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SOUTH AFRICA: My Buffalo Hunt South Africa 2026
- Thread starter Pheroze
- Start date
Pheroze
AH ambassador
One of the best parts of hunting Africa is sitting around the fire and chatting with your PH. This experience is worth the price of admission alone. If you were sitting at a bar in your home town, and you got a chance to sit with a person with the depth of experience you PH has, I guarantee you would leave the bar late and quite enthralled. You talk shot placement, calibers, hunts and crazy situations. Nothing gets you more in the game than the night before fireside chat.
Tomorrow the hunt begins
Tomorrow the hunt begins
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Pheroze
AH ambassador
Day 1
Buffalo hunting is a lot of work! And, no one works harder than the tracker. The amount of mental and physical effort that is involved is humbling to be a part of.
The dense canopy is proving to be a bigger deal that I appreciated at first. It is hot and humid. It didn’t rain today but there has been a lot of rain this year. As a result, the Buffalo do not have to move much to be comfortable and fed. They are staying in the thick stuff
We started hunting at about 6am after a light breakfast. We spent the next four or so hours cutting tracks on the dirt roads, and then walking/stalking in. The technique used is very similar to moose hunting, to me anyways. We used the truck to cover a lot of distance, but we spent more time walking in the dense bush. We found tracks of several solitary bulls, but did not see any buffalo!
Around 11 we went back to camp for lunch and recuperated until about 1. We were off again. This time we drove a much longer distance before dismounting and stalking along trails. It was very humid and hot so I made sure to have electrolytes! I did manage to stab one of those massive thorns a fair way into my hamstring when I was adjusting a seated position. It actually took some effort to pull it out!
Eventually, we noticed a bull had actually walked across our tracks! There was much planning and discussion between @KMG Hunting Safaris , another PH and the tracker. A plan was made and we stalked in. We discovered an old, hard bossed bull lying in some thickets. We had to hold up about 30 yards from him. There were a couple of wildebeest in the same general area, keeping themselves cool. We stood in our spot for at least 90 minutes while the PHs verified whether this bull was indeed an old one. It took some time before it was agreed that he was very old. The tracker indicated he saw his flank was gray. But, it was a terrible shot. The bull never presented a proper shot. Eventually it got late and a decision was made to pull back and try again tomorrow.
Buffalo hunting is a lot of work! And, no one works harder than the tracker. The amount of mental and physical effort that is involved is humbling to be a part of.
The dense canopy is proving to be a bigger deal that I appreciated at first. It is hot and humid. It didn’t rain today but there has been a lot of rain this year. As a result, the Buffalo do not have to move much to be comfortable and fed. They are staying in the thick stuff
We started hunting at about 6am after a light breakfast. We spent the next four or so hours cutting tracks on the dirt roads, and then walking/stalking in. The technique used is very similar to moose hunting, to me anyways. We used the truck to cover a lot of distance, but we spent more time walking in the dense bush. We found tracks of several solitary bulls, but did not see any buffalo!
Around 11 we went back to camp for lunch and recuperated until about 1. We were off again. This time we drove a much longer distance before dismounting and stalking along trails. It was very humid and hot so I made sure to have electrolytes! I did manage to stab one of those massive thorns a fair way into my hamstring when I was adjusting a seated position. It actually took some effort to pull it out!
Eventually, we noticed a bull had actually walked across our tracks! There was much planning and discussion between @KMG Hunting Safaris , another PH and the tracker. A plan was made and we stalked in. We discovered an old, hard bossed bull lying in some thickets. We had to hold up about 30 yards from him. There were a couple of wildebeest in the same general area, keeping themselves cool. We stood in our spot for at least 90 minutes while the PHs verified whether this bull was indeed an old one. It took some time before it was agreed that he was very old. The tracker indicated he saw his flank was gray. But, it was a terrible shot. The bull never presented a proper shot. Eventually it got late and a decision was made to pull back and try again tomorrow.
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Wildwillalaska
AH fanatic
Sounds like an eventful hunt thus far. Good luck and wishing you continued excitement. Hope to see a mushroomed NF SS shot soon. Favorite buffalo medicine.
500gr from my 450NE.
500gr from my 450NE.
Robmill70
AH enthusiast
I love my 308 Norma Mag!
Pheroze
AH ambassador
Day 2 AM
We set out again at 6am. We have now returned to camp at 11:30. In that 5.5 hours we saw three bulls and tracked a total of six. The obstacle to success are the conditions that have been created by the heavy rains they have had. The bush is lush. I said earlier that it didn’t seem to be as dense as at home. I stand corrected. The bush is very dense, the grass is high and there is water everywhere. The bulls are not limited to places to go. They are getting into the thick stuff and bedding down. We won’t see them until we are with 15 or 20 yards. The bulls bolt once they become aware of us and they don’t stand to look. The danger for them is suddenly there! We have done various things to get in front of them, but the conditions do not make that predictable. We have stalked them for hours in total. The heat and humidity is something else. One stalk we trailed a great bull. I caught a glimpse of his body moving through the bushes and trees. He picked up a friend and now we are stalking two. We were close but never got a shot. After a very long time, dodging under spiky trees, picking our steps very carefully, and pausing to find the trail again, we lost them. The tall grass made tracking very challenging and on several occasions the tracker set out alone to circle around and find it again. During one stall we paused in the shade of an Amarula tree. This gave the opportunity to have some of the sweet nectar from the fruits. A refreshing treat.
Marius has indicated to me that these are the most challenging conditions he has seen here. He is warning me that we may not get a shot of a standing bull.
I am happy. I am exhausted, drinking a LMNT and waiting for lunch. I told him we are doing what I signed up for, so I am happy still. I know Marius is puzzling over options and plans and I will follow his advice.
We set out again at 6am. We have now returned to camp at 11:30. In that 5.5 hours we saw three bulls and tracked a total of six. The obstacle to success are the conditions that have been created by the heavy rains they have had. The bush is lush. I said earlier that it didn’t seem to be as dense as at home. I stand corrected. The bush is very dense, the grass is high and there is water everywhere. The bulls are not limited to places to go. They are getting into the thick stuff and bedding down. We won’t see them until we are with 15 or 20 yards. The bulls bolt once they become aware of us and they don’t stand to look. The danger for them is suddenly there! We have done various things to get in front of them, but the conditions do not make that predictable. We have stalked them for hours in total. The heat and humidity is something else. One stalk we trailed a great bull. I caught a glimpse of his body moving through the bushes and trees. He picked up a friend and now we are stalking two. We were close but never got a shot. After a very long time, dodging under spiky trees, picking our steps very carefully, and pausing to find the trail again, we lost them. The tall grass made tracking very challenging and on several occasions the tracker set out alone to circle around and find it again. During one stall we paused in the shade of an Amarula tree. This gave the opportunity to have some of the sweet nectar from the fruits. A refreshing treat.
Marius has indicated to me that these are the most challenging conditions he has seen here. He is warning me that we may not get a shot of a standing bull.
I am happy. I am exhausted, drinking a LMNT and waiting for lunch. I told him we are doing what I signed up for, so I am happy still. I know Marius is puzzling over options and plans and I will follow his advice.
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Pheroze
AH ambassador
Day 2 pm
We went back out around 2:30. It was hot! We spent a lot of time on reconnaissance. We eventually settled for a lone track that was heading uphill from where we got to. We only went in about 20 or 30 yards when we heard the bull running off from behind a dense growth. We were pretty much on the other side of where he bedded down. We backed out to let him calm down and waited a bit.
We picked up his trail as he went from a run to a walk. We tracked his of over an hour and we knew we were getting close again - you could smell him. I was on one side of a tree/ bush cover Marius was at my 2 O’Clock, the tracker and Heinrich ( the other PH) moved around the bush on my left. Suddenly there was a great explosion of noise. Heinrich and the tracker backed up quickly. Marius’ 500 NE came to his shoulder. Heinrich planted his feet at my 11 O’Clock (about 4 yards from me) and brought his 470 up. The tracker dropped to the ground at my 12 O’clock, and I clicked off my safety and my rifle traced an arc to my shoulder. As I was brining my rifle up the bull passed from my right to my left. There was no shout to shoot, and anyways if I swung my gun I would quick be pointing it at Heinrich, the bull ran past up though a very narrow window of trees about ten yards from me. I could clearly make out his shoulder. Not shooting was the right decision for sure. But man was that a great experience.
We tracked him for a bit but owing to the time we called it a day. I then indulged in the best Guiness I have had in a while!
The experience has given me a lot more confidence. I over analyze everything. I make no apologies for it, because my entire success as a professional is due to how this perseverative mind works. For me, analysis is not paralysis, it is more like a 3D assessment. However, until that moment I didn’t really know how I was going to react in that kind of situation. Turns out, I did exactly what I should do. That has really helped to bring this hunt into the “fun” zone and out of the “holy shit, I hope I don’t screw this up, and have to make up some story on AH” zone.
For crappy conditions @KMG Hunting Safaris is certainly getting me close to the Buffalo. I think that says it all about him.
We went back out around 2:30. It was hot! We spent a lot of time on reconnaissance. We eventually settled for a lone track that was heading uphill from where we got to. We only went in about 20 or 30 yards when we heard the bull running off from behind a dense growth. We were pretty much on the other side of where he bedded down. We backed out to let him calm down and waited a bit.
We picked up his trail as he went from a run to a walk. We tracked his of over an hour and we knew we were getting close again - you could smell him. I was on one side of a tree/ bush cover Marius was at my 2 O’Clock, the tracker and Heinrich ( the other PH) moved around the bush on my left. Suddenly there was a great explosion of noise. Heinrich and the tracker backed up quickly. Marius’ 500 NE came to his shoulder. Heinrich planted his feet at my 11 O’Clock (about 4 yards from me) and brought his 470 up. The tracker dropped to the ground at my 12 O’clock, and I clicked off my safety and my rifle traced an arc to my shoulder. As I was brining my rifle up the bull passed from my right to my left. There was no shout to shoot, and anyways if I swung my gun I would quick be pointing it at Heinrich, the bull ran past up though a very narrow window of trees about ten yards from me. I could clearly make out his shoulder. Not shooting was the right decision for sure. But man was that a great experience.
We tracked him for a bit but owing to the time we called it a day. I then indulged in the best Guiness I have had in a while!
The experience has given me a lot more confidence. I over analyze everything. I make no apologies for it, because my entire success as a professional is due to how this perseverative mind works. For me, analysis is not paralysis, it is more like a 3D assessment. However, until that moment I didn’t really know how I was going to react in that kind of situation. Turns out, I did exactly what I should do. That has really helped to bring this hunt into the “fun” zone and out of the “holy shit, I hope I don’t screw this up, and have to make up some story on AH” zone.
For crappy conditions @KMG Hunting Safaris is certainly getting me close to the Buffalo. I think that says it all about him.
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Pheroze
AH ambassador
A bit of of mid- game analysis.
1. That life sized Buffalo target is not nearly as clear as the real thing. My version, anyways, does not have good resolution around the shoulder, so when I was practicing with it I was trying to figure out other landmarks I could use to judge the point of aim. This misunderstanding on my part lead to a terse conversation with Marius because he thought I had lost my mind when I was describing the landmarks I had assessed via this life sized target. However, as I watched the buff pass by me I was amazed how clearly the shoulder joint is defined - it’s a lot clearer than on my life sized target.
2. Jim Green Barefoot Ranger boots are fantastic. I broke mine in over about a month. They are comfortable and you can really feel the ground. I credit the great comfort, feedback and flexibility of these boots for being able to go in such long, yet quiet, stalks. We are literally getting right on top of these animals in this very dense bush. And, my feet feel fine.
3. Marius and Heinrich are fast, I saw their doubles come up in half the time it took me to swing my gun up.
4. For a bit of fun I am rocking a pith helmet this hunt. I have to say, it is actually a great hat for this! It is light, keeps the blazing heat off of my head, the shape gives it good sun blocking ability, and it doesn’t snag on all those thorns we crouch under. I am taking the utility of this pith helmet seriously now!
1. That life sized Buffalo target is not nearly as clear as the real thing. My version, anyways, does not have good resolution around the shoulder, so when I was practicing with it I was trying to figure out other landmarks I could use to judge the point of aim. This misunderstanding on my part lead to a terse conversation with Marius because he thought I had lost my mind when I was describing the landmarks I had assessed via this life sized target. However, as I watched the buff pass by me I was amazed how clearly the shoulder joint is defined - it’s a lot clearer than on my life sized target.
2. Jim Green Barefoot Ranger boots are fantastic. I broke mine in over about a month. They are comfortable and you can really feel the ground. I credit the great comfort, feedback and flexibility of these boots for being able to go in such long, yet quiet, stalks. We are literally getting right on top of these animals in this very dense bush. And, my feet feel fine.
3. Marius and Heinrich are fast, I saw their doubles come up in half the time it took me to swing my gun up.
4. For a bit of fun I am rocking a pith helmet this hunt. I have to say, it is actually a great hat for this! It is light, keeps the blazing heat off of my head, the shape gives it good sun blocking ability, and it doesn’t snag on all those thorns we crouch under. I am taking the utility of this pith helmet seriously now!
Last edited:
Tim Blackwell
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@Pheroze I'm enjoying following your hunt. I hunted the same place with Marius and Heinrich back in 2022. It's a fantastic challenge and the buff there are properly switched on!
It's a hunt that requires perseverance and mental toughness (and that's just putting up with Marius lol)
Stick with it, the results will be worth the sweat. Say G'day to the boys for me.
Tim
It's a hunt that requires perseverance and mental toughness (and that's just putting up with Marius lol)
Stick with it, the results will be worth the sweat. Say G'day to the boys for me.
Tim
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You cruisin' for a bruisin' Blackwell@Pheroze I'm enjoying following your hunt. I hunted the same place with Marius and Heinrich back in 2022. It's a fantastic challenge and the buff there are properly switched on!
It's a hunt that requires perseverance and mental toughness (and that's just putting up with Marius lol)
Stick with it, the results will be worth the sweat. Say G'day to the boys for me.
Tim
Pheroze
AH ambassador
We are currently sitting around the fire, I said hello, but I will wait for Marius to read your post about the rest@Pheroze I'm enjoying following your hunt. I hunted the same place with Marius and Heinrich back in 2022. It's a fantastic challenge and the buff there are properly switched on!
It's a hunt that requires perseverance and mental toughness (and that's just putting up with Marius lol)
Stick with it, the results will be worth the sweat. Say G'day to the boys for me.
Tim
Tim Blackwell
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We are currently sitting around the fire, I said hello, but I will wait for Marius to read your post about the rest
Tell him to show you "the photo". That's what happens when he guides Australians in that place....
Pheroze
AH ambassador
Day 3
It seems that each day the hunting gets harder. Marius was obviously very anxious about the conditions. He said they are the worst he has seen them in 12 years. I was prepared for foliage, and that challenge that brings. But the place is very green and lush. So it is very hard to get an angle that gives a shot.
This morning we got on a trail and followed that bull through all manner of brush, thorns and grass. 2.5 hours of work and we got very close again, within 20 yards, when the bull bolted.
The afternoon was a very similar experience. However, after jumping him once we later caught up with him again. It was an exhausting stalk but we could see him in a thicket, bedded down, about 20 yards again. Marius had me take off my boots to stalk closer to find a shooting lane. We moved along a hedge row about 5 or so yards when the wind shifted. CRASH and off he went, leaving me standing in a bush in my stocking feet.
We are changing gears - Marius offered to relocate us to the Northern Cape to continue the Buffalo hunt. My choice. I opted to go because I have never been. And, we have gotten on buffalo here, so I feel we have hunted properly here. The environment in the Northern Cape will be a very interesting change, and I am quite excited about experiencing this new environment. We leave tomorrow afternoon, but we will try once more here before we go.
It seems that each day the hunting gets harder. Marius was obviously very anxious about the conditions. He said they are the worst he has seen them in 12 years. I was prepared for foliage, and that challenge that brings. But the place is very green and lush. So it is very hard to get an angle that gives a shot.
This morning we got on a trail and followed that bull through all manner of brush, thorns and grass. 2.5 hours of work and we got very close again, within 20 yards, when the bull bolted.
The afternoon was a very similar experience. However, after jumping him once we later caught up with him again. It was an exhausting stalk but we could see him in a thicket, bedded down, about 20 yards again. Marius had me take off my boots to stalk closer to find a shooting lane. We moved along a hedge row about 5 or so yards when the wind shifted. CRASH and off he went, leaving me standing in a bush in my stocking feet.
We are changing gears - Marius offered to relocate us to the Northern Cape to continue the Buffalo hunt. My choice. I opted to go because I have never been. And, we have gotten on buffalo here, so I feel we have hunted properly here. The environment in the Northern Cape will be a very interesting change, and I am quite excited about experiencing this new environment. We leave tomorrow afternoon, but we will try once more here before we go.
My absolute favorite part of Africa!!!
AZDAVE
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Since it seems to be pick on Marius day @KMG Hunting Safaris 
With relocation to the Northern Cape if Marius says it is only a small hill to climb, proceed with caution. In my two safaris with him, we managed to find ways to climb uphill both ways against the wind so to speak.
May the hunting gods shine of the rest of your hunt
With relocation to the Northern Cape if Marius says it is only a small hill to climb, proceed with caution. In my two safaris with him, we managed to find ways to climb uphill both ways against the wind so to speak.
May the hunting gods shine of the rest of your hunt
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Daryl S wrote on mgstucson's profile.
Hi - the only (best) method of sending you the .375/06IMP data is with photographing my book notes. My camera died so the only way I can do it is with my phone. To do that, I would need your e-mail address, as this
new Android phone is too complicated to upload to my desk computer, which would be easier and to down-grade, reduce the file sizes.
Best wishes
Daryl
new Android phone is too complicated to upload to my desk computer, which would be easier and to down-grade, reduce the file sizes.
Best wishes
Daryl
swashington wrote on Hyde's profile.
Hey Steve, This is Steve Washington we met at KMG last year. I am interested in your Winchester. Would love to speak with you about it. I work third shift and I cannot take a phone with me to work. Let me know a good time to call during one of your mornings. My phone is [redacted]. Live in Florida so I have to account for the time difference.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Look forward to hearing from you.
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Hi @woodsman1991 -
I'm Ray [redacted]
Reply with name/address and I'll get a check into tomorrow's mail.
I'm Ray [redacted]
Reply with name/address and I'll get a check into tomorrow's mail.
Boela wrote on Slider's profile.
Good day, Slider.
Do you by any chance have any 500NE brass left that you are willing to part ways with?
Best regards,
Boela Bekker.
Do you by any chance have any 500NE brass left that you are willing to part ways with?
Best regards,
Boela Bekker.