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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game

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TOBY458
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Reged: 23/01/14
Posts: 206
Loc: Georgia, USA
Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting
      #242636 - 18/02/14 03:04 PM

I am currently looking into doing a buffalo hunt of some sort in the near future. Of the people here who have hunted both in Africa and Australia for buffalo, how do the hunts compare? In my heart I really want to go to Africa, but my wallet likes the pricing of Australia somewhat better. I know I would get to experience more wildlife in Africa, but Australia seems like an adventure as well. Are the water buffalo as exciting to hunt as the cape buffalo? I do like the idea of being able to shoot several buffalo on the same trip in Australia. But it sure would be cool to see lion and elephant while hunting.
Thoughts?


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Pancho
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Reged: 08/03/04
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Loc: Roswell, NM
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: TOBY458]
      #243266 - 05/03/14 05:17 AM

Both are certainly adventures. You left out Argentina which also has some excellent buffalo hunting. My advice - DO BOTH!
If you have not hunted Africa previously, I would look into going there since there is SO MUCH to do besides buffalo. In Oz you're pretty much limited to buffalo and maybe some pigs. In Africa, you can do all sorts of other animals in addition to the buffalo.
As far a challenge goes, my experience is that the Oz buffalo pretty much stand around and you can pick and choose. A Cape Buffalo on the other hand will lead you on a merry chase and you will probably not be successful on day one, and probably not on day 2,3,4 etc. But, eventually you will be successful and you will cherish the trophy all the more for the experience. Be careful who you book with in Africa. South Africa and Namibia probably have the most outfitters and are the best developed as far as the hunting industry goes but most hunting there is on "game ranches". Zimbabwe and Mozambique are much more "free range" type hunting. Tanzania is the priciest but also has some excellent hunting.
Best of luck in your endeavor. I say again, do both as both hunts I have taken have been very memorable.

--------------------
RA "Pancho" Maples
LTC, USAR, Ret


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TOBY458
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Reged: 23/01/14
Posts: 206
Loc: Georgia, USA
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: Pancho]
      #243314 - 06/03/14 01:02 AM

Thanks Pancho! Sounds like great advise to me! The problem with Africa is the cost. I can hunt two buffalo in Oz for half the cost of one buff in Africa. I agree that Africa would be a better trip, due to there being many more species to hunt there. Ah.....decisions!

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39063
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: TOBY458]
      #243330 - 06/03/14 04:28 AM

I think a cape buffalo is a great hunt to do.

More than just water buffalo to hunt in Oz, if one wants to. Pigs. Might be a few in buff country but good numbers nearby if one wants to arrange it. Other feral game such as donkeys, horses, camels too. Camels a bit further away. Scrub bulls are good sport. Banteng too, only place to hunt them. Many of these game will be in different places but all in the Top End.

Cape buffalo can have other species available but in big game areas, often plains game is more limited. A lot of hunters also organise a trip to a more productive plains game area.

Water buffalo can stand around if not hunted much, or very flighty if hunted a lot in the area where you are hunting.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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Ardent
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Reged: 19/11/12
Posts: 52
Loc: Northern British Columbia, Can...
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #243535 - 09/03/14 03:58 AM

I do believe you wouldn't regret the Cape Buffalo hunt, it was and remains my best hunt of all time even topping Lion. It is also one of the scarce classic Dangerous Game hunts, something every passionate hunter should experience in his life. Africa is a whole different flavour than Australia, and if you pick the right place, will be one of the best experiences of your life. I would highly recommend seeking out areas outside South Africa for Cape Buffalo, South Africa has great animals but all are found in high fence. Don't take this as a huge knock, it is not the shameful stain many make it out to be and think it is. High fenced properties are universally larger than big islands I've hunted, and are fully wild inside, one property I drove across takes time periods measured in hours to meet the fence on the other side travelling by Landcruiser. The fence is there to ensure the animals stay where they are safe and to keep poachers out, not to mention the property managers own the wildlife on the property and it is a major investment for them. Heck, even National Parks are high fenced, such as Pilanesburg National Park, for the same reason.

Now this all said, the experience of Africa sans fences and all is nearly extinct in many areas and is going that way overall. So I would jump on it while you can, and it is alive and well in areas of Zimbabwe, Namibia (Caprivi strip), and Mozambique. You'll get the flavour of real Africa there as well.

Angus

--------------------
www.morrisonarms.com


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TOBY458
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Reged: 23/01/14
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Loc: Georgia, USA
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: Ardent]
      #244334 - 24/03/14 01:35 PM

Thanks Angus! I'm still trying to make up my mind. If I go to Africa, I'll have to wait a year or two. I can afford Australia now. That's the dilema.

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eagle27
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Reged: 24/01/09
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Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: TOBY458]
      #244338 - 24/03/14 07:33 PM

I have not hunted the cape buffalo, on my bucket list to do, but did hunt the asiatic buffalo in the top end of Australia just before or certainly in the early days of what we know now as the PH guided hunts.

We were accompanied by a professional pet meat shooter who normally shot from his vehicle taking two or three loads of buffalo meat per week for his business. As with most game, the buffalo and other animals often stood and watched as a vehicle drove by provided it wasn't too close but they did not stand around once we were on foot especially if spotted or the wind changed. For the bulls my friend and I shot we had to stalk in cover and down wind to get in close. We were able to shoot other buffalo to load up with meat for our guide at the end of the day, some really close milling around in the scrub and others out in the open once they took off after the first shot was fired.

I doubt that anyone would be allowed to take running shots on unwounded animals when being guided in Africa or Aussie now therefore the idea of the animals just standing around as it seems to get applied to the asiatic buffalo seems to me to be a moot point. Most video of cape buffalo hunting I have seen seems to be a similar style of hunting as in Aussie, careful stalking around on foot downwind and as unseen as possible until a good bull can be identified, singled out and shot while standing.

As to being charged to add excitement to the hunt this could happen with either of the species and seems rare for an unwounded animal of either species anyway, so to choose between species hoping to face a charge is wishful thinking and one I wouldn't be planning a hunt on.

The hunting territory in Northern Australia is every bit as tough or tougher and is more isolated as anywhere you would likely hunt in Africa. Aussie is hot and very humid,exceedingly energy sapping and has does have other dangerous animals around too. As always we had to watch for snakes and there were crocs around many of the water holes. For me it is still a toss up between returning to the Northern Territory to shoot more than just one buffalo (a culling trip sounds good) or to Africa. Africa does hold that romantic ring to it for me and off course it would be good to hunt amongst some of the uniquely African animals.


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Ardent
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Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: TOBY458]
      #244434 - 26/03/14 01:14 PM

Quote:

Thanks Angus! I'm still trying to make up my mind. If I go to Africa, I'll have to wait a year or two. I can afford Australia now. That's the dilema.




Eagle makes fair and compelling arguments, but I would still absolutely urge you to wait the year or two and do Africa. Given you're on a budget, I can make no higher recommendation than Touch Africa Safaris, Zimbabwe. I hunted with them in 2010 and it will be the experience you're after, no question, and presently a Cape Buffalo hunt can be booked for $9,000. The Cape Buffalo is substantially more dangerous than the Asiatic Buffalo, there is zero question on that, watch the plethora of Cape Buffalo killing Lion videos. They are a true beast, and likely kill more hunters and PHs than any other commonly hunted animal. That is still a very small percentage, but they are true dangerous game and demand enormous respect. There's something very special in that.

--------------------
www.morrisonarms.com


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eagle27
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Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: Ardent]
      #244443 - 26/03/14 05:35 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Thanks Angus! I'm still trying to make up my mind. If I go to Africa, I'll have to wait a year or two. I can afford Australia now. That's the dilema.




Eagle makes fair and compelling arguments, but I would still absolutely urge you to wait the year or two and do Africa. Given you're on a budget, I can make no higher recommendation than Touch Africa Safaris, Zimbabwe. I hunted with them in 2010 and it will be the experience you're after, no question, and presently a Cape Buffalo hunt can be booked for $9,000. The Cape Buffalo is substantially more dangerous than the Asiatic Buffalo, there is zero question on that, watch the plethora of Cape Buffalo killing Lion videos. They are a true beast, and likely kill more hunters and PHs than any other commonly hunted animal. That is still a very small percentage, but they are true dangerous game and demand enormous respect. There's something very special in that.




Would not disagree that Africa should be the ultimate goal for buffalo and other uniquely African game and as I said, that is on my bucket list, but I would not be planning a hunt based on which is the most dangerous beast to hunt as under the normal hunting conditions in both countries now where a PH dictates proceedings and will only likely allow you to shoot a standing animal once a clear shot is available, the actual stalking and shooting of a buffalo in either country seems much the same.

Aussie buffalo have killed and injured people too and I certainly would not want to corner one where it had to fight instead of flee. As to hunters and PHs getting caught, yes more in Africa but like car accidents it is usually statistically related to numbers on the road or in this case numbers hunting rather than the attention or nature of the beasts themselves. Having lived on a large cattle and sheep farm I know that Hereford cattle wintering over in rough blocks can be vicious and vindictive animals and I've seen many a dog, horse and man hurt by these animals when decide they are not going to be pushed around.

For your outlay, to be able to stalk in close and shoot more than just one buffalo or maybe even lots if you take up a culling shoot, has to be good value. Yes for me to take my 404 back to Africa and to say I have been there and hunted will be great, but to follow up a herd of buffalo, pick out a suitable beast (one is all I could afford) whether trophy or just an old dagga boy who is on his last legs and pop him with one shot while he is standing minding his own business is not exactly mind blowing in itself and the chances of an exciting charge is no more present than if I was shooting in Aussie or a Hereford bull on a farm.

Yes by all means if you can really afford Africa go for it but I can guarantee that a trip to the Aussie outback will be exciting, interesting, and god forbid if I admit it, the Aussies are superb company (having also worked there).


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BB416
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Reged: 01/10/13
Posts: 68
Loc: QLD Australia
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: eagle27]
      #244455 - 26/03/14 10:57 PM

I agree with you eagle, from my own experience of hunting water buffalo in the territory. Standing still on one leg, 35 yards away from 700kg+ animal with large sharp horns while he makes up his mind what you are and if he wants crush you. When the only trees around are less than 6 inches in diameter and its several hundred miles to the nearest medical facilities, that is sure to get your heart rate up well and truly. Once these beasts get your scent and work out what you are , they don't just stand there waiting for you to shoot them. They have no real fear of humans, as they generally don't see too many of them
I also hope to get the opportunity to hunt Cape Buffalo, but please don't underestimate the thrill of an Australian hunt


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TOBY458
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Reged: 23/01/14
Posts: 206
Loc: Georgia, USA
Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: BB416]
      #245005 - 04/04/14 11:42 AM

Well, for now I've made the grave mistake of letting my better judgement get the best of me. I took the money and paid off my truck. Now I've got to save up the money again! Damn you common sense!
Well, at least I have no truck payment anymore, so I should be able to save up quickly.


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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: Cape Buffalo vs Asiatic Water Buffalo Hunting [Re: Ardent]
      #245349 - 10/04/14 01:47 AM

Quote:

High fenced properties are universally larger than big islands I've hunted, and are fully wild inside, one property I drove across takes time periods measured in hours to meet the fence on the other side travelling by Landcruiser. The fence is there to ensure the animals stay where they are safe and to keep poachers out, not to mention the property managers own the wildlife on the property and it is a major investment for them. Heck, even National Parks are high fenced, such as Pilanesburg National Park, for the same reason.




A high fenced cape buffalo hunt would be an incredible shame. A lot of the buffalo in them are almost as tame as a South Island NZ trophy stag bred in a deer farm before release for the visiting sportsman! High fences don't keep any poachers out. Often the enclosures are very small, at least before the cape buff bull is herded out into a bigger enclosure to be shot.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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