- Location
- Invermere, BC
I wish I had half the balls of this man by the sound of things. To stand in front of a dying buffalo, my hat is off to him.
RIP
RIP
Professional Hunter Owain Lewis killed on safari in Zimbabwe
- Thread starter BigUglyMan
- Start date
Nope just a snarling snot faced metric ton of black horned nasty. And if you don't hit the CNS after they get a good shot of adrenaline they can cause havoc. Most likely the mix was .375-458 cals and there was a lot of fluid loss in the front half of the animal.
The fact is moose and elk can do the same thing, they are just not "african" about dying. I have seen this behaviour in our bison, and they are just as freaking scary when pissed.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Puts the stunts in grim context, doesn't it?
Watched a NatGeo program one time and they showed a ticked off buff charge a truck . No top on the truck , maybe a Land Rover , 6 people in it and the buff put it up on two wheels and then knocked it sideways off the road . Didn't roll the truck , but close . Like an Abrams tank with the attitude of a honey badger .
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I expect this gentleman was an expert with either a double or a bolt gun, so its unlikely that his rifle had any culpability in the events. Neither will I attempt to analyze why it happened from the safety of my computer chair. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and knowing that is enough. Any of us who choose to rub shoulders with dangerous game run the same risk, which is why we prefer the spice of dangerous game hunting to any other.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Owain's funeral is/was held today.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...killed-by-buffalo-he-was-trying-to-shoot.html
British hunter killed by buffalo he was trying to shoot
A British man working as a professional hunter on a private game reserve in Zimbabwe has been killed by a wounded buffalo he was trying to shoot.
The Cape Buffalo can grow up to 1.7 metres in height and 3.4 metres in length Photo: REXBy Peta Thornycroft, Aislinn Laing in Johannesburg
2:45PM BST 11 Jun 2012
Owain Lewis, 67, had been tracking the animal for three days to finish it off after it was shot and injured by a visiting American hunter he was escorting.
Paul Smith, the owner of Chifuti Safaris in the lower Zambezi Valley, said Mr Lewis was "very tough and experienced" but had been caught unawares when the buffalo charged from the undergrowth and tossed him in the air.
"It turned on him and attacked him and unfortunately the apprentice hunter with him could not shoot the animal as Owen's body was in the way," he said.
"It was a very tough fight. Owain's neck was broken but the apprentice did manage to kill the buffalo.
"We are very shocked. This is the first time we have had an incident like this.
"We have had so many messages of support from people who hunted with Owen.
It is a tragedy."
One of the people who hunted with Mr Lewis, Alan Bunn, posted on a message board that he was "a man who had probably forgotten more about Africa and hunting than any of the younger professional hunters will ever learn".
"He was a kind soul who worked hard and always carried with him the very best of attitudes," he wrote.
Mr Lewis is understood to have adult children, who were travelling to Zimbabwe from their homes in the United States and New Zealand for a funeral on Friday.
He previously ran his own ranch in the Chegutu district of central Zimbabwe but it was seized by Zanu PF supporters in 2001.
The Cape Buffalo is one of African safaris' prized Big Five and one of the most dangerous animals in the world, also known as "The Widow-maker". It can grow up to 1.7 metres in height and 3.4 metres in length, and weigh as much as 910kg.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...killed-by-buffalo-he-was-trying-to-shoot.html
British hunter killed by buffalo he was trying to shoot
A British man working as a professional hunter on a private game reserve in Zimbabwe has been killed by a wounded buffalo he was trying to shoot.
The Cape Buffalo can grow up to 1.7 metres in height and 3.4 metres in length Photo: REXBy Peta Thornycroft, Aislinn Laing in Johannesburg
2:45PM BST 11 Jun 2012
Owain Lewis, 67, had been tracking the animal for three days to finish it off after it was shot and injured by a visiting American hunter he was escorting.
Paul Smith, the owner of Chifuti Safaris in the lower Zambezi Valley, said Mr Lewis was "very tough and experienced" but had been caught unawares when the buffalo charged from the undergrowth and tossed him in the air.
"It turned on him and attacked him and unfortunately the apprentice hunter with him could not shoot the animal as Owen's body was in the way," he said.
"It was a very tough fight. Owain's neck was broken but the apprentice did manage to kill the buffalo.
"We are very shocked. This is the first time we have had an incident like this.
"We have had so many messages of support from people who hunted with Owen.
It is a tragedy."
One of the people who hunted with Mr Lewis, Alan Bunn, posted on a message board that he was "a man who had probably forgotten more about Africa and hunting than any of the younger professional hunters will ever learn".
"He was a kind soul who worked hard and always carried with him the very best of attitudes," he wrote.
Mr Lewis is understood to have adult children, who were travelling to Zimbabwe from their homes in the United States and New Zealand for a funeral on Friday.
He previously ran his own ranch in the Chegutu district of central Zimbabwe but it was seized by Zanu PF supporters in 2001.
The Cape Buffalo is one of African safaris' prized Big Five and one of the most dangerous animals in the world, also known as "The Widow-maker". It can grow up to 1.7 metres in height and 3.4 metres in length, and weigh as much as 910kg.
I can assure you there is little difference in the 2. I shot my buff 9 times with a .416 / 400 gn @ 2400 fps. Every single shot was a killing shot not one cheap one of the 9, after 6 solid hits breaking every major bone in his body except the spine I walked up and he got to his feet. IMPOSSIBLE right? Both shoulders and both hips broken and 6 shots all penetrating the front 1/3 of the body, lungs, liver and all the plumbing over the heart were shot to sh!t.
It was like he was possessed, the 7th shot was at 6 feet and left scorched hair on his shoulder as did the 8th. Backed off a bit for the 9th and settled him out for good.
These are the toughest animals I have ever went about putting holes their hides, all bullets were solids as was the mandate of the day, things would be different today as I would be using TSXs or A-frames with each shot doing 5 times the damage the solids did.
These animals when enraged and full of adenaline can soak up lead like no other I have seen and caliber seems moot, at this juncture only a spine or brain shot will end the battle in favor of the good guys.
My prayers go out to the family, your husband/father gave his life saving another man's, there is no more honorable and noble way to die.
X 2 on the solids. I used the old soft over a mag of solids for my first 3 buffalo, then 2 softs on top for the 4th. The next 16 got all softs. A-Frames
Its still not that hard to run through a mag if he stays in sight and you can shoot fast, but at least you know you're hitting him.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
My experience on buffalo was similar. The .375 was loaded with factory 300 gr flat nosed Trophy Bonded solids in Federal factory ammo. At my first shot the PH placed one .577 a midships as I ran the .375 (a 5 shooter) dry. My partner swapped the .500 for the .375 and a pair of 580 gr Xs put the buff down, and a moment later he gave his death bellow. If I was to go again, it would be with expanding bullets for buff, especially if I took a .375. I would probably go with the 380 gr Rhino which impresses me greatly, I wouldn't mind the 350 gr Woodleigh either. Having said that, those flat nose solids were good killers on every other animal I took.
A once-a-year whitetail hunter would have trouble wrapping his brain around that.
Sometimes I wonder whether some of the "bullet-proof after the first shot" buffalo stories could be explained by the first soft being the only shell in the rifle being worth shooting in the first place.
One thing about buffalo hunting, its rather economical on a dollars per shot basis.
He went out like a true man doing what he loved, so much better than wasting away in a hospital bed.
Buffalo have always facinated me, if all goes well I want to do my first trip to africa at age 30 and thats number one on my list.
RIP Owain.
Buffalo have always facinated me, if all goes well I want to do my first trip to africa at age 30 and thats number one on my list.
RIP Owain.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
A once-a-year whitetail hunter would have trouble wrapping his brain around that.
Sometimes I wonder whether some of the "bullet-proof after the first shot" buffalo stories could be explained by the first soft being the only shell in the rifle being worth shooting in the first place.
One thing about buffalo hunting, its rather economical on a dollars per shot basis.
I actually like flat nose solids, although I would choose lighter ones in the .375 to keep their length a bit shorter shorter, which would ensure greater stability through the target. The problem I had that day was my shots all hit a might low. This was only the second time I had fired that rifle, and when I previously hit low on my wildebeest, I assumed I had underestimated the range in the failing light. My hunting partner who owned the rifle, a custom shop M-70, is built long and lean, standing about six and a half feet high, and his knuckles dragged on the ground even when he stood up straight, so his rifles have a very long LOP. The 15+ inches of LOP is what caused me to shoot low, but once I began to compensate for that, this thing killed like a damn.
On a previous buffalo hunt, my partner got the record for the most economical buffalo per round fired, it took 20 to put that one away!
I actually like flat nose solids, although I would choose lighter ones in the .375 to keep their length a bit shorter shorter, which would ensure greater stability through the target. The problem I had that day was my shots all hit a might low. This was only the second time I had fired that rifle, and when I previously hit low on my wildebeest, I assumed I had underestimated the range in the failing light. My hunting partner who owned the rifle, a custom shop M-70, is built long and lean, standing about six and a half feet high, and his knuckles dragged on the ground even when he stood up straight, so his rifles have a very long LOP. The 15+ inches of LOP is what caused me to shoot low, but once I began to compensate for that, this thing killed like a damn.
On a previous buffalo hunt, my partner got the record for the most economical buffalo per round fired, it took 20 to put that one away!
That might be the all-time record. Did he use all solids? The frequency of running a .375s mag dry makes the 7 shooter CZ in the rack look good. I got a culling triple with a 4 shooter, but was throwing in singles off my belt at the end. Truth is, I prefer the .458 anyway.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
"He looks at you like you owe him money." Robert Ruark
A once-a-year whitetail hunter would have trouble wrapping his brain around that.
Sometimes I wonder whether some of the "bullet-proof after the first shot" buffalo stories could be explained by the first soft being the only shell in the rifle being worth shooting in the first place.
One thing about buffalo hunting, its rather economical on a dollars per shot basis.
i doubt a .577 bullet in the guts would make much of an impression on a deer.
poor shooting is probably where most of the tales of bullet proof buffalo come from. that and bullet choice, i can't see a solid through the rear of the lungs, or lung if the shot is at an angle, doing much to slow down a large animal in the short term (or even long term). shoot anything around the edges and you are looking for trouble, although few animals are dangerous under normal circumstances.
too bad about the PH, any report on where all the shots actually went?
I haven't shot a deer in the guts with a .577 so won't speculate on those results.
What I have done is shoot 20 buffalo on three continents. Most of them took an impressive amount of time to hit the deck, unless they were spined. You wouldn't think an animal that just took a .458 square through the shoulders would take the mag while he was thinking it over, but with buffalo it happens a lot. Part of the appeal as far as I'm concerned.
