What's attracts hunters to Cape Buffalo?

I got to thinking the other day, yes it hurt immensely, I descended into a coma of sorts and my eyes glazed over, I had an out of body experience and was somewhere else for a while.  It may have been the subject of thought that caused it but I may have even dribbled on myself, so I doubt I will risk doing it again for quite some time but I did it.  

What is it about Cape Buffalo, what is the attraction the almost obsessive desire one feels to hunt one?

I guess the attraction is different for each and every person that sets out to hunt them. Is it the size of the animal? For me no I don’t think so as there are quite a few animals that are bigger. Is it the “Dangerous Game” tag that makes them so desirable, for some hunters this most definitely has a lot to do with it.  Is it the fact that if you mess things up he is going to try and line you up and stomp you into the ground? I think the answer lies in a combination of things, I think the depiction of them by writers such as Ruark, Hemingway and Hathaway Capstick have had a huge influence on how hunters view hunting a Cape Buffalo.

Make no mistake about it I want to hunt one! It just has to be a certain way for me that’s all. I like the traditions of hunting, the handful of grass placed in an animal’s mouth out of respect, the preparation and the stalk and having friends share a meal of game meat, that sort of thing. So when I hunt a Buffalo it has to be the right way for me and my conditions are fairly simple. I am not too fussed as to what country I hunt my Buffalo in either and I suppose given the conditions I have set for my hunt that is pretty much irrelevant as long as the conditions are met.

I want to hunt my Buffalo with a classic calibre, I am not fussed if it is a .375 H&H, a .404 Jeffrey or a .416 Rigby but it has to be a calibre that has some history about it. I haven’t decided if the rifle I use will be a Double or not, I suppose that will depend on the calibre I finally decide on. I do not at this point own a rifle of sufficient calibre to hunt a Buffalo with and owning a classic double may well prove beyond my means, but I can dream. Maybe I will be forced to settle on a bolt action rifle and if that’s the case, a .404 Jeffrey would be my dream calibre.  I want to hunt on foot, leaving camp in the early morning and following the spoor for at least a couple of days until I encounter my Buffalo, in a sense I want to know him before we meet.

I'm Watching You!!! 

That brings me to the animal himself, he must be a worthy trophy, and by that I mean he must have at the very least a hard Boss. I am not concerned with the width of his horns, but they must have character, just the right amount of drop and curl to match his face and the right amount of wear on the tips. His horns must speak to me and tell me the story of his life.  Most importantly to me the animal must not be wasted, yes I will have the Cape and Horns, but the whole animal must be utilized, people must benefit from my taking the animal.  I may only ever get one chance to hunt Buffalo so I want to make it count, how about you? would you want anything less?