Sept 3rd continued….
We leave camp at 3:30 to see if we can find the buffalo again. We go to where we last saw them and the tracks are easy to find out and off we go. About and hour into the track with a couple of stops so the trackers can sort them out we are about 200 yards out from the buffalo with a good steady wind in our favor. It’s back on our rear ends and butt sliding toward a small clump of trees that are about 150 yards away. We take it real slow and slow down a couple of times when we think the buffalo might be looking at us and eventually we make the clump of trees and the buffalo are 50 yards from us. We stand up behind the trees and Tristan is looking them over and we find the bull we want to take on the far right. The problem is there is no shot, his vitals are covered by brush. We are so tight to our cover that there is no way to sets the sticks. Luckily there is a small branch that is perfectly positioned for me to use as a rest. I find the bull in my scope and settled the red dot on him. We confirm that I am looking at the bull Tristan had identified as the best of the bunch and he tells me to take him when I have a clear shot. I stay on the bull as he is standing there, vitals covered, facing us but not knowing we are there. This goes on for what seems like an eternity but was actually about 3-4 minutes. Eventually the bull steps forward through the cover and turns to his left, showing me the point of his right shoulder. I only have an instant to decide to shoot or not before his vitals are covered again. Almost as if on it’s own, the 458 win mag roars, I loose the bull in the recoil and muzzle blast. The buffalo thunder off from right to left, kicking up a big dust cloud. I quickly cycle the bolt and start looking for the bull again. Tristan is telling me to wait as the buffalo are are leaving in a wad.
I then hear the words that anybody who has ever been in the position come from Tristan, “Great shot, reload and come quickly.” The buffalo are leaving stage left, except for my bull. He has stopped about 30 yards from the original position where I shot him and he is starting to get wobbly. We get into position and the sticks go up. I put the red dot on his right shoulder and send a solid on the way to pay the insurance. The bull collapses to the ground and let’s put his death bellow. What a mournful sounds that anybody who has heard it will understand. We give it a few minutes before we approach the bull from behind. During this time I offer up a prayer of thanks for such a wonderful animal and the opportunity I have had to travel half way around the world to pursue him on his home turf. I also thank God that this has gone smoothly and there will be no dangerous follow up needed. We will all be safe. As we approach the bull, I am speechless. This bull has everything I was hoping for on this trip. Completely hard bossed, old and battle scarred. A true warrior. I believe I have given him a merciful death instead of being eaten alive by lions or hyenas.
I’m not able to upload pictures now from camp. I’ll try again in a little while.