Texas Big Game Hunter Becomes Prey, Fatally Gored by Buffalo While on South African Safari

A big game hunter from Texas on safari in South Africa became the hunted after he was attacked and killed by a buffalo.Billionaire ranch trader Asher Watkins was hunting a 1,300-pound Cape buffalo in the Limpopo province on August 3 when the animal suddenly charged toward him at 35 miles per hour and delivered a fatal blow, according to People magazine.Watkins, who headed the Watkins Ranch Group in Dallas, was on the $10,000 trip with his mother and stepfather, who were waiting for him to return to the safari lodge at the time of the fatal incident.“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts we confirm the tragic death of our client and friend Asher Watkins from the USA,” Hunter Hans Vermaak with Coenraad Vermaak Safaris said in a statement. “Asher was fatally injured in a sudden and unprovoked attack by an unwounded buffalo.”“He was tracking it together with one of our professional hunters and one of our trackers,” the statement continues. “This is a devastating incident, and our hearts go out to his loved ones.”It was not immediately clear if the Cape buffalo was killed after the attack or if it escaped. Watkins leaves behind a teenage daughter, Savannah, and an ex-wife, Courtney.“This photo is from another time, another chapter of our lives — but it’s one that will always be a part of our daughter’s story,” his wife wrote on Facebook alongside a picture of the two with their daughter. “On Sunday, August 3, Savannah’s father, Asher Watkins, died suddenly in a tragic accident involving a Cape buffalo while on a hunting trip in South Africa.”“It’s a reality that’s still hard to put into words. Our hearts are heavy as we navigate the days ahead, especially for Savannah as she grieves her dad.”The Cape buffalo is one of Africa’s so-called Big Five — a term often used by big game hunters for the most challenging animals to hunt on foot, including lions, leopards, elephants, and rhinos.Also known as the African buffalo, the beast is known for being powerful and muscular and possessing large horns that connect on a thick bony plate at the top of the head known as the “boss.”They are also known as the most dangerous of the Big Five to hunt because of their ability to charge forward toward their target at 50 miles per hour when threatened.

Texas Big Game Hunter Becomes Prey, Fatally Gored by Buffalo While on South African Safari

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