SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Buffalo Safari

[Mark Berndt]

This is really instructive. It is easy to judge shot placement in a book with a clear photo of the animal.
Determining aiming point in low light and long grass! That's another story.

Congratulations.

I purchased the Perfect Shot 2 book and studied all the shot placement photos of the animals that were on my list. Interesting, it did not show a giraffe pic straight on. If you watched the video the giraffe was facing me. I still shot it in the heart.

 

[Pheroze]

Very good shooting. I was also wondering how you picked your target on that hippo! The 375 H&H is an awesome caliber. I wonder if the effect we saw would be the same with 300 gr bullets because your shots were so well placed?

 

[jacques smith]

Excellent mushroom on the part of north fork. Did u shoot anything with the solids? Pass through ? What's your plan for giraffe?

 

[Mark Berndt]

Very good shooting. I was also wondering how you picked your target on that hippo! The 375 H&H is an awesome caliber. I wonder if the effect we saw would be the same with 300 gr bullets because your shots were so well placed?

After the hippo got to shorter grass I saw the leg move and it showed me the flex in his shoulder and that is where I placed my bullet. I couldn't answer about the 300 gr bullets. I read how these heavier 350 gr bullets are more effective. It would be imperative to do your homework on bullet/cartridge selection. There are many. I searched and read and decided on North Fork as I am a reloader. I also wanted a solid and soft that could shoot the same point of aim. I called North Fork and talked with them. The PH said those recovered bullets are what they look for in a bullet.

 

[Mark Berndt]

Excellent mushroom on the part of north fork. Did u shoot anything with the solids? Pass through ? What's your plan for giraffe?

The only shot using the solid was my shoulder shot on the hippo. My PH asked I only use softs after that. I am having a rug made out of the giraffe and a short neck head mount.

 

[cagkt3]

I had very good email communication with Paul Smith at Relive. He sent me prices and I decided what kind of mounts I wanted and which way I wanted the heads turned. He always answered my emails in a timely manner. I checked mounting prices in the states and they were much more than double what it costs to have them mounted in SA. I like them very much. The zebra hide slowed everything down. I also had 2 zebra leg lamps done. I did have to change the light sockets and I added cedar planks at the bottom, lamp shades, lamp harps and African stone lamp finials. Here are the pics.

Thanks Mark, I'm heading over for the first time early next year and am running through all the options in my head. You are the 2nd or 3rd person to speak well of Relive, so I'm definitely going to have to give them a hard look

 

[johnnyblues]

@Mark Berndt, how was your experience with Relive, as far as ease to work/communicate with, quality of work, etc?

Had two trophies done by them last year. One looked good the other has very amateurish work. Very disappointed. Stiching on the back of my Nyala was never airbrushed so the stiching is very evident.

 

[johnnyblues]

Without side tracking too much.



https://www.africahunting.com/threads/what-is-a-good-buffalo.30675/#post-290206

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/judging-cape-buffalo.378/

Thanks Wayne. Kinda depressed me in a way..lol. Lots of guys putting down a fenced buffalo hunt. Kind of deflated my anticipation for my upcoming hunt.

 

[enysse]

Great animals! Thanks for all the pictures!

 

[Dr Ray]

I made my first South African Safari in May 2016 and took 7 animals. I had studied the Perfect Shot 2 pictures for proper shot placement. I had a great time but that sparked my interest in Cape Buffalo. I had told JD Safaris that I may be interested in a Cape Buffalo hunt in 2017. JD said it would be good to prepared for a cancellation hunt. I prepared. I purchased a Vanguard DG .375 H&H, Leupold 1-6X Scope and loaded some 350 gr North Fork bullets and I practiced over sticks - a lot. I think it was Oct 2016 when JD contacted me about a buffalo hunt but I would need to go before the end of the year. After a brief conversation with my wife, she said I need to go.

After I arrived at Johannesburg airport my PH picked me up and on the way to the farm he got a call about a problem hippo and asked if I was interested. I eventually said yes.

I harvested a Hippo, 2 Cape Buffalos, a Giraffe and a Nyala. What a great hunt. My hunt was booked by JD Safaris, the PH was Clint Mattheus of Clint Hunting Safaris and the PH at the farm I hunted was Hannes and Brendan Nel of Boschnel Safaris.

Videos were shot of my hunts and posted on YouTube.

Buffalo Hunt:

Hippo Hunt:

Giraffe Hunt:

Nyala Hunt:

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An excellent hunt. Thank you for sharing the videos. They sure make a story interesting and.. congratulations.

 

[Mark Berndt]

Thanks Wayne. Kinda depressed me in a way..lol. Lots of guys putting down a fenced buffalo hunt. Kind of deflated my anticipation for my upcoming hunt.

I think there are a lot of opinions on hunting in fenced and unfenced farms. Many and maybe most may be fenced, I’ve read they all may be fenced one day. So do you hunt a fenced Cape Buffalo? Before my Buffalo hunt I didn’t even ask. An unfenced Buffalo hunt will cost you more money, you’ll spend more days hunting one animal and one needs to be in superb shape. I didn’t have the money, I wanted to take more animals on my safari and I am 66 years old. I got in the best shape I could for my age.

I admire those that feel the need to pursue Black Death in an unfenced area. That was not important to me. I wouldn’t let that get you down. I had folks say on my YouTube video that the Buffalo looked tame. That was almost comical. First they can’t be tamed and the video only showed the final part of the hunt. They didn’t see the countless stocks we did in the woods that failed. The Buffalo were finally pushed to the open field where I believe they stood their ground. We stood where they wanted to go. The herd bull continually shook his horns at us.

There are articles about taking Buffalo relative to size, age, breading status etc. There are more articles on the scoring of Buffalos and what should be allowed in the record books. I don’t care!

My hunt was a cancelled hunt as the person that booked the hunt expectantly passed away. The herd bull I was tasked to shoot was the breading bull, red tag and all. The bull had started to breed his offspring and they wanted it taken. The red tag cow had been charging the workers on the farm and they wanted it taken. Many of the buffalo were thin from the severe drought they had just gone through.

I’ve read that some do not want tagged buffalos in the record books. That is their opinion and they can speak their mind. Good for them but not for me.

For me? I hope my fenced, red tag Cape Buffalo Bull is big enough for the record books. Either way it is a great trophy I am very proud of.

 

[Mark Berndt]

I think there are a lot of opinions on hunting in fenced and unfenced farms. Many and maybe most may be fenced, I’ve read they all may be fenced one day. So do you hunt a fenced Cape Buffalo? Before my Buffalo hunt I didn’t even ask. An unfenced Buffalo hunt will cost you more money, you’ll spend more days hunting one animal and one needs to be in superb shape. I didn’t have the money, I wanted to take more animals on my safari and I am 66 years old. I got in the best shape I could for my age.

I admire those that feel the need to pursue Black Death in an unfenced area. That was not important to me. I wouldn’t let that get you down. I had folks say on my YouTube video that the Buffalo looked tame. That was almost comical. First they can’t be tamed and the video only showed the final part of the hunt. They didn’t see the countless stocks we did in the woods that failed. The Buffalo were finally pushed to the open field where I believe they stood their ground. We stood where they wanted to go. The herd bull continually shook his horns at us.

There are articles about taking Buffalo relative to size, age, breading status etc. There are more articles on the scoring of Buffalos and what should be allowed in the record books. I don’t care!

My hunt was a cancelled hunt as the person that booked the hunt expectantly passed away. The herd bull I was tasked to shoot was the breading bull, red tag and all. The bull had started to breed his offspring and they wanted it taken. The red tag cow had been charging the workers on the farm and they wanted it taken. Many of the buffalo were thin from the severe drought they had just gone through.

I’ve read that some do not want tagged buffalos in the record books. That is their opinion and they can speak their mind. Good for them but not for me.

For me? I hope my fenced, red tag Cape Buffalo Bull is big enough for the record books. Either way it is a great trophy I am very proud of.

And the Cape Buffalo I harvested was 10-to 11 years old.

 

[johnnyblues]

I think there are a lot of opinions on hunting in fenced and unfenced farms. Many and maybe most may be fenced, I’ve read they all may be fenced one day. So do you hunt a fenced Cape Buffalo? Before my Buffalo hunt I didn’t even ask. An unfenced Buffalo hunt will cost you more money, you’ll spend more days hunting one animal and one needs to be in superb shape. I didn’t have the money, I wanted to take more animals on my safari and I am 66 years old. I got in the best shape I could for my age.

I admire those that feel the need to pursue Black Death in an unfenced area. That was not important to me. I wouldn’t let that get you down. I had folks say on my YouTube video that the Buffalo looked tame. That was almost comical. First they can’t be tamed and the video only showed the final part of the hunt. They didn’t see the countless stocks we did in the woods that failed. The Buffalo were finally pushed to the open field where I believe they stood their ground. We stood where they wanted to go. The herd bull continually shook his horns at us.

There are articles about taking Buffalo relative to size, age, breading status etc. There are more articles on the scoring of Buffalos and what should be allowed in the record books. I don’t care!

My hunt was a cancelled hunt as the person that booked the hunt expectantly passed away. The herd bull I was tasked to shoot was the breading bull, red tag and all. The bull had started to breed his offspring and they wanted it taken. The red tag cow had been charging the workers on the farm and they wanted it taken. Many of the buffalo were thin from the severe drought they had just gone through.

I’ve read that some do not want tagged buffalos in the record books. That is their opinion and they can speak their mind. Good for them but not for me.

For me? I hope my fenced, red tag Cape Buffalo Bull is big enough for the record books. Either way it is a great trophy I am very proud of.

Well said and again congratulations. I just bought a house in Georgia. Acworth. Where are you may I ask?

 

[Mark Berndt]

Well said and again congratulations. I just bought a house in Georgia. Acworth. Where are you may I ask?

I live in Bonaire.

 

[johnnyblues]

WE have another member here that live there too. @PARA45

 

[Mark Berndt]

Surprised your PH didn't give you some idea on the size. I only ask as I leave in a little more than two months for my buffalo and PG hunt. I'm trying to get a better idea on size from photos. I initially was to hunt hippo also but changed my mind for different reasons. Any event congratulations on some fine trophies. By the way I too am shooting Northfork solids combined with Swift A frames in my 375 Ruger.

I had thought my PH told me over there that it may go 40 but I wrote my Taxidermist this is his reply, "Buffalo left horn boss is 13 inc right horn is 13 and a half inc and spread is 36 inc". I assume he is correct but everything I thought I knew about measurements are out the window. I will be excited to get the buff back and measure it myself. He told me the buffalo was famous. There had been articles in the paper and everything but not for his size. This buff was 10-11 years old.

 

[johnnyblues]

Regardless a very nice trophy. You should be proud. Congratulations again

 

[BWH]

Congratulations. Well done!

 

[Mark Berndt]

Regardless a very nice trophy. You should be proud. Congratulations again

I just got my trophies back from Africa. My measurements for the buffalo using SCI guidelines is 103". I think the minimum is 101". I hope I can get it scored.

 

[Rick Cox]

I made my first South African Safari in May 2016 and took 7 animals. I had studied the Perfect Shot 2 pictures for proper shot placement. I had a great time but that sparked my interest in Cape Buffalo. I had told JD Safaris that I may be interested in a Cape Buffalo hunt in 2017. JD said it would be good to prepared for a cancellation hunt. I prepared. I purchased a Vanguard DG .375 H&H, Leupold 1-6X Scope and loaded some 350 gr North Fork bullets and I practiced over sticks - a lot. I think it was Oct 2016 when JD contacted me about a buffalo hunt but I would need to go before the end of the year. After a brief conversation with my wife, she said I need to go.

After I arrived at Johannesburg airport my PH picked me up and on the way to the farm he got a call about a problem hippo and asked if I was interested. I eventually said yes.

I harvested a Hippo, 2 Cape Buffalos, a Giraffe and a Nyala. What a great hunt. My hunt was booked by JD Safaris, the PH was Clint Mattheus of Clint Hunting Safaris and the PH at the farm I hunted was Hannes and Brendan Nel of Boschnel Safaris.

Videos were shot of my hunts and posted on YouTube.

Buffalo Hunt:

Hippo Hunt:

Giraffe Hunt:

Nyala Hunt:

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Looks like a great hunt! Congratulations!