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Buffalo goring. Broken rifle.

Very few walk away from a buffalo goring; Johan is one of those few.

“At one stage, he moved over a patch of loose rocks, shale-like, and Freddie, my lead tracker, lost his tracks. Combined with this, Chris, the videographer, informed me his camera was overheating because of constant use, expecting action! Freddie, about 50 m away, speculated that the buffalo had already left my hunting block, seeing that we were only about 800 m from the boundary.

I situated the two clients and Chris under a lone shepherd’s tree, with only sparse shade available, and decided to go and help the trackers figure out where the bull went. The trackers were circling around the stony area from the right, and I decided to come around from the left, a small area.

Before I could join them, the buffalo made a determined charge at the trackers, expecting me to be with the clients, and that’s where they ran. Now, the buffalo was charging straight at the clients, coming across my front from left to right. My first shot with my .470 NE hit him on his right shoulder from about 10 yards, but there was no reaction—just maybe a bit more determination! Still charging the clients, as he was about to pass me 3-4 m away, I shot him through the boss, attempting a side brain shot, which got his attention! It stopped him in his tracks, but he wasn’t down.

I realized I needed some space; he was too close, and I had to reload. I backed away around some thick mopani scrub, keeping an eye on the bull that was now zeroed in on me. As I was reloading, I distinctly remember bringing my gun up and pulling the front trigger, but it was solid! The next moment, I found myself in a right-side fetal position with a buffalo bull straddling me, determined to grind me down.

Fortunately, my client kept his cool, and when he got the opportunity, he shot the bull in the spine. I was able to get out from under him.
I feel so very blessed to be alive”
~@johanhermannsafaris
@jongosimedia