Day 2 Hunting:
On our drive in, about 2 miles from camp, at 7:00am trackers spotted fresh buff tracks. We pulled over, Albert and Henk assessed there wa heard of over 40 Buffalo. We decided to pursue the herd from there.
After a 2.5 mile walk through the Savanah woodlands, we spotted the heard at 500 yards down a meadow marked with several large grassed over termite mounds. Each about 12 feet high.
This gave us opportunity to sneak in by walking in slowly crouched to within 150 yards distance to the herd.
We crawled to the top of the first mound to glass and confirm several old bulls in the herd along with many younger bulls, cows, and calves at around 9:00am.
Then Albert crawled to another adjacent mound from 150 yards to 90 yards closer to glass and confirm how we should set up and approach our shot.
Shortly after, Albert singled to crawl over to join him.
Henk, myself, and the 2 trackers crawled over and joined Albert. After a little more glassing, we determined that our best shot would be prone from the top of the mound.
Then the discussion quickly turned to which rifle to use. It was decided from prone the .375 was the better choice. One reason was it is loaded with 350 Barnes TSX and would likely not pass through based on the load and speed as well as previous experience. I was ok with trying the 450 prone, but not looking forward to it. But the truth is the 450 was already loaded with Swift Break-Way solids traveling at 2,300 FPS and there was concern that the solids may pass through and we didn’t want to take that chance.
The wind was always in our favor, but between our position and the buffalo, there was no way to approach them undetected without being seen and risk pushing them out.
We glassed and decided there were at least 6 shootable bulls in the heard, but one stood out to me.
Occasionally, a buff would get up and walk around and lay back down. We decided to try for a mature old bull with big bosses, good drops, and nice curls. He was laying in the front towards us, about 3 Buff back. Evidently he was very tired because he laid down for hours, occasionally lifting his head. We had to remain very still because at 80 yards because some of the cows were suspicious, but not yet alerted.
Problem was they were bedded down and my shooter bull would not budge. So we waited for 3 hours. I spent the majority of that time in my scope in a semi-prone position.
We were lucky with the weather because even though it was warm, it was over cast…
An occasional snore from the trackers would break the silence.
These mounds had prominent peaks and not enough room to lay perfectly prone. I made due with a backpack and my Bino’s for a rest and I sat half sprawled out, laying on my side, knees bent on the downhill side of this termite mound with the tips of my boots dug in to give me some support. Not ideal, but what was necessary to try for a shot. After my foot started to fall asleep, I slid down to stretch.
As soon as I did, Albert says “he’s up! Get ready!” It wasn’t easy to get to quickly get back to the rifle and get everything lined up and the rifle pinned into my shoulder in a way that would keep me from getting scoped or hammer my collar bone… That said, I got back in the scope, only to see my buff moving away to the back of the herd… Now I just see his ass and hear the frustration in both Henk and Albert’s voices. No more frustrated than me at this point of laying down and in the scope watching these buff for hours.
As the old bull mills around, he is continually moving away and is now at a little over 100 yards. I stay on him, tracking what will need to be a solid broadside shot, but he doesn’t present it. Other buff are getting up, but he is still clear just moving towards the back. What became evident was he now had no buff behind him and the concern for a pass through went away. Albert whispers take him when he turns, and as he does he is only presenting a partial broadside shot and is quartering away to his left. Albert whispers wait. Henk asks if I’m still on him and ready. I sarcastically say don’t worry about it!
As I track this bull, and patiently wait as I stay on his shoulder, Albert says to take him if I like the shot. Prone is very comfortable to me, but I was uncomfortable in that situation. I go through my simple steps of checking that my rifle isn’t canted, steadied and not shaking, breathing is focused, take my thumb off the grip as not to torque my rifle, shift me finger too the front of the pad so I don’t pull it, take the SAKO safety off, and apply pressure to the trigger, as the bull moves slightly more to broadside. I put the cross hairs back 8” from his shoulder and feel the trigger break. Then hear that thwack! that was followed by a quick “great shot from Henk” and “nice shot, you hit him good” from Albert. I did not see the impact. I reload a second 350 Grain Barnes. The herd stands up and starts to move right and my bull also turns towards the right but is standing still. Then he slowly starts to move right for a couple steps and as the herd clears, he stops and presents a square broadside shot. I drop him there with a second high shoulder shot that hits his spine and he goes straight down, and rolls on his side back to us. Shortly after the old bull drops the herd comes back to try to get him up, but he is bellowing and is all but finished. I was relieved.
As we move to within about 30 yards, Henk wants an insurance shot in the spine and I honor his request with a spine shot at 20 yards. Double lunged on the first shot and confirmed spine second shot…Amazing hunt!
