Like Ruark said “He looked at me like I owed him money.”
My first ever stalk of a Cape buffalo put us in dense heavy cover with buff all around us. I had a .416 Rigby, one PH had a 470NE, the other a 458 Lott, and there was also a 300wsm. We were severely, severely under gunned. It didn’t take long to realize we were in a situation we couldn’t control. Trying to get your heart rate to slow when you see only horns and feet 15-20 yards from you, and realizing that if there is a charge, your probably screwed, was the rush of a lifetime. We backed out, but those few minutes will forever be with me. Buffalo hunting gets in your blood, and you can’t just do it once. Luckily, the two buff we killed were pretty much non events.
If you think you were underpinned I'd like to know what you think you needed. 15-20 yards is a long way. The last animal I had to deal with was a brown bear in a bed at about 25 feet. I was in a tunnel and could not stand. But I did prevent the bear from completely getting up and pressing the charge. 458 is more than enough. You only need to be in the conscious mind correctly as it happens.
