Had a great hunt out in Northern Australia with Simon Kyle-Little (Australian Big Game Safaris). Thank you to those who gave me all the suggestions when I first started researching this hunt.

I decided that I wanted do a quality hunt for one buffalo in one of the best areas (vs a cull type hunt). Simon was the perfect choice. Dad was feeling left out so he asked to come along a few months before the hunt. Simon said no problem so we made it a 2x1. Borrowed Simon's rifles (two CZ .375 HH). Flew LAX to Brisbane (Qantas Premium - very nice). Brisbane to Darwin (ate lots of Thai food and some amazing steaks). Darwin to Groote. Groote to camp.

Camp isn't fancy, but is comfortable and has everything you need. Food was really good. Better than I was prepared for.





The area was great. Really remote and felt like it. Crocs, pigs, dingos, wallabies, tons of different birds, and there are buffalo everywhere. Big ones too. We saw many trophy quality bulls right from the road. Simon told us early on that we were going to properly hunt our bulls, not shoot them a few steps from the road. So that's what we did. Usually in the hottest part of the day

First day we walked in a few kilometers and found my dad's bull drinking at a waterhole. He looked pretty good, and my dad felt that he put in some effort, so he went ahead and decided to take him. Dropped him with one shot. At first we thought he was a decent bull, but upon further examination Simon told us that it was the heaviest bull he probably had ever killed. He wasn't very wide but had serious mass all the way out. Dad was pretty happy.





Took a long walk that afternoon and saw a monster of a boar but couldn't get a shot off. Also had a close encounter with a curious bull. Photo doesn't really show it, but this guy came in pretty close.




Next day me and Simon made a plan to go way back in to some remote water holes and left the old man back at the truck. I'd say we were in about 3 miles when we reached the area we wanted. We crept from water hole to water hole with not much sign. A short while later we saw a waterhole where the water was really muddy and we could tell it had been disturbed recently. I looked across and noticed a tail flicking back and forth and told simon "pigs!"
He looked real quick and said "let me take a look, you can go ahead and shoot it if you want"
After lifting his binos he looked back at me and said "Its a bloody good buffalo!"
I scratched my head a little bit and looked thru my binos again and sure enough saw a black pig with a piglet next to it. I replied back "Are you sure? Because I'm looking at a 100% pig"
He looks at me like I'm crazy and says "That's a buffalo!"
So now I'm just confused and not sure what to do. So I say "Are we looking at the same animal???"
He finally says "Right in the middle of the water is the buffalo" So I finally peek all the way over and sure enough about 5 yards away from the pigs, dead center in the water, is a big buffalo up to his neck in the muddy water"
My pack is about 10 yards away so I don't have time to get my video camera. Which I really regret because it would have been some great footage. Simon happens to have his still camera around his neck so he starts to snap some photos. Just as he starts, the buffalo knows somethis is up and stands up. I give it to him right there, he starts to move up the bank, so I give him another, and one more as he tries to climb out. He rolls over and he's done.



Wider than my dad's, heavy as well, but didn't carry his mass out as far as my dad's. Nice bull and very happy with how it played out.



With our trophies in the salt, we decided to go for a management bull. Simon said we would have a good chance at one out on the flats where many of the younger bulls like to go. So we did that. Found one pretty quickly after a short walk. The deal was that dad would take the first shot and I would back him up. Dad got up on the sticks and was ready to go. I wanted to take video and Simon wanted some action photos so I was whispering to him "wait, wait, wait..." so before I could get the K sound out from the "OK" he was already shooting. A little rushed I think... the shot was a little high. We didn't know it at the time but it grazed the horn first before going into the shoulder. I didn't have time to pick up my rifle (had camera in hand) and get a shot off. He ran off like nothing had happened and did a big semi circle and crossed back across the stream. He was heading for some real thick stuff and I was able to get one shot in him just as he disappeared. I could see him buckle a little bit so I felt good about the shot. We gave him a little bit of time and then me and Simon went in to look for him. It was thick in there and we were not having a good time. After about 30 minutes we walked back out and tried to retrace the tracks. No blood and thousands of tracks everywhere made it impossible. We kept looking and looking, at one point we were VERY close to getting charged by a buffalo horn shaped bush. I mean really close. Two hours later, sun is going down fast, and no bull. As we stop to rest for a bit we notice a bunch of birds squawking. We both look at each other and know what the means. We follow the sounds and find the bull about 30 yards in from where he disappeared into the brush. We had basically been about 50 yards away from him many times but were looking too deep in the thick stuff. Still no blood up until a few feet away from the bull. Needless to say, it was a huge relief to find him.




The last two days of the hunt we basically shot dingos and fished. Caught some nice queenfish and I managed to even catch me a nice barramundi in this little muddy creek.



Overall a great hunt and experience. Would highly recommend it!

Funny coincidence... My guide for brown bear a few years ago at Phil Shoemaker's place was a guy name Wesley. Come to find out Wesley was out there guiding for Simon just before I arrived. I missed him by only a few days. We had a great bear hunt and I imagine it would be a blast hunting buffalo out there with him. Might just have to do that!

Here is a short (9 minute) video I did of the hunt.


https://vimeo.com/239168911

Thanks for the report. Looks like you had a great time.

Hey, that’s awesome! Great fish, too!

Good stuff! I have a hunt booked in Ozzie land next year.

Awesome safari and great video.

Congratulations!
Thanks for sharing. Made my day at the office.

Ski+3

Bobby, great report and it looks like a super hunt. I should be seeing Wesley in a couple weeks on Kodiak and will make sure he sees this

Thanks for the excellent report/story. I got a good chuckle out of the mistaken identity of the bull and the pig.
Thew video with sound track is really exciting.
Congrats on a good hunt.

nice

Haha...Simon is all about doing it "properly" We still talk about his death marches he took us on. Sounds like you had an awesome trip....congrats!

Thanks for the report and video. Looks like a great adventure. What cartridge is that resting on the head of your dad's buffalo?

Great report Congrats.

quote:

Originally posted by JeffreyPhD:
Thanks for the report and video. Looks like a great adventure. What cartridge is that resting on the head of your dad's buffalo?

.375 HH

I think the bases were over 19" if I remember correctly

Great report Bobby, thanks for posting it.

Great photos there.

I've got to do this.
Great hunt Bob

Great report and video... doing banteng, buff and scrub bull this June with Jay, MJines and another buddy this June. What a perfect primer!

Very good Bobby, been wondering what you two
were up to.

Enjoyed the vid, glad you both had a great time.
Dandy buff's too.

George