If you want to shoot dangerous game..

[Rare Breed]

I respect your views, and to be honest, I think most of us can agree or disagree on one point: there has to be some level of thrill to spark genuine interest. Without that element of challenge or intensity, I’m not sure how anything can truly capture a person’s passion. It’s that hint of uncertainty — the edge, the excitement — that keeps the flame alive. IMHO of course.

To your point “thrill, interest” it fulfills me and makes me happy for the experience whatever word people want to use I think people get caught up in semantics. Using the largest caliber rifle with the right bullet for the animal that I can make my first shot with tremendous confidence based on experience is just the smart thing to do. just me

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Can we have a civil discussion on this topic..?

To my mind, if you want to hunt dangerous game, let it be dangerous, otherwise you may as well just shoot deer. DG is to be shot at as close range as possible, either with a bolt rifle or a double..

A buffalo is not dangerous when you shoot him at 80 yards with a .375H&H from sticks.. I mean..if you hunt DG, isnt the taste of danger a part of the experience..?

i concur
the idea of getting as close as possible is to make as good a shot as possible, because you are usually using a double, or a bigger calibre with open sights etc, so to close the distance is paramount and this also makes it exciting and dangerous

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Shoot him poorly at 100 meters, and have real DG experience.

I dont mind shooting at 100 meters. (which actually I did)

Stalking in bush, 5 meters visibility, is something I really do not like.

you are missing out on the best parts of the hunt in my opinion

 

[fourfive8]

Foolish/stupid premise. Same as sniping big game at long range or using marginal caliber or taking poor shooting skill or poor equipment or poor ammo to the field. Why not disable an oryx or even a bushbuck with disabling shot then insist on finishing it off with a knife!

 

[mitch4570]

I have no experience hunting buffalo yet. My PH says he will try to get me within 50 yards of a buffalo. Still, It seems if you shoot a buff at 80 yards with a double. If things go south and with only one rd still in your rifle, seems like it might be a little dangerous.

 

[farmer_john]

Foolish/stupid premise. Same as sniping big game at long range or using marginal caliber or taking poor shooting skill or poor equipment or poor ammo to the field. Why not disable an oryx or even a bushbuck with disabling shot then insist on finishing it off with a knife!

Whats wrong with sniping?

 

[Pondoro]

Whats wrong with sniping?

Sniping is not hunting..

 

[Flipper Dude]

Sniping is not hunting..

Exactly. It’s simply using animals for target practice. I know this topic has been beat to death, but it’s one of the few I have a strong opinion on, so I’ll lay on a few more licks for good measure.

Your 700 yard shot won’t impress anyone that’s a hunter. Your 7 yard shot would.

 

[HankBuck]

Can we have a civil discussion on this topic..?

To my mind, if you want to hunt dangerous game, let it be dangerous, otherwise you may as well just shoot deer. DG is to be shot at as close range as possible, either with a bolt rifle or a double..

A buffalo is not dangerous when you shoot him at 80 yards with a .375H&H from sticks.. I mean..if you hunt DG, isnt the taste of danger a part of the experience..?

@Pondoro - since the “Danger” usually starts AFTER the 1st shot is fired…distance could be less of a factor then Bullet Placement ie: a poor shot/wounded animal = tracking & follow up and that’s where most “Danger” begins. A bad shot at 100 yrds or 10 yrds could yield the same level of danger. I’d like more experianced PH’s to weigh in but thinking most “Danger” (Not All danger) is following up on wounded animals. Now, to you point - I enjoy watching Mark Sullivan and how he “prefers” to shoot dangerous game and I respect his fine shooting ….BUT that’s Not for Me.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Most of the things I do for fun involve some form of competition, extreme physical or mental challenge or elements of risk. Motorcycle racing, aerobatic flying, racing cars, hunting, fishing, martial arts, but... That in no way means I take safety as a frivolous aspect. I wear my safety gear, plan my actions and prepare in the extreme. Hunting DG, for me is a personal test. A challenge between me and the beast. While it can be potentially dangerous, if me and the PH do our jobs the risks are not extreme. If you need it to be life threatening to be fun, then why not just load one round into your double rifle? Make the 1st shot count?

 

[Hogpatrol]

With modern weapons, cartridges and bullet construction and guides with backup, can we really say DG hunting today is dangerous?. It's hunting game that can effect retribution. Hunting that game with a muzzleloader or maybe a single shot centerfire with no backup like the settlers, early era colonial inhabitants and professional hunters, that I would call dangerous.

 

[farmer_john]

Exactly. It’s simply using animals for target practice. I know this topic has been beat to death, but it’s one of the few I have a strong opinion on, so I’ll lay on a few more licks for good measure.

Your 700 yard shot won’t impress anyone that’s a hunter. Your 7 yard shot would.

I agree with that. But I also wouldnt call it sniping either. But I think its more semantics than anything on my end.
I personally wouldnt want to spend good money to go to some amazing natural areas to not get close enough to experience it.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I love shooting steel tgts at extreme long ranges and do it often with both centerfire and 22lr. We are regularly shooting out to 400y with the 22lr and are hitting 1/2" lollipops at 100y with a 22lr almost every shot. Hell, I cannot do that with my centerfire rifles most of the time. But, just because I can hit a tgt at long range does not mean I shoot big game at those long ranges. Normally, all of my PG shots have been at 200y or less until this year when we spent a few days in Free State. Most of it was like Kansas, open, flat grasslands. There we had two PG shots at 243y and 314y. Not extreme and well within the limits I place on my rifles. That being I limit my shots to the range where impact velocity will exceed 2000fps and my shots from sticks can be grouped at 3-4" to insure adequate accuracy. For me, that limit is about 300y for most shots unless I can go prone for a shot or get a better rest. Still, ask your PH. He will say, we get closer for the shot because, we are better hunters than that.

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[farmer_john]

View attachment 730403

Fixed it...

On serious note. If you feel its not heading in a productive direction have a productive conversation that goes in the direction you feel it should. Dropping a meme is funny but does not contribute to keeping it on track.
I can meme for days =)

 

[Taj]

Can we have a civil discussion on this topic..?

To my mind, if you want to hunt dangerous game, let it be dangerous, otherwise you may as well just shoot deer. DG is to be shot at as close range as possible, either with a bolt rifle or a double..

A buffalo is not dangerous when you shoot him at 80 yards with a .375H&H from sticks.. I mean..if you hunt DG, isnt the taste of danger a part of the experience..?

Brother, I don't think you are wrong on this, but the potential is always there due to circs that are out of your or PH's control. Buff can sometimes go down like a dairy cow and sometimes it seems you can't kill them with a howitzer. Poor bullet placement can happen even with the best of shooters and that's when it does get dangerous.

 

[Saul]

While I have not hunted dangerous game yet (with a strong emphasis on “yet”), a common theme here seems to be that what makes a truly great experience is hunting hard through the bush to get as close as you can, which is something any hunter can appreciate. Something my wife will never understand is the satisfaction I feel when I come home all scratched up from the field.

 

[Kharn]

I bet everyone that ever died on a DG hunt "regrets it" (well duhhh..) if you could ask them somehow.
I mean how can you go on another DG hunt.................. if ya dead.
There is a balance.

 

[Saul]

I bet everyone that ever died on a DG hunt "regrets it" (well duhhh..) if you could ask them somehow.
I mean how can you go on another DG hunt.................. if ya dead.
There is a balance.

There are certainly much worse ways to go.

 

[Kharn]

There are certainly much worse ways to go.

Nah if you INTEND to DELIBERATELY die on a DG hunt (maybe you're terminal?) that is selfish and unfair on the PH & Outfitter the amount of stress it would induce on the humans present during your death, witnessing it and being incapable of saving you at the hands of a dangerous animal which is their entire profession is the LAST LAST LASSST thing any of them wants & makes THEM not look "positive", let alone the media attention... CHRIST....

There are certainly much worse ways to go but this isn't a d*ck waving contest about who can have the most gruesome death of which I want NO part in.