24
DIE BONTEBOK
We were set. But seeing the Buffalo and getting to shoot the Buffalo are two completely different things. So began a long series of walking and stalking. Wind direction kept changing and a buffalo herd becoming more and more agitated as they got our scent. Eventually after much walking, stalking and trying to get a good shooting position, I finally got into a position to take a shot. My PH advised me that the .375 H & H would be a better rifle for me to use. Now it was time for the nerves to settle, to get my breathing under control and wait for that perfect moment to pull the trigger. Boom! I got a very good shot placement on the right shoulder. The Barnes X bullet hit the shoulder with a solid thud. This bull did not flinch at the bullet strike. He ran about 100 metres with the herd. When the herd stopped running he also stopped, I was now presented with what was a very small patch of left leg shoulder.
Boom! Perfect shot to the left shoulder. He went down head first into the red sand. I heard him make a very distinct bellow. We took our time and waited. Finally we moved up to the animal making sure to keep our guns trained on him. Buffaloes have taken many hunters by surprise and some of those hunters did not live to tell the story. My story was that I got myself a beautiful Cape Buffalo. The Buffalo was a 40 3/8 inch hard boss, taken at 43 metres. I personally found the .375 H&H a bit light for such a big animal but I had the PH as a backup, if things had gone wrong. It was later found that from my first shot bone shards were found in the lungs and top half of the heart. Both my shots had hit their targets.
in the herd. I was asked if I would like to hunt the Roan and I immediately agreed. The hunt turned out not to be a quick in and out hunt. There was a very, very long walk and stalk. An old bull of his size did not mature like that because he was easy meat and this bull was fully aware of his surroundings.
While taking the Buffalo back to the skinning and cold room facility, Stephan got a phone call, saying that one of the ranches had an old Roan Antelope that had to be hunted. A new young bull was replacing him
My next buffalo hunt is already being planned for the same time in 2020.
To make a long story short, I managed to get into a good shooting position and my shot was true. On the matter of the rifle recoil, I cannot remember any recoil at all. Just shows you what adrenalin can do to you. The Roan measured 29 3/8 inches and was taken at 198 metres. Both beautiful animals indeed. Great hunting in this area, beautiful country indeed, with wonderful people.
Photographs courtesy of PH Stephan Bann