Keith Lusher 08.12.25
A outstanding Texas ranch dealer misplaced his life throughout what was alleged to be the looking journey of a lifetime when a large Cape buffalo fatally gored him in South Africa’s Limpopo Province this previous Sunday.
Asher Watkins, 52, was monitoring a 1.3-ton Cape buffalo alongside skilled guides when the unwounded animal instantly charged at roughly 35 mph, killing him immediately. The tragic incident occurred throughout an estimated $10,000 looking safari organized by Coenraad and Vermaak Safaris within the nation’s northernmost province.
Hunter Hans Vermaak, spokesman for the safari firm, confirmed the devastating assault to a number of media shops. “It’s with deep disappointment and heavy hearts that we affirm the tragic demise of our consumer and pal Asher Watkins from the USA,” the corporate acknowledged. “This was a sudden and unprovoked assault by an unwounded buffalo whereas Asher was monitoring it with one among our skilled hunters and one among our trackers.”
The profitable businessman owned Watkins Ranch Group, a luxurious actual property brokerage specializing in high-end ranches, farms, and looking properties throughout Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Properties in his portfolio sometimes promote for tens of millions of {dollars}, catering to prosperous landowners and looking fanatics.
Watkins’ looking ardour started early, rising up on his household’s looking and cattle ranch in Dallas. This background gave him intimate data of ranch operations and land administration, which he later parlayed right into a profitable profession in industrial actual property. Earlier than coming into the property enterprise, he labored within the oil and fuel business.
A Baylor College alumnus, Watkins was described as “a proud and devoted father who understands the worth of introducing youth into the outside.” His firm biography famous his love for looking, fishing, and scouting new properties. His social media profiles featured quite a few looking pictures, showcasing profitable hunts for desert mule deer and waterfowl.
The tragedy struck whereas Watkins’ household waited at their upmarket safari lodge. His mom Gwen, brother Amon, and stepfather Tony have been all current once they obtained the heartbreaking information. The safari firm additionally notified his ex-wife Courtney and their 16-year-old daughter Savannah, with whom he maintained an in depth relationship following their 2013 divorce.
Cape buffalo are amongst Africa’s most harmful recreation animals, weighing between 660 to 1,840 kilos and standing as much as 5 ft tall. Their distinctive horns are related by a stable bone protect throughout the brow, making them formidable opponents. Recognized for his or her unpredictable temperament and protecting herd instincts, Cape buffalo are accountable for quite a few looking accidents yearly.
Regardless of their fearsome popularity, Cape buffalo stay in style amongst trophy hunters looking for Africa’s “Massive 5” recreation animals. Skilled looking operations emphasize security protocols, however the inherent risks of pursuing such highly effective wildlife can’t be eradicated fully.
Coenraad and Vermaak Safaris, which promotes “honest chase and moral looking mixed with deep respect for wildlife,” expressed their dedication to supporting each the members of the family current in South Africa and people again in the US throughout this troublesome time.
This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers inherent in large recreation looking, even when performed with skilled skilled guides and correct security measures.
