Originally Posted by kamo_gari
Originally Posted by luv2safari
I posted pictures of three buffalo and what it took to kill two, then I posted one that got me, broke my back.

Bruce, I wasn't aware of your dugga boy hunt gone sour. Any man who's survived an attack from a cape buffalo has my respect and I'm in awe of your surviving such an ordeal. I'd love to hear more, but understand if it's something you don't care to relate in detail. Needless to say, you're one who obviously understands the potential danger involved and exactly what it means to have put your life on the line for the opportunity to take on a buff literally and in person--even if it was your buddy's buff. When I originally read your words 'it got me', I obviously didn't understand your ordeal.

As an aside, I find myself wondering where the line is drawn between PH and client as far as perceived responsibility. At what point does the PH determine that it's 'every man for himself' versus, 'it's my obligation and responsibility to protect the client and as such shall put my life on the line if things on a DG hunt go south'?

In the article I posted, which was very poorly written, admittedly, I noted that the author wrote about the hunter being 'an old man' at age 52, and not fleet of foot. Not sure what that had to do with his ultimately being gored to death, but reading that the PH/landowner and the photographer managed to escape injury by climbing a tree had me shaking my head some, I confess.

Having never hunted DG before, I don't know what protocols are in place, but I know that if I were a client on such a hunt, I'd pretty much insist that my PH/host had enough ammo with him to lay down a field of fire at least enough to deter a charging buffalo that was intent on stomping the life out of me, or taking me apart by running me through with his horns.

I'll try to weigh in on this. Hopefully, I understand the original article accurately.

First, to the question of what obligation a PH has to protect his client. Answer to that is the PH is the body guard of his clients. That means he will stand between his client and potential harm. That's why they are licensed professionals. This goes back to the origins of the African Professional Hunter in British East Africa, specifically Kenya. Men like Phillip Percival, Bunny Allen, Andrew Holberg, Bror von Blixen, Stan Lawrence-Brown, JA Hunter, Donald Ker , etc., established these standard which was adopted throughout. The PH takes the charge from the elephant, goes into the long grass after the wounded buffalo, and all of that.

To this current story, the specifics are a bit vague, but the dearly departed seemed to be on private land, and it is not clear to me if he was hunting or videoing. Says "he was with the farm owner". I must surmise the "farm owner" was not a licensed PH. If hunting, he was out maybe guiding him, but this is a different scenario than hiring a true PH. This is hunting on your buddy's ranch with your friend, it would appear.

In this instant, the farm owner/buddy tried to intervene, but saved his own hide when things got hairy (no criticism intended).


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