The most dangerous of hunts? The most dangerous game?

[CZDiesel]

Hearing from PH’s and outfitters, reading the books, the posts here on AH, and all the noise out there we know how dangerous DG hunting can be! Sadly the posts here of the PH’s and hunters that were injured or killed this last year alone tells us just how serious this pursuit can be!
A serious debt of gratitude goes out to the PH community who will step in front of danger to protect us when things go wrong!

So, most of us are either not lucky enough or have the means to pursue all of the Big Five but we all dream of it! And in this pursuit I have an upcoming hunt that includes Buff and Cow Elephant which my PH tells me is “Incredibly Exhilarating!”. This is code to me as dangerous lol
His sister told me she was stupid enough to go on one Cow Elephant hunt and she’d never do it again! I asked why and she said because they are always pissed off and want nothing else to do but turn you into jelly!
Buffalo are notorious at wanting revenge and killing…
Leopard hunts have been documented as very dangerous as have Lion hunts when they are up close and personal! And Bull Elephant hunts have always been said to be notoriously dangerous!

So to those that have been there and did that and to those PH’s and outfitters in our community what is your opinion on the most dangerous hunt and or game? And in what condition and environment? I know my PH has stated Cow Elephant but what say you?

 

[Excessexpress]

Hands down the most dangerous hunt was when I was hunting for a wife. Everything else is relatively safe…

 

[grand veneur]

In theory, animals for which you can be a prey are particularly dangerous, regardless of the circumstances under which you encounter them. For this reason I consider the bears and especially the polar bear to be the most dangerous terrestrial animals, but this is not the topic. Otherwise, every defensive animal is dangerous if hunted. I don't think one of the big game in Africa is more dangerous than the other, rather some circumstances encountered by hunting in general and especially by hunting dangerous game could be the most dangerous.

As for the hunt of an elephant cow, there are clearly the circumstances of this hunt that are dangerous, meaning to shoot an animal in a herd that has a high social behavior, and not the game on itself. I have already done it myself, so I am aware of some of the dangers of this hunt.

 

[mark-hunter]

Without any experience in hunting elephants, i clicked on cow elephant.
I only hunted cape buffalo.

But I tried to imagine what would be the most stressful situation for me in any DG hunt scenario, based on all my subject related readings.

So, this is only my desktop (armchair) opinion, FWIW.

 

[Lancaster]

I guess it depends:

Most dangerous - unwounded - ele cow
Most dangerous - wounded - leopard

 

[grand veneur]

Again as far as elephant cows are concerned, only a cow attacked me and my PH just after I had shot one of the herd. Other than that, I was mostly attacked by elephant bulls, and in the 30 years that I hunted regularly in Africa, it happened more than once. Short story, in one case in Burkina Faso I was able to fend off the attack of a young bull at the last moment. I don't know how myself. I was alone without PH, my trackers had fled, I stood ready with my rifle to shoot him, but then he stopped his charge at short distance, trumpeted and walked away. All that in a country where elephant hunting is not allowed.

 

[grand veneur]

For many reasons I don't hunt lions and leopards, but I have encountered lions several times and in different countries, even at short distances, but so far without any dangerous situations.

The rhino should perhaps be mentioned. Can also be dangerous, but except a track, I have never seen one.

 

[TheGrayRider]

A veteran PH in southern Africa told me that the only wounded animal he does not like pursuing in the bush is a wounded leopard.

I believe him.

Happy hunting to all, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[Altitude sickness]

As most know there are so many variables. Provoked/unprovoked. Wounded or not. Common or rare.

Most say a wounded leopard is the most likely to attack but won’t kill you.

If a Lion gets ahold of you. You are in serious trouble and someone better interject quickly.

It’s very exhilarating tracking elephants while listening to a male Lion sounding off closely. Knowing that our brain and the metal tube in our hand barely makes it an equal match.

 

[russ473]

i answered as per the thread heading, most dangerous hunt, cow elephant.. most dangerous follow up on wounded animal id say leopard. each Ph may have a different opinion, thats just mine.

 

[BeeMaa]

The most dangerous hunt is the one you are on. Be properly prepared physically, mentally and emotionally. Seek out a training class and perform drills to instill good habits and muscle memory. Have the right tools for the job and know how to use them to the fullest. Make good decisions and listen to the PH and trackers. Any hunt can go sideways quickly.

Every year there’s another article of a NA hunter who was gored by a whitetail deer. Not exactly dangerous game, but one lapse in judgment could have you on the wrong side of the dirt.

That said…cow elephant or hippo on land would be at the top of my list.

 

[grand veneur]

As most know there are so many variables. Provoked/unprovoked. Wounded or not. Common or rare.

Most say a wounded leopard is the most likely to attack but won’t kill you.

If a Lion gets ahold of you. You are in serious trouble and someone better interject quickly.

It’s very exhilarating tracking elephants while listening to a male Lion sounding off closely. Knowing that our brain and the metal tube in our hand barely makes it an equal match.

Some hunts may involve lions. Once, while following a buffalo's trail, we crossed that of a lion who was doing the same thing as us and then we followed his track. At times you could see on the trail that the lion had turned to see who was now following him. We arrived at the buffalo herd together with him. In the end none of us were able to capture anything because the situation had become complicated. The buffalo herd had gathered in a Wadi. On the other side of the riverbed came a herd of elephants, which worried my trackers and also the lion that was not far from us and regularly looked in our direction. The lion retreated first, we then.

It's good that the hippo is mentioned by @BeeMaa. I never had any problems with it, but I avoid the animal, especially when fishing. Not forget the crocodiles near the rivers.

 

[Philip Glass]

Cow elephant is my answer but I have to mention how dangerous hunting leopard with hounds can be. Most of yall know that story!
These days I see many hunters in the back of a truck going after a treed leopard. Hmmmm. Not sure about that.

 

[WAB]

I would say a DIY mountain hunt in Alaska. I’ve woken to ten inches of fresh snow, been in a blinding blizzard clinging to rime ice on a mountain face, packed out heavy loads in a snow covered boulder field, all on August hunts. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could very well be dead.

I’ve also had a grizzly take a dump under my tent fly cover while I was sleeping in the tent. I felt that was particularly rude!

 

[saswart]

Easy - if you take stats on incidents, it is hands down, buffalo. However...stats, contrary to belief, does not show the truth...

Buffalo are the most hunted dangerous game specie, therefor it is clear why the most incidents have buffalo involved. Apart from Buff and Elephant, that may charge when encountered, the rest will almost always flee. If stats are thrown out, in my opinion Elephant cow hunt may be the most dangerous situation a hunter can place himself in prior to shot.

Now throw in the shot and a wounded dangerous game animal...in this case I would say leopard.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hearing from PH’s and outfitters, reading the books, the posts here on AH, and all the noise out there we know how dangerous DG hunting can be! Sadly the posts here of the PH’s and hunters that were injured or killed this last year alone tells us just how serious this pursuit can be!
A serious debt of gratitude goes out to the PH community who will step in front of danger to protect us when things go wrong!

So, most of us are either not lucky enough or have the means to pursue all of the Big Five but we all dream of it! And in this pursuit I have an upcoming hunt that includes Buff and Cow Elephant which my PH tells me is “Incredibly Exhilarating!”. This is code to me as dangerous lol
His sister told me she was stupid enough to go on one Cow Elephant hunt and she’d never do it again! I asked why and she said because they are always pissed off and want nothing else to do but turn you into jelly!
Buffalo are notorious at wanting revenge and killing…
Leopard hunts have been documented as very dangerous as have Lion hunts when they are up close and personal! And Bull Elephant hunts have always been said to be notoriously dangerous!

So to those that have been there and did that and to those PH’s and outfitters in our community what is your opinion on the most dangerous hunt and or game? And in what condition and environment? I know my PH has stated Cow Elephant but what say you?

The most dangerous game is the one wounded you cannot see

 

[Fatback]

Never hunted cow elephant but have hunted around them a few times and I can see where getting closer to them than we did would be dangerous. I will also mention that hippo can be real dangerous, especially on land.