Africa’s Most Dangerous

The Southern Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)

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The Southern Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)

by

Kevin Robertson

(with photographs by Catherine Robertson)

Safari Press

KRCH00.indd 3 7/18/2011 11:29:22 AM Table of Contents

Foreword...... vii

Acknowledgments...... ix

Introduction...... xi

Chapter 1 Natural History of the African Buffalo...... 1

Chapter 2 Distribution of Africa’s Southern Buffalo Population...... 23

Chapter 3 Bull or Cow?...... 27

Chapter 4 Important Anatomical Features...... 38

Chapter 5 Trophy Evaluation...... 56

Chapter 6 Selecting the Right Rifle...... 72

Chapter 7 Selecting the Right Sights...... 84

Chapter 8 Selecting the Right Calibre and Cartridge...... 92

Chapter 9 Selecting the Right Bullet...... 126

Chapter 10 Useful Hunt Accessories...... 148

Chapter 11 Preparation for the Hunt...... 154

Chapter 12 The Hunt—What to Expect...... 158

Chapter 13 Shot Placement...... 173

Chapter 14 Bowhunting the Southern Buffalo...... 199

Chapter 15 To Back or Not...... 205

Chapter 16 When Things Go Wrong...... 212

Chapter 17 Trophy Handling...... 220

Chapter 18 The African Tracker...... 230

Chapter 19 Photographing Buffalo by Catherine Robertson...... 234

Chapter 20 The Future...... 241

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Natural History of the African Buffalo

yncerus caffer, the African buffalo, is a because Cape buffalo also occur in a number close relative of domestic , for it of southern and eastern African countries and S too is a bovine, classified into the family are today relatively scarce in the Cape Province , subfamily , and tribe Bovini. of South Africa. Thus, the term “southern All the animals in this extensive and diverse- buffalo” is generally accepted today as a more looking, cloven- family are . suitable name—despite the fact that many This means they have a voluminous, four- diehards still refer to them as “Cape” buffalo. chambered stomach. Another distinctive Nothing in life is straightforward and simple, feature of all adult ruminants is that they have however, and this includes the logical subspecies four pairs of lower incisors, and, instead of classification system mentioned above. The uppers, they have only a dental pad. classification system gets muddied because Buffalo occur throughout Africa south some buffalo exhibit confusing, intermediate of the Sahara. Because considerable morphological characteristics. This is a morphological differences in body size, hide result of the various subspecies’ geographical color, horn shape, and degree of development boundaries being both ill-defined and indistinct. occur within the species, five subspecies of Consequently, there exist areas of integration Syncerus caffer are recognized: where the various subspecies come into contact and crossbreed. “Intermediate” morphological S.c. brachyceros, the Central African savanna types are the result. buffalo Of the five subspecies, southern buffalo have S.c. planiceros, the West African savanna by far the largest distribution within Africa, and buffalo this is the subspecies most commonly hunted S.c. aequinoctialis, the Nile buffalo for sporting purposes. Southern buffalo also S.c. nanus, the dwarf forest buffalo attain the greatest body size, and their bulls carry the most impressive trophies: heavy, S.c. caffer is universally known as Cape thick, sometimes massive, down-sweeping buffalo, for these formidable black creatures and upward-curling black horns. Older and were first encountered by early European past-breeding-age bulls, especially, also have hunter/explorers near the Cape of South knurled and solid bosses that cover most of the Africa. This name is, however, misleading forehead. On some extremely old bulls, the

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bosses may be as smooth as glass, which is a ever seen, body size-wise, must have weighed at result of rubbing. least 1,200 kilograms. He was enormous, with a A mature southern bull in good body body more like a hippo than a buffalo. Savanna, condition will easily weigh as much as 800 Nile, and the dwarf forest subspecies are all kilograms (about 1,800 pounds), and maybe considerably lighter and smaller in overall body more in exceptional cases. The biggest bull I have size, with smaller, less impressive “headgear.”

Map shows distribution of Africa’s Syncerus population.

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All buffalo are, however, extremely hardy even as many as a thousand. The quality creatures that are well adapted to their and amount of available grazing and water, environments. In fact, their large numbers together with the level of predator pressure, and wide distribution throughout much influence herd size. of Africa indicate that they are one of the It is my experience that large herds continent’s most successful . To usually break up into smaller ones and scatter survive and prosper, buffalo require water, widely during the summertime rainy season adequate long grass for grazing, sufficient when their basic necessities for survival are shade—and not much more. Being totally abundant. During the winter dry season, in tune and highly adapted to the varied and many of Africa’s rivers, water holes, pans, climatically different environments that they and river pools start to dry up. At such inhabit have made the buffalo a success story times, grazing also becomes unpalatable and in today’s Africa. sometimes hard to find. Consequently, there The survival rate of Africa’s buffalo is is greater competition among the buffalo for predicated on the fact that they are gregarious these necessities, so they tend to congregate herd animals. Predators occur, but there into bigger herds. Also, when heavily preyed is always safety in numbers. The size of a upon by lion, buffalo herds become larger, breeding herd varies tremendously—from just purely from the instinct that there is safety a few to many hundreds and, occasionally, in numbers.

This magnificent southern buffalo bull has a massive neck and round, muscular body.

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Compared to the southern subspecies, savanna buffalo are smaller, with less impressive horns. They are, however, just as much of a challenge to hunt, and potentially as dangerous. This mature bull with his solid boss is a fine trophy.

A safari client once asked me to list a drink every second day, and they will walk buffalo’s weaknesses. To my way of thinking, long distances from their grazing areas to they have only one: They are totally water- wherever water is available so as to be able dependent. Fresh buffalo dung is green- to drink each day. brown and moist, almost sloppy, while Buffalo are primarily bulk-grazing animals. other species have dry, pelletlike With their broad muzzle and hard, rubbery droppings. The physical characteristics of lips, they are ill adapted to feeding selectively. buffalo dung are a good indication that Instead, they grasp large mouthfuls that are buffalo are inefficient conservers of moisture. cropped effectively by the rasplike tongue, the As a result, they need to drink at least once sharp lower incisor teeth, and a short upward daily, usually around sunset or sometime jerk of the head. Only occasionally, when the during the night. quality of the grass is really poor, will buffalo Buffalo will, however, drink whenever the browse. When they do so, it is on leaves, soft opportunity arises, and they do not appear green stems, and young shoots. The buffalo’s to be particularly fussy when it comes to non-selective grazing habits play an important water quality. In this regard, I have often part in the grand scheme of things because these observed them ingesting, without hesitation, animals effectively open up and trample sizable some pretty foul, slimy-looking stuff. Even areas of long, relatively unpalatable grass. This muddy, stagnant water is readily drunk during improves the veld while at the same time making the height of the dry season. Only when the the grass more palatable and available for other, environment is exceptionally dry will buffalo more selective grazing species.

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Buffalo usually graze their way to and ruminate or “chew the ” for at least eight from water. A herd will spread out and feed hours daily. This they do while lying down in in a slow, meandering, zigzag fashion, mostly the sternal recumbency position, which they into and across the prevailing wind. This is assume during their two daily rest periods. purely a defense mechanism—individual herd A breeding herd will be led by the wisest, members are vulnerable to predation when most experienced cow; she will usually be spread out and preoccupied while feeding. By one of the oldest, with a thorough knowledge facing either into or across the wind, they can of all the water holes and the best grazing rely on their refined sense of smell to warn areas. However, a master bull, usually them of any dangers up ahead. the biggest in body size and therefore the The last few hours of darkness and the strongest, will dominate the herd. Breeding first few of daylight, and from midafternoon bulls between eight and ten years of age make until well after sunset, are a buffalo’s most up roughly 8 percent of a mixed herd. Pre- active feeding periods. When the moon is full breeding bulls, those four to seven years of and bright, buffalo will also graze at night. age, can be found either in the main herds Because they are ruminants, they need to or in loosely associated bachelor herds with

I estimated this monster buffalo’s weight at 1,200 kilograms (2,600 pounds). With a massive neck and a fat, hippo-like body, he was by far the biggest-bodied buffalo bull I have ever seen.

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A mature Nile buffalo stands in lush grassland. Trophy quality of these buffalo is not as impressive as that of the southern subspecies. (Photo by Dr. Willem Daffue)

old, past-breeding-age bulls. Bachelor herds Buffalo are accomplished swimmers. They vary greatly in size from just a few to as love water, and will lie up in it for hours, many as fifty, depending upon the season especially when it is really hot. and location. Some old bulls choose to lead Though a few calves are born out of season, solitary lives, usually in a distinct home range southern buffalo usually follow a distinct close to permanent water. calving period. This occurs during the latter With age, bull buffalo lose much of their half of the summertime rainy season, when already sparse hair covering. This makes them grazing, water, and cover are most abundant. even more prone to being fed upon by tsetse flies, Prevailing climatic conditions—in other ticks, and other biting insects. Mud wallowing words rainfall—largely determine the buffalo’s is how they can best protect themselves from nutritional status, which in turn has the these blood-sucking pests, and it is this habit greatest overall influence on their growth that gives rise to their common name of dagga rate, fertility, and calf survival. boys (dagga, dugga, or dagha means mud in most Buffalo are slow-growing, late-maturing African languages). animals. Cows reach sexual maturity at

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