Hunting Ethics of shooting Buffalo bull while he’s laying down

[Doug Hamilton]

I have taken a number of animals of different species while they were bedded - most recently, three weeks ago in Hungary. https://www.africahunting.com/threa...bolt-action-equipped-with-a-suppressor.92074/ I have also waited seemingly forever when the shot was not certain. I would not hesitate to take a bedded buffalo assuming I had a clear shot to the where it matters. The ethical issue is not whether the animal is laying down or standing on his head, but whether the client is certain he can put the bullet exactly where it needs to go.

Exactly.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Grandma died, previous wealthy client showed up unexpectedly, hmmmm

PHs also have a habit of declining to hunt with problem clients a second time.

I thought Grandma got run over by a reindeer.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

1 outfitter, 4 trips, 4 different PHs. Interesting.

I was thinking along the same lines.

 

[Hunt anything]

I would shoot as long as the vitals were clear, shooting an animal that is totally unaware of my presence is my ultimate goal in a stalk. It means the team has totally won the game.
On a side note, I was watching a show last night and a first time buffalo hunter muffed the shot on a really good bull that was bedded. I think it was “This is Africa” with Dalton of D & Y safaris as the PH It was the first buffalo the guy had ever seen he said. The guy shot low and blew a dust storm over the bull. Ironically the bull the guy shot was also bedded and the guy made a good initial shot but his follow up hit about 10 feet up the river bank. His face never came close to getting back on the rifle after the first shot. He was shooting left handed but shooting a right handed rifle, a CZ .375

 

[Frederik]

If someone could kindly sponsor me a buffalo dagga boy or two I would happily arrange hunting and shooting them while bedded and being put on film or what would they say these days pixels.

 

[grand veneur]

Mark Sullivan would approve.

Sure, but in Malaysia I shot a water buffalo this way. We did not provoke the attack, but it was a problem buffalo that had invaded an oil palm plantation and attacked everything that tried to do anything in the plantation. This saved us a long and difficult approach. When we moved forward between the oil palm trees, it immediately attacked us and I shot it.

 

[roklok]

I have video of the shot on my bull I shot while lying down. I will see if I can post it to Youtube and link it here. One shot and done from 75ish yards with 375 H&H. He was bedded roughly broadside, slightly quartering away. I held fairly low, but due to his position while lying down the entrance hole was about perfectly halfway between backline and brisket when he was on his feet. The bullet went through the top of heart and broke offside humerus. He got to his feet, hobbled on three legs a short distance with the herd, then went down for the count within sight, bellowing shortly afterwards. About as clean as kill as one could hope for in any position short of a brain shot. My PH who has extensive experience with buffalo, elephant and other DG did not seem to have any qualms about the shot.

 

[Rare Breed]

There is nothing unethical on shooting a buffalo that is laying down. I think what affects your scenario case you have outlined above is "shot placement. " Most PHs wouldn't allow the client to take risky shots, they would rather wait for perfect shot placements(shoulder lung shot)on a good visible terrain. Exceptions can be made on these tricky situations but this goes down between the PH/Client relationship and it's usually the PH that gives out the final call.

I have seen some members post sharing when they can get close enough they feel comfortable taking a shot with a buff laying down and I support that versus a say normal distant shot where we might not feel sure until the bull stands up

 

[Zvikomborero Mudzamba]

I have seen some members post sharing when they can get close enough they feel comfortable taking a shot with a buff laying down and I support that versus a say normal distant shot where we might not feel sure until the bull stands up

Very true mate. If you can stalk close enough to a laying buffalo and shoot him whilst he is unaware that's superb too. Distance also plays a pivotal role and boosts confidence. I recall last year in Charara, Zimbabwe when I was escorting a buffalo hunt with pH Wayne Grant (Author of "Into The Thorns ") on 10 day hunt. It was on the 7th day and we hadn't shot our daggaboy, the buffalo were simply out smarting us from day1. As we drove in the sunny African day we bumped into some fresh Daggaboy tracks( 4 bulls). We quickly followed the spoors and discovered that the bulls were resting laying down in some tree shade in a dry riverbed. Wayne Grant with his trusty .460 Weatherby Rifle stalked further into the daggaboys' proximity with the client who was awaiting to collect his life rewarding trophy. Wayne and the client crawled stealthily upto 10yards and the client nailed a perfect side brainshot just under the left ear on a kneeling stance. This is what the situation required and Wayne Grant is a classic veteran PH with a series of experiences ready to deliver victory and tackle any challenge.The client got his first dangerous trophy in Africa , a 40 inche Daggaboy

 

[FlowHamed18]

Mark Sullivan would approve.

That would be this "let him decide how he wants to die" bullshit, am I right?

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Well Jaco and I discussed hunting buffalo at the SCI Reno about 10 years ago in Rambullions (we were at least half a dozen drinks in) and I suggested throwing rocks at the buffalo to get him to charge.

Mark Sullivan would approve.

A couple of AH members and a cape buffalo are sitting in a bar, in walks Mark Sullivan.......

 

[bashaw]

Scenario … You’ve hunted fair-chase buff’s for 8 straight days with any number of encounters and missed opportunities. On the morning of day 9 (your last morning to hunt), after a 2 hour stalk, you come across a nice Buff bull at 60 yds and confirm he’s a shooter. The only problem is he’s laying down in the shade of some cover. You have a slightly tricky shot through a hole in some brush but are steady on the sticks and are confident you can make a good shot into his vitals.

Question for the group … Do you wait for him to stand up before shooting (you could be there a while!), or do you shoot him while he’s laying down?

Asking for a friend…

Glad for your thoughts on this scenario.

I've been hunting a long time,I have no idea how many miles I've walked for Deer. Elk. and Pronghorn I've walked over 100 ~ miles for Buffalo and killed 1, I've walked 75 ~ miles and killed one Elephant he was laying on his side sleeping, I didn't think it would be a good idea to wake him up with less than a shot to the brain. My theory is sometimes an easy shot at game comes along, and other times you don't even get a chance to shoot, it all kind of evens out after a while,But shooting a charging Buffalo or Elephant makes a hell of a story. But I didn't have to deal with a charge of either one.

 

[Zambezi]

The ULTIMATE goal is to kill without the the animal ever knowing you we were even in the field. Nothing more satisfying than walking up to an animal and the grass is still in its mouth, or a sleeping animal stiffens and the head drops to the ground.

If you're sure of your shot, take it and give the animal a good, quick, clean death.