Head shot and spine shot Question on broadside cape buffalo

[Africa1]

We'll never know what might have happened...Thank GOD! With this charge happening 2 years after I was charged by a Water Buffalo in Argentines, I'm really mentally gearing up for a charge from a tuskless planned for in 2027! Just my luck!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I am looking for actual, factual, proven instructions on successfully making the brain shot and/or also the spine shot on a cape buffalo from the side, not the front of the buffalo.
Where exactly is the right place to aim for both shots and a broadside buffalo?

Honestly, I don't want to know whether you agree with this shot or even if you like it. I respect your opinion but am not asking for it.

Please, I would be very grateful if you can tell me if you have successfully taken either and specifically where exactly did you place the bullet as viewed from the shooters position.

Thank you in advance for your constructive help/instruction. Brian

While not my first choice, I did kill a bull in 1983 with a spine shot. He was down and looked dead but the PH and I were being careful. The buffalo jumped up and started for the PH at about 10 feet. We both threw our rifles up and the PH pulled the trigger. The gun malfunctioned with a loud "click." I knew I had to do something drastic ASAP. I swung forward to the front edge of the shoulder about center of the neck. I had a book that had showed this as a shot to the spine. It worked and the bull went down in a cloud of dust.

I do not know what would have happened if I had hit a couple of inches higher or lower, but you asked for real experience.

 

[SStomcat]

Thought I would share some good shots of CBuffalo, also known as Widowmaker.

 

[Huvius]

On a perfect broadside shot, the Cape Buffalo with good horns seems to be designed to make this shot dubious at best.
In the video above, I really was expecting the hunter to park one on the bridge of his nose, not off center in the brisket.

 

[SStomcat]

On a perfect broadside shot, the Cape Buffalo with good horns seems to be designed to make this shot dubious at best.
In the video above, I really was expecting the hunter to park one on the bridge of his nose, not off center in the brisket.

Are you a PH?
And are you aware that modern bonded softs—forget solids—can and do punch clean through the boss?
This isn’t 1965 anymore. Bullet construction has moved on, whether the talking points have or not.

 

[Huvius]

Are you a PH?
And are you aware that modern bonded softs—forget solids—can and do punch clean through the boss?
This isn’t 1965 anymore. Bullet construction has moved on, whether the talking points have or not.

No, I’m not a PH.
I will ask, though, would ANY PH here advise a side on brain shot through the horn with the modern wonder bullets?
I think we all know the answer to that question.

 

[farmer_john]

No, I’m not a PH.
I will ask, though, would ANY PH here advise a side on brain shot through the horn with the modern wonder bullets?
I think we all know the answer to that question.

That glancing hit and the buzz as it spins off to oblivion tho....

Serious note tho. Its about skill. I have seen alot of folks claim to be great shots who sre mediocre at best. Whats a advisable amd viabls shot for one person may not be for another.

 

[Rafiki]

On a perfect broadside shot, the Cape Buffalo with good horns seems to be designed to make this shot dubious at best.
In the video above, I really was expecting the hunter to park one on the bridge of his nose, not off center in the brisket.

Are we talking about a side/brain shot?

 

[pilar]

No, I’m not a PH.
I will ask, though, would ANY PH here advise a side on brain shot through the horn with the modern wonder bullets?
I think we all know the answer to that question.

I doubt it? We had multiple times we could have shot a bull in the neck or head with Martin Pieters PH’s in zim and 100% of the time they said NO , this was in 2013 so maybe someone has changed that policy?
Consider me a novice on shooting buffalo!

 

[Huvius]

Are we talking about a side/brain shot?

That is what the original post question is about so I took it that way.

 

[SStomcat]

No, I’m not a PH.
I will ask, though, would ANY PH here advise a side on brain shot through the horn with the modern wonder bullets?
I think we all know the answer to that question.

Im not referring to a side brain shot, or more of a broadside shot on brain. My response was for a straight brain shot thru the middle of the boss

 

[Longwalker]

My last buffalo was a couple years ago in Mozambique. Due to the front buckle on my sling strap breaking, my rifle had taken a fall in the morning. It looked OK and so I did not verify the scope was still sighted in. That was a serious error.
When I shot the buff, he was standing perfectly broadside at close to 100M. I had a good rest and steady hold on the shoulder, 1/3 up. The 400 gr. .450/400 bullet hit half a meter high and left. Almost centred on the neck/shoulder junction, but too high, through the spinal processes of the neck vertebrae, and over the spinal cord. Nocked him down but didn't kill him. He got to his feet a couple minutes later, and started to walk straight away. A second shot in his butt got his attention and slightly turned him, he started angling to my left. The last shot was aimed a his shoulder, but hit precisely at the base of the ear and entered the brain.
My lessons learned:
If you bump it, check and be sure your rifle shoots where you think it does.
A shot to the spinal cord of the neck can work, but the neck is really large and that cord is small.
The brain shot is very effective on buffalo as it is on any animal, but not easy to place unless you're very good or as I was, very lucky.

 

[Longwalker]

One more note about the brain shot on my buff: A buffalo's skull has some very strong structures that can stop good, heavy bullets. The 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullet did not exit. I was fortunate that my bullet found the easiest path to the brain, angling from the rear.

 

[Longwalker]

I believe that the neck shot pictured above would have been effective if placed approx. two handswidths lower down. Just below the bottom of the shadow cast by the horn.