Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa First Cape Buffalo

I have a good bud I grew up with. He's mid 60's, in excellent shape and a crack shot. He's reloaded and hunted all his life. He has a .416 Rigby CZ he's shot for years, knows how to use it. He laughs and says it really get attention at the range when he lights off one of those 400 gr. slugs...

He told me a few days ago, he's considering an African Safari for Cape Buffalo. I told him about this site and maybe he'll check in.

To those of you who have been there, done that, what advice would you offer him.

DF

In no particular order:

1. Practice shooting from the sticks as well as offhand. Stay off the bench.

2. Have a good low power scope that will withstand recoil and bouncing around in a safari car. An illuminated reticle is helpful. Reliable QD mounts are a good idea in case you have to use the iron sights.

3. Personally, after having them rivet and bend, I avoid Federal Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solids.

4. Listen to your PH and do what he says.

5. Practice working the action so you don't short stroke.

6. Stay in good physical condition.

7. Don't wear sunglasses. They make it more difficult to spot the animal. Clear or pale yellow work best for me.

8. Don't get fixated on "record book horns". A wily old dagga boy, to me, is a better trophy that a less mature bull with a big spread. In buff hunting, it's the quality of the hunt and the challenges involved rather than the measurement that counts most.

9. Relax and go with the flow. There will be good days and bad days.

10. Invest in a good rescue service, such as Global rescue. Just in case....

Pick a wild area in Zimbabwe or Zambia with a top notch LOCAL operator and PH. Book enough days, at least 10 especially if he wants plains game. Listen to the lions, leopard, and hyenas at night. Enjoy every moment and do not sweat the small stuff.

I brought a friend of mine to Zim two years ago for his first safari. We went to Hwange for a couple of days prior to the hunt. Being close to buffalo, elephant, lion, leopards, hyenas, etc in Hwange was a great experience and helped him become acquainted with African big game prior to hunting them.

Dirtfarmer,

SCI Acadiana Chapter is having its banquet Thursday night in Lafayette. I know it is short notice but why don't you and your friend come on down. It will be a great event!!

Thanks for the tip, Mike.

Passed the word.

Maybe he'll join us here.

DF

Winchestermodel70 pretty much covered everything and Mike70560 also hit on what I would have said, which is to make sure you book with an established outfit and PH. The SCI or DSC shows are coming soon and would be a great place to visit with different outfits and to get a feel for how they operate, maybe meet some PHs, and compare pricing. A good hunt won't be cheap, but if you try to go cheap, you're almost guaranteed to get burned and return unhappy.

Practice a lot and practice getting in a fast 2nd and 3rd and maybe 4th shot. Most PH's will tell you that the most common mistake is to shoot and expect a buff to fold. They aint whitetail and can soak up a lot of lead.
Have fun, leave the tape measure at home and go with the flow.

Yip, I think that pretty much covers it.

Winchestermodel70 offered good advice. The only thing I might add is to be prepared to spend some significant dollars if you decide to have it mounted and shipped back.

I just got one back from the RSA and it cost me around $3000, when all was said and done, with taxidermy, air freight and ground transportation.

Also, the .416 Rigby is a fine choice of calibers. And yes, you can put them on the ground with the first shot, but it doesn't happen very often.

donsm70

In no particular order;

1) Only a rich man can afford a cheap hunt.

2) Regardless of (1) poor or no planning can also lead to great adventure.

3) Great adventure isn't usually entirely fun when you're actually experiencing it. Roll with the punches.

4)Use A-frames.Don't use solids.

5) Take the shoulder and heart on the first shot if you can. Buffalo only has 1 heart but it might as well have 4 lungs.

6) Keep shooting.

7) Never, under any circumstances smile at the local girls.

Just got back from my 3rd Buffalo safari. I would recommend:

1) walk (and carry your rifle if you can do so without hassle) at least 3-5 hours a day for a couple of weeks leading up to your hunt
2) bring sunscreen and chapstick and a small bag to hold personal stuff (camera, sunglasses, etc) while in the hunting truck.
3) The PHs I have hunted with recommend a partition (A-frame, etc) for the first shot and solids for the remaining shots
4) sight in at 100 yds and be able to shoot the rifle accurately
5) take a notebook to record details
6) bring more money than you think you will need. Tips can easily eat up $1500.00 bucks nowadays.

BH63

Another random thought:

At his age, if he's going to do it , do it right now. Clock is ticking...........Guys spend so much of their effort worrying about running out of money, only to run out of time.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, sounds like Jack Atcheson's philosophy.... DON'T WAIT!

You know those guys that say buffalo turn bullet-proof after the first shot? They're the ones with a magazine full of solids.

My buddy hooked up with a Louisiana SCI member with lots of safari experience, is getting good advice.

Hopefully we'll see input from him here in the future.

DF

I once had to shoot a small mule deer 3 times with a .7mm Weatheby Magnum. The bullets (Nosler partitions) did not hit a bone or open up. This is a bullet that I had used on dozens of mule deer (and elk and black bear for that matter) with mostly spectacular results.

The rationale for solids as backup shots on buffalo is that they can penetrate through 5 feet of buffalo and still break bone, putting you ahead of the game. Hit a running buffalo with a raking shot on the left side and you will encounter a thick paunch filled with partially digested grass. You need all of the penetration you can get.

My advice is to listen to your PH. He has probably seen more buffalo killed than any stateside hunter, regardless of how many trips he/she has made to Africa.

JMO

BH63

Buffalo hunting can turn into an expensive hobby!

BH63

I'm quite aware of the theory. Trouble is, the theory has flaws. First off it assumes that the buffalo is going to run straight away; and its best to put one up it's ass, through 2 bales of wet hay and hopefully get the heart or one lung. Its far easier to just break his hip, pelvis or hit the rear spine, all of will put it on the ground faster than you can say "dang". Nothing goes anywhere when its paralyzed from the waist down, and all the good disabling stuff is up high where the bales of hay aren't. I've found that shot buffalo usually run the direction they were pointed, but might go anywhere.


I started with a magazine full of solids, like a lot of people. Then I switched to 2 softs and 2 solids ( at the suggestion of a PH who was fine with all softs but also said that he didn't care what the last 2 were if the first two were good softs) and around buffalo 5 went to all softs except when I throw a solid in to remind me of why I don't use them, or to try out something different to see if that one doesn't suck. Whether you want 1 soft, 2 softs, all softs or all solids there will be a PH somewhere who will agree with you and others who don't.

I'm currently at 135 buffalo on three continents. I don't count those I finished off for other people like PHs do.

What's wrong with a mag full of 400 gr. TSX Rigby loads?

DF