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Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: BUFF on August 23, 2009, 05:05:00 AM
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I did it. As long as I can remember I have dreamed of hunting a Cape Buffalo. 2 years ago Chunky convinced me to get it done. I booked a hunt with Dries Visser and began working on my equipment. I was blessed with a strong back and a weak mind so a heavy weight bow did scare me but I had fits getting an arrow that was stiff enough. I had Black Widow build me a 83# iron wood recurve and planned to use 200 grain GK heads. I have been shooting that bow for 2 years getting ready and the last couple of months I shot my sons 95# longbow, just to make my 83# bow seem lighter. I have been lucky that 95% of the time when I shoot at a animal my arrow hits right where I want but this Cape Buffalo had me spooked. I layed awake at night thinking about how terrible it would be if I made a bad shot. I knew they would not let me follow it up. I would be told to set in the truck while a couple of PH;s and 3 or 4 trackers risked their life cleaning up my mess. How would you deal with the shame if someone got killed because you made a poor hit? Once we arrived at camp it got even worst. the week before we arrived 2 fellows with Longbow had shot 13 animals and only recovered 1 .... just 1. To make matters even worst the last Buffalo shot by a bowhunter, a compound had taken 4 days to track down and kill with a rifle. My friends in camp were trying to make me feel better but the more they talked about it the more I worried. The night before we climbed into the tree stands I stared at the ceiling all night, trying to convince my self I was ready. I had shot 10,000 arrows.... I was ready. When he whispered down to me that the buffaloes were coming I couldn't breath I was so nervous. All the hours getting ready. All the time standing out in the Texas heat shooting my bow. It was all coming to a head. Once the buffalo were in sight, I zoned out, no longer nervous, I was BUFF, I could do this. Their was a dozen or so buffalo moving down the hill but I was only interested in the one lone bull. He was a massive beast but still spooky. He finally hit the spot where I had dumped out a bucket of some kind of sweet powder to stop him. Auto pilot kicked in. I was no longer shooting at a buffalo. I was shooting at a rubbed spot about the size of your thumb, 2" in front of the crease of his shoulder. The PH is whispering "Wait ...Wait". I had 2 problems. Once you are at full draw with a 83# bow, you can't wait very long. The other was I knew it was time. I KNEW I was going to make a perfect shot, knew it in my soul. I never lost sight of the arrow as it leaped across the 15 yards and into the Buffalo.
It was by far the greatest moment of my bowing career. Not because he was a great animal, he was but because I didn't choke. If I had made a bad shot I really believe it would have haunted me the rest of my life, I had put that much pressure on my self.
http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/videos/capebuffalocompressed.wmv
(http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/images/cape3.JPG)
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(http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/images/cape5.JPG)
(http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/images/cape2.JPG)
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Congrats! That is cool! When I was at Vissers in 2005 they told me about a guy that had shot 14 animals and only recovered 1! I made a non fatal shot on a Warthog which was the only critter I shot that didn't come home with me.
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Congrats on a fine bull.
Terry
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:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
A lifelong dream BUFF style. Congrats Marty!!!!! Been waiting for this video since you told us you were going. Just knew it was coming.
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Well-done, and congratulations!
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Awesome! i couldn't get the video to pull up though. Great pictures and story!
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Way to go BUFF !!!! very nice bull.
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Ah Man Marty
What a Bull, he's a beauty
it is a dream of mine to oneday shoot a cape buff with my longbow on the ground.
iv been keeping track of the build up to your buff hunt and knew if given the chance you where going to bring one down, congrats buddy a great achievement
Awesome! :clapper: :clapper:
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:notworthy:
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:notworthy: You Sir,are The Man!!
As I have said many times, ONE OF THESE DAYS!
Congratulations
Bill
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Congrats Buff!
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Nice Buff shooting a cape bufflow from a tree stand what a rush
doug77
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Great story, congratulations on your fine trophy.Big Ed
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Congrat :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Jeez Marty, I'm actually choked up for you Brother. The culmination of that much time & effort must be beyond words.
Congratulations mate! :notworthy:
Now, what's next?
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NICE!!!
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Awesome Buff, but I couldn't access the link.
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Fantastic! Well done! ;)
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Went to BUFF's website. He has the video posted there. Couldn't get the link posted here to work either.
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What a Beast. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Massive excellent!
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http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/videos/capebuffalocompressed.wmv
Try this
Great job Buff, ever sence i heard you were over there i could not wait untill you got back with a video
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WOW
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OUTSTANDING Marty!
Danny
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Since I was a small boy my lifelong dream was to shoot a Cape buff with a Recurve. Economic times and my health have not made that possible. As a younger man I was in fantastic physical condition and Instructed Judo for many years. My injuries have put a halt to my dream.
Marty when I watched your video I had tears in my eyes and I did live that hunt with you .I couldn't imagine the flow of emmotions you felt.I know what I felt for you and your hunt and I as a hunter are so honored you shared this moment for all us. Thank you Marty.
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Great shot...Great Video...Congratulations!!!
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Outstanding! A perfect one arrow "group".
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Marty, a sincere congratulations to you my man! You can see all of your emotions in your face as easily as you can feel a breeze on a windy day...
Thank you for sharing that moment with all of us!
Congrats again!
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Congratulations!
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congratulations ..... !!!!!
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Nice buff, BUFF! I'm on the brink of giving up yet again but your story has given me the will to keep on trying.
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Well done mate.... well done! My dream animal as also...
ak.
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Well done Marty! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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wow...awesome!! Great shot!!
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Great job! Very well done. Congrats.
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Well done Marty. Like many others here I've checked this forum regularly in anticipation of this post. Great film also, as usual. Congratulations, Grant
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ATTABOY Buff!!!!
Bisch
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GREAT JOB!!!
:campfire:
When's your dvd come out?
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Great dugga boy, great shot and great video! Wish it was me. One day I hope to make it to Africa. Buffalo is at the top of my list, then Kudu.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.
Gil
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Whew, that's... that's outstanding.
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that was awesome! thats how id like to hunt em...in a tree. i cant imagine being on ground level eye to eye with one of those beasts.
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:scared:
There's your white whale, Captain Moab! Now what? Spearfishing greatwhites?
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They simply don't make britches strong enough to contain the mess I'd make. Ferous gonads.
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Impressive! Congrats.
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Very nice Buff! Congratulations!
What a great lesson for us all - 10,000 arrows - that is the kind of practice it requires to go on autopilot.
Thanks for sharin' the hunt!
Shoot straight, Shinken
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Awesome!!! Congratulations :notworthy:
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Finally had a chance to see the video. Great shot & Congrats to you on a great bull!
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Very cool !!
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Thats AWESOME, brother. Very happy for you.
God Bless
Gilbert
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Buff, can you give some details on the performance of your set up? Did you hit bone? How did your broadhead hold up? What kind of arrow did you use?
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Originally posted by amicus:
Buff, can you give some details on the performance of your set up? Did you hit bone? How did your broadhead hold up? What kind of arrow did you use?
I used a heritage 350 shaft with a Beman flash shaft inside of it. A 125 grain brass insert and a 200 grain GK head. I penetrated the ribs on one side and it went in 20". It center punched the heart. The trackers brought me the head. I hit it on a stone a few times and it is ready to go again.
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Well done Marty!!! That sure is a beautiful bull!! :clapper:
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You did GOOD!!! Marty!!!
David
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What an awsome bull.After working that hard to live your dream you earned deserve a bull like that,truely awsome. :clapper:
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Congrats on your success.. Well deserved... :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :notworthy:
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A really great story, thanks for sharing. Congratulations on completing your dream and the fine animal also. I always enjoy your vids!! Some words to live by when shooting at game, "one single arrow." Joe
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Congrats Marty! Great shot :clapper:
And really good to see some new vids from you.
I`ve missed it.
A 83# recurve .... wow, your back must be made of iron.
regards
tj69
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Congratulations, Marty Great shot! You did good! :thumbsup: :clapper:
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Awesome video man, the arrow placement was perfect, good job and good luck in the future. :clapper:
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65# would be about my max for accurate shooting. I doubt that would be enough for bufflo. I have a bow on order with 55 pound limbs and 63 pound limbs both and hope to keep it the rest of my life and some day take moose and elk.
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I have no doubt that 65 will kill 90% of everything walking. I went up to 83 just for the buffalo. I would be untruthfull if I said it didn't hurt some when I shot it too much. I do most of my hunting with a 74 so I could draw it all right but it beat my shoulder and elbow up pretty good. In the end it was well worth the effort.
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back ttt for those that did not see this
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Congrats what a shot and trophy! I really enjoyed the video and watched it several times.
It seems to me that 65 pound bows, and even less, have been used on Cape and Asiatic water buffalo with success. There's a pic on Abowyer's and A & H's websites of a guy who killed a Cape Buffalo with a 58#@28" ACS. If I remember right, Ed Schleif of ABS shot his Asiatic Buff with a 65#@28" ACS. And I also seem to remember a few guys killing water buffalo with 65# DAS bows. It's obviously a good idea to work up as much as you can and not sacrifice accuracy, but I also wonder how often bow efficiency and draw length aren't factored into the equation? A 75# Hill bow may well be out-performed in terms of speed by a 58# ACS, or DAS, or Turkey Creek, etc.
Not that I have any actual experience in the area lol ;) It's a dream of mine and I've studied every piece of info about it I could get my hands on...so just a thought.
Congrats once again!
Craig
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Amazing video, just amazing. Never really gave Africa much of a thought but the excitment and beauty of what I just saw in that video is changing my mind in a hurry.
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How did I miss this video?? Wow!! Thanks so very much for sharing, I'll watch this many times again. Great shot, and nice war paint by the way.
the chef
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Originally posted by calgarychef:
How did I miss this video?? Wow!! Thanks so very much for sharing, I'll watch this many times again. Great shot, and nice war paint by the way.
the chef
Thanks...I'm a big fan of the face paint
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Buff congrats on achieving yur dream.
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Wonderful story, great Preperation, Super Ending!! Wish I was young enough to pull that weight and give it a Go!! Oh well I can Dream.
Gene :thumbsup:
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Just shows that prior prep & planning prevent P poor performance. Many things can physic u out of where u need to be! Wonderfully held together.
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Great job Buff!! :thumbsup:
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Very Nice Marty, Wow what a hunt! :clapper:
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Just watched your video and all I can say is....WOW that was awesome! Quite an accomplishment. A big congrats on a BIG Cape Buffalo!
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Texas proud brother!!! Awesome bull, shot, story, & work to get you there!
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I had to take a second look at that first photo and then run to my copy of Traditional Bowhunter and sure enough it's the same. What a thrill to see the video after reading such an amazing recollection of the hunt! Thanks so much for sharing this.
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Nice video and big buffalo!
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Congrats on a great hunt!
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What a moment of truth!!!!!! You passed the test well !!!! God bless and just an awsome hunt. Thanks for sharing it. I'm sure its as close as I will ever get to killing a buff with anything. Steve
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awesome video, congrats man!!!!!!!!!!
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That was mighty cool (video)!
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SWEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
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Originally posted by David Dumke:
I had to take a second look at that first photo and then run to my copy of Traditional Bowhunter and sure enough it's the same. What a thrill to see the video after reading such an amazing recollection of the hunt! Thanks so much for sharing this.
thanks
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wow that is awesome!!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!! :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: