My dry land hippo was an adjunct to a Buffalo hunt. I got the Buffalo in the first couple of hours on the first day. We spent a few mid days afterwards waiting for a big bull hippo to leave the water to snack on some grass? for lunch. Don’t know whether they eat grass or leaves or farmers crops while on land? Anyhow after melting in the Caprivi mid day heat for three days, we happened upon a different hippo lying down in thick bush off the side of a farmer’s field - the farmer had informed the PH of the hippo’s location. One of the trackers and the farmer circled around the bush and once we were set up at the edge of the bush and the field with the river a couple of hundred yards away on the other side of the field, (lead tracker with us and prudently perched high up in a tree!), the other tracker and the farmer started loudly talking and slowly crashing into the bush to flush the hippo.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the big old boy picked himself up and started moving quickly out of the bush. At the time, we didn’t know whether he would flush directly out where we had taken up our ambush position or whether he would pop out somewhat away from us. I was admittedly nervous as hell that he would pop out directly where we were set up and the PH made a very serious point of warning me to be very prepared should he come out at the point we were set up and waiting!

Luck was with us and he popped out maybe 50 feet away from us and bolted broadside to us directly across the field toward the river. I let loose with the right barrel and the PH blasted one into his shoulder at almost the same time (we agreed that he would back up my shot beforehand). Once the first volley was released, the hippo went into high gear. I dumped the second barrel and reloaded. He turned away from the river quartering away heading to another clump of bushes. I got off a couple more shots and once he made it to the edge of the second patch of bush, he ran out of steam and slid to a stop. We carefully approached and I put more shots into his shoulder, emptying my ammo belt! The PH passed me his .470 so I could finish him with a brain shot and that was that.

One of the raking quartering away bullets was recovered later in the bull’s neck!!! Woodleigh 480 grain hydro. I wrote about that in an earlier post. Deep penetration for sure and the Hydro was bent... contrary to my earlier thoughts and opinions, I’d rather have a slightly bent solid that doesn’t damage the barrels of my expensive .450 vs one that is so hard it can’t deform in the least.

Anyhow, the whole event was a massive Adrenalin rush!! Would I do it again? You bet ‘cha !!!!

I only kept the tusks, but next time I want the whole skull so I can have a glass top coffee table made with the skull used as the base.