I'm getting ready to go to the Northern Territory to shoot a couple of Buffalo.What's the average range of the shots that I'll probably have to take ? I'll be hunting about 20 miles up the Walker river. Any help will be appreciated ...... thanks. (Last year the guide said probably 30 yards; then in Dallas this year, he said possibly as far as 100 yards) I'm hunting with Simon Kyle-Little.

I'd guess similiarly--30 to 100 yds. You should have a great time. Below are some buffalo picts from last Oct. in NT just on western border of Kakadu. If you haven't read Syd Kyle-Little's book yet, you have a treat in store.

My buff skull
[IMG]http://i72.photobucket

Watch out for these


Cows


Young Bull


Nice bull

Average yardage to shoot a water buffalo ???

Presuming that you will be carrying a decent enough "hard hitter" does it really matter a tinkers cuss how far? 30 or 300 you are not head shooting rabbits.

30-100 yards would be about right.

Its more fun to get in close


It is quite open country in places.

I try to get within 60yds unless we are over open ground like a floodplain, where you may realistically only be able to get to 100 or so.

The idea is to get close enough to put in one good shot but then be able to follow up with a second or third. If they are close to heavy brush they can carry that first (even fatal) shot a VERY long way and that second and third shot often means everything.

To shoot them at 300yds (when not neccessary) would be asking for trouble.... even with a big gun

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
To shoot them at 300yds (when not neccessary) would be asking for trouble.... even with a big gun

Understandably so in some situations Matt but with all the write ups on "this and that forum" extolling the virtues of X and Y calibres one would have to assume that the average WB hunter would be armed with something that would handle a simple "heart lung" shot at extended ranges.. a .375 Rum slamming a Woodley into that region would have a bull dead quite comfortably one would think no matter if the range was 300 plus,taking of course into consideration that the hunter could actually shoot decently,something that many think they can but they cant....hmmmm maybe 30 yards is better

50 yards or so in the close scrub around here... They seem to "watch" you approach for a while until you get inside thier comfort zone then bolt at suprising speed for such a large animal. Plonking a bullet in the heart/lung from "300 or so" is a perfect recipie for a lost animal. As Matt says, they can carry a fatal shot very well and in the time it took to walk/jog 300 yards the bugger could be a mile away at a dead run.

Expensive exercise when you are paying good money and unethical for any number of reasons.

quote:

Expensive exercise when you are paying good money and unethical for any number of reasons.

OH fuck me here we go....why is it unethical? Any number of reasons??...please share them all eh!
What a crock of crap. A hunter that can actually use his rifle and can shoot and by using a rest and one of those big bad buffla calibres should have absolutely no problems sinking one into the heart/lung zone,taking into account that the target is stationary...no mention above about non stationary at all.

Using one of your forthcoming "reasons" WIZ i presume that you yourself wouldnt take such a shot at the bull of a lifetime because he wasnt up close ? dosent an ethical hunter weigh it all up and do an instant analysis of his quarry? Of course he does and if its not right he dosent take the shot but if its all A ok well then he does and if its "out there" a bit and everything is right well then take it.

At a range as mentioned more than likely the game is unaware and thus far more takeable..

Why would I have to explain that plonking a bullet into a buff from 300 yards away, having it take off at a dead run after not "magically" keeling over dead as many don't (even after being hit with a cannon) may result in a lost animal? Given that your follow up shot is now 300+ away and on the run and likely has its arse towards you and it's heading for cover at a rapid rate. How far off and what are your chances of finding the bastard?

All of the outfitters I know up here work on the "you hit it, you pay for it basis" Regardless of whether you put it on the ground or not. Seems like CDF to get closer to me...

Pass up a big buff?
I have no urgent want or need to grass a "big" bull yet. When I do, I know where this bloke lives.

Hmm,i`m not a fan of long range shooting at all and do everything possible during a hunt to lessen any potential shooting distance to the minimum,however if i was way up north for a water buffalo hunt and it was my last day`s hunting and last hour my trigger finger would be itchy and that bull that we all want was standing unaware at an extended distance away and i had myself a decent rest and being armed with my .375 RUMCHESTER carrying a suitable scope or whatever i would be sinking one into him,fairly simple for blokes that can use a rifle i would imagine.
Apparently i read it as you wouldnt have a crack in such a situation Wiz,true?

QUOTE: I have no urgent want or need to grass a "big" bull yet. When I do, I know where this bloke lives.

Well good onya let him grow for a few more years then as he only looks about an equivalent in sambar to be only a " mid twenties" and deserves to live a bit longer.

quote:

I have no urgent want or need to grass a "big" bull yet. When I do, I know where this bloke lives.

oi.... thats my buff mate. And he can live till Aug when the 458lott catches up with him... and yes i will be alot closer than 300meters.

Gryph, by todays standards that lad is well and truly a shootable animal however, my skills at estimating size are a poor second to someone like Matt G... perhaps he can make a guess but mine would lie at around 90-95 points, perhaps a little more. I don't really feel the need to shoot "big" animals simply because my needs are for the freezer rather than to hang on the wall.

I appreciate your point on the last day of the hunt itchy trigger finger problem, there was a time when I lived in QLD that I would have crawled through a mile of broken glass to shoot a big buff and take his horns home. A client/guide situation is entirely different to the advantage I have in being able to look them over whenever I feel the need.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lowndsie:
oi.... thats my buff mate. And he can live till Aug when the 458lott catches up with him.[QUOTE]

Like hell Jase.. you can have one of the little blokes if I need freezer meat You don't get to blast a biggie for the sake of it. Matt Graham will sort you out if that is your want.

Thanks for your confidence Wiz! You are being conservative - it's difficult to see how far back the horns sweep but it is 40inches or more wide and in the high 90's, ...at least.. I would suggest. It certainly stands out like the proverbial 'dogs balls' to me and that usually means a big trophy you DONT walk past. I wouldn't walk past it but I certainly wouldn't slug it at 300yds either or let someone else do it, no matter how big or how much I was getting paid.

You sure Marrakai hasn't killed that bull yet - he's a bugger for that!!

Sorry to drag your post away Frank - you'll have a GREAT hunt with Simon - he is one of the best, that's for sure and a real nice bloke! I hope you are lucky enough to meet his wife - she is a cracker too.