Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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An Unconventional Take on the Cape Buffalo
It’s fashionable to write about Cape buffalo as bovine Hillary Clintons—malignant engines of destruction, filled with cunning and rage, living for the chance to get the horn into something. But the truth is, I feel sorry for the poor bastards. All they want is to wallow in the mud, eat, make little buffalo, and generally be left alone.
But lions pull them down, and we shoot them, and if any survive to old age, they are driven off by themselves without so much a retirement home where they can be warehoused until they depart.
In 1987, I was hunting along the Luangua River in Zambia with PH Abie DuPlooy, and we encountered a French PH and his client who allowed as how the client had wounded a bull, but the client had grown bored with the whole thing, and so the buffalo was still at large with a bullet in him. We decided to find the animal and finish him off.
Abie located the clearing where the herd had found shade from the midday sun, and then pulled off the most stupendous piece of tracking I’ve ever seen. From this herd of perhaps 30 animals, he found the hoofprints of the wounded bull and then followed them out of the clearing. (If you’d like to try and duplicate this, go into a cattle pen and try to pick out one set of hoofprints and follow them.)
We found the bull less than a quarter-mile away, and there was a festering hole in his flank. I shot and broke his back, and he went down on his stomach. His hind legs no longer worked, but his front legs did, and he dragged himself forward, trying to get to me.
I killed him, and then discovered one final sad note. An oxpecker (tick bird) had been clinging to his side, and my bullet killed the bird before it killed the bull. I was actually the third person to shoot this buffalo. In addition to my bullets and the French hunter’s bullet, we found a hammered-iron muzzle loader ball that a poacher had put in him long ago.
He is on my wall now, and sometimes I wish that instead of ending there, he had lived out his life. Probably he does, too.
I found some remarkable footage of a cape buffalo herd tangling with a pride of lions. Just for kicks, a couple of crocodiles get involved. I'm convinced cape buffalo have to be the toughest animals on the face of the earth.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM
Posted by: KJ | May 21, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Awfully sentimental writing here Dave...to be honest with you, I always take a moment of silence after a downed kill. I feel it is owed to the animal's life.
Posted by: Ralph the Rifleman | May 21, 2007 at 12:28 PM
Cape Buffalo and Elephants are truly magnigicent animals. For the life of me, I don't know why anyone would expend the effort to kill one just to waste or donate the meat and hang it on the wall. I guess there are those that would say that same thing about my deer and elk hunting. I feel the same way about bears. I just can't bring myself to shoot one. I saw three this past weekend while on foot in the woods turkey hunting. They were awesome! I guess I'm just a hypocrite for not wanting to kill buffalo or bears and hunting deer and elk. JMHO.
Posted by: Mtnhunter | May 21, 2007 at 01:15 PM
For shame! The Cape buffalo is a magnificent creature, and deserves far better than to be mentioned in the same breath as Hillary Clinton.
Posted by: Peter C | May 21, 2007 at 03:06 PM
There's a side of me that has always detested shooting a wild animal. This didn't bother me as much when I was a young man and caught up in the excitement.
I doubt that it matters a whole lot to the buffalo if it was shot three times and died a slow death was or gnawed on by a tribe of lions. But it matters to me.
Posted by: Steve C | May 21, 2007 at 03:16 PM
Don't let all that fool you. It's just window dressing, like so much of the anti-gay hugger-mugger. Those Bavarian men are still among the world's worst vis-a-vis showing their legs. Nowhere else on earth will you see so many grown men dressed up like little boys... and the elite cafe society of Berlin couldn't get enough of the homosexual "entertainers" during the '20s and '30s. There is really nothing in today's world like Berlin in those days, and as for Hitler, he was just a sawed-off little toff, that's all! He really was a fool for just about any fellow in a uniform.
http://www.hillary.org/hc/Hillary_Clinton_Forum_1207_chat1.cgi
Posted by: Bigbenr | May 21, 2007 at 05:22 PM
Hitler really never learned how to dress. For instance, he simply hadn't a clew as to how to properly accessorise, and make-up was completely beyond his ken.
This Obama Insurgency continues in spite of Hillary's efforts to contain it. We are going to have to repackage her in such a way as to raise the volume, so to speak. Consumers are picking up Rich Chocolate Obama, and leaving Hillary sitting on the shelf. We're going to have to turn that around ASAP. We're going to have to go rad, and take her RASTA!
Waist-length dredlocks and a big steel drum will damned sure get her noticed! I see her in her mirrored suit-of-lights and enveloped in a cloud of rich herbal smoke as she pounds out a frenetic arrangement of "59th St. Bridge Song" on her steel drum, dredlocks flying, while deep dragging on an eight-paper joint of Ouaxacan Red... empty Ronrico 151 bottles will litter the stage and a p!g in a smoking pit will emanate the rich promise of Jamaican jerked pork to come...
THE WORKERS' TRIUMPH IS COMPLETE! MOTHER HILLARY RULZ! HAIL HILLARY! HAIL PUTIN! HAIL DEAR LEADER! HAIL PAPA FIDEL AND FATHER CHAVEZ! FREE TOBACCO AND PEZ CANDIES FOR THE PEASANT HEROES! HUZZAH!
Posted by: Bigbenr | May 21, 2007 at 05:25 PM
Dave: At least on your wall, he will live on in your and your heirs memories for a long, long time. More so than in the stomach of a lion or hyena. And that is not a fun way to go, even for a buff. Your stock has gone up a couple notches, not only for following up and finishing him, but for spending the $$$ to remember him.
Posted by: Dumba** | May 21, 2007 at 06:15 PM
How anyone could wound any animal and then become not interested is beyond me. Just another reason to hate the French I guess.
Posted by: alabamahunter | May 21, 2007 at 06:37 PM
as a gay man supporting the amnesty bill, anybody else up for a gay freedom walk for mexicans?
Posted by: Buddy Hinton | May 21, 2007 at 06:40 PM
Roethlisberger, why don't you go to a political blog to write about politics? I can meet you at Rolling Stone's left wing site and discuss issues with facts, instead of this Nazi nonsense...
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | May 21, 2007 at 07:13 PM
WHAT THE HELL !!! there's faggs on this blog. Surely this is a joke!!!!
Posted by: alabamahunter | May 21, 2007 at 08:25 PM
Bet the buff would rather be on the wall than hear all this Nazi, weiner wonkin, Hillary luvin junk...
Posted by: skunk | May 21, 2007 at 09:57 PM
I'd rather be on the wall than hear all this Nazi, weiner wonkin, Hillary luvin junk... Ronrico is Puerto Rican rum. Myers's Is Jamaican rum and Oaxaca is in Mexico you Hitler loving non- spelling moronic freak.
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | May 22, 2007 at 09:05 AM
wow. this turned ugly real fast. it is a free country still right? and as wrong as Nazi, gays, or especially Hilary might be, life is too short to go around hating so much. i know i sound like a long haired hippy or something but seriously, just ignore the politcal stuff and comment on the stuff Dave wrote. if you give them more attention they will keep coming back and filling this place with a bunch more leftist crap.
Posted by: mike | May 22, 2007 at 11:58 AM
"a French PH and his client who allowed as how the client had wounded a bull, but the client had grown bored with the whole thing, and so the buffalo was still at large with a bullet in him"
I cna"t believe a PH would allow this to go on. This hunter should become the hunted.
Posted by: Jim | May 22, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Some of the Nazis were of course gay themselves, but it is dangerously naive to believe the the Nazis ever "tolerated" homosexuality.
Posted by: Leon Rossfelder | May 22, 2007 at 07:25 PM
Hillary should join the Spanish Riding Schooland enter whole-heartedly into the programme. Once accepted and properly trained, she would be able to show the nation her positions on the gritty issues without ever having to go back to New Hampshire.
We must get Hillary into a good hat right away! Observe that Her Majesty's hat has served her so very well in war and peace, and she has been Queen for just about forever now, so obviously, Hillary needs a good hat.
Right now I'm thinking that a huge Mexican sombrero would be appropriate for Hillary. It would make her so much more appealing. It needs to be a really huge sombrero, so that it makes her look a little bit small and vulnerable, yet bright-eyed and slightly manic, like Speedy Gonzales.
When she takes over in November 08, she can snatch off her huge sombrero and send it spinning high into the air among the thousands upon thousands of cascading red, white, and blue balloons while the crowds roar and roar and roar, "Hillary! HUZZAH! HOUUUNNGH!!!!
Their visceral, animal ecstasy will be the engine that drives Socialism into the dynamic vanguard of America's bright new future under Hillary!!
Posted by: Buddy Hinton | May 22, 2007 at 07:36 PM
The diiference between the trolls who keep invading our blog and Cape Buffalo is that one usually feels remorse at learning of the demise of the bufalo.
Posted by: JB | May 22, 2007 at 11:08 PM
My condolences to the buff's family. Sad way for a magnificent animal to go. The client and poacher should have been rounded up and shot. The PH should be forced to "make little buffalo" with Hillary (god knows her housband doesn't want to) whereupon they could be mauled by a pride of lions before being driven off and warehoused awaiting their departure.
Posted by: bull shooter | May 23, 2007 at 12:02 AM
KwaZulu Natal
There is so much to do in this immense - and immensely diverse - province. The coast is a sub-tropical paradise with lovely long beaches, warm water, tangled green vegetation, awesome surfing and great diving. The major coastal holiday areas - especially for families - are the North Coast and South Coast. The South Coast is the most northerly extent of the annual Sardine Run and, further north, the beaches of Maputaland are home to nesting turtles that can be seen on guided night walks. There are horse trails through the bush and the battlefields, in the mountains, along the beaches and skirting the wetlands, as well as a whole host of other adventure activities. KZN is renowned as a game viewing destination and the birding is fantastic.
Posted by: | May 23, 2007 at 09:04 PM
I can surely see worse individuals in the White-House than Hillary. All this non-ownership gun crap is just that CRAP. She will have a tough time to clean up the present mess we now in.( Guns will be on back burner). Regardless of your opinion of Bill, he is yet a better man than what we now have. Let it lie, We should be talking more of guns and hunting, as the guys with the most money will buy the WH again, as it did in 2000. If you concerned in loosing your firearm, buy another one and hid it safely. With over 200 million est. sold firearms in this country, no way can they find all of them, mine especially. Sportsmen, lets all get back to the subject, OUTDOORS and hunting. As for hats, Hillary can wear one, believe I can find a exra hunting cap someplace here.
Posted by: Disabled/handicapped needs site in Rockies | May 23, 2007 at 10:56 PM
AS for the PH and Client on the Buff hunt, too bad the Buff did not find them before his demise. I hope this PH has lost his licenses and the Client's hunting privilege's taken away forever. Neither of them should be allow to hunt period. If anyone has proff on this matter, they should report to the people in charge of issuing such. I sure hope I never have such a PH or Guide. This is a good example of what is wrong with our hunting/gun-ownership today.Thank goodness, I;ve never had a guide as such. Check references closely to make sure your Guide/PH is A+.
Posted by: Disabled/handicapped needs site in Rockies | May 23, 2007 at 11:04 PM
Socialism is best because under socialism. No one has to worry about being poor or starving to death. No one is poor, unemployed, discriminated, everyone is equal reguardless or race or creed. Today such ideas are condemned as evil. Any attempt to protest against slavery and genocide and human rights violations are met with the cries of COMMUNISM! By the religious right and then they conjure up stories about Stalin, Gulags, tortue, police state etc. So therefore we must stick with the current system of sweat shop slavery, poverty and racism while rich people who already have all they will ever need in life continue to thrive off our blood sweat and tears.
Amazing how they criticize socialism and incorrectly lump Socialism with communism especially when capitalism has murdered more people than any other ideology. One forgets how capitalism starves the poor, about how beggars are thrown in jail, how native indiginous populations are exterminated so the rich can make an extral million bucks! They dont mention about how they control and oppress the people and how the masses are enslaved 48 hours a day in big factories so the rich can make money. They dont talk about women being abused and mistreated and discriminated. The Ku Klux Klan were Capitalists, the Nazis were capitalists, Augusto Pinochet was a capitalist, Ronald Reagan, Pol Pot, Queen Victoria, Columbus, George Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Pat Buchanan, the pope, Osama Bin Laden and the terrorists they are all capitalists. Why dont we scream about the ills of their "system" of whatever
Posted by: Bigbenr | May 24, 2007 at 12:18 AM
Ever been to Russia or China? No one is poor or hungry? Socialism takes away the rewards of hard work and gives them to the fat, stupid and lazy. No wonder you are such a fan!
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | May 24, 2007 at 10:26 AM