Boddington idle curiosity questions

Laniarius

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I've been enjoying some episodes of Peterson's Hunting Adventures, of which Craig Boddington is one of hosts.

Something occurred to me out curiosity. What would someone like Craig do with over 100 buffaloes hunted? This isn't meant to be in an accusatory tone. I congratulate him and anyone who has gained that kind of experience. I'm just curious, does he actually keep all the trophies or would he donate them or auction them or something? Maybe this information is out there but searching something like "Craig Boddington buffalo trophies" is not going to narrow the results much.

As I was thinking about posting this, the following came up on screen. Another curiosity question: why mount a red dot far back on a cantilever like this? Unlike Buffalo hunting, I can at least claim to have mounted and used several different red dots on various firearms. I suppose there's personal preference about how much the optic fills one's view. I just have a hard time picturing the benefit of the setup Craig has here. But I know he's experienced and probably has a reason. And presumably with a double rifle for a Mozambique buffalo hunt, he wasn't constrained by using whatever he could afford for $30 from a local big box store.

20240814_164523.jpg
 
On the red dot, I like mine mounted further back that most because of an eye dominance issue. Left eye dominate and shoot right handed.
 
Looks like that would get in the way of a rapid reload.

As far as 100 buffalo, I guess he likes hunting buffalo and I read somewhere stories about DG sell better than PG.
All of this is only my guess.
 
Looks like that would get in the way of a rapid reload.

As far as 100 buffalo, I guess he likes hunting buffalo and I read somewhere stories about DG sell better than PG.
All of this is only my guess.
I thought the same thing re reloading hindrance. It's also sticking out there where it can get caught on stuff. Sure looks like an odd setup to me.

I'd like to know the story behind his hat. Looks like something swiped from Dorothy's scarecrow in Oz.
 
I thought the same thing re reloading hindrance. It's also sticking out there where it can get caught on stuff. Sure looks like an odd setup to me.

I'd like to know the story behind his hat. Looks like something swiped from Dorothy's scarecrow in Oz.
Regarding the mount, and extension, it all depends.

Every person is an individual, with idiosyncratic ergonomics, stature, arm length, eyes, and ability to acquire the sights. I need my red dots close for focus, and the closer the better, especially in the last 10 years.

With age, we can adapt, so that we can still hit the target.
 
I've been enjoying some episodes of Peterson's Hunting Adventures, of which Craig Boddington is one of hosts.

Something occurred to me out curiosity. What would someone like Craig do with over 100 buffaloes hunted? This isn't meant to be in an accusatory tone. I congratulate him and anyone who has gained that kind of experience. I'm just curious, does he actually keep all the trophies or would he donate them or auction them or something? Maybe this information is out there but searching something like "Craig Boddington buffalo trophies" is not going to narrow the results much.

As I was thinking about posting this, the following came up on screen. Another curiosity question: why mount a red dot far back on a cantilever like this? Unlike Buffalo hunting, I can at least claim to have mounted and used several different red dots on various firearms. I suppose there's personal preference about how much the optic fills one's view. I just have a hard time picturing the benefit of the setup Craig has here. But I know he's experienced and probably has a reason. And presumably with a double rifle for a Mozambique buffalo hunt, he wasn't constrained by using whatever he could afford for $30 from a local big box store.

View attachment 626505
Never forget what Shelby told Ruark “you will always hunt buffalo”
 
Thanks, all.

I didn't know it could make much of a difference to have the dot closer for focus.

I can totally picture how one would want to hunt 100+ buffalo. But it keeping all those mounts, even just euro mounts, would take a lot of space.
 
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Eyesight and max FOV are important in DG situations. One can also elect to do "Own Use" type hunts whereby the entire animal is for the benefit of the locals (nothing taken home.)
 
It would actually be quite interesting to see a display with 100 euro mounted buffalo each with a small write up when where and how they were hunted ect. Im sure there would be insight to be gained from it.
 
Just conjecture, but the most accurate iron sight arrangement is one where you have the greatest distance between the front and rear sights. (It’s just math)

Mr. Boddington may be using his red dot as a rear sight, reconciling it with the front bead of the double rifle. If so, he basically has illuminated iron sights effectively and he could certainly shoot proficiently with such an arrangement out to at least 200 yards.

Or maybe it’s just goofy and he likes it that way. (It looks awful, but he’s a pro so I’m going to assume there is method to his madness)
 
On the red dot, I like mine mounted further back that most because of an eye dominance issue. Left eye dominate and shoot right handed.
And you can co-witness the iron sights if the red dot is mounted low enough, as it appears to be in this case. A very good thing in a DG rifle I would think.

I once convinced a fellow shooter I could use "holdover" to hit long range steel with a red dot setup on FAL. (I had the irons set for 600.)
 
I know Craig, I have had the pleasure of talking to both Him and his wife. They are better than good people, they are nice polite humble great people. We hunt different ways, but when he talks I listen.
he is one of the best.
Good to know. He strikes me as a genuine guy on camera.
 
In regards to the first question:
The same reason why I successfully hunted elephant, Cape buffalo, hippopotamus, lion & leopard in Africa by 1980... yet keep going back there for the same species again & again. To say absolutely nothing of the countless plains game species which I have been hunting repeatedly over the years (esp. Impala & Kudu).

Hunting's in our blood. It's food for our souls and at some point, the trophies become irrelevant to us while the love for the hunting itself only grows stronger.

Taking Cape buffalo for instance... I've been hunting so many of them ever since 1974. But I've only ever bothered to have the first one mounted.
 
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I would expect many of those buffalo don’t fly home. Many hunters get to a point that nothing comes home.
As for the red dot I have no clue. I’ll ask one of the PH’s he hunts with and see if I get an answer.
 

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