What do PH’s like to see for sights on Dangerous Game

[C.W. Richter]

Anything that you're proficient with and no tracking was required. It's really up to you. .

 

[mark-hunter]

Do ph’s care if you run a scope or irons on buffalo?

How old are you? Do you use glasses for reading?

PH care about first shot placement.
If buffalo is in dense bush, 50 meters away, and you can see just a shadow, you have to find a small opening in the bush, maybe size of coffee plate, by following up hardly visible front leg, at one third of body mass, in that situation what would you prefer?

After first shot, buffalo can be down, or you might be tracking, then you may need either scope, or iron sights at 10 meters, or 20, or 50..

So the answer is, scope with QD mounts. Unless, you are 25 year old, ISSF rimfire Olympic champion.

 

[geoff rath]

I've been shooting both open sights and scoped rigs for 35 years and IMO if your eyes are good and you shoot/practice a lot it comes down to choice of shots. Personally at this point in my hunting career its all about putting myself in the exact position I want at close range and using open sights. I try and describe it as hunting at archery ranges with a big bore. But I'm always keeping myself in really good physical shape, I hand load and have lots of supplies, which enables me prepare for and to hunt this way. I realize that isn't possible for everyone. All this being said earlier in my life it was largely about success and stackin' em up,....now I could go on a 2 week safari and if my PH and I weren't able to get in the right position for what I'm looking to do, it would have no bearing on my view of success as long as we were doing the work. And I might be the odd duck in that I have a real nostalgic view of vintage rifles and I like to work them out and take them afield. My next hunt is this summer for buffalo, and I'm using a 100 year old best quality english double. Honestly shoot it better that any bolt rifle I have off sticks, scope or no scope, can't explain it, could be a combination of the weight, balance, triggers are unreal, and I had JJ Perodeau redo the rear blade HH style....it just all works together. All of that and I've probably put 300+ rounds though it so far preparing, and will probably put 200 more through before its go time.

Old adage (can't remember the source) " Beware the man/hunter with just one gun" ...

 

[Killo]

Reason why scope is preffered is so that the first time buffalo hunter can see what he is shooting at.
Buffalo tend to like thicker stuff and shade on the black animal does not help. Add a black recticle on a black hide and you still struggle sometimes so a illuminated dot or clealy visible reticle will be of great help.

But then again you could find your dream bull in an open field casually feeding past you.

Saw it this past week again when helping out on a buffalo as backup fist time hunter struggling to find a shot opportunity as the bull was not keeping still or standing broadside. Although there was a scope on the 375 he was not sure what he was aiming at when the bull kept standing behind bushes or under trees. When he was in the open he would keep on moving clever old bastard but they finally found him Saturday and I missed out. Had to leave Sat morning with all the rain we had bush was wet and quiet wind was good and the bull never noticed the hunters and gave a good side on opportunity.

With more experience on buffalo you will have a beter idea where to aim when knowing your buffalo siloutette but even then with open sights or reflex you will not be able to see branches and other obstacles clearly in front of the buffalo when standing in thick stuff.

View attachment 461665

Notice everything is wet.

Excellent explanation on illuminated scopes, Thank You
I just hunted with a Trijicon with green dot, great results

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A low powered telescopic sight (not too high magnification) for:
- Elephant or Cape buffalo in open terrain
- Lion or leopard on bait

Wide V backsights and an uncovered ivory bead foresight for:
- Elephant or Cape buffalo in the jesse
- Following up wounded lion or leopard
- Leopard over hounds

For hippopotamus, I've used both telescopic sights and iron sights with success.

 

[VertigoBE]

Excellent explanation on illuminated scopes, Thank You
I just hunted with a Trijicon with green dot, great results

Very nice and old eland bull! Congratulations! That buffalo is looking good too!

 

[Sarg]

Scope every time, for multiple reasons !

We get a lot of shooting in (and use up our expensive/hard to obtain ammo) on Double rifle (open sights in general) Archery & Spear hunts !

 

[Altitude sickness]

Killo, that Eland is what dreams are made of. That was most likely a very Wiley animal

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Reason why scope is preffered is so that the first time buffalo hunter can see what he is shooting at.
Buffalo tend to like thicker stuff and shade on the black animal does not help. Add a black recticle on a black hide and you still struggle sometimes so a illuminated dot or clealy visible reticle will be of great help.

But then again you could find your dream bull in an open field casually feeding past you.

Saw it this past week again when helping out on a buffalo as backup fist time hunter struggling to find a shot opportunity as the bull was not keeping still or standing broadside. Although there was a scope on the 375 he was not sure what he was aiming at when the bull kept standing behind bushes or under trees. When he was in the open he would keep on moving clever old bastard but they finally found him Saturday and I missed out. Had to leave Sat morning with all the rain we had bush was wet and quiet wind was good and the bull never noticed the hunters and gave a good side on opportunity.

With more experience on buffalo you will have a beter idea where to aim when knowing your buffalo siloutette but even then with open sights or reflex you will not be able to see branches and other obstacles clearly in front of the buffalo when standing in thick stuff.

View attachment 461665

Notice everything is wet.

That bull is interesting color. Black with red instead of usual gray highlights. Great spread and bosses too. Just a beautiful photo altogether.

 

[Red Leg]

I think buffalo in the brush (jess) is one of the most important instances to use a scope. He will be a very dark target standing in dark shadow and likely accompanied by a couple of his buddies. Even at forty yards, that is a difficult, indistinct target with open sights. With a scope, it is far easier to define the exact aiming point and a shot window unobstructed by branches. No contest.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I use pic rails extensively and people do criticize them for sure, especially when the stock is so nice. But they work.

A traditional 1-piece rail is something of a compromise. All those slots are not needed. And most 1-piece rails come with a cut out section above the loading port. This old discontinued Weaver base on my 404 isn't terribly tacti-ugly.

The cutaway could be longer but I'm not having any trouble finding the loading port without looking. Anyway, I modified the extractor to snap over so I only have to drop a shell in the chamber and close the bolt in a crisis situation. Don't need to be looking at the gun to shove a shell in the magazine. This base also has the advantage of accepting any rings or mounting hardware that attaches to p-rail. Anything that mounts to good old Weaver 2-piece bases will attach to p-rail and vice versa. If one wants red dot but doesn't want an ugly rail on his fancy DGR, perhaps consider a single Weaver base, either forward or aft whichever works best?

 

[towserthemouser]

I've been shooting both open sights and scoped rigs for 35 years and IMO if your eyes are good and you shoot/practice a lot it comes down to choice of shots. Personally at this point in my hunting career its all about putting myself in the exact position I want at close range and using open sights. I try and describe it as hunting at archery ranges with a big bore. But I'm always keeping myself in really good physical shape, I hand load and have lots of supplies, which enables me prepare for and to hunt this way. I realize that isn't possible for everyone. All this being said earlier in my life it was largely about success and stackin' em up,....now I could go on a 2 week safari and if my PH and I weren't able to get in the right position for what I'm looking to do, it would have no bearing on my view of success as long as we were doing the work. And I might be the odd duck in that I have a real nostalgic view of vintage rifles and I like to work them out and take them afield. My next hunt is this summer for buffalo, and I'm using a 100 year old best quality english double. Honestly shoot it better that any bolt rifle I have off sticks, scope or no scope, can't explain it, could be a combination of the weight, balance, triggers are unreal, and I had JJ Perodeau redo the rear blade HH style....it just all works together. All of that and I've probably put 300+ rounds though it so far preparing, and will probably put 200 more through before its go time.

@uplander01 can you please elaborate on "HH style" rear sights? Perhaps some photos?