In the United States, reaction has been mixed. Hunting advocacy groups such as Safari Club International expressed condolences, with some members framing the death as “an honorable risk of the sport.” Meanwhile, animal rights advocates on Change.org have renewed petitions calling for an outright ban on importing any animal trophies from Africa.
Local villagers who work as trackers and guides have expressed sympathy for the family but also pointed out the irony. “The buffalo is the king of this land,” said one guide to Mail & Guardian. “It doesn’t care how rich you are. If you hurt it, it will hurt you back.”
Another preventable trophy hunting death. The hunter paid thousands for a “thrill” — and the buffalo paid with its life too. 😔— Stop Trophy Hunting (@BanTrophyHunt) August 9, 2025
South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment told News24 that an investigation is underway to ensure all hunting protocols were followed. Early reports suggest the hunt was legal and that the buffalo was part of a managed herd designated for big-game permits.
Still, the violent nature of the hunter’s death has left a lasting impression on those present. One tracker who helped recover the body said to IOL News that the ground was “torn up from the struggle” and that the buffalo collapsed only a few yards away after being shot by another guide. “It died angry,” he said. “So did he.”
The man’s family has requested privacy and is working with the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria to have his remains repatriated. Friends have started a memorial fund in his name, pledging to donate part of the proceeds to wildlife conservation — a gesture some critics have called “deeply ironic.” Details of the fund were shared in a statement to Associated Press.
While rare, this is not the first time a big-game hunter has been killed by their intended prey. In 2019, a similar incident in Zimbabwe saw an experienced guide trampled to death by an elephant. That same year, an American hunter was killed in Argentina after a wounded buffalo charged unexpectedly. These cases, documented by BBC News, highlight the inherent danger — and unpredictability — of pursuing the world’s most formidable wildlife.
As the sun set over the Limpopo reserve the day after the attack, rangers burned sage near the site of the incident, a traditional gesture meant to honor both the hunter and the buffalo. “Two lives ended here,” one elder told Al Jazeera. “That is not something we celebrate. It is something we respect.”
