Buffalo Shot Placement

By Ken Moody

Now that you’ve selected your rifle, caliber, and bullet, it’s probably time to discuss where to aim and hit the buffalo for a successful outcome. Buffalo may seem unkillable at times and earn the nickname ‘bullet sponge,’ but with the proper bullet hitting the vitals, even the strongest bull will see his demise.

In a perfect world, every shot opportunity would be at an unsuspecting, perfectly broadside buffalo, but that seldom is the case. When it does occur, however, the professional must ensure, without mistake, that the buffalo is, in fact, broadside or near broadside. Many times, the perspective of the visual isn’t exactly as it appears, and the buffalo can be just quartering on a bit more than wanted, so care must be taken when calling the shot. Gaging the location of the buffalo’s opposite shoulder and leg, and its position in reference to the rest of the body, will determine the actual body position of your target. When the buffalo is broadside or near broadside, the shot should be placed one third up the body, in line with the leg, just below the shoulder. This shot is fatal and should produce a dead buffalo within a few hundred yards. While this is the shot most sought, it generally can’t be counted on when needed. More likely is a frontal or quartering on shot. Great care must be taken when attempting a killing shot at these angles, as the bullet must be placed precisely to achieve a favorable outcome.

Place the shot where the neck joins the body, paying attention to the attitude of the body overall, as the buffalo may be angled and not directly online with you. Imagine the path of the bullet as you place your crosshairs and always think about where the bullet will exit should it fully penetrate, not where it will enter. Be sure to go over shot placement with your professional until you are confident in your ability to make the shot at whatever acceptable angle is given. Most importantly, don’t try and wait for the perfect shot. When hunting buffalo, you must take the best shot given and have the knowledge of shot placement to make it. You’ll only get a few opportunities, so make the best of them and hit the buffalo fatally where it counts. In other words, don’t blow it!

For further reference on shot placement, I highly recommend Kevin Robertson’s book, The Perfect Shot, which goes into detail on African game anatomy and shot placement. It is a must for any safari hunter.