SOUTH AFRICA: Is hunting Cape Buffalo on a Game Farm More Dangerous

[ChasingHemingway]

Here is my crazy question: Is hunting Cape Buffalo on a Game Farm, ie South Africa, more dangerous than hunting Cape Buffalo on hundreds of thousands of acres, ie Mozambique?

I know and understand no matter which location Cape Buffalo hunting is dangerous and depends on a variable number of factors, but I have heard Cape Buffalo hunting on a Game Farm can be a more dangerous hunt due to the fact these beasts are use to people.

It would be great to hear both sides...

Kind Regards,

dt

 

[enysse]

No bones to pick here for me, but hunting Cape buffalo in tall grass anywhere wild could be interesting.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

I am going Cape Buffalo hunting this year - my plans were to hunt Cape Buffalo in Mozambique, but due to time constraints I may have to hunt Cape Buffalo in South Africa on a game farm.

I was told hunting on game farm can be just as dangerous if not more on a game farm. Either way I am excited and my blood is already pumping.

Enysse - I myself would not like to encounter buffalo or leopard in tall grass!

dt

 

[enysse]

I think both hunts can be interesting in the right circumstances. I'm happy you are excited, you should be...it is Africa and it's a Cape buffalo.

 

[spike.t]

Here is my crazy question: Is hunting Cape Buffalo on a Game Farm, ie South Africa, more dangerous than hunting Cape Buffalo on hundrends of thousands of acres, ie Mozambique?

I know and understand no matter which location Cape Buffalo hunting is dangerous and depends on a variable number of factors, but I have heard Cape Buffalo hunting on a Game Farm can be a more dangerous hunt due to the fact these beasts are use to people.

It would be great to hear both sides...

Kind Regards,

dt

sorry to disappoint you but if you put the first bullet in the correct place the buffalo will at the most run 60 odd yards , or to really disappoint you jump, stand there and then lie down........or if you want to get your "moneys worth" shoot it in the guts and then tell the ph you want to go sort it by yourself . for the long grass scenario go just after the rains, about april/may in the southern central african countries. please get a video so we can all enjoy....:heh:

 

[sestoppelman]

I have only hunted buff twice, both times on large concessions of govt land, Tanzania and Botswana and these animals whether in large herds or small would bolt at any sign of human activity. In Zim last trip for PG on private land they had a number of buffalo that they offered on managment hunts. We got quite close to them a number of times without unduly upseting them. Based on this I can only conclude nothing.
No matter where you find them they are potentially dangerous, though its only a few hunters who have had to face the dreaded "charge". The vast majority are taken with little fanfare. Just the way a smart hunter would prefer.

 

[BRICKBURN]

More dangerous...
Stomped in RSA or Mozambique you are just as hurt or dead.

I learned to give the buffalo respect after seeing some bluff charges. Before that they acted like open range cattle; Skittish, curious to indifferent or very confident.
Stalking on large property is lots of fun.

I have seen extended hunters personal videos (not TV) from Tanzania where the buffalo herds acted much the same. Curious, skittish, indifferent.

The only real difference is that in RSA I would expect that you can drive right up to them. In Tanzania or Mozambique not likely.
In RSA there is no shooting from vehicles on most properties (and legally speaking) so the association with hunters is limited.

Get off the bakkie and the game changes!

Wherever you go, shoot straight and avoid poor shot placement. Stalk in on them again.

Take your GoPro along whichever method you choose and share the video.

Have fun.

 

[peras]

Most farms where we hunt buffalo in the Limpopo,has quite dense,thick bush.The buff on these properties are very skittish,as they are used to being hunted.After the first shot the buffalo ussually bolts for the thickest piece of cover and hides in there.Now you must give time and hopefully you will hear a death bellow.
No bellow, the fun and nerves begin.Mostly though when scouting carefully,you will have time to put in more shots and kill the buff.The most important is to give time ,be carefull and make sure of the first shot.

 

[Cliffy]

Just look at the number of PHs that have had unfortunate encounters with buff in the last couple of years. No matter where they are, they're dangerous! Good luck and post pictures We want to see!

 

[1ObsessedHunter]

Glad this was brought up...I wondered this as well.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

Thank each of you for your posts. No matter what the circumstance/location I am sure it will be exciting. I promise to focus on my shot placement and have a back up pair of shorts just in case.

Most of the trajedies I have heard the past couple of years have been on hunting in large open areas, but I have not followed one on a game as of yet nor do I want to be the first.

dt

 

[BRICKBURN]

Most farms where we hunt buffalo in the Limpopo,has quite dense,thick bush. The buff on these properties are very skittish,as they are used to being hunted..........

The concept of being hunted all the time matters a lot. As we repeatedly approached, several cows with calves got quite tired of us approaching at all. Never mind the bulls, watch the cows.

The most important is to give time ,be carefull and make sure of the first shot.

I have to agree whole heartedly on this one, no matter where you are.

I think this is where Mr. "Let it decide how it wants to die" manages to create all his excitement. Move in quickly on any game that is wounded and you invite the result. Being humane is one thing, foolish is another.

More options on follow up:

Take a pocket full of rocks and learn to throw them well.
Nothing like seeing it twitch when a rock bounces off or near by.
I think they were cross bred with the American Possum. Some like to apparently "Play Possum". (More likely your proximity urges them to one final defence.)

Be quiet when you walk up. Do not say a word. Celebrate after you know the truth.

Ammunition is cheap. Shoot it again.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

The concept of being hunted all the time matters a lot. As we repeatedly approached, several cows with calves got quite tired of us approaching at all. Never mind the bulls, watch the cows.



I have to agree whole heartedly on this one, no matter where you are.

I think this is where Mr. "Let it decide how it wants to die" manages to create all his excitement. Move in quickly on any game that is wounded and you invite the result. Being humane is one thing, foolish is another.

More options on follow up:

Take a pocket full of rocks and learn to throw them well.
Nothing like seeing it twitch when a rock bounces off or near by.
I think they were cross bred with the American Possum. Some like to apparently "Play Possum". (More likely your proximity urges them to one final defence.)

Be quiet when you walk up. Do not say a word. Celebrate after you know the truth.

Ammunition is cheap. Shoot it again.

Brickburn thank you for the advice and quotes! I will celebrate after I know the truth and the buff is in the salt.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

I would insist on hunting on foot, track it down and if you are fortunate enough to hunt a large private property with numerous buff spend time amongst them,

Ultimately it is the entire experience you'll remember, some private fenced properties have buffalo that are just as spooky and sensitive to human sent as the wildest Kudu unfortunately other properties have bulls that have constant human interaction and they are relatively "tame" if I may say so...

It all depends on the specific ranch's environment....

Wound it and it could get interesting... Either way.

My best always.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

I would insist on hunting on foot, track it down and if you are fortunate enough to hunt a large private property with numerous buff spend time amongst them,

Ultimately it is the entire experience you'll remember, some private fenced properties have buffalo that are just as spooky and sensitive to human sent as the wildest Kudu unfortunately other properties have bulls that have constant human interaction and they are relatively "tame" if I may say so...

It all depends on the specific ranch's environment....

Wound it and it could get interesting... Either way.

My best always.

Couldn't agree more. I think the wole experiance should be about hunting buff, and not just shooting it and hope that there may be a charge or not.

Making the DG experiance is being in the veld on foot knowing you share the bush with potentially deadly animals.

Good luck on your journey!!! Walk silently and shoot to kill the first time

Best of luck

 

[ChasingHemingway]

Gerritt and Jaco,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the experience of hunting Cape Buffalo. My experience has been dreaming about it for the past several years, reading about it in countless books, ie Boddington on Buffalo and Horned Death by Burger, saving enough money to go for the experience and bringing my wife along to take part, planning and practicing off sticks, and then counting the days till my trip.

My favorite part of Africa - never knowing what the next couple of seconds might look, sound, and feel like....always an adventure around every corner.

I am also planning on hunting Honey Badger on our trip....

dt

 

[enysse]

Who you going hunting with? Sorry if that is to personal.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

My PH's name is John Henry Keyser, Great Land Safari's out of Thabazimbi. This will be my third journey with him. John Henry is an awesome PH, friend, and we consider him family - therefore, I put my trust and life in hands while hunting Black Death. We are hoping if time permits to hunt Mozambique - if not I can't wait any longer so onto South Africa for 10 days.

 

[enysse]

I like your thinking, go with someone familiar and comfortable.

 

[buffybr]

I have only encountered Buffalo on three of my hunts in Africa. When I hunted them in the Metetsi region of Zimbabwe, the buffalo were completely wild, skittish, and hard to find. Both of my PHs and I were very relieved when I killed my buffalo on the last afternoon of the last day of my hunt there.

I wasn't hunting buffalo in South Africa, but three of the properties that I hunted PG on, two in the Limpopo and one in the Eastern Cape, had buffalo on them. All of those properties were 10,000 acres or larger. The buffalo were pretty docile, and we saw them every time we went to certain areas of the properties. The bulls that I saw in South Africa had larger horns than the bull that I shot in Zimbabwe, but I am very pleased with my Zim bull.