Water buffalo caliber recommendation

[264]

Id go with either the 458 or the 500 double. water buff are a great animal to take with a double. I prefer 404J, 450-400 , 577 2 3/4 , for in close buff shooting Yes can be taken with smaller cals Premium projectiles required and good placement and a fair bit more care!
The ones I take with smaller cals are usually on hunts where the main targets are pigs or horses With a buff being a possibility so make do with smaller cals.
Heres a couple from last week, small calibres.

winchester 300H&H 180gr TSX x2, 100m finisher on ground down quickly

Mitch Kimber 300WM 180TTSX 3x 45m to 70m

 

[Foxi]

oh no,do you shoot horses,really ?
Let them alive

 

[PaulT]

oh no,do you shoot horses,really ?
Let them alive

Oh my, really ?

Yes Foxi, in certain areas of the country we shoot feral horses by the hundreds/thousands.
I've shot over one hundred in one day while shooting on foot with no vehicle assist apart from getting there in the morning and leaving later that night.
All shot and left to rot in the Sun and work as pig baits, which is all a feral horse is good for.

In my home State the Government is preparing to "remove" over ten thousand feral horses from a particularly sensitive mountain range where they are having some negative impact on the flora.

 

[Bonk]

Hmmm. This thread has got me thinking about abandoning my plans for a Cape Buffalo hunt in favor of an Aussie buffalo hunt. I suspect the logistics would be a lot less troublesome than dealing with all the third world nonsense and it sounds like the buffalo are worthy game. I've been to Darwin and Kakadu. Maybe a trip back to Australia for hunting is a better option than trying to get to Africa.

 

[shootist~]

Hmmm. This thread has got me thinking about abandoning my plans for a Cape Buffalo hunt in favor of an Aussie buffalo hunt. I suspect the logistics would be a lot less troublesome than dealing with all the third world nonsense and it sounds like the buffalo are worthy game. I've been to Darwin and Kakadu. Maybe a trip back to Australia for hunting is a better option than trying to get to Africa.

If only the country was open to travel. Sadly it is not.

My wife has had an Aussie trip delayed for 2+ years now. I would consider tagging along if I could tack on a hunt.

 

[Bonk]

If only the country was open to travel. Sadly it is not.

My wife has had an Aussie trip delayed for 2+ years now. I would consider tagging along if I could tack on a hunt.

True, but neither is Africa at the moment. I'm gonna start researching Australia for something late next year or early '23. Might even see if I could double up and hunt New Zealand while I'm in that neck of the woods.

 

[shark_za]

Africa is certainly open for hunting now.

I'd use what I have, a 9.3x62 loaded with any premium 286gr bullet.

 

[Tanks]

True, but neither is Africa at the moment. I'm gonna start researching Australia for something late next year or early '23. Might even see if I could double up and hunt New Zealand while I'm in that neck of the woods.

Have you not been reading the multitude of hunt reports that are being posted recently? Africa is very much open. Heck, if I already did not have an international trip already scheduled for mid-October I would have been heading to Zambia hunting a lion as a great deal was just revealed.

 

[IvW]

oh no,do you shoot horses,really ?
Let them alive

Horses, camels, cattle, rabbits, pigs...etc. too many destroying the environment.....

Get Europe to collect as many as they want.....same for elephants in Botswana and SA.....

 

[Bonk]

Some of Africa is open but not where I planned to hunt.

 

[Dr Ray]

Hmmm. This thread has got me thinking about abandoning my plans for a Cape Buffalo hunt in favor of an Aussie buffalo hunt. I suspect the logistics would be a lot less troublesome than dealing with all the third world nonsense and it sounds like the buffalo are worthy game. I've been to Darwin and Kakadu. Maybe a trip back to Australia for hunting is a better option than trying to get to Africa.

And safer

 

[Tanks]

And safer

I'd submit that most of Africa is just as safe as anywhere else in the World if one is sensible. I would not walk around in Compton, CA or a multitude of places in the USA or in Europe.

If one is going on a Safari then one is even more safe than almost anywhere else. One gets picked up at the gate upon arrival and is chaperoned throughout the trip.

 

[Red Leg]

Water Buffalo are tougher than Cape buffalo. First shot with 375 went straight through heart and it still took 7 more shots. They have no fear of humans. This is a great hunt. Want to go back with my 470.
Don

300 gr bullet straight through the heart and took 7 more shots ...............

 

[Red Leg]

True, but neither is Africa at the moment. I'm gonna start researching Australia for something late next year or early '23. Might even see if I could double up and hunt New Zealand while I'm in that neck of the woods.

Of course it is - I just returned from Zambia through Johannesburg. Australia seems determined to never reopen.

 

[Red Leg]

Some of Africa is open but not where I planned to hunt.

Where would that be?

 

[Tanks]

300 gr bullet straight through the heart and took 7 more shots ...............

Well, what else would you expect from a "rat caliber".

 

[Tanks]

Of course it is - I just returned from Zambia through Johannesburg. Australia seems determined to never reopen.

And others have returned from Uganda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Botswana and RSA to mention a few just in the last couple of months or so. I think the only country that has issues is Mozambique. If @Bonk wants a Cape Buffalo all he needs to do is look at this site.

Heck, here is a heck of a deal in Zim.

Discounted Buffalo Hunt Zimbabwe 2021

Hi all I have a buffalo available in Makuti safaris area. We have had great success this season so far I have one available amd would like to discount it. operator-Mbalabala safaris Ph- Pierre Hundermark. Tinie Kok Area- Makuti safari area Dates- beginning October. 7 days at $750 per day...

www.africahunting.com

 

[Red Leg]

Well, what else would you expect from a "rat caliber".

Line up a thousand buffalo - either species - put a 200 gr SP "through the heart" from a 30-06 much less a 300 gr .375 or 400 gr 40 whatever and each and every one will be deader than the Republican party in California within 100 meters.

And no, I don't recommend the 30-06 for any buffalo - though legions have been killed by them (and the lowly .303) on both continents.

 

[Red Leg]

And others have returned from Uganda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Botswana and RSA to mention a few just in the last couple of months or so. I think the only country that has issues is Mozambique. If @Bonk wants a Cape Buffalo all he needs to do is look at this site.

Yep, and my favorite outfitter in Moz is having a great season as well.

 

[Tanks]

Yep, and my favorite outfitter in Moz is having a great season as well.

I think the main issue in regards to Mozambique is firearms transportation as some airlines/countries are not allowing it.