Having a Crack at Buffalo soon. Update- Its On! PIC HEAVY pg6
- Thread starter WhelanLad
- Start date
Eat it?
The food was for Jakes Family, we unloaded it on concrete floor.. They are true native Australians, somewhat like the Indians of the West USA.. There would of been a big gathering that night an 98% if not all, would of been consumed.
not many of them have guns, So when us "Ballingers" (white hunters) turn up.... they do enjoy it in return for permissions to hunt their "Country" (reads Traditional Land area)
Without any disrespect, it is 3rd world country stuff up there, very basic in a sense.
Also- Dogleg was only about 1h 45m North east from where I was, although I passed on my mobile number I didn't hear from him until I logged into CGN after I had left the community.. we missed each other by a few hours at Darwin Airport, Another fella I know thought he would of been up in this area on hes Cow cull with a outfitter who does it a bit.
hoping to see some photos from hes hunt
Regarding the Whelen-
On the floodplains it was a bit on a Handful as shots were 200-250 an sometimes that was just the 1st shot, then the Buffalo may run 10?-20?-30?-40? 50+m before turning around to see what that was, where I then unloaded my Mag to try Anchor them which was a tough ask! I kinda stuffed up with loading different Ammo in the Box, although the idea was there it just didn't really work on the Plains as say the 250gr with POI -2 @ 100 was hitting Real low by the time it got out to 250 odd (no long range round I know but..)
None the less, in the Trees I had no problems but I changed my shot placement to headshots with 225gr Woodleighs & ran out of time to find any more Bulls in the Trees to try shoulder/heart shots.
The hide is also approx. an inch or so thick so punching them in the Lungs didn't stop them very close to where you shot them.. as I read before I go the hide just covers the hole an they breathe pretty good for quite a while unless internal damage is high .... I shot a Cow this way after the Mate shot the big Cow, an it went an sat about 100m away where I was able to go an seal that deal.
most people I spoke to had same issues with Bulls... that being Very tough an generally a mag was unloaded on one.
If I was to ever do it again... I would load all the same 250gr Projectiles an get a bit closer
The .375 H&H is the medicine of choice up there though, Rangers included although many of the Buffalo are shot with .308s of the rangers... but they aint payin for ammo
What a fruckin experience!!!
Thanks for the responses, I thought you blokes would enjoy it
WL
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Well done and some incredible photos! Glad to hear the comments on my dear .375 H&H being the medicine of choice in yet another "true big game" area too. Admittedly, I mine for that comment, and note the good report of the .35 Whelen for the bush. Long shots are a little easier with the magnums, nonetheless I shared your challenge earlier this year being presented with consistent 175-300 meter shots I couldn't quite take on Gemsbok and hunting iron sights. Those open land stalks where you're repeatedly busted in 40 degrees are true grit hunting though! Nice bull, nice pics, and nice experience mate.
Mauser GDog
CGN frequent flyer
Congrats on the Trophies - Thanks for Sharing all the pictures - Looks like a Wonderfull time there ! RJ
RJ
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I actually saved this picture (hope the OP doesn't mind!), also my favourite of the bunch. Sums up big game hunting abroad pretty well.
I don't understand it either, but its true enough.
Poverty, repressive gun licencing, and out-post prices that stagger the imagination would explain most of it. Sadly, they don't know anything else. The locals are very much victims of a welfare mentality, but they aren't hungry because some-one will always feed them. Besides, going hunting is hard work compared to sleeping til noon and smoking tobacco that goes for $70 a pouch. Most of them won't even eat buffalo, but will normally eat scrub cattle and wallabies if they are hand delivered. I honestly tried to understand the mentality, but when it was explained to me I couldn't understand the explanation either. Strangly, they seem happy enough.
The rangers where I was managed to scrape together 40 rounds of .308 to try a buffalo cull. They eventually wounded one bad enough that they could get a white guy to finish off for them after they ran out of shells. That was the end of that program.
Some of the locals are rather good at spearing, fishing and spear fishing.
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- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Dogleg should respond to this as he's hunted both extensively and he isn't given to exaggeration. As I understand it, the Australian buff is heavier bodied, and if anything, worse tempered, but this isn't something I know first hand; besides, buffalo species differ in color, size, and temperament just across Africa.
I'm a little reluctant to sidetrack Whelen Lad's thread, but I'd say the African are worse tempered and the Aussie is so much bigger that it isn't even funny. Both are fun to hunt, which is the real goal. There's no real need to compare, just do both and have fun.
This, Although they get money off the Government.. an can sometimes get more money per year than some of us will make in 2 years or so, working a general day job...Where that money goes is unseen, but Booze, ciggerettes, Cars an junk food.. They love the Sugar ! average age is around 45-50 which is classed as "old", their health determines this.
They get royalties for Gas lines, Water lines, Power poles, Telstra phone Towers an whatever else..... some of their local paintings een sell for $40,000-$50,000 dollars!
The amount of money of Wasted Tax payer money is unbelievable until seen in these communities.... an I mean that.
schools offer breakfast, morning tea and lunch... for the families of attendees.... after lunch everyone is gone.. theres no more food after lunch. its to make sure the kids are getting feed as sometimes they miss out at home. (we handed a lot of buffalo meat out in town)
Its not uncommon to see new-ish landcruiser vehicles on their roof, or diffs out, rims off, windows smashed along side the tracks, remains of cars like suburus and 4x4s. its not their money so they don't respect it like you or I would with a brand new vehicle. or if they do own it, sometimes its a group venture, if one wont allow one to borrow the car.. they smash a window out.
We shot several buffalo for outstations (communal houses on their certain patch of land) which were having Funeral of family member, which will run for up to 3 weeks or until they are happy with who has gathered, an the ceremonial dances an music is not the crap you will see whilst on a travel guide holiday or seen on tv.. its real.
one outstation wanted us to shoot pigs for them as they were sick of buffalo an had been eating it for 2 weeks. The fella who ran that had a good sense of humour an was welcoming.
so Yes! a very different "world" up there with Respect to the people who live there and the way things work.
No dramas on "side tracking" the thread... its all Relevant.
WL
