When you get the call, you drop what you are doing, grab your kit and go.
Since I got my dangerous game licence, I have put myself on standby with a few people to go and help if there is a problem with such animals.
As in a previous story I spoke about the giraffe causing issues, but this time it was something with a bit more attitude and a reputation which everyone dreaming of Africa knows about.
This time it was a Cape Buffalo, also known as “Black Death”.
He was in an area where he was most likely at some stage going to come into contact with humans and he was going to cause serious injuries.
I grabbed my 458 Lott and my safari belt which are side by side in the safe and jumped in the cruiser and headed out.
Arriving on site and meeting up with the chap who’d called we got ourselves ready. The bull who had been injured in a fight with another bull had swelling around his right eye and an injured shoulder. Neither of us knew exactly what the extent of his injuries were, therefore, we would assess as we got in on him.
We headed to where he had last been seen to be greeted by thick thorn bush. Visibility in some areas less than five meters. Not only this, following the game trails you constantly had to crouch down to get through the thorns. If he came, we would have to be quick as there wasn’t going to be time for a second shot. I took the leadexpecting him to appear at any moment.
But nothing.
We walked and crawled through the thorn bush and reeds for over ten kilometres. Fresh footprints going in circles and even crossing our path but nothing. As the sun dropped below the mountains to the West and the light faded, we called it a day. To carry on would have been foolish and somebody would undoubtedly have got hurt if he charged.
The following morning me met just before the sun rose. The night had been cold with the grass having a frost covering shining in the moonlight. We would start our search once the sun rose and hopefully, we would get lucky.
As we started our tracking the radio barked into excitement.
He had been spotted.
We moved to the area where we met with the scout who had found him. He told us the bull was laid up on the edge of a thicket on his own, only a couple of hundred meters away.
We loaded our rifles. Mine with a 500gr solid and the 375H&H with the normal 300gr DG round. We walked slowly towards where he had been spotted and there he was. Laid up with his back towards us. The wind was going to blow our approach from this side though, so we back tracked. We would have to come from the other side. We circled around and slowly approached with the wind in our favour.
Slowly making our way into a dry riverbedwe could see him. Moving ever so slowly and checking our every step we were getting closer. We reached the end of the cover in the riverbed, and we made ready.
He was still lying down facing away from us so there was no shot. We would have to wait for him to stand. As I turned to explain exactly where the shot placement should be he stood up.
His sixth sense telling him that there was something wrong. We had not made a sound, and the wind was perfect but still he knew something wasn’t right.
As he turned, we let him have it. Both bullets hitting him in the engine room. Even with this he didn’t go down. He didn’t know where we were, but the closest safe haven was in our direction. With the bullet impact he jumped and charged towards the bush. We both hit him again as he started his run and then the third 500grainer hit him and he dropped.
I quickly dropped another two rounds into my rifle, and we approached from behind. As he lay there, back towards us we put in a safety shot between the shoulder blades. Whether it was necessary I don’t know but we weren’t going to take any chances.
We then had a chance to think about what had just happened. From the moment he stood up to when he dropped only took about eight seconds. Time flies when you are having fun. We then ranged the distance between him and where we had been standing. Seventeen yards. This is what people dream of. A formidableadrenalin rush caused by the understanding that if you get it wrong it can be the end.
Guess that is why we hunt dangerous game.
Hunting and Outdoor Adventures 