I must disagree with one point asserted by my good friend Mule Deer. In RSA not all ranches are the same. The ranch at which I am currently hunting has plenty of buffalo and they are not easy to locate. They have been quite elusive.
The conditions vary considerably from area to area. There are areas in Zim and T where buffalo predictably hang around the same areas from year to year. Likewise Caprivi.
Last edited by RinB; 07/15/19.
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”. Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Posted by Brad.
Also, often buffalo are pretty easy to locate in wild Africa. The easiest buffalo finding I've experienced was in Botswana's Okavango Delta. Never had to track any, as we always saw some first, while looking for tracks....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
John, Have been in Africa for the last five weeks hunting buffalo. Leaving for home in a couple of days. Have had some great success but have expended lots of time and effort. Have conducted a thorough test of the Barnes TSX 270 grain. Rick PS will contact you when I get home.
Last edited by RinB; 07/15/19.
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”. Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Posted by Brad.
Friend of mine just got back from Africa (Dande North in ZIM) shot two buffalo with a 416 Rigby and 350gr TSX. TSXs, like Porsche there is NO substitute.
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
This was my exact plan for my first trip to Africa
When I got there first thing I was told was that there was a change in plans, we were going for buffalo first; first critter I shot in Africa was my buff, worked out well.
You will find out that situations arise that force a change in plans, don't stress, happens a lot in Africa, go with the flow. Best of luck on your hunt.
My priority on my first hunt in Zim in 2015 was buffalo. My PH had me shoot a zebra on Day 1 as a "warmup", which I suspect was more as a way for him to evaluate my shooting than anything else. Then we went after buffalo. Even though there were abundant buff in our area, it took three days of stalking to get on a good buff and have a chance at taking him. I did so, but that is by no means the norm... my PH told me the hunter he had had just before me did not get a chance to shoot his buff until Day 9 of his 10-day hunt.
You just have to take what Africa offers. That's what my PH said, and following this simple rule, we did well.
I'm going back for buff in a couple of weeks, and I'll follow the same rule again. If I get my buff on Day 1, so be it... but I am not counting on being as lucky this time as I was the last.
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
Friend of mine just got back from Africa (Dande North in ZIM) shot two buffalo with a 416 Rigby and 350gr TSX. TSXs, like Porsche there is NO substitute.
Good friend killed a 41" buff in Zim last year. Used the 400 TSX out of his .416 Rigby RSM. PH packed a push feed M-70, .416 Rem. He liked the big Ruger but said, in his opinion, it was too heavy.
What's your thinking, 350 TSX vs. 400 TSX out of a .416? This buff was hit with a raking shot, didn't go thru.
Another friend is building a .416 Rem for a buff hunt next year. I'm helping him with the technical stuff. Will reload for that hunt.
My priority on my first hunt in Zim in 2015 was buffalo. My PH had me shoot a zebra on Day 1 as a "warmup", which I suspect was more as a way for him to evaluate my shooting than anything else. Then we went after buffalo. Even though there were abundant buff in our area, it took three days of stalking to get on a good buff and have a chance at taking him. I did so, but that is by no means the norm... my PH told me the hunter he had had just before me did not get a chance to shoot his buff until Day 9 of his 10-day hunt.
You just have to take what Africa offers. That's what my PH said, and following this simple rule, we did well.
I'm going back for buff in a couple of weeks, and I'll follow the same rule again. If I get my buff on Day 1, so be it... but I am not counting on being as lucky this time as I was the last.
Well, we got back yesterday from our 10-day buffalo and plains game hunt, and my earlier post proved prophetic... the drought in southern Africa has made the beasts of all species exceedingly harder to hunt than in more normal conditions. Despite the high numbers of buffalo in the BVC, we hunted hard for 8-1/2 days without getting a shot on a good buffalo. I was able to collect my dagga boy on Day 9, but I may have been forced to eat tag soup if that bull hadn't cooperated!
Bottom line: buffalo are very, very wary critters, and in the opinion of many experienced hunters one of the most difficult African game to get in the bag. Start hunting them early and hunt them hard and you should be successful, but there are no guarantees!
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
My priority on my first hunt in Zim in 2015 was buffalo. My PH had me shoot a zebra on Day 1 as a "warmup", which I suspect was more as a way for him to evaluate my shooting than anything else. Then we went after buffalo. Even though there were abundant buff in our area, it took three days of stalking to get on a good buff and have a chance at taking him. I did so, but that is by no means the norm... my PH told me the hunter he had had just before me did not get a chance to shoot his buff until Day 9 of his 10-day hunt.
You just have to take what Africa offers. That's what my PH said, and following this simple rule, we did well.
I'm going back for buff in a couple of weeks, and I'll follow the same rule again. If I get my buff on Day 1, so be it... but I am not counting on being as lucky this time as I was the last.
Well, we got back yesterday from our 10-day buffalo and plains game hunt, and my earlier post proved prophetic... the drought in southern Africa has made the beasts of all species exceedingly harder to hunt than in more normal conditions. Despite the high numbers of buffalo in the BVC, we hunted hard for 8-1/2 days without getting a shot on a good buffalo. I was able to collect my dagga boy on Day 9, but I may have been forced to eat tag soup if that bull hadn't cooperated!
Bottom line: buffalo are very, very wary critters, and in the opinion of many experienced hunters one of the most difficult African game to get in the bag. Start hunting them early and hunt them hard and you should be successful, but there are no guarantees!
Sounds like another good trip James. I am kicking around a Caprivi hunt with the guy I hunted Namibia with a couple of years ago.
I did a two day warm-up on my hunt (with John, right after Doc) but not by choice...my .450 Dakota ammo didn't arrive to the BVC until the morning of Day 3!
So I took a Zebra (#4 for me, can't get enough of Zebra) and a Spotted Hyena.
Took to hunting Buff on day 3. Took my buffalo on day 6.
Then spent 6 days chasing scarce Eland, without firing a shot!
As Doc mentioned, the drought has added some complexity to the hunt. I thought it would concentrate the animals and make hunting easier...but not if they were concentrated on a block other than the one you are hunting!
USMC 0351
We know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
I did a two day warm-up on my hunt (with John, right after Doc) but not by choice...my .450 Dakota ammo didn't arrive to the BVC until the morning of Day 3!
So I took a Zebra (#4 for me, can't get enough of Zebra) and a Spotted Hyena.
Took to hunting Buff on day 3. Took my buffalo on day 6.
Then spent 6 days chasing scarce Eland, without firing a shot!
As Doc mentioned, the drought has added some complexity to the hunt. I thought it would concentrate the animals and make hunting easier...but not if they were concentrated on a block other than the one you are hunting!
Tim, that bull is a beauty! A gray-faced, hard-bossed old bastard! Well done!
Still haven't posted any pics of my buff from last month. I've tried uploading pics but the files I have are too big for the app here on 24HCF. I've got to find the time to get on that.
Last edited by DocRocket; 09/02/19.
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
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