Just returned from hunting trip with Paul Truccolo of Southern Safaris and a fishing Trip with Trevor Hosie of Nomad Safaris out of Gove and Numblwarr in the Nothern Territory of Australia. Paul's Hunting camp and Trevor's fishing camp were both tent-camps with steel-framed cooking/dining areas.
Paul's agent here in the US is L. David Keith of Grey Ghost Safaris, and Trevor does not have a US agent.
Debbie Gracy of Gracy Travel handled the flights to Gove and the hotels.
I used Paul's 375 H&H Rem to take two good buff, both in the mid nineties. Paul had lost both his camp helpers due to family emergencies, but we did fine with just the two of us.
Trevor has a camp on Bremer Island out of Nhulunbuy and we fished about 1 hour North of there. The hunting and fishing were terrific. I saw over 300 buffalo and many good bulls, no fencing or signs of civilization outside of Numblwarr. Lots of interesting wildlife--especially the beautiful wild horses and birdlife.
In Paul's concession we saw lots of wild horses--many of which would approach us to 75 yds out of curiosity.
Bird life seen included Jabiru stork, pheasant coucal, black and sulfur-crested cockatoos, kookaburra, sea eagle, many types of Kites, ibis, Radjah duck, and many others. Did not see any snakes.
On Bremer Island, we snorkeled and fished. Their tackle was too light for the huge Cod and sharks that we would hook up at least 1/2 the time. Several broke off after 20-30 minutes of fighting. One reel got the braided line bound in a crack on the strut of the reel, and when I set the hook as the bite came as the bait hit bottom, something big snatched the whole combo out of my hands.

Paul's website:
http://www.southernsafaris.com...aris/en_safaris.html
Can also be found at L. David Keith's website. David is his agent.
http://www.grayghostsafaris.com/

And here is Trevor Hosies' website:
http://www.nomadcharters.com.au/wilderness.htm

A

B

Wedge-tailed Eagle


C

D

E Wild Dingo

F Hibiscus

G Found this bull after still-hunting several miles from truck

H

I Brumbies

J

K Showing Off

L

M

N Red-winged parrot

O Blue-winged Kookaburra

P Black cockatoo

Q

R Termite mound

S Jabiru at Policeman's Crossing on the Rose River, where the crocs and the Bull Sharks mingle.

T Harbor at Nhulunbuy

U
Tame dingo "Sting-Ray"

getting ready to snorkel

V Shane with Cod

W

X
Queen fish and Mackeral

Y
Bremer Island

Z

AA

AB Magnetic Termite mound

Pandanus Palms

AC
Turkey Brush

AD
Bruise on biceps when rod jerked out of hands

AE
sulfa-crested cockatoo--worse than Go-Away birds

Nice bulls Steve, congrats. Did you get to eat any fish? I'm hoping their Gov't will open Saltwater Croc's soon. I really want to do that hunt. Good job on the pics, they're great!
Regards,
David

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Nice bulls Steve, congrats. Did you get to eat any fish? I'm hoping their Gov't will open Saltwater Croc's soon. I really want to do that hunt. Good job on the pics, they're great!
Regards,
David

I had forgotten how wonderful fresh fish is!! The Idiots in the Government will soon be forced to allow Croc hunting because of the danger posed by these beasties.

Looks like a great trip and some good trophies.
Thanks for sharing!

nice animals great pics

Very interesting place and wildlife. Thank you for sharing.

Bravo !

It looks like you had a fantastic trip. Congratulations on the success and thanks for the great pictures.

Combining a fishing and hunting trip is about as good as it gets.

FWIW, I did not take any checked luggage. Just used a 15# carry-on, and borrowed Paul's spare rifle when in camp. Still had to get the Police Firearms Permit several months in advance.

What a good report and pictorial,it shows that there are many other little things that go together on these sort of hunts especially for the OS hunters,your appreciation of the other birds/wildlife is seen in your photo`s.
You have seen many birds that even most Aussies never get to see in the wild.

Hunting up north is not just get off the plane.."bang" then get back on after the obligatory buff pic session,all the other pieces in an unfamiliar land can make it really worthwhile to many hunters.

I must ask though about the saltwater croc`s in your snorkeling area, is there none there at all.

Gryphon1,
The local white resident/caretaker said he had only seen a croc at the island twice in the past year. We didn't see any slides or tracks in the sand, and the small local population of Aborigines is in the water a lot, and no one has been taken recently.

quote:

no one has been taken recently.

Ok SGraves155. This makes it a sooner than later sort of thing to me and I would be looking over my shoulder quite a bit if I was in there.

Those lizards give me the creeps when i`m in their country.

welcome home doc looks like you had a good time.I would like to hear about it over a coffee with marula some time

Steve

Excellent!!!!! Oh man, seeing your photos gives me the itch to get back and do some shooting with Paul! Seems he is having a tough year this year with the flood and all! We had an absolute blast last year with Paul. Fantastic shooting, and I think you must have seen more than you shot? I see several still standing???

Next year Paul will have a choice of carry rifles, a new Win M70 458 Lott and a Win M70 500 MDM. I can't wait to get back down under!

Congrats on what looks like a fantastic trip.

Michael

Mike, your report last year was what led me to book with Paul. He's told me about your 500 MDM--sounds like the perfect DG rifle. Paul's Lott is having several problems.
Yes, I only shot two buffalo. Must have seen 20 bulls in the 90+ range. Two that looked to be over 100 were seen after dark.

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
welcome home doc looks like you had a good time.I would like to hear about it over a coffee with marula some time

Hook, good idea. Your suggestion made me remember I had some of that stuff left, and I just fixed up a concoction.

quote:

Originally posted by SGraves155:
Mike, your report last year was what led me to book with Paul. He's told me about your 500 MDM--sounds like the perfect DG rifle. Paul's Lott is having several problems.
Yes, I only shot two buffalo. Must have seen 20 bulls in the 90+ range. Two that looked to be over 100 were seen after dark.

Steve

It's really hard to leave those 20 standing eh? I think I saw some of those same horses too, in particular the white one?? A very neat place, buffalo around every turn it seems! I enjoyed the shooting a lot there with Paul, and I think one would be hard pressed to find as good a company as Paul is, very pleasant fellow to shoot with, hunt with and be around. I think quite a bit of Paul! I should have booked and went again this year, but we decided to take the rest of the year off from the travel. Next year Africa, and then back to Paul in 2012. Way to long for my tastes, but there is only so much time!

I hope you enjoyed your time there and your bulls look great. I just got 3 of mine on the wall along with one skull mount a couple of weeks ago!

Michael

Great report. 'Sounds like an excellent combo trip. Very impressive how light you packed.

drop me an email when your going to sitting around with nothing to do but tell lie's opps I mean hunting stories and I will drop by

Steve,
Great report and excellent buffalo... well done! This is a hunt I have wanted to do for awhile. Congrats!

Steve, what can I say but FANTASTIC!

But for the horn configuration, those buffalo look like dead ringers for Syncerus caffer caffer.

And I do love the horn configuration!

Superb photos, especially of the bird and plant life. Not to mention the brumbies and dingos! I love them.

Is it so difficult to take a rifle with you to Australia? I have always taken mine along wherever I have gone (which does not include Oz), as I prefer it that way, and I am curious about why you chose to use a loaner.

In any case, I have got to get down under some time soon.

Russell and MR, thanks.
It is a bit of work to get one's rifle and ammo into Australia, but it can be done. Paul said each State can require their own Police permit if the rifle leaves the airport, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Mainly, I just wanted to avoid delays and make the short lay-overs easier.

What a great trip. I have got to go down there and sort out a couple of those Water Buffalo.

Thanks for posting the pictures.

This is Trevor Hosie bringing supplies from the dinghy to Banubanu Camp on Bremer Island:


Wind and petrol generators provided power to keep the XXXX Gold beer nice and cold.

Trevor and a Jack


Dinghy

Nice!

Mr.Graves.... amazing !!1 Congratulations !!!, that buff looks great !!! very nice pictures, now saving some money for my next trip; "Billinthewild" wants me in Az for Bear & Pronghorn hunt, Africa waiting me again (I sill in love...)...but Australia is charming me...One of these day I will pick-up my Smith .500 & i will put it in a suitcase and nothing will be safe in that island !!! Thanks for sharing. Guille.

Incredible adventure ,nice photos and you can see in them your great apreciation of nature ,thats alone speaks about your great culture.
On another matter didnt you see snakes ,i know you love them and in Australia there are marvelous snakes.

Guille, Thanks.
I recommend this hunt. Paul is now out of the Bush and the dry season is about over.

Juan, you and Icky would have a good time down there.
About snakes, I didn't see a single one. Saw one Goana. There were two Salties that lived in the Billabong next to camp, but I did not see them (the billabong was many miles long, and about 50 yds wide)

Damn but that looks simply FANTASTIC!

The pictures says it all, those dingo's look a lot like domestic dogs.

Lovely report and a great trip, obviously. What kind of personality did Sting-Ray the dingo have? Looks like a fine little companion.

Bill,
StingRay did seem very friendly and laid-back.

Homgoreb,
Dingos do mix readily with domestic dogs. Here's more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Dingo

and some info on New Guinea dingos:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_Singing_Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUYn1dJsYOY

Steve
fantastic hunt..

I am planning on doing this trip in the next two years.

quote:

Originally posted by michael458:

quote:

Originally posted by SGraves155:
Mike, your report last year was what led me to book with Paul. He's told me about your 500 MDM--sounds like the perfect DG rifle. Paul's Lott is having several problems.
Yes, I only shot two buffalo. Must have seen 20 bulls in the 90+ range. Two that looked to be over 100 were seen after dark.

Steve

It's really hard to leave those 20 standing eh? I think I saw some of those same horses too, in particular the white one?? A very neat place, buffalo around every turn it seems! I enjoyed the shooting a lot there with Paul, and I think one would be hard pressed to find as good a company as Paul is, very pleasant fellow to shoot with, hunt with and be around. I think quite a bit of Paul! I should have booked and went again this year, but we decided to take the rest of the year off from the travel. Next year Africa, and then back to Paul in 2012. Way to long for my tastes, but there is only so much time!

I hope you enjoyed your time there and your bulls look great. I just got 3 of mine on the wall along with one skull mount a couple of weeks ago!

Michael

Michael,
Can you show us some pictures of your mounts? would love to see them.

Scotty, you will enjoy it. wonderful hunt to use an un-scoped double (although I took mine at long distance--200 yds on first and 175 on second--they had us spotted and there were buffalo between us and them.)

Hey Steve

Yes, I just got my bulls back a few weeks ago. My taxidermist is in Ohio, and he has done some great work for me. I had three of the bulls shoulder mounted, and one skull mount on a piece of great myrtle wood. That first old bull was the first animal taken with a 500 MDM, and I would have shoulder mounted it too, but was in too big of a hurry to get going to shoot those next 20 buffalo, so I said No Paul, we must go now to get some more shooting in! LOL.

That's the truth too!







I will have to take a photo of my myrtle bull!

Michael

Michael,
Fantastic trophy room, and I really like those water buffalo mounts. Your taxidermist is to be congratulated. Thanks for posting this.

Steve

Thanks, I like them too, he is a damn good taxidermist and I have never had anything done that I was not very happy with.

Michael

Canoe washed onto Bremer Island from PNG


2nd buff, different pose

Great stuff Steve. You should come to NZ next!

Steve, yet another exciting trip. You really have a knack for finding interesting hunts in neat areas, and once on the ground I really respect how you extract the most out of your time. I had sort of written-off a trip to Australia, as I thought it was a long way to go to “just” shoot a buffalo...but clearly with some planning and the right contacts there is much to be seen and experienced. Thanks!