Chasing the Black Death

[franzfmdavis]

I put together a short video of my first Cape Buffalo:

I hope ya'll enjoy it!

Date: March 10, 2026
Country: Republic of South Africa
Outfitter: Nahla Safaris
PH: Marco Smit
Tracker: Collin
Hunter: Franz Davis
Cameraman: Nathan Moritz
Quarry: Cape Buffalo
Size: 141" SCI Score, 42" Spread, 18" Boss
Rifle: Heym 88B Safari Double Rifle
Caliber: 470 Nitro Express
Projectiles: Swift A-Frame 500g (hand-loaded)

 

[coreydb]

Beautiful Cape! I read your title and immediately thought Bubonic Plague

 

[Rare Breed]

Congratulations my friend on taking a bull of a lifetime!!! Simply magnificent and hard earned!!! Great video…I felt like I was there!!! Last please tell me the exact music on your video…I want to buy and upload it to my library. Again Congratulations!!!!

 

[Rare Breed]

Just found out it was from Gladiator named “Now we are free.”

 

[Russ16]

Congratulations my friend on taking a bull of a lifetime!!! Simply magnificent and hard earned!!! Great video…I felt like I was there!!! Last please tell me the exact music on your video…I want to buy and upload it to my library. Again Congratulations!!!!

Congratulations on a great bull. Looks like you really had a great hunt.

If I’m not mistaken the song at the end is from gladiator.

 

[BJH65]

Congratulations on a magnificent bull! Hey, I was looking forward to you taking it with your 416 Rigby Big Game? I see you upgraded to the Heym 470 Nitro.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Nice video
Very nice curled tips

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So happy to see that 470 served you so well, certainly put it to good use.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Congratulations my friend on taking a bull of a lifetime!!! Simply magnificent and hard earned!!! Great video…I felt like I was there!!! Last please tell me the exact music on your video…I want to buy and upload it to my library. Again Congratulations!!!!

It is a song from the Gladiator movie sountrack. I believe it is called Now We are Free.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Congratulations on a magnificent bull! Hey, I was looking forward to you taking it with your 416 Rigby Big Game? I see you upgraded to the Heym 470 Nitro.

I had both on the trip, but really wanted to use the double. I used the 416 for everything else, including a Genet Cat, which survived and ran off...apparently that is is "not enough gun" for them!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Amazing! Great shooting! Congratulations and thank you for sharing this.

 

[BJH65]

I had both on the trip, but really wanted to use the double. I used the 416 for everything else, including a Genet Cat, which survived and ran off...apparently that is is "not enough gun" for them!

Excellent! Dang, those little cats are tough. Well, I have a solution regarding what rifle to use on buffalo next time: Use both! Shoot more than one buffalo, or an elephant and buffalo, or hippo, elephant and buffalo!

 

[CBeck]

Wonderful trophy…

But also, as a lover of knives, I couldn’t help but be curious about the one on your belt?

 

[franzfmdavis]

Wonderful trophy…

But also, as a lover of knives, I couldn’t help but be curious about the one on your belt?

It is from Von Gruff in Australia. It is the Safari model with Bird Eye Maple, I believe. I opted for the covered sheath too.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Amazing! Great shooting! Congratulations and thank you for sharing this.

Thank you!

I was glad that I had practiced weekly on moving targets before the hunt. I hit it on the left shoulder while it standing, and then hit it on the right shoulder as it was running. Marco, the PH, was happy with my shooting, which was a relief

.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Franz - Well done brother. Good shot placement and really nice bosses on that big boy. Looks like you had a good hunt. You may have stated and I missed it. Which province were you all hunting?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I put together a short video of my first Cape Buffalo:

I hope ya'll enjoy it!

Date: March 10, 2026
Country: Republic of South Africa
Outfitter: Nahla Safaris
PH: Marco Smit
Tracker: Collin
Hunter: Franz Davis
Cameraman: Nathan Moritz
Quarry: Cape Buffalo
Size: 141" SCI Score, 42" Spread, 18" Boss
Rifle: Heym 88B Safari Double Rifle
Caliber: 470 Nitro Express
Projectiles: Swift A-Frame 500g (hand-loaded)

Franz, I am so so proud of you. Heartiest congratulations, my young friend. A magnificent Cape buffalo you bagged. And such level headed shooting.

Next hunt, hippopotamus on land !

 

[CBH Australia]

It is from Von Gruff in Australia. It is the Safari model with Bird Eye Maple, I believe. I opted for the covered sheath too.View attachment 754086

Congratulations on a great hunt.

Just clarifying Von Gruff is in New Zealand I’m in Australia

I do like the covered sheath option. I considered the Tahr Hunter model with that.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Thank you!

I was glad that I had practiced weekly on moving targets before the hunt. I hit it on the left shoulder while it standing, and then hit it on the right shoulder as it was running. Marco, the PH, was happy with my shooting, which was a reliefView attachment 754087View attachment 754088.

Did you recover any of the bullets?

 

[franzfmdavis]

Franz - Well done brother. Good shot placement and really nice bosses on that big boy. Looks like you had a good hunt. You may have stated and I missed it. Which province were you all hunting?

The outfitter (Nahla Safaris) was near Schweizer-Reneke, which is in the North West Province.