Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
SOME INFO FROM ZIM - I am currently in camp with Mr. Owain's clients, they arrived about 6 days ago or so. To say I know Mr. Owain well would be a gross over-statement, but over the past 6-7 days I did chat with him numerous times around the fire. He was a TRUE gentleman of the first order for sure!!!!!
Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm, Ian Gibson (My PH) ran to my room and yelled to me that he thought Owain had just been killed by the wounded buff, and we need to get there now. So, I grabbed the .600NE, my bullet belt, jacket and head-lamp, and was off like a shot.
Mr. Owain's clients were all first-time African hunters - a father and two sons. The father hunting buff, the sons - plains game. The father wounded the buff on day one, they all followed again on day 2, but on day 3 only one of the son's could continue, as the father was done for, and one of the son's got sick.
Ian and I arrived at the scene at 5:30pm, Mr. Owain lay only 8 feet from the buffalo bull. I can assure you, the wounds were severe and he did not suffer at all. As only the apprentice and young client were there, Ian wanted to get there asap. Problem was, we were now 2.5 miles from the closest road, dark was just minutes away, and I honestly have NEVER gone over and through such rough/rugged/nasty country to get to the scene. How this bull got there in the first place is beyond me?
So now, we had little choice but to build a fire, and spend the night right there. Leaving the body un-protected was not an option, and getting out of their in the dark, was gonna be impossible anyway. A cold night it was, as I gave the Apprentice my jacket, so Ian and I had just shorts and short sleeve shirts.
At 7:30am the following morning, PH's Pete Barnard & Rex Hoots, my cameraman - Renz, and a bunch of the road crew arrived. Since Renz and I had the most medical experience (I was certified EMT long ago) we fastened a pole carry, as getting a vehicle more than 100 meters off the road was impossible. Renz really took control of the scene, doing an EXCELLENT job! So, as the PH's found a better path to the road, and cut bush, Renz & I, along with various rotations of guys in the back, carried Mr. Owain's body the 2.5 kms to the closest place a road/vehicle could get.
Seeing the scene first-hand, I can assure you - Mr. Owain did his job correctly, and bravely! Owain and the Appie spotted the bull lying down just 20 yards in front of them, and started shooting! It got up, went 10 yards left into another small opening, and they shot some more. By then, they were out of ammo and the bull decided to come. The appie was bumped and rolled to the side, the client was getting out of the way, trip and fell, then ran about 15 yards away, as he was reloading his gun. It was obvious that Mr. Owain was out of ammo, as his gun was empty on the ground. But, like any good PH should do - he bravely stood his ground, tried quickly to reload, but could not in time. He kept the bull's attention, and the other's were able to get out of harm's way, he died saving their lives for sure. Finally the client, shot the bull 3 more times, and it died with Owain's arm lying underneath its head.
From what I was told, and the scene I could see - bad luck was obviously a culprit. The bush was thick, the bull did not come immediately while they were still loaded, and the volley of shots prior to, did not put him down.
A huge reminder of what a truly dangerous game we play, and the PH - what a dangerous life he leads!! As I write this, 2 other Chifuti PH's are following another wounded buff right now. And to Mr. Owain's family - my condolences, he was a very nice man.
