The post about Col Allison has jogged me to ask if anyone can enlighten me as to who the quite well known hunter and writer was who wrote articles for the Australian Sporting Shooter mag about hunting in the top end of the Northern Territory back in the 70's.

It was one of his articles in the 1978 year book of the above mentioned magazine that spurred me on to arrange a buffalo hunt with him for later in that year. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) not long before we were to head off over to Oz on our hunt he wrote that he would be tied up with some 'church' business and would be unable to guide us himself but would have someone else do this.

As it turned out we had a week with a hunter who shot buffalo for his pet meat business so were able to slay quite a few buffs in addition to hunting and stalking some good bulls, no limit or licence required then.

We hunted on the Finnis River Station, owned at the time by a big tall Texan. The buffalo roamed free, not respecting the low cattle fences on some of the station and we found them in swampy areas, open plains and sand dune areas close to the coast as well as in the scrub and bushland.

Cannot remember the name of the writer who triggered my early interest in the Oz buffalo?

Bob Penfold?

quote:

Originally posted by TOP_PREDATOR:
Bob Penfold?

Thanks TP, I have heard of Bob and read some of his articles but I can't connect his name with our hunt. There was also Dick Eussen a well known NT top ender and I did purchase a tour guide type book in Darwin either written, or at least contributed to by Dick especially a lot of fishing stuff but also about the big game opportunities. Again I don't think Dick was our contact.

Who ever it was it appears as if they were strongly enough into their church to have to turn down a guiding assignment. Of course it was very early days then and we were possibly amongst the first to 'go on safari' as it were as there didn't seem to be any guiding advertising back then and certainly didn't seem to be any restrictions where we were. It was easy to get our firearms in, only needed to pay $20 odd to get a temporary NT licence.

We stopped over in Brisbane and declared we were carrying rifles and the curious Immigration official had to get mine out and aim it all around the terminal as he had never seen a 404J before. Didn't have a hard case either just a soft bag, that's when people cared about their jobs and others possessions.

Pity we could not turn the clock back to those days, it was just so much easier.

Penfold wasn't around till early 80's. Rob Mann was among the first. Ray allwright may have been around late 70's too?

The church business sounds like Noel bleakley but I didn't think he was around till later in the 80's.

I was teamed up with Bob Penfold on one of Ken Leatham Sambar hunts a dozen or more years ago. I seem to recollect Bob Penfold was back then a minister of religion.

quote:

Originally posted by finnwolf64:
I was teamed up with Bob Penfold on one of Ken Leatham Sambar hunts a dozen or more years ago. I seem to recollect Bob Penfold was back then a minister of religion.

which religion? not any regular one.

Dick Eussen is the only name I can remember writing about buffalo for them, then. Vic McCrystal may have written some stuff on buff, too, but he worked for 'Australian Outdoors'.

Dick Eussen, agree.

Their is a pic of my brother, dad and myself up North in 1980 or so edition of SS.

Plus the ducks and laid out guns in the above photo also made it into Dick's book.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm thinking now it must have been Dick Eussen that we booked our hunt with back in 1978. There must have been some good reason why I bought back a book featuring Dick or maybe written by him.
Unfortunately, as recounted earlier, we did not get to meet the man himself but had a ball nevertheless with the stand-in guide, a 'true' PH who hunted himself for a living.

Got any photos from the trip??

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Got any photos from the trip??

Yes, pretty old and only scans. I think I may have posted one or two before elsewhere but here are all I have of actual hunt shots.
Remember these photos were taken pre 'safari' hunting as we know it now and reflect the times, however all meat was taken and used.
We brought back a good set of bull buffalo horns each.

Me and bull shot with 404 down in coastal sand dune area


Another bull shot in same area all shots with 404 and 400gr solids


My hunting partner, Ian, with his keeper bull shot with his Brno 7x57 and 160gr Noslers


A good sized cow shot for a load of meat


A bit of a shoot up for a load of meat, not all shot in a bunch, dragged together to bone out


Another bunch shot for meat with some fast exciting shots at very close quarters in the scrub,
with the odd one coming in at a charge either deliberate or just confused,the 404 in it's element


Me and our PH boning out some of the meat, hot and hard work especially when the big horse flies are biting


A bit more hard work to make up a load of meat


One of the few pigs we got, this one pussed up in the mouth and head with TB

Those were the days

Awesome mate!! thanks for posting... It would be good to ID the guide for you.

Cheers
Matt

Great photos.

We still skin the animals the same way !!!

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