Just Wondering re:Dangerous Game

[hunt it]

Glenn's entitled to his own opinion. Now in my opinion, one who hunts DG without a backup regarless of  hunting metheod is just plain careless and somewhat challenged when it comes to making a good decision.If you have no regard for life (your own) and your family that has to deal with the mess then go right ahead. In the case of backup for gun or bow a big bore gun is never a guarantee the something bad won't happen. I've been 15 ft from a number of cape buffalo and let me tell you at that distance a .375 H&H feels alot like a .22 short! I now use a .458 LOTT it feels bigger that a .22! I will someday chase one with a bow and I guarantee you there will be someone I trust behind me with a big gun!

[Horne Shooter]

On my hunt in Australia last fall we were charged (unprovoked) by a large buff.  He came to within 6 yards and at that point even the 416 Andrew was carrying probably wasn't going to bring the big boy down with one shot (which is all he would have had time for).  It was one of the most intense moments of my life...and I've had some doozies.  My 77 lb. recurve sure felt small in my hands about that time! Having a rifle backup only makes sense but (much like wearing a helmet on a motorcycle)....it can provide a false sense of security.  You are still in danger (in both cases) but you are providing yourself an additional safety buffer that will help in "some" scenerios.  PS> The buff finally ran off without having to shoot.  We both had to sit down for a few minutes and get the jelly out of the old legs.

[Rick McGowan]

S-R, yes I have hunted water buff quite a lot, in fact I was there with Monty Browning when he killed the world record and we were lucky that day. We have had a lot of water buff charge unprovoked, except by our presence. A bloke was killed by a buff a couple years ago while he was checking his well pump, maybe we can include that as something that requires a backup rifle.

[J-dog]

LOL Rick,

Hate to live in an area whee I needed a backup gun to checka well pump! or go to the outhouse.

Have fun,

Jason

[Sant-Ravenhill]

Rick,

I'm sorry I forgot that you were with Monty when he took his buff. I wish I was in your part of the world, I would love to buy you dinner and then just listen for a couple of hours.

I'm glad I didn't need a back up gun when I was working on my water pump here in Montana last summer!

[Rick McGowan]

If you go up to the top of this page you will see the photo of Cory Mattson with his buff, I took that photo. I had to use most of the tricks I know to get that buff in position for the shot and in fact I had to invent a couple new tricks too! I took most of the photos of Montys buff too, including all the photos of it when it was alive. We have a room about 15 feet square on the cattle station in OZ, its where we lay the capes on the floor and cover them in salt, it has a doorway, but no door, one day we walked in there and Andrew said, Rick theres been a buffalo in here, I said, "yeah, they are all over the floor", he said, "no a live one", I said something like,"we have to cut back on your beer ration". HOWEVER I looked in the room and sure enough there were buffalo tracks all over the salted capes! I often wonder what would have happened if one of us had walked into that room in the dark and flipped on the lightswitch!

[hunt it]

Rick,

I know I have read someplace who you are hunting in OZ with. Is it Bill?

[Sant-Ravenhill]

We get mice occasionally in our home. The joys of living in an 80 year old home outside of town. My wife and daughter let me lead the way at night turning on the lights.

Not sure I would want to be point man if there were buffalo roaming the kitchen. Yeehaw! Great pic above and of Monty's buffalo.

Thanks for sharing the story!

[stickandstring]

I agree with St. Charles. I think to many hunters nowdays don't have the ability or experience to bowhunt truly dangerous animals. It's a mucho thing which they can buy.

Fred Bear says it best; an arrow has no real shocking power, it kills through loss of blood and hemorage. In Fred's movies, he always had a back up, but, was so accurate and efficent with his recurve he never needed help.  

I would only hunt dangerous animals with a gun, a big gun and non threatening species with a bow. I don't trust my abilites. Even with a lethal hit on dangerous game, for that minute or so afterwards when they want to destroy whatever hurt them in the worst kind of way.

[Rick McGowan]

The first two polar bears Fred Bear shot charged and were stopped with the rifle. I agree that there are some bowhunters who have more money than skill or sense, but the same thing could be said of many gun hunters as well. You get out of something what you put into it, if you only do things that are safe and easy, whats the point?

[Horne Shooter]

"if you only do things that are safe and easy, what's the point?".
That statement pretty much sums it up.

[Greyfox54]

When I was young I watched the American Sportsmen with Curt Gowdy every weekend . I remember the show with Fred Bear hunting Grizzly bear . He very efficently stalked up to about 25 yards of a huge bear when the bear stoog on his hind feet and stared at him , he promply shot and missed an animal the size of a barn door at 25 yards . No man , mot even Fred Bear , is that good that he doesn't need backup . If you feel you can't hunt dangerous game with a bow than don't . you don't have to justify your position by analising or talking down to thoise who do , that's what the anti's do to all of us .   Fred

[TradAlaska]

Here is my point -- I don't necessairly do things the easy way, but I try to be safe.  I'm 65 and worked my butt off for a lot of year to be able to retire, which I did ten years ago, and I have no intention of doing something stupid and overly risky and cut short this good thing I have going.  The last bear I shot, I was alone, but I was packing heavy.

Cheers from Alaska

[Tuttu]

People have a right to their own opinion and no disrespect to Charles, but when hunting dangerous game, people need to be safe.  That is, if they are using a riffle or bow, they should have a back up for safety.  
Another example is, camping in dangerous game country.  Every year people have a negative encounter with grizzly bears in Alaska, and I feel people need to have some kind of protection.  You can take all the precautions and still have unpleasant encounters with curious bears.
For instance, a few years back a couple floaters got eaten by a sow in the Brooks Range.  They took all the precautions of cooking away from camp and storing their food away from their tents.  The bear was not starving or old, but it waited for the couple to go to bed.  Once tucked into their tents the bear ate them.
Therefore, I believe people should be as safe as possible hunting, camping or checking water pumps, and have some kind of back up for safety.  
Just my 2 cents on dangerous game.
Chuck

[Rich LaBombard]

Thank you, Chris.  (oustanding photo, by the way, on your profile page)
Rich

[Terry Green]

Guys....keep it trad bowhunting related.

Thanks.

[chuckbowhunter]

To GreyFox 54,
I got this story from Fred himself on the Grizzly he missed at 25 yards.  Back in those days many people did not believe a bow could kill a dangerous animal like a grizzly.  Fred was trying to kill the bear so it would die on film, meaning he was trying to shoot it in the neck/jugular.  Obviously he still missed but he did not miss a target the size of a barn door.  However, your point is still valid.  No one should hunt dangerous game w/o backup.

[Flyingarcher]

I think just as some of us have made a choice to hunt game with a simple stick and string, others have made a choice to hunt with gun or otherwise.  We are all in this together - to the dismay of the anti's.  Let's keep it that way.

[Curveman]

I think that even the Indians had "back-up" meaning that they tried to make it as safe as possible as in having a lot of fellow Indians with them or driving animals off cliffs, into pitts etc. We're not bowhunting to survive-we do it for the thrill, It's TOO much thrill for me not to have back-up for grizzlies etc. I do have confidence in the equipment and my abilities though. All the black bear I have hunted have been without back-up and they are potentially dangerous but a grizzly without it would be beyond my comfort zone. I have no need to prove anything.

[gregg dudley]

If you are single and childless and feel some sense of accomplishment hunting dangerous game without backup, then feel free to proceed.  If you are a husband and father you should consider your obligation to others and make some sound choices about calculated risks.

Nothing is guaranteed in this life.  You can get killed any time you get in the car, but you put the seatbelt on to improve your chances of continuing to sit at the dinner table with your family if you do get in an accident.  Same thing with a back-up weapon on dangerous game.

I really want to kill a gator next month without using the bang-stick to finish it off.  But, I am mindful of the fact that it might not be feasible under the actual hunting conditions, the boat is not mine, and the safety of my hunting companions and me may dictate otherwise.