Another Fact File is entitled Looking Through the Gap... And Taking it. “Taking the gap” is a colloquial term meaning “To disappear at speed” or in the case of buffalo, go crashing off in a headlong stampede for the next province! This is what happens when buffalo have spotted you, smelled you, or heard you stalking them. The Fact File deals more with the initial stages of the stalk, the all important act of getting into the right position, to take that perfect shot which will see your buffalo crumple like a sack of potatoes... rather than burst into aggressive action like a de-railed locomotive. Doing this is often more difficult than it sounds, and has much to do with the buffalo not detecting you before you are ready. Few people understand how the buffalo uses his eyes and the sight they afford. This fact file states “There is an interesting behavioral trait which buffalo exhibit when spotting hunters within their danger zone. Casually grazing along, something alerts him to impending danger... movement, reflection off a barrel, or just maybe a sixth sense. Raising his head, he looks directly at you. With infinite patience, he stares right at you, the minutes dragging out for what seems an eternity. The little gap he is staring at you through, now seems like a gaping window, as you are convinced he must have seen you. You have stopped breathing, and the bead of sweat which has broken free from under your cap, feels like a diamond-like jewel, reflecting every specter of light right back at the buffalo. Crouched, the muscles in your legs are starting to cramp, and your mind is screaming out for you to shift position. You are sure the buff is about to go crashing off. But he doesn’t. Instead, he breaks his stare with you, and faces directly ahead. Without a thought, you have fallen for the ruse, and shift your position or slowly raise your weapon - his flank offering the ideal target. Immediately, the buffalo swings back toward you, catching your every movement, confirming for him, what he only suspected a second before. He “takes the gap” crashing off to safer climes. What happened?

“Like all herbivores (or ungulates), buffalo do not really have very good binocular vision, their eyes being placed more on the sides of the head, than in the front. When looking straight ahead, they are able to judge distances, but have a “grey” area centre of vision. This in truth is the peripheral vision. When the buffalo turns its head 90° to a viewed object, the single eye is able to pin-point detail far more accurately. So, when a buff looks at you, he is judging distance, turning away merely confirms the detail of what he has spotted.

“It is interesting to note that unlike long necked animals which have good all-round vision, a buffalo’s head is in line with its body effectively restricting its rearward vision. The bulk of its shoulders, and rounded rib/torso section block much of its backward view when looking directly ahead

.

“If you are locked in a stare with a buffalo, and he turns away... stay still! Absolutely still. A little patience is all that is required. Possible danger has released adrenaline into his system - the survival drug, and he is suddenly more alert than a second before. As he turns away, maybe looks back a second later... no movement is detected. He will likely settle into a more relaxed attitude... going back to feeding, or dozing, or just amble along. This is your cue for further action... before he takes the gap.”