OZ Buff story

[Basalt]

Well guys I guess I can add something to this as I have just finished guiding two Kiwi guys on Melville.I've bowhunted Buff in a bunch of different areas since 1981 and mostly without backup. Don and I thought long and hard before leaving the .458 in camp last year.Ryan,both you and Don are right, it had a lot to do with the stalking conditions, as in plenty of trees,no head high grass yet open enough to spot the buff from a safe distance. That said I'd like to also say that on EVERY occassion I went out with my clients,this year I had my .375 H.&H.and covered each and every Buff we stalked. My compound hunter put his first arrow in a bull a lot farther back than we both would have liked but thanks to a quiet bow and the fact no one moved an inch the bull did not know what had hit him. I gave that bull the best part of an hour and then followed him up. I found the bull standing in amoungst some trees and " Cabbage Palms". I watched that bull for some time before slipping back and getting the hunter. We then got into 35yds and beside a couple of big trees,that was as close as I was going to let the hunter get to that bull. I had the saftey off, three more rounds in the mag and a good rest. Ray ranged the bull and then put in a perfect double lung shot. The bull travelled maybe 30yds before going down, no bullet needed. That had a whole lot to do with the amount of cover and the fact he had no idea we were there. Ray's son Bruce and I stalked a good bull to 8yds on the last afternoon and Bruce put a 850gn Hickery shaft through the centre of a rib and cut the hose off the heart. He never knew we were there and ran the way he was pointing, he went about 60yds before going down but I followed him the whole time with the rifle.Had the boys had a choice
[which they didn't] Bruce would have prefered no back-up and Ray to have back-up. From my point of view the client and the guides safety comes first, the recovery of the animal next and the pride of the hunter after that.No doubt there are times when the rifle is needed and the hunter must rely on the guides judgement.It was unfortunate about Jim's bull but I drum into my guys that frontal shots on Buff are just not on.
Bruce and I had a huge bull walk head on to us to 5yds as we were crawling into a wallow. He would have needed to almost step on me before I would have shot him up the nose.

[Jock]

Bill, I like yer style    

Hope we can hunt together sometime!!

[8th Dwarf]

Basalt...

Well said!  This is exactly the same stance that
Andrew Mackay, our outfitter, takes.  I respect it and was happy to go along with it.

Having said that, I would still be willing to hunt them without backup and take my chances...Because I KNOW that I would take extreme care and be prepared for the worst.  I also know that two lives are at stake and that should be the very most important issue.

I shot a Cape Buffalo too far back two years ago and after several attempts on my part to get in for a second shot, the Buff charged.  The outfitter HAD to shoot.  The outfitter, the tracker, and I were at extreme risk.  That head is being mounted now and I am very proud of it.  Sure, I would have loved to have done it with no finishing shot, but the story ended well, no one was hurt, and the animal was not left to suffer unnecessarily!

So...there are definitely two sides to the coin. My Water Buff on this trip was double lunged and he piled up in about 100 meters.  It could have gone sour, too, so you take precautions.

So, if the outfitter requires a back up weapon be taken, I live with it.  If he does not, then it's my choice to hunt or not hunt the critter.  I would choose to hunt the critter and do it sensably.

Cheers...

Too Short

[Basalt]

G'day Jock, thanks mate that would be great.

Too Short, NICE bull Paul that double lung shot does the trick hey! I'd be very proud of the Cape Buff too, under the same circumstances.I know exactly were you're coming from with the two sided coin.
Cheers and good hunting.
Basalt.