Dealing with wounded Cape buffalo

[IvW]

The Cape Buffalo is the DG animal that is hunted the most. It is not the most dangerous of the big 5 yet it accounts for many injuries and death to even Professional Hunters....
What are your opinions with regards to dealing with a wounded Cape Buffalo?
In particular rifle, bullet and caliber choice for the follow up...
I will post mine after some responses.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

First shot a 375H&H shot placed very accurately, no iff's or butt's.
Follow up a double rifle of 450/400 minimum calibre, and a 100% reliable one at that.

 

[Tanks]

Same round as what I have used lately for the first shot, a double in .500 NE. BTW, so far have not needed a second round with a double lung shot placement.

 

[mdwest]

From a hunters perspective.. the follow up if I am who takes it, is going to be from the same rifle using the same bullet that was delivered on the first shot.. in my particular case that is most likely going to be either a 300gr TSX loaded into a 375 H&H... or a 400gr TSX loaded into a 416 Taylor...

Thankfully with the one cape buff I have hunted to date (I may be hunting another one this summer.. still undecided on that right now.. we'll see..) no follow up shot was needed.. I managed to get both lungs and the heart with the first shot.. the buff traveled less than 30 meters and was done..

I am very thankful that my PH carries a "stopping" rifle.. he totes a double in 500 NE.. I am unsure of what he loads it with.. but my best guess would be A-frames (I know thats what he loads in his 375 and other rifles as well).. If things were to go sideways.. I trust both his shooting skills, and his firearm/ammunition choices, and his ability to stay calm under pressure as well.. I trust him enough that my wife will be hunting a buff with him this summer (using a 375 H&H) and my youngest child will be present on that hunt as well... and I am completely at ease with both him and his firearms ability to end a bad situation quickly and definitively if a problem were to arise..

 

[BeeMaa]

First shot, 375H&H.

In the event I need to follow up, I don't carry another rifle so I will be using the same. If I needed a stopping rifle and had the choice of something larger that I was comfortable with...458LOTT or 500J Blaser R8. Just because that is what my 375 is and I want to be completely comfortable with the system for something like this.

 

[BourbonTrail]

First shot, any accurate heavy rifle the person is comfortable with shooting proficiently (me, 416 Rem). Wounded…an RPG or Tomahawk cruise missile.

 

[VertigoBE]

Full disclaimer, I’ve never followed up on dangerous game. But as a thought experiment, here is my opinion:

For dealing with a wounded cape buff? (Or wounded DG in general) I would say that’s a place for a double rifle of the biggest caliber one can shoot proficiently with solids for thick skinned and softs for thin skinned dangerous game.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Ok, I see IvW wasn't talking about the first shot, just the followup. So you have already tadzad. Now what? I still go with the double in a minimum of 450/400, and since a followup is unlikely to allow you time to go and change rifles, that should be the first one too. Just put a red dot on it and learn to place that first shot so accurately that you will unlikely need the next two.

 

[BRICKBURN]

What ever caliber the PH shoots quickly and well. Don’t care what it is.

I’ll be right there with the 375h&h or the 416 Rigby.
I’ve seen solids ricochet so I’ll be using my Barnes TTSX.

 

[VertigoBE]

Ok, I see IvW wasn't talking about the first shot, just the followup. So you have already tadzad. Now what? I still go with the double in a minimum of 450/400, and since a followup is unlikely to allow you time to go and change rifles, that should be the first one too. Just put a red dot on it and learn to place that first shot so accurately that you will unlikely need the next two.

You are quite right Kevin. The rifle used for the follow up would out off necessity be the same one as the initial shot. In that case I would modify my opinion to:

Double rifle or bolt action, it matters not. Just make sure you are proficient with it, it functions flawlessly and has quick detach optics for the follow up and some extra solids and softs on hand.

 

[Art Lambart II]

I've never hunted DG but when I think of a "Charge Stopper" I'm not thinking about a 416 Rigby, 404J or a 450/400, my mind goes to 470NE or larger. As for the rifle I thinking double rifle shooting Woodleigh solids. Currently my one and only DG rifle is a Ruger #1 in 416 Rigby so I need to make my first shot count.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

What ever caliber the PH shoots quickly and well. Don’t care what it is.

I’ll be right there with the 375h&h or the 416 Rigby.
I’ve seen solids ricochet so I’ll be using my Barnes TTSX.

I’d be curious to know if they were flat point or round solids that ricocheted

 

[WAB]

I shoot a .458 Lott when hunting buffalo. It is deadly accurate for the first shot. If a follow up is needed, it’s the right tool for that job as well.

 

[BourbonTrail]

What ever caliber the PH shoots quickly and well. Don’t care what it is.

I’ll be right there with the 375h&h or the 416 Rigby.
I’ve seen solids ricochet so I’ll be using my Barnes TTSX.

What did they ricochet off of, the boss??

 

[Mountaineer]

I have been watching a good number of buffalo hunt videos. I’m noticing a long time to work the bolt and get off a second shot in real life. I’m starting to think a double is by far the best to allow one well placed first shot and a second hole somewhere in bull.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

The only problem I have heard of with a bolt action is the hunter short stroking it. I know of one hunter who had that issue and he was a proficient shooter, but when the adrenalin is pumping I guess it can happen. Any DG rifle in proper form should be fine. Practice practice practice. Thats why you are with a experienced PH and don't get your panties in a knot when he feels that his backup is needed. Go over with this with him/her before the hunt commences. Just my humble opinion.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I’d be curious to know if they were flat point or round solids that ricocheted

Brass Round nosed. Hit bone and went entirely the wrong way. 90 degrees.

 

[Tanks]

...As for the rifle I thinking double rifle shooting Woodleigh solids. ...

Why solids as a follow up shot? Today's modern expandable bullets already go all the way through buffalo.

 

[BeeMaa]

I'll load the bullets my PH tells me to load. He has the responsibility and the experience to deal with this. At this point the client (me) is little more than an observer. I'll do as I'm told and hope for the best.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I have followed up 2 wounded buffalos in my hunting time. First was with a 470 NE and the second was with a 505 Gibbs. Both times I was following up my own shots that later were shown to be in the boiler maker. Sometimes Capes just don’t know when to die. I was happy to have a large caliber for those follow ups and highly recommend using one.

I will state for those that might fall victim to the same thing I did on the first one. This happened a while ago IAround 18-19 Cape Buffalos ago) and on following up my first wounded cape I was still focusing on saving the trophy for the mount instead of trying to kill the Cape as fast as possible. When the charge occurred I was aiming for the chest wall where I believed the heart to be instead of the brain. This was a mistake I will never make again…always aim for the brain (In my opinion) as even a slight miss will stun the animal and give you a chance for further shots.
Chests shots in my experience did nothing to stop the charge and I, was only saved due to the Cape veering off from the pounding I was giving it. That cape took 11 shots from a 470 Nitro Express. Not my finest moment but a valuable learning experience.

HH