Cape Buffalo Hunting in South Africa

• Cape Buffalo hunting results in the death of more hunters than any other species. Also, buffalo are no slouches and can reach 56 KPH; that’s 15.6 meters per second.

• Herd mentality is very strong; sometimes, it will force a mother to abandon her calf.

• Buffalo movement is determined by “pathfinders.” Despite this critical role, these animals do not have to be high-ranking.

• Rinderpest, a disease in the 1890s, nearly wiped out the buffalo; estimates say that for every buffalo that lived, 10,000 died.

• Buffalo eat a large quantity of coarse material, and they need to drink regularly, up to twice a day, managing as much as 34 liters in just 6 minutes.

• Buffalo kill lions, and if lions attack a herd of buffalo, they do so at significant risk as buffalo often retaliate with a mobbing attack.

• Older buffalo bulls will choose to drop out of the herd and wander alone or in small groups.

• Groups of older males are called “dagga-boys,” which refers to the Zulu word for mud, given their preference for wallowing.

• African Buffalo have poor eyesight and hearing but an incredible sense of smell.

• Cape Buffalo hide is as thick as two inches in certain parts.

• The Cape Buffalo is the largest subspecies in South and East Africa.

• Cape Buffalo are truly good swimmers.

• The African or Cape buffalo is not related to the water buffalo of Asia.

• Cape Buffalo should be a must for all hunters; however, they are more expensive than other plains game.

Their habitat includes mixed scrub woodlands. They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes but typically avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators.

One of the “big five” African game, it is known as “the Black Death” or “Widow Maker” and is widely regarded as a dangerous animal.

According to some estimates, it gores and kills over 200 people yearly.

Buffalo kills more people in Africa than any other animal. However, hippos and crocodiles have the same claim.

Buffaloes are notorious among big-game hunters as dangerous animals, with wounded animals ambushing and attacking pursuers.

African Buffaloes weigh 1,100 to 2,200 lb, with males typically larger than females, reaching the upper weight range.

The horns form entirely when the animal reaches five or six years, but the bosses do not become “hard” till 8 to 9 years old.

In cows, the horns are smaller and do not have a boss.

African Buffalo are frequently preyed upon by lions. As a result, African Buffalo are known to rush to defend another herd member if a predator attacks it.

In a large group, they can also ward off the pride of preying lions.

The Cape Buffalo has many similar characteristics to the Blue Wildebeest but a very different hunt!

A buffalo trophy will have an average shoulder height of around 65 inches, weigh 1400 pounds, and have a horn length of  36 – 40 inches.

The Safari Club International minimum score for a cape buffalo is 101. Measure the length of the outside of the horn curl from tip to tip, plus the straight-line width measurement of both bosses for a combined total score in inches.

A 375-caliber rifle is the minimum legal requirement to hunt a buffalo.

Buffalo hunting areas are widespread across the Eastern Cape. Generally, Buffalo hunting in South Africa is in high-fenced areas, and the size of the area varies widely.

If you want authentic free-range Buffalo, you must hunt in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or Tanzania.

However, the trade-off is that buffalo hunting in South Africa is substantially cheaper on an all-in basis.

The day rates in countries like Zimbabwe are expensive and dramatically increase the cost of the overall hunt.

Day rates reflect the taxes and fees paid to the government. In most cases, the land is not private, and the government owns the animals.

In South Africa, most land is private, including the game.

Cape Buffalo hunting in South Africa is still tremendously exciting and hunted by spot and stalk.

Your professional hunter is required to have a dangerous game license for Cape Buffalo hunting on your Southern Africa safari.

In particular, the Buffalo has learned to avoid humans, feed at night, and hide during daylight hours in thickly wooded areas.

Buffalo is considered a dangerous game rather than a plains game.

As with most African game hunting, shot placement should always be in the bottom third of the shoulder. As a result, a well-placed shot, a rifle of .375 caliber, is adequate for the Cape Buffalo.

Nick Bowker Hunting has a 375 and ammunition for hunters not wishing to go through the red tape of bringing a rifle to South Africa. Included free of charge in your package are the rifle and ammunition.

Robert Ruak famously wrote, “When coming face to face with a buffalo, he will look at you as if you owe him money”;… enough said.

It is probably the number one desired African trophy for international hunters worldwide—dangerous animals to hunt.

A wounded buffalo can sometimes circle back, wait for the hunter along its track, and charge without warning.

Loud death bellows are the best sign of a dying buffalo, but not all will give this bellow.

With age, one will find old solitary bulls move off from the herd; these bulls are called “Dagga Boys” due to their enjoyment of regular mud baths, leaving caked mud on their backs, giving the appearance of dried cement (“Dagga”).

These bulls are the most challenging and fun to hunt and may sometimes form small “Dagga” groups.

A hard and solid boss is the number one sign of a great trophy.

Sometimes, these old bulls won’t carry a spread beyond 30 inches, as horns will wear down with age. These are, in fact, the best and most memorable trophies on a cape buffalo trophy hunt.