Buffalo in Australia

[sjuels]

I have read a couple of articles on buffalo hunting in Australia&#39;s northern territories, and it looks like a ton of fun, but I was wondering if there is anybody on http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-jhp-rocks.gif the list that has experience with the hunting there?

Also, it looks like it is possible to do a combo hunt - buffalo and wild boar; such a trip should provide for lots of good campfire material later.

I have already asked the wife if she would like to go to Sidney sometime ...

/Soren

[Tom Petterson]

I went to the northern teritories to hunt feral donkeys and horses. It was very interesting contry. Most of the Buffalo hunting there takes place in Arnihaman land I am sure the spelling is wrong but it is a huge track of land in the northeastern most part of AUS. There is only two seasons in my opinion wet and dry. It rains like 16 meters during the wet season/ summer. Then it dries out in the fall. When I was there we were south of the buffalo area and they said the guides in Arnhyland were geing readdy to put rocks in the backs of their land crusers to stop them from being pushed so far down steam when croos in the water. All the 4x4s have a snorkel on the air intake to drive in the water and you will drive in the water!! They are called water buffalo for a reason!!

The buffalo are big and tough I never saw one but I wanted to, we were on a cull hunt and there very few buffalo in the area and the ones that were there were down at the river (25 miles away and we could not get over there due to all the late rains) the group ahead of us shot one. The ground was very washed in most places due to all the yearly rains and the surface would be dry but a few inces under the top soil was wet. They run narrow tiers that don&#39;t floot so are access was limited.

There are supose to be alot of buffalo in Arnihyland. There are also wild cattle in some places. I shot one hog while there and they said the way they hunt the hogs is buy opening some dead donkeys guts and sitting on them in the evining untill the pigs come in or if they spot them driving around they shoot them. There are more pigs in AUS NT than people.

Hope this is helpful in some way. It is a long way there and will be about at least a 6 hour drive or a few hour flight inland from Darwin to a camp. When we arrived at camp ( we rented a landcruser and drove) the guides said wow you must be very expereanced offroaders you are the first group to make it to camp in one try, most get lost and it takes them 2 or more days to get here. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/afraid_face.gif

If you want any more info I will be glad to help anyway I can.

[Quarrel]

Hunting the Asiatic Buffalo in Australia&#39;s north is out of reach of most Australians. The aboriginal traditional owners are awake to the massive cash injection safari hunting can give to their communities and have withdrawn permission to hunt from all but those PHs that can pay their fees.

Even those of us living in Arnhem Land find it difficult to get amongst them. I phoned a guide recently and he wanted to slug me $6000.00 AUD for one buff (current exchange is about AUD$1 = US$0.89). This was before he knew I was in the area already. I blew him off after telling him I was able to make my way amongst them by myself and thanks but no thanks. He started blustering and threatening legal action, which I thought was pretty funny as he didn&#39;t have a clue who or where I was.

In short, yes the buff is a mighty trophy, growing up to 1 metric tonne (don&#39;t even ask) and generating horn spreads of in excess of two metres. They are nowhere near as aggressive as the Cape Buffalo, owing to their domesticated past.

There was a concerted push to wipe them out during the 80s and early 90s as they were a prolific carrier of tuberculosis and brucillosis, and organised culling reduced the herd to less than 10,000 beasts. I was involved with the BTEC eradication program in the 80s, shooting buff from helos using the FNL1A1 Self Loading Rifle. Not really hunting but scads of fun, nevertheless.

This reduced the herd to manageable proportions and they are now kept, as I stated above, as a viable resource.

The Australian feral pig is a whole different matter. Seen countrywide as a pest and blamed for serious degradation of the environment, no-one want them, meaning they are "open season."

Goats, dogs, cats, pigs, donkeys, foxes, many species of deer, horses and rabbits + numerous pestilent species of avian are also hunted legally here. Not to mention our Aussie penchant for eating out National symbol from out Coat of Arms, the Kangaroo and Emu.

Although I am new to the bow, I look forward to pegging pins at pigs and, dare I say, the odd buffalo in the deep dark wilds of eastern Arnhem Land.

Quarrel.

[jorg2007]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Quarrel @ Oct 16 2007, 12:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=917421)</div>
Hunting the Asiatic Buffalo in Australia&#39;s north is out of reach of most Australians. The aboriginal traditional owners are awake to the massive cash injection safari hunting can give to their communities and have withdrawn permission to hunt from all but those PHs that can pay their fees.

Even those of us living in Arnhem Land find it difficult to get amongst them. I phoned a guide recently and he wanted to slug me $6000.00 AUD for one buff (current exchange is about AUD$1 = US$0.89). This was before he knew I was in the area already. I blew him off after telling him I was able to make my way amongst them by myself and thanks but no thanks. He started blustering and threatening legal action, which I thought was pretty funny as he didn&#39;t have a clue who or where I was.

In short, yes the buff is a mighty trophy, growing up to 1 metric tonne (don&#39;t even ask) and generating horn spreads of in excess of two metres. They are nowhere near as aggressive as the Cape Buffalo, owing to their domesticated past.

There was a concerted push to wipe them out during the 80s and early 90s as they were a prolific carrier of tuberculosis and brucillosis, and organised culling reduced the herd to less than 10,000 beasts. I was involved with the BTEC eradication program in the 80s, shooting buff from helos using the FNL1A1 Self Loading Rifle. Not really hunting but scads of fun, nevertheless.

This reduced the herd to manageable proportions and they are now kept, as I stated above, as a viable resource.

The Australian feral pig is a whole different matter. Seen countrywide as a pest and blamed for serious degradation of the environment, no-one want them, meaning they are "open season."

Goats, dogs, cats, pigs, donkeys, foxes, many species of deer, horses and rabbits + numerous pestilent species of avian are also hunted legally here. Not to mention our Aussie penchant for eating out National symbol from out Coat of Arms, the Kangaroo and Emu.

Although I am new to the bow, I look forward to pegging pins at pigs and, dare I say, the odd buffalo in the deep dark wilds of eastern Arnhem Land.

Quarrel.[/b]i went on a hunt and it only cost me $500 for a buffalo in australia also there where heaps of rabbits and foxes deer.

[jorg2007]

also have access to a million acre station with wild camel, donkeys, goats, etc.The guy only charges $250 a day and there is no charge for what ever animals you shoot on the station, you cant beat that.

[jindydiver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jorg2007 @ Nov 6 2007, 09:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=926982)</div>
i went on a hunt and it only cost me $500 for a buffalo but that was on a hunting property in the south of west australia also there where heaps of rabbits and foxes and wild elk if you good at stalking but there where no charges for them . charging $6000 for a buffalo is a rip off .[/b]


Why would someone fly right around the world to shoot a buffalo in a paddock on a game farm when they could just fly to Texas for the same thing?


sjuels
There are a few guides in the North who can organise hunts for buffalo and pigs, donkeys too if you want them.

Matt Graham at http://www.mattssafari.com/ (http://www.huntaust.com.au/) can sort you out

Some pics

http://www.huntaust.com.au/gallery/gallery2007.htm

[jorg2007]

Like i said the guy has million acre property for wild buffalo, donkey ,goats horses,camel ,pigs,scrub bulls etc its a far cry from $6000 and thats not just some paddock or game farm ,sorry i doubt anyone can beat the deal this guy offers , so how much does Matt Graham ,charge for a buffalo or donkey or pig ?

[jindydiver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jorg2007 @ Nov 19 2007, 02:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=932422)</div>
thats not just some paddock or game farm[/b]

Of course it is http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-rolleyes-green.gif The buff had to get there in a truck, SW Western Australia does not have any wild populations of water buffalo.

[jorg2007]

I am not talking about the south west property .the million acre propertys are up north more ,still cant answer my question,$6000 http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley_rotflmao.gif

[jorg2007]

edit

[herdsman]

Herdsman Adventure Safaris have secured an elite concession within Arnhemland, Northern Australia. Fully sanctioned by the NLC & the traditional custodians of the land.We have got big Water Buffalo & they are fast & mean. There is over 7000 Buffalo within our concession & there is not a fence in sight. Our main hunting method is to drive the Swamps in our Panther Airboat to get up close & personal with the rogue males, many of these animals have never seen humans or machinery before.
Average cost can vary between $6000 & $8800 depending on how many hunters involved.
Please note figures quoted include guide fees, rifle hire , accomodation, caping of trophy, meals & beverages.
The fees are not just for the tropy animal, although we do pay the traditional owners a fee per animal.

[Gray Ghost Safaris]

Cheaper to hunt Buffalo in Australia than Africa. Cape Buffalo hunts are getting expensive, like in the $10,000+ range. No more 7 day hunts in Tanzania. Our cheapest Buff hunt there is now 10 days minimum and $14,100 each for 2x1. Australia is a bargain and just as wild as the Selous. One big difference I might add: African Cape Buffalo will run if they see, hear or smell you. Why? Too many things trying to kill them everyday, especially Man and Lion&#39;s. Not so with Aussie Buff and many die of old age, never seeing a human. There are no Lion&#39;s in Australia, so when they see a Man they are just as likely to come towards you as run. And they do come looking as if you owe them money! GGS

[BelchFire]

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/index....=171118&hl= (http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=171118&hl=)

[Gray Ghost Safaris]

Try on of these for size. My PH sent this pic to me and says this bull is still alive as far as he knows. Would be one heck of a trophy mount!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w311/GGafricansafaris/Arnhemhugebuffalo2.jpg