"From the Field" Water Buffalo Shot placement and Observations .

[tradtusker]

As the tiles states,
ill go through some rough field pics showing what Iv found over the last few years hunting and guiding Water Buffalo hunts.
Notes on shot placement and findings testing various broadheads and bow and arrow set-ups.

Hopefully help out those wanting to pursue Big game or Buffalo

 

 

[oldgoat]

Andy, glad you are back. Looking forward to this after following along on your other post. Not that I will ever hunt these guys I would like to hear about your thoughts.

[tradtusker]

So the bread and butter shot is the Broadside or Slightly Quartering away, In the right circumstances you can sneak in pretty close to a Water buff, Especially if the wind is strong. So under 30m Broadside shot.

I tell guys "Strait up the front leg, half way up the animal" its easy to calculate and gives you the most room for error.

you can tuck it in tighter into the triangle (putting you just about the heart) but its really no more effective then a solid double lung hit and you risk the heave front leg bones.

The are a few things it be careful about when taking this shot.
Actual angle, the Buff are a big slab and can be very deceiving to see if its truly slightly quartering away, perfectly broadside or slightly quartering on.  With such a big neck the animals whole torso can move when it moves its head. For example a Broadside Buffalo that has its neck and head turned and looking at you, will make its chest slightly quarter towards you. So you need to look carefully at the true angle.

Take a look at this pic, this animal is ever so slightly quartering on, its a make-able shot but you have to be aware that you arrow will be angling back on the far side.

 

[tradtusker]

Quartering on No shot here for me to risky

 

[tradtusker]

here is the slightly quartering away shot. Good shot to take but I don't like it to be any more quartering away then this bull. Also note its head and neck position, the ribs are going to be crunched up tight together because of it.  

 

Throw in this Cape Buff for Comparison.

 

[tradtusker]

The Most common Error I see with the above shots is hitting to far back and to low!
On a broadside bull you just can not afford to hit him back. And the Guts come all the way right up behind the shoulder so if your even 4" or more back from the "crease" and low. There is a good chance you'l loose your bull.

Now Iv seen time and time again some quartering away problems...the angle is great for most game but i do not believe it to be a good shot on Buffalo. So much so i will never take a quartering away shot myself. Im not saying it can not or should not be done but I certainly just don't recommend it.
Its comes down to two things, the steep angle of the ribs and Broadheads "skidding" and "Deflecting" of the ribs.
Iv seen it many times and because we are obliged to shoot wounded bulls with the back up rifle it means we can take a look and see what went wrong.

   

 

 

This is also where I'v seen a lot of broadheads fail, that angled impact really puts a lot of pressure on the heads. What iv seen is tips curling or the adapter bending right behind the head.
Iv noted that the longer the broadhead the more likely it will bend or curl. This is also where some of the high dollar Single bevels where Snapping off completely at the front of the head.

Through testing and observations I also noted that Certain tips shapes where less prone to skidding. The old style un modified Grizzly tanto was bad, The heads with a much smaller sharp tanto performed better but the heads that have those are prone to curling sometimes, interestingly the least prone to skidding was the sharp long profile 3 blade heads. Like the VPA 250 or 300gr. The sharper tips bite in immediately and get enough purchase on the bone to keep penetrating, and the Structural integrity from the pyramid 3 blades means it never curls.
So that was interesting to find.

[tradtusker]

Next is a Mid size Buffalo Bull..Standing.
We set it up to give a more realistic position for testing, so the bone and vitals are in the natural position.

This one needs no explaining other then the gap between the ribs is as thick as you index finger.

 

Lungs
 

Lungs, Liver and Guts.  Please note that the lung does not go back much at all past the back of the "crease" ...I.E. Do not shoot to far behind the front leg!

 

Here is the Engine Block, *Note, I put a Cut in the Guts and Liver to show their Location.

 

 

Ok that should be pretty self explanatory and give you a really good idea of where things are.

[tradtusker]

Iv always had a keen interest testing gear out in the field (In real hunting situations) as a bowhunter there are no two situations ever exactly the same when hunting and some things are still uncharted waters, when it comes to big game and the new specialized gear that is at our fingertips today.  
Doing this ground work gives me a better first hand understanding of the animal, so I can become a better hunter, avoid wounding animals unnecessarily, and give better advise to those hunting with me or those wanting to hunt them.
 

 

[tradtusker]

Some notes on gear:

Iv seen a wide range of set-ups kill buffalo.
From as low as 60lb tradbows through to 80+ lb Compounds.
Arrows as low as 500grs through to 1000grs plus.
So it can be done with a wide range of gear.
But it comes down to the individual, his limitations, taking the right shot at the right time, bit of luck etc...
There is no "one size fits all" with hunting set-ups, But I try avoid the "its enough" "it could work under the right circumstances" approach.
With this big game it should be as good as you can personally get it. And a big game set-up or any bowhunting set-up for that matter is about finding a balance.  
How much bow weight, arrow weight, broadhead type depends on what the individual can handle and do so "Accurately" and will total confidence.

The broadside shot.... pretty rare to slip one through the ribs and its unrealistic to hope for that to happen...90% of the time you will be hitting a rib, so the set-up needs to be able to punch through a big rib, and the broadhead needs to be able to handle that heavy bone without failing. And when it does its a good shot, and lethal

There has been a lot of info on what works and what does not. we wont go into that to much here, So do your research, choose your gear carefully and prepare properly. Don't get sucked in by advertising and if you take advice try take it from someone that has actually killed a few buffalo.

Ok Plan "B"

The front on shot.

[tradtusker]

The "front on shot"

This has been on my mind for years with Buffalo but I had to wait until I really had a good understanding of taking this shot before i went ahead and tested it out thoroughly.  

I know it is not the shot many take on game, and its not a shot I look for on game like deer and for valid reasons. But, it is an option.
That "option" is yours to take, We will not get into the Ethics of it here, thats yours and you make your own mind up about that.

All I will do show what I have found.

Buffalo don't jump the string, even if looking strait at you when you release. Never seen it!

Buffalo are curious, it is not uncommon for a buffalo to move closer to you to get a better look.
A smart bull will circle down wind and then its game over but others will move strait towards you, especially if you are well concealed.
 
You can "Call" a Buffalo in under the right circumstances through Noise and Motion.

A young calf distress call can be very effective, but I only use that as a last resort as it will put the bull on edge to danger.
Flapping the hat is the most common way to get a buffalo in, the set-up has to be right, you have to be low to the ground and preferably 80% concealed, that way you are nonthreatening and the bull has to move closer to see what you are.
Height is threatening to Buffalo the higher you are the more threatened they will be.
We'v pulled Buffalo in from as far as 150m out using these methods.

One thing to consider with this shot is that bull is looking at you and knows exactly where you are.

But you have NO bone to penetrate if you hit it right, and you realistic kill zone is not much smaller then the broadside shot.
You get the "Long Cut" though the vitals.  
You have Veins and Arteries close under the neck, then over the top of the heart, down the length of the lungs, and you cut through the diaphragm, 20" of penetration will get you all the way to the start of the guts.

So this is a common sight when one is coming in.
 

I shot and kill 5 Buff this year myself with a font on shot all one arrow kills all died with 100m fast!, except the bull I Killed with the recurve.
Nigel killed his Bull with a front on shot as did a few of the clients.
Its an absolutely lethal shot!

Center of Mass is what you want here. Middle of the chest half way up the body.
The buffalo have chest and throat markings that can be used as a guide line for shot placement.
You want your arrow between these two lines.
 
One thing to be aware of is the huge long neck.
Head position must be right for taking this shot.
Low, Mid and High head positions are what you will get, the low head position there is no shot, it covers where you want to hit.
The Mid head position you will have to go through more neck before getting into the chest and then high head position requires less penetration to get into the vitals.

Most of the time this shot will be within 20m.
*note, high head position and chest and throat markings.

 

and there is some room for error, anywhere in that circle is good!

 

[tradtusker]

Here is a pic of the first bull i killed. This is heart shot height and you do Not want to go lower then this shot. As a rule of thumb here you want  to be between the "Chest Stripe" and the "Throat patch"

 

the result
 

Thats the new VPA off set single bevel for those interested.

[Steve O]

Great info Andy.  Thank you.

[tradtusker]

here are a few pics of whats at the front end of a Buffalo.

This Pic is one David Messiaen put up. Thanks David.
 

Here is a rough half view of what you have, showing the hole you have with no ribs.

 

Here is a Video of the front on shot. This is the buff I actually killed with the recurve, you can see in the video where i hit it, my shot was a little to the side but still killed the bull.  But where this arrow goes is the "sweet spot"

 

and this is cutting the arrow out after the shot on video..except I had to pull the arrow out so you can see it in the pic.

 

[tradtusker]

Will dig up a few more things when I get the time.

Hope that is of some interest and help to someone.

[Blaino]

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!!    

[Don Batten]

Good stuff Andy. Thanks for taking the time to put it up.

This should go in the archives to help folks years from now with their questions.

 If I ever get over to Oz. (My Brother lives in Sidney) I'm gonna plan my trip around you guys. thanks for the info. Don

[Longbowz]

Thanks for the great info.  

It would be nice if you could give your opinion on set ups, bow, arrow weights and especially broadheads that you think are good an those that haven't worked so well.  I do understand this puts you on the spot a little so if you have the time a PM would would be great.  

I'm very interested in one of these hunts, so expert advice is extremely helpful. I would like to learn more.

[Wolfkiss]

Another great post Andy,
very informative.

Thanks for posting.

Andy.

[steadman]

Great info Andy. Thanks for the time in doing this  

[ozy clint]

interesting findings andy. thanks for taking the time. this will be a great help to many.