cow buffalo hunt?

[Hyde Hunter]

going on my second plains game hunt next June and have always (forever) wanted to hunt cape buffalo and get an old bull (of course with a dash of excitement) but at this time a bull hunt is not in the budget, hopefully in a couple of years. but I have read and seen cow hunts at a very nice price and just wonder what your thoughts and experiences with a cow hunt have produced. I just do not want a hunt that is like walking out in my field and shooting the neighbors cow. please give me some guidance on what to expect on a cow hunt. thanks Jim

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I shot a1200 pound buffalo cow at Tally-Ho Safaris last year after doing a "low crawl" for 40 minutes. Low crawl is a technique that most Marines and soldiers may have tried to forget. Slowly we edged closer until at 50 yards we found a small tunnel through the bush that offered a decent shot.

There were at least a dozen cows and young bulls in that small herd that we got close enough to. My PH Rudi was ecstatic that we were successful in our stalk. I was also rather pleased!

While not as hard as tracking an old bull in Tanzania for days and days, there was a good bit of challenge to it.

 

[mark-hunter]

(Being interested myself) I will join this topic, to add a new question.
I have seen buffalo cows offered on this forum, in South Africa.
I dont remember seen an offer in other country.

So: is buffalo cow, specific for south Africa only, or can be hunted elsewhere?

 

[crs]

Try this hunt report on this forum for some useful information.

Cape Buffalo With 1895 .405​

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Buffalo With 1895 .405

2012 South Africa Safari for Cape buffalo with .405 Winchester More than two years of preparation for this hunt began with the decision to use my Miroku made Winchester 1895 .405 WCF takedown rifle to take a Cape buffalo. Though many buffalo have been taken with the standard 300 grain .405...

www.africahunting.com

 

[375Fox]

If you’ve always wanted a bull I think you are selling yourself short to hunt a cow now because of budget constraints. Put the money you’d spend on a cow towards a bull hunt in the future. The hunt can definitely be done the same, but there is no comparison between a trophy bull and a cow.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

My opinion. Bull or cow….its a buffalo
When u hunt cows generally they in a herd so more eyes etc to bust you
When its a bull hunt gemerally they alone or in a small group. But big old bulls dont get big and old cos they dumb, they are clever and know when something is up

Both are great hunts

 

[TSALA HUNTING SAFARIS]

Agree with Stuart on the above.

Cows normally stand next to the bull ( meaning they are in the same herd) and can be just as dangerous and exciting if done right.Get up close and cows with calfs in the herds are not to messed with.

Regards

Rouan

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A while back our group hunted two cows and a bull in the Save, Zimbabwe. The one cow needed following up and she set up a perfect ambush in thick bush. It was just too dangerous to go in there so the PH called for the dogs and they bayed her enough for a shot. Cows can kill too.

 

[AZDAVE]

Cows are not refereed to as one of the Bitches of the bushveld without reason. I haven't hunted a cow but have been in close when hunting a bull and cows are to be respected. Hunt what you want and have a great time. as @Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS said "My opinion. Bull or cow….its a buffalo"

 

[crs]

For what it is worth,
My cow hunt was for old cows in a small group separate from the main herd of about 100 buff.
The cows were in much more dense cover than the herd and as told in my report, were able to catch
the straggler crossing a two track just before entering another large patch of dense cover.
Luck plus very good DG PH and trackers. Hunt was not boring!

 

[Safari Co. Africa]

6750 all in for a bull...still out of budget?

 

[Tundra Tiger]

There are folks from so many financial backgrounds on here. For some the difference between cow and bull isn't a big thing. For me it was, and especially because I had other species I wanted to hunt too.

I made the choice for a cow hunt for financial reasons. I did so after my PH made me a great offer, and after researching cow hunts on this site. (There are some great threads about this topic)

I have zero regrets about my cow hunt. Do I still want a bull? Absolutely. But this fit with my budget, allowed me to hunt buffalo while also affording a plethora of PG species, and was probably the most exciting/satisfying hunt from my first trip to Africa.

The short version: (a longer one is on this site somewhere) a lot of miles of hiking... irritated cow at 40 yards... frontal shot with a .45-70/325 grain handload... she was down and dead in less time than it took to type this. She was a large, mature, barren cow, estimated at 1300 pounds on the hoof. That hunt was one of the highlights of my hunting life; I will remember it forever - every detail.

You have to do what you have to do for you. I wish you the best. But cow hunts can be very, very rewarding, in my experience.

 

[singleshot]

My buddy and I took cow bulls with TallyHo back in August of this year. We had a great time. The difference between a bull and a cow is a lot of other trophy fees for me Here is a summary of our hunt.

SOUTH AFRICA: Cull Hunt With Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS

Outfitter: @Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS Limpopo South Africa - Stuart Williams Owner/PH and PHs Rudi & Willoughby Guns Used: Remington Model 700 in 404 Jeffery. Pacnor barrel gunsmithing by Ernie Boardman Gunners Sport Shop Brooking Oregon. The scope used was a Nikon African 1 – 4x with a...

www.africahunting.com