AUSTRALIA: Australia Buffalo Hunt With Australian Outback Buffalo Safaris

[Ridgewalker]

What a “hoot” of a time! I’ve got to add this to my bucket list soon!

 

[Bullthrower338]

I will get it finished up soon I promise

 

[Ridgewalker]

I will get it finished up soon I promise

Take your time! I’m enjoying every post!

 

[Wheels]

Great hunt Cody.

Thanks for the report!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Well I will finally finish this report up while I’m waiting on a plane in rainy Florida!

The fourth day of the hunt had us driving up to the top of a hill, the largest hill I have actually seen in the NT. We are headed to a spot that Aaron has just recently found. It is a swamp on top of the ridge, doesn’t sound right to me either! We park the truck and proceed to walk down the ridge, we shortly encounter a beautiful bull all by himself and decide to pass in hopes of a larger bull in the marsh. Five scrub bulls are on the edge of the marsh as we approach, one is beautiful and I seriously contemplate a second bull of the bovine variety hanging in my house but decide to pass. We continue down through the marsh and see quite a few buff but not any that really get us excited. We walk a large circle slowly through the area and back to the truck.

Dad doesn’t know it yet but we are actually looking for his bull. Up until the time I hand him the 375 he thinks he is just along for the ride. I had worked this out with Aaron and it was pretty cool to see his face when he got his chance.

We moved along to a area that was quite thick and had a small creek running through it. Buffalo were absolutely everywhere. As we moved along the creek a good bull was standing by himself. I asked dad if he liked him and he said hell yeah, he’s nice. This is where I handed the old man the rifle, like he had done to me so many times as a young boy. It was great to see his excitement. He moved up to get a rest on a tree and looked at me one more time like he was waiting for me to say “ha, got your ass, give me back the rifle”. He took aim and fired. Now pop is a meat hunter and doesn’t have the shoot till they are down mentality that his middle son has. He looks over the rifle as I frantically yell at him to keep shooting! Aaron shoots before the bull makes it into the thick bush with the 7-08 and the bull is down. The second shot was not needed as dad’s shot was perfect. But it certainly ended it all quicker.

I was quite pleased with this beautiful bull that dad took! It is going to look excellent hanging in his house in Montana. I was happy that I finally got to do something for my dad after all he has done for me over my lifetime. Especially not killing me when I was around 16!

Well got to jump on a plane. One more installation coming.

 

[tarbe]

Yer a good son Cody!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Yer a good son Cody!

Thanks Tim, after 40 plus years of pure disappointment the old man deserved it. Lol

 

[Ridgewalker]

That was such a grand thing to do for your dad! Just grand!

 

[Bullthrower338]

That was such a grand thing to do for your dad! Just grand!

Pales in comparison to all he has done for me, and he has never asked for anything in return.
A man finally realizes that the hard lessons you are taught young make you the person you are when grown. I just thank the Lord that I came to the realization sooner than later. Hope to have more adventures with him and will cherish all of them.
But thank you Sir for your comment.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Wheels]

Really cool present for your dad

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats to your dad! And job well done on surprising him

 

[IdaRam]

Sounds like one heck of an adventure! I have enjoyed the re-telling immensely and wondering how I missed it ‘til now?!
Your Pop should be proud of the rebellious heathen child that he raised and I am sure he is! Nicely done

 

[Buff-Buster]

Great report brother! Started not to read it because I was looking forward to hearing it in person while partaking in some spirited libations! Not letting you off the hook for doing that either! Great thing you did for your Dad, well done buddy.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Great report brother! Started not to read it because I was looking forward to hearing it in person while partaking in some spirited libations! Not letting you off the hook for doing that either! Great thing you did for your Dad, well done buddy.

Sure wish you could have joined us my friend! We will get together soon and have a few drams!

 

[gillettehunter]

No that was something your father will remember the rest of his life. Well done!
Bruce

 

[Holly Brewer]

Awesome hunt. Great storytelling!! I cracked up all the way through...

 

[Bullthrower338]

Alright to finish up!

While we are looking Dad’s bull over Aaron walked back to the cruiser to get his knives and part way there yells at me to watch him, you have company. I turn around and a monster bull is coming through the bush obviously curious what happened to his cuz. He was Big enough that it didn’t take a second for me to throw up the rifle aim between his horns and completely miss him! I still have no earthly idea how I missed that shot but I damn sure did! Aaron took off running so I took off running after the bull also, losing a pair of Oakley glasses along the way. The bull was gone and Aaron kept saying how big he was. Makes you feel that much lower when you know you dropped the ball on at the championship game!

The Old Man came meandering up out of the bush and continued to cheer me up with words of praise on my exemplary display of marksmanship. We decided to walk down along the creek further and see if we could find a pig or possibly luck back into the bull. We see a bull that is physically in poor shape. Bones showing and skin hanging. This is the bull to take, he probably wouldn’t have made it much longer. He was a contrast to the healthy looking Buffalo we have been seeing every day. It didn’t take long to make my mind up and kill him. I shot him just under the neck line as he was facing us and once again as he turned broadside. He was down and was my conclusion to water buff in the NT.
The picture of this bull must be on my camera and I will upload it later.

We looked the bull over noting that he was evidently sick. We were in no way quiet as we started back to the track. We were no more than 10 steps away from the bull and Aaron says in a nonchalant way “look at the pig sleeping there”. Now in Texas the pigs don’t just lounge out on the creek bank waiting for a guy to plug them one. I automatically think this is another joke because we have cut up since we were picked up in Darwin. I think to myself that they shot this pig a few days ago and he is messing with me, so who am I to ruin a good joke? Up goes the 375 and I shoot at the only thing available, the pigs ass! Well you can only imagine my surprise when this “dead” pig comes up on his front legs squealing like, well a pig with a 375 bullet in his ass! He spins circles as I finally regain my composure and give him the final blow on the point of the shoulder. We had a great laugh at my expense and I guess the pigs too!

We saw tons of buff on our way out on our way back to camp.

We loaded up the next morning to head back to Darwin and I was a little disappointed that I had not got to shoot a feral Donkey. Ask and thou shalt receive! A lone donkey with my name all over it just down the road from camp!
The 7-08 was perfect medicine and I had my Donk! Deranged ears and all!

Beautiful markings on him and can not wait for the hide that Aaron is bringing me at DSC!

We spent the rest of the week in Darwin seeing the sights and had a great time. I will post pictures when I finally get to download them.

I had a great time hunting with Australian Outback Buffalo Safaris and would Hunt with Aaron and Red anytime.
The only part of this trip that took me by surprise was the Dip and Pack Cost! I almost fell out of my chair when I received my final invoice! I made the bad assumption that the D&P price was for the total hunt, not per animal. I guess I am to used to the prices in Africa. I would definitely ease up on the trigger if I knew what it was costing me to get some euros back home. But that is what you get for assuming things.
Still with all being said it was a blast and was quite a value for the amount of shooting that was done.

Thanks for tolerating my rambling!

Good hunting,
Cody

 

[Ridgewalker]

Thank your sir for a fine hunt! I really enjoyed reading such a fun trip with your dad! I only hope I can do the same before I get “too long in the tooth”!

 

[Royal27]

Dad doesn’t know it yet but we are actually looking for his bull. Up until the time I hand him the 375 he thinks he is just along for the ride. I had worked this out with Aaron and it was pretty cool to see his face when he got his chance.

Bad ass

 

[BenKK]

Pretty awesome boar and a gnarly donkey!