Get used to it when this topic comes up. A lot of snobs when it comes to Cape buffalo.
I went to Africa the first time as a trial, unsure if that style of hunting would fit me. I'd spent almost sixty years hunting almost entirely alone and DYI. So I booked a "beginner's package" for plains game. By the second day I had taken all of the package (+ warthog and wildebeest) except kudu. That afternoon the outfitter had learned of an offer to cull a cow on a breeding operation. The prolonged drought required thinning the herd. It was offered to me at a very good price. I was already over budget and not really interested in shooting barnyard animals. Lodge owner and my PH looked at each other and chuckled. "Pat, you don't understand. Buffalo DO NOT like people. These are not domesticated animals." The lodge owner had seen the cow and he assured me she was exceptional. Those two kept after me and finally I conceded. I had five days to shoot a kudu so may as well go make myself useful. We arrived late in the day and planned to do some scouting and get the lay of the land (4K acres). Fortunately the herd had been spotted in the morning not too far off. So we headed into the thick stuff at the base of the mountains. I had been warned not to shoot the herd bull who was easily identified by a tag. "You will know which cow to shoot. She's the one with the really big horns." Again, when they finally stopped in the open I was told to shoot the one with the really big horns. "Hell, they ALL have really big horns!" She's in the back. Wait a second. There, fourth from the right another cow just stepped out of the way. "Oh yeah. THOSE are big horns." She had another cow on her right side and a calf just to her left. They were looking at us. I couldn't get steady in the wind and declined to take the shot. My PH stepped over and supported my right elbow. "How's that?" BANG!
I had never seen a buffalo before that afternoon. You will be stunned at the sheer size and omnipotent appearance when you first encounter them. Measuring the horns is the last thing that comes to mind. A good PH will ensure you do not shoot a soft boss bull. That's what is important. In former times it was all the rage for hunters, particularly American hunters, to shoot the biggest spread bulls. The result was too many of the younger soft boss herd breeding bulls at the prime of their lives were being taken out. The old dagga boys with horns broomed off were then able to rejoin the herds and reenter the breeding. Result was often they were breeding with their progeny which is not good for health of the herd. SCI helped fix this by adding boss measurement to their standards. But in some places "cowboy" operators will still have/let clients shoot soft boss bulls. We've seen this come up here where hunters have proudly posted photos of their exceptional long horned young soft boss bull, not knowing it is generally not looked on favorably these days. So you may easily encounter fabulous +40" soft boss bulls but your PH, if he's a good one, won't let you shoot them ... unless there is a need to cull them. And as we know, culling prices are way below the usual trophy fees. Or they should be. If someone wants to get rid of a nice soft boss bull I might take it off his hands for half price. If you happen to shoot a soft boss of your own volition, expect to pay full price, maybe more if you're shooting a breeding bull. Keep in mind that +40" soft boss bull will look impressive on the ground but if you plan on turning it into a euro mount, it will look very unimpressive with a big patch of bare skull between the horns. Taxidermist can add faux bosses but I don't have much use for guys who fake their trophies. They lack self respect. Certainly doesn't show the animal any respect.
