A Special Hunt

Buffalo Hunt
         I feel that a short introduction is needed to set the stage for the event I am relating. Years ago, or at least it seems like that, I was diagnosed with COPD which is a combination of breathing diseases that gradually put you out of commission. A few years ago when my COPD forced me to go on supplemental O2 full time and after using portable systems for quite a few years I was forced to give up hunting because my breathing required more substantial oxygen equipment and mostly confinement to my house. The following story is about a long past birthday and what it meant for me.
                                          My Birthday Buffalo Hunt
         My friend Don knew I really hated giving up hunting and most of all regretted never getting to Africa for a Cape buffalo hunt using my custom 375 H&H. He sent me a life size Cape buffalo target for my 65th birthday and told me to celebrate by shooting “My Buffalo”! I actually thought it was a joke at first but then I realized he was trying to give me a great birthday present. Due to all the meds I have to take I am susceptible to bruising and was afraid the recoil of my rifle might leave a dandy sore shoulder but I decided life was too short to worry about minor things like that and headed into the vast savannah of my back yard to hunt a faux buffalo.
          It was October and actually a very nice day for that time of year here in God’s Country! It was surprisingly free of the dreaded mosquitoes which sometimes plague hunters in the early fall so I was excited to be outside and enjoying it. With the help of my wife, who was my target setter and spotter, I went on my birthday “Buff Hunt”. The target stand was some wooden stakes driven into the ground in front of my .22 backstop which is approximately 30 yards from where I sit to shoot. My rifle was my custom Remington .375 H&H with rear aperture sight and front bead and I was shooting some older Remington factory ammo of 270 grain persuasion that I wanted to use up. I probably had some 300 grain reloads somewhere but didn’t think a “paper bull” required that much.

Custom Remington 700 375 H&H with Knoxx recoil reducing stock
         I sat in a lawn chair and held my rifle offhand and admit to being a little wobbly! When you see the pictures of my two shots at the target you’ll see what I mean. I started by shooting three or four practice rounds into the backstop before we actually put the paper up and I felt comfortable enough to try a few at the bull. The following picture shows my first shot and then second shot and first one together.

My first shot is a little forward, I was aiming for the near shoulder, but maybe with a solid in real life it may have broken the other shoulder. Good thing he wasn’t charging me!
 
 
 
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Second shot is where I wanted it but a bit high but maybe would have clipped the heart or lungs in a real bull? I guess I’m lucky I didn’t have to follow it into the bush!!
 

 
        
         Look close and you can see my O2 canula stuffed in my nose, a constant way of life for me, but I finished my birthday hunt unscathed and relieved I had kind of fulfilled a dream, even if it was just a make believe hunt. If there is any moral to this it is never let anything stop you from living your dreams as long as you can breathe!
Chris