Thoughts on Cape Buffalo under 40"

[migrabill]

I am making plans for my 2nd trek to South Africa. It will not occur until 2028 (I'm a planner). On my first trip, I took 10 heads of Plains Game. On my return trip I will also be mainly Plains Game hunting, but I have a pretty good price available on a "Male Cape Buffalo less than 40". Here is my question- is a buff under 40 still considered a formidable specimen? Will it look smallish when shoulder mounted? As stated, I am new to Dangerous Game hunting and just want to get an idea if that is too small or not.

 

[Rafiki]

It will kill you of that's what you're asking

 

[Rafiki]

It will kill you of that's what you're asking

It you are asking of it will look like it could kill you when hanging in the wall; that's a pretty subjective question.

This fellow is wearing 36", looks pretty good to me. It's also wearing a bullet hole dead center in the head; it's really about the hunt.

 

[50Gunner]

Congratulations and welcome to the disease Sir ; ]

The title of your thread brings to mind my favorite Cape Buffalo, he was an old worn to the nub Warrior with boses barely larger than both palms of your hands, worn as smooth as if sanded and polished, he was covered in scars, front to back and down both sides from fighting other bulls while passing on his genes, all this while living among the lions of Tanzania, ears in tatters as well.

He died like he lived, one 750gr TSX from a 577 double at 18 yards in the river reeds on The M'barangandu caused the death bellow before he had fully fallen on his right side, then as quickly as I could move left giving him a solid through both shoulders, it was over.

What a truly Noble Beast, I didn't measure him, I don't care, he was a Boss Stud Champion survivor in the game of life and will remain my favorite Cape Buffalo of all time.

Much, much more to the story of these great animals over what a damn tape measure says.

Good luck, have a blast.

 

[Flipper Dude]

I don’t have any over 40. Wild buffalo, unfenced. It’s the hunt.

 

[IvW]

Age and the hunt itself is what I put first.....inches is just a bonus......

 

[WAB]

IMO it has much more to do with age. Ideally you want to shoot a hard, heavy bossed bull of 10+ years. My best buffalo hunt was for
In Dande. If I remember correctly, we had tracked a total of 40 miles when my wife killed hers, and 60 miles when I killed mine. In all, we walked 100 miles on that trip. Both bulls were mature 37” specimens with good bosses. I have killed much bigger bulls, but this was the best hunt.

 

[Rare Breed]

I am making plans for my 2nd trek to South Africa. It will not occur until 2028 (I'm a planner). On my first trip, I took 10 heads of Plains Game. On my return trip I will also be mainly Plains Game hunting, but I have a pretty good price available on a "Male Cape Buffalo less than 40". Here is my question- is a buff under 40 still considered a formidable specimen? Will it look smallish when shoulder mounted? As stated, I am new to Dangerous Game hunting and just want to get an idea if that is too small or not.

No difference whatsoever in hunt experience based on size of buff. Only difference is type of hunt usually based a large size concessions versus small ones.

 

[mark-hunter]

Here is my question- is a buff under 40 still considered a formidable specimen? Will it look smallish when shoulder mounted? As stated, I am new to Dangerous Game hunting and just want to get an idea if that is too small or not.

You will see that the most of reputable forum members here, prefer "mature buffalo", with hardened bosses.

If you will hunt in wild areas, most likely no outfitter will guarantee certain size of horn, but they will offer representable buffalo with hard bosses.

And this is the goal for majority of buffalo hunters. Expereinece DG hunt, get an old dagga boy.

It was the same for me. See my avatar.

I just wanted an old buffalo. Size of horn was not important for me.

 

[Firebird]

I’m on the fence here-it’s a special price for a reason. But if it was really old or broken or had some sort of character, I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a bull under 40. Euro mount and tell the story forever more.
But at some point I want the opportunity to kill something that brings me to tears.
Similar but Not the same but a tuskless cow Ele is cheaper than a tusker bull. Both are a great experience. So which would you rather pursue?
On the fence but for a reduced price I would go enjoy a helluva hunt for a cow buff or a sub 40 bull and have the next trip planned to see if I could get something just alittle bigger.
Enjoy the experience and adventure!

 

[HookMeUpII]

It will kill you of that's what you're asking

I was hoping this was going to be the first answer lol.

 

[WAB]

There is nothing magic about 40”. I can assure you that a hard bossed bull of 36” or 37” makes an impressive trophy. Low 30’s is another thing unless it is a broken horn bull. Have a direct conversation with you outfitter about what to expect.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I’m on the fence here-it’s a special price for a reason. But if it was really old or broken or had some sort of character, I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a bull under 40. Euro mount and tell the story forever more.
But at some point I want the opportunity to kill something that brings me to tears.
Similar but Not the same but a tuskless cow Ele is cheaper than a tusker bull. Both are a great experience. So which would you rather pursue?
On the fence but for a reduced price I would go enjoy a helluva hunt for a cow buff or a sub 40 bull and have the next trip planned to see if I could get something just alittle bigger.
Enjoy the experience and adventure!

I think what a lot of people don't realize is in wild or very large areas, it can take days to find that buffalo. I spoke to someone who went after a big, old/hard bossed buffalo in Zim, and they spent days, walking dozens of miles, tracking a few. They actually lost the 2-3 they were tracking and by dumb luck found an unrelated old Dagga Boy on the last day that topped them all.

It was a pretty crazy story and really gets the excitement going for experiencing something like that.

 

[Velo Dog]

Greetings migrabill,

In my admittedly “not-main-stream” opinion, the best looking buffalo shoulder mounts are as 50Gunner described.
I love looking at old bulls showing the obvious signs of battle, horn bosses chipped, scraped and rubbed down, scars on the face and neck, torn ears plus my very favorite of all time is —> one horn broken off.

Also worth considering is the fact that you can sometimes find deals / offers so affordable for cow buffalo that hunting two cows is actually less expensive than one bull.
Female buffaloes when angry can sometimes be exceedingly dangerous.
If I ever go for buffalo again, it will be for cows (plural) instead of a bull (singular).

Moving right along …… When applied to hunting and fishing, I strongly dislike the tape measure, record book, competition and contest culture.
1.
It gives children and other malleable souls the wrong impression of hunter-fisher type people.
2.
The very few times (3) some competition minded person has been in camp with myself and fellow, just basic hunter-gatherers, when the competition guy crowed too loud and too often about the size of whatever they bagged or worse yet, they pouted about the size of whatever someone else bagged, it somewhat spoiled the happy times in camp for the rest of us.

Anyway, after bagging your buffalo you no doubt will have fond memories of it for the rest of your life.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[TOBY458]

Here are my last two buffalo taken in Zimbabwe. Both old bulls under 40”. I think they’re around 38” if I recall correctly.

 

[Aaron N]

The older the better! So yes, you can get an impressive trophy under 40”.

 

[FlowHamed18]

The buffalo on my profile picture has 40 and 1/2 ".

Would I consider it a bad trophy it would only have 38" - no way I would. Would have shot that old fella no matter which size.

It was a hell of a hunt, I don't care about the inches, it's the experience that counts.