How many client hunters have been charged, and how many have been hurt or wounded while on Safari?

[towserthemouser]

This is perhaps a touchy subject, but this forum impresses me as a place filled with members who are not afraid to discuss difficult things. I'm curious to know how many here have either personally been hurt or wounded on Safari, or have knowledge or stories of hunters being injured or killed. Just kind of curious to know how often it happens.

The inquiry would include of course injuries related to adverse encounters with game animals, and would also include falls while hunting/hiking, vehicular incidents, drowning, snakebite, etc. This would not be meant to include things like having a heart attack or other medical event while on Safari. As a side note I'm curious how many have experienced a charge from a wounded animal, and also any who have experienced an "unprovoked" (non-wounded) animal.

I noted a recent comment about how sad it was to mark the passing of several PH's over the years (including one lost recently in a buffalo attack), and it made me wonder how often it happens with the hunters.

 

[towserthemouser]

I personally have been charged by a wounded buffalo. All ended well, although we were fully adrenalized when it was over, I can tell you that. I've written a story about the experience, and it has been accepted for publication in the October print edition of Field Ethos Journal. I'll share the link when it comes out, it's a pretty good story......

 

[festuscat]

Experienced a Cape Buffalo change I 2001. Tracker was tossed and we all got a West Texas ass kicking. PH w/ a .470NE and me w/ a 500 NE ended it after failing to stop initial charge. The tracker who was between me and the PH had a .375.
Solid a bit hi and ricocheted off his boss. Absolutely no impact. I shot the buffalo thru the R eye. Missed the brain. Reminded me of a vampire movie.
It changed how I approach this DG business

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

When the warthog A10 isnt enough

 

[WAB]

Check out our 2017 hunt report. We were hunting in the Save with our wives. My buddy’s PH was put down by a cow ele in an unprovoked charge. My buddy killed her with a point blank shot from his .375. His knee got buggered but everyone survived.

 

[Scanos]

Check out Pain and Redemption in Niassa. I was nailed by a buffalo. I was lucky to have survived, if not for some great shooting by the PH and his tracker. I had cracked ribs and a broken toe as my only injuries. It is rare, but it does happen. I can attest to that.

 

[towserthemouser]

Experienced a Cape Buffalo change I 2001. Tracker was tossed and we all got a West Texas ass kicking. PH w/ a .470NE and me w/ a 500 NE ended it after failing to stop initial charge. The tracker who was between me and the PH had a .375.
Solid a bit hi and ricocheted off his boss. Absolutely no impact. I shot the buffalo thru the R eye. Missed the brain. Reminded me of a vampire movie.
It changed how I approach this DG business

I'm just sitting here trying to visualize exactly what would constitute a "West Texas ass kicking" LOL. That sounds pretty serious to me, based on what I know of Texas and Texans. Glad you lived to tell about it @festuscat. Your experience also speaks to the idea that even big bores don't stop a charge if the placement is not right.....

 

[PARA45]

Check out Pain and Redemption in Niassa. I was nailed by a buffalo. I was lucky to have survived, if not for some great shooting by the PH and his tracker. I had cracked ribs and a broken toe as my only injuries. It is rare, but it does happen. I can attest to that.

I remember reading that report. You were lucky that day. Great story by the way.

 

[USN]

I would have been in a bad situation with a wounded buff but outfitter/PH made the absolute right call and got me out of the field for my protection. The bull ended up doing quite of bit of damage to Michael Sipple and the trackers literally saved his life. Happy to report Michael continues on the healing process. DG are no joke!
Buff going to do buff things.

 

[festuscat]

I'm just sitting here trying to visualize exactly what would constitute a "West Texas ass kicking" LOL. That sounds pretty serious to me, based on what I know of Texas and Texans. Glad you lived to tell about it @festuscat. Your experience also speaks to the idea that even big bores don't stop a charge if the placement is not right.....

The tracker was tossed est 10-12 feet in the air. PH and I almost shot each other in a crossfire- complete screwup and it wasn’t my first rodeo.
No excuses- btw when I practice w/ my 500, I shoot both L&R as fast as can while looking at the target. My 2 cents. Came in handy in 2014 taking a nice trophy

 

[Hunting Hitman]

2 Cape buffalo and 1 lion. One of the cape charges made contact with my PH as he was diving out of the way. I put 6 more into it after that. It was a reckoning for sure.

HH

 

[towserthemouser]

The tracker was tossed est 10-12 feet in the air. PH and I almost shot each other in a crossfire- complete screwup and it wasn’t my first rodeo.
No excuses- btw when I practice w/ my 500, I shoot both L&R as fast as can while looking at the target. My 2 cents. Came in handy in 2014 taking a nice trophy

I just read the hunt report and WOW what a story. The ducks always seem to come into the decoys right after you stand up to peel down your waders and take a whizz, and your buffalo charged right at the worst possible moment. My favorite part, though, was seeing what a great trophy buff you took later in the hunt for redemption. Well done!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

If you hunt for 50 years (and counting) in Africa like I do, then you’re bound to face a charge now and then. But please, I don’t want anybody here to think that I go into the bush looking for charges. Nothing could be further from the truth. I love hunting but I also love staying alive and in one piece.

I’ve gotten charged by:
Leopard
Lion
Hippopotamus (the most and the only one in this list who charged at me unwounded)
Cape buffalo
Elephant (the one which came the closest to killing me and the only one where my white hunter actually needed to save me)


Interestingly enough, I haven’t faced a Cape buffalo charge since 1993 when I stopped using solids for them.

Hunting hippopotamus bulls on land in the sugarcane fields tends to be extremely thrilling but just as dangerous.

Hunting leopard over hounds (and formerly bushmen trackers) virtually always culminates in charges if you push him long enough.

I actually have the lion charge and one hippopotamus charge on video tape and if someone could please help me in uploading the video here, then I’d be most grateful. I also have the hide & skull of one leopard which I stopped with a shotgun while he was charging. I’ve uploaded the photo here in the past and am more than happy to provide it again.

I will venture to say that tuskless cow elephant and hippopotamus will win the awards for most unprovoked charges amongst African dangerous game.

 

[mrpoindexter]

I have been charged by a lion, but that was it. As a bow hunter, if it wasn't for the PH, I would have been cat food until she bled out from my arrow, which would have been long after I would have bled out.

 

[Nyati]

Charged by a lion, my friend who was the hunter shot him through the left eye at no more than 10 meters

A few years later, I fell in the back of the bakkie and broke two ribs, but nothing serious

 

[mark-hunter]

I noted a recent comment about how sad it was to mark the passing of several PH's over the years (including one lost recently in a buffalo attack), and it made me wonder how often it happens with the hunters.

I did not make hundreds of safaris, to have practical statistical source.

But I know following.
Few years ago famous hunter and celebrity of hunting industry, Craig Boddington was answering questions on some online applications.
He had at that time bagged his 100th buffalo.
I asked after him getting 100 buffaloes, how many charges did he experience?
Answer: None.

Next story.
A person organizing the hunts from my country, with at least 30 years experience, several client groups per year. Few years ago, his client was accidentally shot in the back during lion hunt in south africa. So, this is one firearm accident in maybe 100 safaris or more.

Next .
On the Namibian farm where I was hunting, in my first safari in 2017, first week in September I saw mamba and cape cobra. I asked about frequency of snake bites. Answer, in 30 years - with clients and farm workers, zero snake bites.

 

[Tanks]

Got charged by an elephant, dropped him at 15 meters.

 

[375Fox]

I’ve never been charged and hope I never will be. It wasn’t a true charge because intent wasn’t there but in Australia after I shot, I was in the direction the Buffalo wanted to come. It wasn’t a true charge but I’m glad it happened because I know how I will react now. It was simply a moment of clarity to reload, aim, and shoot again.

 

[RR 314]

2 Cape buffalo and 1 lion. One of the cape charges made contact with my PH as he was diving out of the way. I put 6 more into it after that. It was a reckoning for sure.

HH

Make no mistake about it. It's not revenge he's after. It's the reckoning.

 

[towserthemouser]

Got charged by an elephant, dropped him at 15 meters.

@Tanks was this an unprovoked charge, or a wounded ele?