300-500 foot high butte rising out of the Namibian landscape with cliffs all around it. The space on top of the plateau is hunted, it is a huge concession. Their camp is newly built and very comfortable.
My son and I were lucky to see this bull during that hunt. We were not hunting buffalo, so we got to admire him. He was the largest buffalo we saw on that hunt, although we saw multiple others in excess of 40” and one other that Louw estimated to be 46”.
Our goal in being there was eland tracking, which makes for an amazing hunt. There is a healthy population of rhino there, as well as a considerable amount of giraffe.
It is amazing place that I plan to return to hunt again.

 

[slam8031]

Fantastic story and an awesome buff—congratulations!!

 

[Shootist43]

WOW, I didn't know they made them that big, but then I've never hunted Cape Buffalo.

 

[TwoTracks]

Mercy, that buf is really special. Very cool story too.

 

[Aaron N]

Very great bull! I like how the horns are flattening out.

Im shocked by the thickness and length of hair on his neck. Does this have to do with it being winter, or genetics perhaps? I’ve never noticed this on any other pictures.

 

[AZDAVE]

Congratulations, hunting any old smart animals is very rewarding, Especially any of the big 5. We were just in the waterberg area on a Damara dik-dik hunt and the scenery is very beautiful.

 

[machinistbutler]

That is just awesome! Very special Buffalo.

 

[Foxi]

@machinistbutler-
yes indeed.
A very special buffalo.
The article prompts me to make a few comments, because it gives the impression that there are wild, free roaming buffalo in Namibia.
All these buffaloes are the product of well-considered breeding from South Africa. All buffaloes live behind fences, all buffaloes that live there have previously been examined for foot and mouth disease.
If there were you would not be allowed to sell all of Namibia its produced meat in the world.A total disaster for the meat industry.Below the Red line, a more than 1100 KM long veterinary fence, there must be no free roaming buffalo.
Above is a buffer zone and only in the Caprivi Strip, a so called Infected zone, there are really wild, free buffalos in Namibia.
Nevertheless it is a hell of a buff and I would have shot it too.

 

[375Fox]

@machinistbutler-
yes indeed.
A very special buffalo.
The article prompts me to make a few comments, because it gives the impression that there are wild, free roaming buffalo in Namibia.
All these buffaloes are the product of well-considered breeding from South Africa. All buffaloes live behind fences, all buffaloes that live there have previously been examined for foot and mouth disease.
If there were you would not be allowed to sell all of Namibia its produced meat in the world.A total disaster for the meat industry.Below the Red line, a more than 1100 KM long veterinary fence, there must be no free roaming buffalo.
Above is a buffer zone and only in the Caprivi Strip, a so called Infected zone, there are really wild, free buffalos in Namibia.
Nevertheless it is a hell of a buff and I would have shot it too.
View attachment 424505

There is something wrong with you that you occasionally make these kind of posts. Waterberg National park isn’t a “well considered breeding program from South Africa”. It’s an isolated herd of wild buffalo on 100,000 acres with great genetics and are foot and mouth free. All information on waterberg National park is public before you make these kind of posts including game sales from the park. I’ve also been there and am going to assume you have not.

 

[Sarg]

Haha I think you should maybe cut him a little slack, I think coming from where he does he likes to think things are just right, even if he is wrong on this point, I believe new blood was brought in from East African Cape buffalo & that is why you see so many awesome Buffalo from this herd.

Cant remember full story but I think a government departed killed out most of one chiefs/tribes areas herd & he or they restocked it, this was way way back & I cant find the details now ?

When Namibia fenced off the country from Botswana below the Red Line it destroyed the buffalo herds from migrating back & forth in the seasons causing mass die off of Buffalo & Lions to a degree, I think in recent years with the fences not being maintained & game building up a lot of this has changed ?

I wish I could afford to hunt there myself as I believe some monster Roan & Sable are also up there ?

 

[375Fox]

Haha I think you should maybe cut him a little slack, I think coming from where he does he likes to think things are just right, even if he is wrong on this point, I believe new blood was brought in from East African Cape buffalo & that is why you see so many awesome Buffalo from this herd.

Cant remember full story but I think a government departed killed out most of one chiefs/tribes areas herd & he or they restocked it ?

When Namibia fenced off the country from Botswana below the Red Line it destroyed the buffalo herds from migrating back & forth in the seasons causing mass die off of Buffalo & Lions to a degree, I think in recent years with the fences not being maintained & game building up a lot of this has changed ?

No, he has a habit of this in past posts. Here was a post written on waterberg National park where it describes how the buffalo arrived at the park. Google says it was created as a National park in 1972. In recent years, they’ve sold many buffalo from the park because population of buffalo is high. Also, yes you will see some great sable and roan there but I don’t know if they’ve received quota for them. It’s a really great place to hunt eland or an old bull giraffe.

The Waterberg Plateau National Park In Namibia

The Waterberg Plateau National Park in Namibia was established to resettle the species including Black and White Rhino, Buffaloes, Roan and Sable Antelopes. The Waterberg Plateau is the only place in Namibia South of the Veterinary Cordon Fence, which was erected the early 1960s, where you will...

www.africahunting.com

 

[Sarg]

Ok had a quick look & most of the Buffalo were from disease free herds in South Africa & some from a Zoo in the Czech Republic with most likely Tanzania or Kenya blood lines, this started in 1981- 86, last lot 1991.

Not sure where I got the Chief & the Herero Tribe from but some how I read it was in the mix, maybe making up for the German massacre of that tribe, in that area ?

Haha & then I read your link & it said the same thing darn near, except the Zoo Buffalo came from a Namibian game dealer .

 

[Huntndog]

Super nice! Congratulations

 

[Red Leg]

Whatever the genetic pool of those roaming the Waterberg, they are some of the largest (and most expensive) buffalo that one can hunt anywhere in Africa. Secondly, Jamy Traut (assisted by his lovely wife Rentia) is one of the finest operators in Southern Africa. I had the opportunity to hunt with him a number of years ago when he was still with Eden and took a 42+ inch bull in his Caprivi concession at that time. And I can assure all that the buffalo in Namibia's Zambezi (Caprivi) region are "wild, free roaming" animals.

The buffalo on the Waterberg are limited by geography, not fences, to the 100+ thousand acres of the actual plateau (roughly 30 miles x 10 miles).

 

[Nevada Mike]

I investigated hunting the Waterburg with Jamie Traut for buffalo, but for various reasons chose to hunt Tanzania instead.