2 Buffalo From One Stand

Mark R

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Hi everyone. I was watching a youtube clip the other night, and I have seen it a few times on different videos, where a hunter took his buffalo after a stalk and then followed up immediately on another buff. Obviously he wanted to take 2 bulls but I somehow can’t see the fun on a double rise buffalo. I would dearly love to hunt the second on a hunt of its own just to satisfy my hunting urge.
Just curious as to the thoughts of others?
 
I completely agree. The stalk is the hunt. The shooting. The climax.

My first bull was with archery equipment. I made it clear to my PH. I had no interest in sitting in a blind overwater. It had to be a stalk.

I told him if the bow hunt did not pan out, I would borrow his double rifle and shoot one with a rifle on a stalk.
 
I wouldn’t want to shoot both at once - unless the situation called for it out of necessity. The stalk is the fun part, sneaking up to 20-30 yards without being detected is what gets the adrenaline going.
 
In some areas where you can legally take more than two buffalo (Uganda comes to mind) can see taking two at one jump. But in an area where two is the total bag, no thank you
 
This sort of situation is most common on a full bag safari in Tanzania. There, both the PH and his client are likely trying to take multiple dangerous game species. Buffalo are often targeted first because they will provide the sort of large bait necessary to attract and hold lions. Typically, the client will have two on license. An opportunity to fulfill both tags is not something to be wasted when the lion, leopard, or elephant can use up much of the available hunting time. Depending upon the concessions, travel time may be required between areas further reducing actual hunting days.
 
Taking a brace of dugga boys out of a group or 3 or so is a dream of mine. I see it as a exciting opportunity and a fun challenge that adds some adrenaline.

Different strokes for different folks.

I guess some already have their hunt planned out a certain way in their head. I’m an opportunist and would never pass on two trophies if I had the chance.

There’s nothing “to easy” about it
You take your good luck!
 
This sort of situation is most common on a full bag safari in Tanzania. There, both the PH and his client are likely trying to take multiple dangerous game species. Buffalo are often targeted first because they will provide the sort of large bait necessary to attract and hold lions. Typically, the client will have two on license. An opportunity to fulfill both tags is not something to be wasted when the lion, leopard, or elephant can use up much of the available hunting time. Depending upon the concessions, travel time may be required between areas further reducing actual hunting days.
Red Leg makes excellent points. The only clarification I’d add, especially since he mentions Tanzania, is that 16-days is required to hunt leopard and that gives you 3-buffalo on license and a lion hunt requires 21-days and then you get 4-buffalo. These hunts require a lot of bait, so shooting 2 at once isn’t an unreasonable prospect. I actually did a version of this two buffalo at once last year in the Selous, except that my son shot the first bull and I shot the 2nd one. That was really cool to do together.
 
Maybe the guy was a Pheasant hunter and just wanted to add another double to the list. :)
 
If I had planned to take two buffalo on the hunt and had the opportunity to take two nice bulls at same time, I wouldn’t hesitate. I go to hunt Africa for 10 or 14 days not just hunt buffalo. I’d think getting two like that would actually add to the experience. I don’t get hung up on hunting buffalo. I enjoy hunting them but they don’t hold a special trophy status for me above other game. Getting a double on buffalo frees up a lot of time to focus on other animals and enjoy the rest of the hunt knowing you were already very successful.
 
I completely agree. The stalk is the hunt. The shooting. The climax.

My first bull was with archery equipment. I made it clear to my PH. I had no interest in sitting in a blind overwater. It had to be a stalk.

I told him if the bow hunt did not pan out, I would borrow his double rifle and shoot one with a rifle on a stalk.
His question isn’t isn’t referring to a blind when he says stand. It’s taking two buffalo from the same group on the same stalk.
 
I’d take two, if the trophy quality appealed to me, it was planned, and the opportunity was right. That would be amazing. It certainly would leave time to hunt other animals.
 
His question isn’t isn’t referring to a blind when he says stand. It’s taking two buffalo from the same group on the same stalk.
I did not intend to say that he meant shooting 2 Buffalo from a blind. I know he meant a brace of Buffalo from one hunt.

My point was that the stalk IS the hunt to me. Not the shot.
 
If both Buffalo were very big than yes otherwise your standard Dugga boys no way. I love hunting Buffalo. They do hold a special fascination for me! I savor every minute on the track!
 
I agree with you. If money’s no object and you can hunt as many buffalo as you like then I’m sure it would be great. But for me I would rather go through the whole hunt again
 
I wouldn't do it just to do it, but if there were two really nice buffs there and the situation was reasonable, why not? A photo with two awesome bulls together would really be something.

There's always PG to hunt when you're done. :)
 
In this hypothetical scenario, how poor am I??? Like real life poor, or can I pretend I have lots of money?

If money is no object, it seems like it would be fun. I see it as setting up a scenario for a bad problem with a wounded buff. I think you increase the likelihood of wounded the second buff. Two wounded buff would be a nightmare.
 
If money is no object, it seems like it would be fun. I see it as setting up a scenario for a bad problem with a wounded buff. I think you increase the likelihood of wounded the second buff. Two wounded buff would be a nightmare.
Very good point. I don’t think I’d take the second buffalo (or any animal) unless I knew it was a good shot on the first animal. I recently had the chance to take a second eland bull in similar situation if it had been on quota. The first eland had two good shots and was down. After opportunity was gone, I gave it some thought and I was glad he have my one eland in photos instead of looking for second eland in the dark if that quota had been available. However, if it was on quota, I 100% would have taken the second eland, but I was ok afterwards knowing it was a good ending.
 
My friend @JHT killed two his two buffalo bulls on the last hour of the last day of his hunt.

He did not even see a bull before this opportunity. But it was certainly an adrenaline filled moment shooting two bulls in less than 5 seconds, the first went down at the shot and the second went 20 yards or so. And he was 20 yards from them when he got his chance.

Not planned but the experience of s lifetime all the same.
 
IMG_9475.png

@Ruraldoc is right. I killed these two buffalo within 5 seconds of each other on the last day of a grueling 10-day hunt. Up until this moment, I had not seen a buffalo. I consider it my greatest day in the field and if I had it to do over, I would do it 1000% the same.
 

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