I learned a lot about NZ hunting ethics after posting my chamois & tahr photos. Hope to learn a lot about Australian Banteng and Buffalo hunting after I post on this forum too.

Hunted with outfitter Brenton Hurt, owner of Northern Territory Buffalo Safaris. Our first 5 days hunt was for Banteng (wild oxen) at the outfitter Cobourg Peninsula camp. Took my banteng on the third day. The hunting was on foot and in dense Eucaplytus groves with thick brush and lots of GREEN ANTS!!! Took my banteng from a braced, standing position at 60 yards.

For our next 5 day hunt for Water Buffalo,our outfitter flew us (in his Cherokee) into Arnhemland. Our camp was on the Koolatong River. I took my Buffalo on the second day of a 5 day hunt. Again because of the dense cover my shot was about 60 yards (standing, braced position. Both critters were taken with my Robar .375

Both camps were great and the outfitter and his wife, Anne were spectacular hosts.

My husband's buffalo

Hopefully this is my water buffalo photo

Attagirl!! Nice pics, looks like you had a real good time. You sure have a bright smile, I bet your dentist loves you. He He.

D.Nelson,
Congrats, those two are very ethical trophies!!
What animal, banteng or buff, is more difficult to hunt and why?
Banteng live in herds or they are solitary animals? Sorry the questions but I'm very interested in learning about bantengs.
Thanks
LG

Lorenzo: get a copy of Edison Marshall�s Shikar&Safari. Banteng in its native habitat seem to live in herds, but bachelor bulls are the real trophies.
By the way, its native habitat was in the middle of the Asiatic Wars!
Buena caza

NitroX (Thanks for your advice about posting!) My Water Buffalo and Banteng just arrived in San Francisco enroute to a taxidermist in Phoenix, AZ. As soon as they arrive there, they will be SCI scored. I don't know about the banteng score for sure, but the outfitter estimated it was around 73 and the buff would go 101.

My rifle, named "Thelma" was custom built by Robby Barrkamn, owner of Robar Co. of Phoenix, AZ. The action is a Winchester pre 64 model 70. The ammo I used was Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw .375 H&H 300 gr. I had a beautiful wooden stock on this rifle for use in Africa, but put her on a synthetic stock to accommodate a sling system so I could carry her all day. It was a good decision, but she isn't quite as pretty as she was in Africa!! PS--My .416 was also built by Robar and I named her "Louise", but she didn't go on this trip.

I definitely loved both NZ & OZ. Darwin is my kind of city too!!! However, I think Mother Nature really has a great laugh on hunters in the N.T. You are in a hot, humid, sometimes dusty climate surrounded and tempted to swim in beautiful, blue coral seas or deep, clean rivers.... only to be staring at crocs!

475Guy You are right about my dentist. He knows I do a lot of hunting and therefore keeps my "fangs" quite shiny!

Lorenzo I definitely consider Banteng a more difficult trophy to hunt. The one I took was a solitary bull, but we generally found herds of 8-10 animals (mostly cows and calves running with 1 or 2 bulls). They could easily wind us at close range required in the dense bush and once they took off we could never get on the same bunch again. My guide warned me not to make a move once I fired my shot, as he told me the Banteng would definitely come for a moving target. My guide recommended using the same target zone as hunting Cape Buffalo (suggesting taking out the shoulder, heart and lung). It worked perfectly. He ran about 30 yds before he died.

Lucky bloke. I,m hopeing to go after buffalo and banteng some time. Thanks for the tip on where to get info on Banteng ,there isnt much info on them around here.

cr500 If you are interested, my outfitter's website can be found at
www.users.bigpond.com/brenton.hurt

It is my understanding that Brenton has the only concession in the Cobourg Peninsula area. Other outfitters who book Banteng hunts in that area either use his camp or book their clients with Brenton.

D.
Congratulations on two great trophies! Did you try for scrub bull while you were in the outback?

Speaking of Edison Marshall ... my favourite hunting book of all time is his, 'Heart of the Hunter.' I never knew of the other at all ... I must get it .... Somehow ...

Davidsons have there own "tags" for banteng too. D.'s and Hurt are the two. There has been a lot of controversy around this topic, because not many outfitters like to admit they actually employ the services of others for banteng.

A good advice: **always** double check how your outfitter is going to arrange your banteng hunt. There have been cases in which unknowing hunters have been found poaching because their outfitter didn't have the right to hunt banteng on Cobourg.

If you have *any* doubts, contact me; my buddy in Oz, Les Kosek, director of Terra Incognita Guides, is always on top of these things, and has open lines with the local authorities.

Frans
Terra Incognita North America

Nice trophys mate!Sounds like you had a great time. I agree with what you said about Darwin, its a great place. Reminds me of Canberra but with palm trees.

Bakes

"Thelma" and "Louise".

Good names. I think we had better be more careful fron now on .

PS Good to see another person gives their guns names.

Like I said before, ATTAGIRL!! Most women seem to get too sensitive about anything, good comeback.

Congrats. Those are beautiful animals. Want to make a go of those with my handguns someday when I get my fill of Alaska. When that will be I have no idea.

BTW didn't anyone tell you bracing for a standing shot isn't ethical. Just kidding.

Beautiful animals D Nelson and beautiful smile.
Congratulations.
Fernando